Surviving Winter: Wiltshire charity asks for public donations
A charity is appealing for donations to a programme which supports older and vulnerable people during the winter.Wiltshire Community Foundation's 'Surviving Winter' programme helps thousands of people hit by fuel poverty.In 2024 the programme supported 2,855 individuals through fuel grants and advice, working with a range of partners - including Age UK and Citizens Advice. Wiltshire Community Foundation's joint Chief Executive Fiona Oliver said: "No-one should be in the heartbreaking position of choosing between heating and eating."
She said January was "one of the darkest and coldest months of the year"."We know that there are older and vulnerable who are too scared to put on their heating to keep themselves safe and warm," she added."That is why we are once appealing for donations for our Surviving Winter campaign."
'Someone to listen'
Alongside partners, the foundation offers practical information on keeping homes warm. This includes recommendations for boiler replacement, working with energy companies and landlords to manage energy bill debt and helping those who are eligible to apply for benefits.One woman, aged 75, who lives alone, was helped after Age UK Wiltshire were able to award her with a Surviving Winter grant and also helped her with applications for attendance allowance, housing benefit, a council tax rebate and pension credit.The charity said it supported the woman for six months and increased her weekly income by £156.An Age UK Wiltshire spokesperson: "The Surviving Winter programme makes a huge difference to so many people. "Just knowing someone is there to listen, offer guidance, and provide support takes away so much worry."
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The Independent
6 days ago
- The Independent
Siblings shocked after school photo turns up in charity shop hundreds of miles away
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BBC News
6 days ago
- BBC News
Siblings' lost Cornwall school photo pops up 300 miles away
A childhood photo of a brother and sister from Cornwall has been reunited with them after turning up more than 300 miles away in a Lincolnshire charity Kirkum, 32, from Holsworthy, Devon, and his sister Jade Kirkum, 30, from Bude, Cornwall, were just children when they posed for the photo at Bude Junior School. Decades later, the framed picture resurfaced in an Age UK shop in Boston, Lincolnshire where it was posted on a Facebook group for quirky charity shop finds. Ms Kirkum, who was tagged by someone she had gone to school with, said: "I clicked on the link and couldn't believe it, it was us, it was the most bizarre thing." Mr Kirkum, a mechanic, said: "I was doing the washing up when Jade showed me the post. "I couldn't believe it, a photo of us from primary school, just sitting there in a shop hundreds of miles away."Chloe Poole, a local administration assistant, saw the post and retrieved the photo from the shop. She posted it to Ms Kirkum, who received it a few days later."I'm just glad she got it back," said Ms Poole. "Photos hold so many memories."The siblings do not know how the photo ended up so far from home, but suspect it may have been donated by a family member. "It just shows how powerful social media can be," said Ms Kirkum. "It's amazing this photo found its way back."
The Independent
6 days ago
- The Independent
Siblings reunited with school photo found in charity shop 300 miles away
A brother and sister who were reunited with their primary school photo after it ended up in a charity shop more than 300 miles away said their story shows 'the power of social media'. Chris Kirkum, 32, who lives in Holsworthy, Devon, and his sister Jade Kirkum, 30, who lives in Bude, Cornwall, were roughly eight and six when they posed for a school photo at what was then Bude Junior School in Cornwall. Over the years, the photo, which was placed inside a brown, metallic frame, mysteriously ended up in an Age UK shop in Boston, Lincolnshire, seemingly lost to time. However, thanks to a post from Michael Beecroft, 42, from Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, who came across the photo during a visit to the charity shop and posted about it in a Facebook group called 'Charity Shop S**t' on March 9, the siblings were reunited with the nostalgic picture within a few days. 'I randomly joined the group as it appeared on my news feed and I thought it was quite funny,' Ms Kirkum, who is a full-time mother, told the PA news agency. 'One day, someone who went to school with Chris and I but was not in the same classes as us tagged me, and I clicked on the link and it took me to the picture of Chris and I, which was the most bizarre thing.' Mr Kirkum, who works as a mechanic, told PA: 'I was quite taken aback. 'I think I was just doing the washing up and Jade asked me if I had seen the Facebook post and I said no and when I saw it, I couldn't believe it was a photo of us two sitting together in primary school.' Mr Kirkum said he could vividly remember the day the photo was taken. 'At the time, I remember thinking to myself: 'Oh, she's got to sit on my lap' and I was grumpy about it,' he said. Chloe Poole – an administration assistant based in Boston – managed to retrieve the photo from the charity shop and posted it to Ms Kirkum on March 10, who received it on March 13. Ms Poole, 26, said she saw the Facebook post while on a break at work, so decided to retrieve the picture since it was close-by – she was even given it for free by the manager. 'Honestly, I'm just glad she could get the photo back. I know how many memories one photo can hold and I hope any decent person would do the same,' she told PA. The siblings said they were unsure how the photo ended up in the charity shop, but it could have been accidentally donated by a family member. Mr Kirkum added the pair's father was in 'sheer disbelief' when he was told the story. 'I remember his eyes being wide open and he didn't believe it until we showed him the Facebook post,' he added. The now infamous photo is with Ms Kirkum at her home. 'Our story shows the power of social media – nobody knew us and this photo has come back to us. It is amazing and just goes to show you social media is mad,' she added. Mr Beecroft created the Facebook post after spotting the photo nestled among photo frames during a day out to Boston, said he was pleased the story had a happy ending. He said he never expected the post to get so much traction, initially hoping it would just provide a bit of light-hearted humour. 'I didn't expect it to get as much traction as it did, I just posted it as a bit of a laugh to see if anyone would recognise them,' he said. 'I'm really happy it got back to them.'
