Church Action on Poverty NI 'Heat or Eat' Christmas 2010 Campaign

According to CAP-NI Chairman and local minister, Rev. Dr. Scott Peddie: “The shocking reality for many families living in the Antrim Borough Council area is that they face a stark choice this winter – heating or eating. The increasing cost of home heating combined with rising living costs places some young families in a desperate predicament.”

Dr. Peddie continued, “As Christians we have a duty to help the vulnerable in any way that we can therefore CAP-NI’s campaigning is grounded on the biblical injunction to demonstrate Christian care in action.”

With this is mind, CAP-NI, in conjunction with their partners, has devised a scheme whereby local churches can help local people.

CAP-NI Vice-Chair, Rev. Paul Holdsworth explains: “We will be writing to local churches shortly to ask them to consider organising a special one-off collection. All of the proceeds will go to this practical initiative which we hope will really make a difference in the lives of those struggling to make ends meet.”

Margaret Thompson, Home-Start Antrim Scheme Manager commented: “We will make use of the existing Antrim Borough ‘Oil Stamp Saving Scheme’ and the firmus energy ‘pay as you go’ and ‘easypay’ schemes to ensure that each donation reaches those who need it most.’ She continued, ‘the great thing about the scheme is that those taking part receive help directly since all of the money donated will be used by Home-Start Antrim to purchase heating oil stamps or to add credit to firmus energy gas cards. No cash gifts are given, this will ensure that help will go directly to where it is needed.”

CAP-NI Treasurer, Rosemary Mateer explained that: “Our aim is to help as many families as possible. Exactly how many we can help depends very much on the generosity of congregations the length and breadth of the Antrim Borough Council area’.

Ed Petersen, CAP-NI committee member added ‘our aim is to have enough contributions from local churches to begin helping people at the beginning of December and to ensure that participants in the programme have a warm home over the Christmas period.”

Alison Briggs, Health and Wellbeing Manager at Antrim Borough Council explained why it is so important that young families are targeted in this scheme.

She said: “A recent Consumer Council report stated that across Northern Ireland, 42% of households in fuel poverty have children’ explained Alison.

William Mateer, CAP-NI Secretary added, ‘according to Save the Children, living in fuel poor homes is associated with a significantly greater risk of health problems amongst the under five’s, so it’s important that we all work together to do what we can to combat this problem.”