On The Breadline: Arts factory that’s become a social network
The cost of living crisis is hitting home like never before. Thomas Kingsley visits a centre in Wales that helps keep the community together
Team effort: staff and volunteers outside the community centre in South Wales
/ ES Compositeor 63-year-old Brian Preston, the cost of living crisis is unlike anything he’s experienced. He lives alone in Wales where, because of soaring food and energybills, he fears turning on his cooker. At home he eats only tinned food, cold sardines and beans, unable to afford to cook regular hot meals.
Mr Preston no longer has a washing machine and cleans his clothes in his bath and drip-dries them on a clothes horse. “We’re going back to Victorian times,” he said. “I can’t afford to eat hot food. I can’t afford to put the gas or electricity on. I’m eating cold beans, sardines. It’s very rare I put my cooker on. It’s got that bad.”
Mr Preston, who lives on benefits and is unable to work due to health problems, believes that the cost of living crisis will be worse than the pandemic. “Covid was nothing compared to this. Some people are going to freeze to death and are not going to have food or heat,” he said.
When asked what kept him going through the worst of times, he pointed to the local community group, Arts Factory, without which he added: “I would probably be heading to my grave”.
Arts Factory has been serving local communities for over 30 years and is based in Ferndale, one of the most disadvantaged areas of the South Wales Valleys. The charity is one of the organisations we will be seeking to fund in our On the Breadline Christmas Appeal in partnership with Comic Relief.
Lisa Wills, Arts Factory CEO, said her group was also feeling the bite with soaring energy bills rising from £200 to £1,200. “Our biggest challenge is energy bills and our staff are not paid very well so there’s an impact on them surviving the cost of living crisis as well,” Ms Wills said.
She explained that some volunteers at Arts Factory, like Mr Preston, live in fear of the next energy bill. The group’s food parcel delivery service, which was crucial during lockdown, is more important than ever as food inflation soars more than 14 per cent. Arts Factory delivers more than 25 food parcels a week and also acts as a referral agency to food banks. “It’s pretty dire out in the valleys,” she said.
Despite the challenges, with the potential support of our appeal, Ms Wills is resolute that the resilience and culture of unity in Arts Factory — and in their volunteers — will prevail. Jamie Pothecary, 33, a volunteer with Arts Factory for 10 years, says the charity is like a family.
“We all live in the community and we’re helping our neighbours, which feels good,” he said.
How you can help
Help children and communities affected by the cost of living crisis wherever they live in the UK
Donate to Comic ReliefLisa Wills said our appeal funding could be massive for Arts Factory. Cash will allow the group to extend its mental health support, in addition to increasing its capacity to take in more food and provide a warm space for the community.
“Half our team have learning disabilities, the other half have mental issues,” she said. “They don’t have friends or family. We become their friends and family and create that social network for them.”