Rising Energy Costs
This week the energy regulator announced a new price cap which will mean that the average household bill will rise to £3549 per year. Households across the city and country, many of whom are already under immense strain already in the face of the rising cost of living and years of austerity will be pushed into increasingly precarious and unsafe circumstances. Many of the most at-risk households will be pushed beyond the point of no return.
The devastating impact of this rise cannot be overstated. At O.M.A we are extremely worried. For months already we have seen numbers requesting support rise by up to 400%, particularly from households accessing support for the first time. There is no question that this will increase significantly, with most predicting that by January ⅔ of the country will be in fuel poverty.
It is hard to explain what a harrowing impact this change will have on households everywhere and organisations like O.M.A working across the country to support their communities.You can read and share the voices of people, organisations and community groups here and here.
What you can do
Raid your cupboards
As it stands, we are facing a difficult Winter. But, for the past three years, we have been astounded every day by the strength, generosity and courage of this community and how we have stood in solidarity with one another through each and every crisis we have faced.
If you are able to, we are urgently in need of the following items to ensure stocks are sufficient to provide households with staples, particularly those which can be prepared with lower energy requirements. These are:
This week we have unfortunately run out of some essential ambient goods and toiletries, including:
Tinned tomatoes ( please click to donate)
We also are continuing to ensure that we provide more than just the staples, which includes the purchasing of toiletries, baby products and cleaning products. However, with costs rising we are finding it nearly impossible to meet the demand for support with our current budget. This week we need:
Thank you so much to everyone who has sent through generous donations over the past week. We are truly overwhelmed by the community of care we have built here in Oxford.
Donate monthly to OMA
If you have the means, please consider signing up for a regular donation to O.M.A. We know a lot lof of you have chipped in already but we’d really appreciate if you’re not already, you might consider donating 5 pounds a month.
You can donate here – please consider sharing this link with friends and family through your networks, and make sure to tag O.M.A!
If you’re a part of a company you can also donate directly to us via bank transfer. Just this week we received an amazingly generous donation from the team at Data Salon Oxford – they make an incredible impact on what we are able to do. If you’re interested but unsure where to start, contact us at coordinators@oxfordmutualaid.org.
Feedback
Through hard times and looking ahead to a challenging Winter it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. But we are reminded of the importance of our work, and the importance of this community through the messages we are lucky to receive day in, day out.
Hi guys. Just wanted to let you know that we think it’s a beautiful box this week and will save us at least £20 off our shopping to put towards gas for winter… this was a really caring thoughtful delivery
My heart is full of praises and thank you for your kind support and help on time with your very much kind words for emotional support whenever I speak to you all. You all are your best .
We are in this together – and we truly are all O.M.A. If you need help please reach out at 07310160595 or support@oxfordmutualaid.org <3