We are feeling the effects of the Cost of Living Crisis right now, we are all working tirelessly to help those who are barely keeping their heads above water. This Crisis is being felt across this entire island, Women are engaging with community groups to help them cope and requesting the basic necessities to just exist like Period Products, Clothing, Uniforms, School supplies, Food, and nappies. We are always trying to find new and creative ways of helping these individuals to ensure that feel less alone and show them support.

Now we face another challenge with the ever-increasing energy increases, this is causing catastrophic issues in families and communities, Fuel poverty has become the main source of peoples concerns they cannot keep up with the constant increases by their energy suppliers. Its hard to heat a home and keep the lights on, on a very limited source of income.

We are working with some of the most vulnerable and hard to reach women in our society, women from high unemployment and high disabilities areas, they sometimes have no access to financial assistance that they have no choice but to try and find money somewhere else such as Illegal Money Lenders, Payday Loans etc, these services come with massive interest rates and sometimes threatening behaviour and ends up being an extra burden to these already fragile women.

We are listening and engaging with these women, we are taking their concerns and feeding back to the decision makers, funders and local MP’s to ensure that their voices are being heard. We will always endeavour to help and support these women and show them that they not fighting these battles alone.

By: Rayna Downey, Women’s Centre Derry