Recession Set To Bite Into Reality of Christmas
Nadira Sultana visited the Grab ‘n’ Gab Club to find out how the Coventry-based charity will bring people together and protect them from the impact of the Cost-of-Living crisis this Christmas!
The Grub ‘n’ Gab Club are at the centre of the economic crisis and Dan, Donny and the rest of the volunteers let us in on a typical morning at the donation centre.
How Christmas 2022 could look for many
A cost-of-living crisis and Christmas don’t usually coincide, but after the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, the recent upheaval in politics, and the energy crisis resulting from the war in Ukraine, we may be pinching pennies for many Christmases to come.
Compared to other months, the average household in the UK spends an extra £740 in December, with a large portion of that going towards presents. So now that supermarkets and retail stores have significantly increased prices, the line between paying your energy bill and buying your family Christmas presents is becoming thinner and thinner.
Daniel (Dan) Thompson works in logistics at a national supermarket by day and volunteers for the Grub ‘n’ Gab Club, a charity in Coventry during his spare time. He says: “Everyone’s Christmas is going to be slightly different in the current climate. You only have to look at the supermarket adverts this year to understand that it isn’t going to be a day of frivolous spending for all, and budgets are going to be tighter.”
Whilst some people will choose to overlook the existing financial troubles, others aren’t as fortunate. Budgets and spending limits are emerging in many households and even large corporations are looking to save money this festive season. The New West End Company, a business partnership in London’s West End, has chosen to restrict the LED light display on Oxford Street from 3pm ’til 11pm, in response to the economic crisis and jump in energy prices. And even Christmas adverts have had a shift in strategy with the infamous John Lewis advert focusing on fostering and the care system.
Read more on our Cost-of-Living series with Emily Cole’s piece on “With the cost-of-living crisis impacting people across the country, are people in full work being left to suffer”
But what about the people on the very lowest rung of the ladder?
Christmas time is near and the Grub ‘n’ Gab Club volunteers are busier than ever, preparing for their annual ‘Open Christmas’ event. Welcoming people from all walks of life, they support the homeless, the vulnerable and the lonely all year round, but especially during the biggest celebration of the year. The volunteers work tirelessly to provide hot meals, drinks, groceries, clothes, toiletries and much needed conversation every Saturday, for the local community.
Speaking on the yearly event, Dan says: “It’s about a community and giving people the chance to come together and celebrate Christmas together. This may just be for a chat over a cup of tea, right up to someone needing a meal and a warm place to stay. We can’t wait to get going and to support our community over the Christmas period.”
And for the first time in three years with COVID restrictions having now been lifted, the charity will once again open its’ doors for 24 hours, each day, during the week of Christmas.
Dan The Man
I spoke to Dan on an early Saturday morning. We sat in an empty church room, side by side on wooden pews, whilst the rest of the volunteers were rushing to cook breakfast. Listen to Dan’s views on the challenges the charity faces and the challenges faced by the service users.
Many of the service users who arrive at the church on Saturdays are without a home or food for the family. But it’s the friendly chats with likeminded people, the social scene they can’t find anywhere else, that makes it so they stay.
Ron and Jake
Ron and his son Jake, who has a learning disability, like to come for breakfast and to read the Coventry City programme that Dan brings each time, without fail. Listen to Ron explain why Donny is his favourite.
Francies “The Lady in Red”
Francies enjoying a hot cup of tea on a cold, overcast morning
Francies LOVES to have a chat. She likes to buy clothes at charity shops and she’s grateful to all the workers who sit and speak to her over a hot drink.
If you’re in need of a hot meal, a warm place to stay the night or just want a friendly face to chat with this Christmas, Coventry Open Christmas will welcome you for 24 hours - every day - during the week of Christmas. You can find Dan, Ron, Jake and Francies at:
https://www.coventryopenchristmas.co.uk
St. Barnabas Church
38 Cromwell St
Coventry
CV6 5EZ