Across the country, families are doing the maths again and again, hoping the numbers will add up differently this month. But the same pattern repeats:

Wages stay the same.
Bills rise.
Food becomes more expensive.
Something has to give, and increasingly, it’s the meals on the table.

One mum who comes to Provision House describes this reality with a painful clarity:
“The bills are increasing all the time. By the time we get paid at the end of the month and pay all our bills, there’s hardly anything left for us to live off for the rest of the month.”

It’s not mismanagement. It’s not overspending. It’s the simple impossibility of surviving when essentials cost more each month.

Fuel prices go up.
Rent increases.
Council tax rises.
A single supermarket shop now costs more than a whole week’s groceries used to.

Families are doing everything right, planning meals carefully, switching off radiators, cutting back wherever they can. Yet still, they find themselves short.

Winter makes everything worse. Heating is no longer optional, coats stay wet for days, and children outgrow their warm clothes faster than parents can replace them.

And then comes Christmas, a season that should be hopeful, but for many, becomes a source of deep emotional stress.

“But this year, we’re struggling. Terrible,” the mum confessed. “The kids have given me the Christmas list… I don’t know what we’re going to do. They ain’t going to get what they want this year.”

Behind her words lies the universal fear of every parent: the fear of disappointing your child.

This is where Provision House steps in, not just to fill a cupboard, but to ease a burden that weighs heavily on parents’ shoulders. With food supplied through FareShare Midlands, the food club allows families to redirect money to heating, school needs, or even small Christmas gifts that would otherwise be out of reach.

“FareShare really helps us,” she said, her voice breaking slightly. “We wouldn’t be able to cope without it.”

It’s a reminder that for many families, food support isn’t a luxury—it’s the only way to maintain stability.
Provision House helps parents worry less about what they will put on the table and more about being present with their children.

In a climate where bills rise faster than incomes, families need organisations like Provision House now more than ever. And Provision House needs FareShare Midlands, and the generosity of supporters, to keep meeting that need.

Donate now to make a difference!

If you have any questions, contact us:
Email: fundraising@faresharemidlands.org.uk
Number: 07943 771206