I like you moonwitch have done lots of volunteering, but sadly not all volunteers are valued, I worked full-time and part-time and volunteered in my spare time, (I termed it my social activity not being able to afford to socialise down the pub etc,) I worked a lot for the WRVS and we volunteered in various roles, sometimes I would be called up in the middle of the night to sit in on a police interview with a minor or vulnerable person, I also organised rota's for 2 projects and stocked one of those projects never charging for my mileage and only charging 10p per phone call which often did not cover it, but when local offices closed and it was centralised to Wales I had paid office staff ringing me up asking for more paperwork to be submitted I just gave up altogether. I did not even own a computer until 2012 so everything was done long hand.
Olivia re smartphones, yes I do know that all benefits need to be done on-line these days and it is another thing the powers that be need to bear in mind when thinking up these changes, not everyone has access to computers or can afford them, MP's and thier underlings they need to walk a mile in their shoes before coming up with these changes but they are too busy protecting their own self interests and bank accounts hence one of the reasons the country is in the state we are in at the moment and becoming a laughing stock. Excuse the phrase but P--- up and brewery come to mind.
Back in my teens I read Huxley and Orwell and 'Black August' by Dennis Wheatley when chatting with someone this morning who had read same we agreed these novels could become reality unless major changes are made which means Government need to sit back, listen and experience the lives that some have to live, not just for a couple of weeks but for a couple of months but I am living in cloud cuckoo land as it will never happen.
Food banks do a great job and recently it was feared one in Lincoln would have to close but a Theatre Group in Lincoln put on presentation of Oliver in the Cathedral asking people attending to bring a donation for the food bank and the response was amazing, people turned up with carrier bags full. Different banks are operated differently, dependent on the group and each case has to be determined on merit, but I have seen people asking to be referred for food parcels who look as if they have just come from a holiday abroad, smell of drink, puffing on their fags and worrying about their Sky TV bill.
I may come across as being a bit harsh but like Becky I know what it is like being on low income and struggling to make ends meet, while we lived in the town my father delivered milk in surrounding villages and farmers would give him rabbits, etc and he would grow the vegetables but now even that is not possible for some without gardens, while some who have gardens fail to help themselves as all they do is fill it up with rubbish, some, not all need to take stock to try to improve their lives not always relying on others and taking things for granted. You don't get anything out if you don't put in. Sorry I'm on my soap box again. but I've seen both sides of the coin.