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| Food banks: 'I went from earning £50k to living on £35 a week' | Food banks: 'I went from earning £50k to living on £35 a week' |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A woman who went from earning £50,000 a year to relying on a food bank has said she will "never be able to thank" its volunteers enough for the help given. | A woman who went from earning £50,000 a year to relying on a food bank has said she will "never be able to thank" its volunteers enough for the help given. |
| Caroline had been living and working in the Netherlands, running an employment agency, when she became pregnant. | Caroline had been living and working in the Netherlands, running an employment agency, when she became pregnant. |
| But after the end of a relationship and facing housing and health problems, she was living on "about £35 a week". | But after the end of a relationship and facing housing and health problems, she was living on "about £35 a week". |
| She said she would encourage anyone who was struggling financially to seek help from a food bank. | She said she would encourage anyone who was struggling financially to seek help from a food bank. |
| Caroline, who only wants to use her first name, said without support from Stoke-on-Trent food bank "I don't know where I would be right now". | |
| "The volunteers are amazing people," she said. | "The volunteers are amazing people," she said. |
| "The biggest thing I can say in my experience is, you are not judged, no matter what your background is nothing matters, just that you are educated in where to go to get help and move you from that situation." | |
| She was earning up to €1,000 a week, with commission, before becoming pregnant with her daughter who is now nine. | She was earning up to €1,000 a week, with commission, before becoming pregnant with her daughter who is now nine. |
| Caroline returned to England and about 18 months later fell pregnant with her son, now seven, but the relationship with her children's father broke down and he remained in the Netherlands. | Caroline returned to England and about 18 months later fell pregnant with her son, now seven, but the relationship with her children's father broke down and he remained in the Netherlands. |
| She said she had no support with childcare and complications after her children's births left her unable to work full time. | She said she had no support with childcare and complications after her children's births left her unable to work full time. |
| Rising damp in their privately rented home meant she was spending £400 a month on utilities and she had to top-up the rental payments which were not fully covered by housing benefits. | Rising damp in their privately rented home meant she was spending £400 a month on utilities and she had to top-up the rental payments which were not fully covered by housing benefits. |
| She said at times it felt like "chaos" where she had "no control over anything". | She said at times it felt like "chaos" where she had "no control over anything". |
| "I had ebbs and waves where we were living off barely anything," she said. | "I had ebbs and waves where we were living off barely anything," she said. |
| While volunteering at children's centres she was given her first token for the food bank. | While volunteering at children's centres she was given her first token for the food bank. |
| As well as collecting food there once a month, staff also helped "signpost" her towards other support services. | As well as collecting food there once a month, staff also helped "signpost" her towards other support services. |
| "I was too proud to admit I needed help," she said. | "I was too proud to admit I needed help," she said. |
| "But I don't think that pride has a part to play these days in visiting a food bank because, if you need that help, it is one of the best places you can go." | "But I don't think that pride has a part to play these days in visiting a food bank because, if you need that help, it is one of the best places you can go." |
| Caroline, who now lives in Stone, added: "I am hoping for a brighter future. I am settled, the children are settled, I don't have debts, it just feels amazing to be in this position. | Caroline, who now lives in Stone, added: "I am hoping for a brighter future. I am settled, the children are settled, I don't have debts, it just feels amazing to be in this position. |
| "When I was at my lowest, I never would have seen myself being where I am now. | "When I was at my lowest, I never would have seen myself being where I am now. |
| "But if it were to happen again, I will going back to the food bank. The threat is always there for anybody, anything can happen around that corner." | |
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