Whether it be providing a safe place for somebody to sleep at night, or handing over a package which will help feed a family, two key Lynn charities are reliant on members of the public for support.

Both are expecting a surge in residents relying on their support during the colder months, when energy bills often soar

Meanwhile, West Norfolk Council is also on hand to support its residents, from offering support with bills during an ever-continuing cost of living crisis, to combating loneliness through its Lily Service.

We’re on hand to help where we can too, with our sister title, Your Local Paper, about to launch its annual winter appeal in the coming weeks, so be sure to keep an eye out for that.

In this feature, we highlight some of the hard work organisations do to help some of the most vulnerable in society…

FOOD BANK GAVE OUT 746 PARCELS IN JANUARY

West Norfolk has three food banks run by the Trussel Trust. These are situated in Lynn, Downham and Hunstanton.

Over in Lynn, project manager Helen Gilbert expects to see more people use its service throughout November, December and January.

A busy team of 45 volunteers at its distribution site on St Margaret’s Lane, as well as at its warehouse in North Lynn, are busy preparing parcels, taking in donations and greeting those in need.

It also has another distribution site at the Baptist Church in South Lynn.

She said that last winter, Lynn’s food bank gave out 27% more parcels than the previous year even though it saw a decline in families needing its services.

“But there are still a lot of families that use us,” Helen said. “That for the Trussel Trust appears to be a national trend.”

However, this year, the food bank has given out 20% fewer parcels than usual.

A total of 441 parcels were handed out last month. This is expected to almost double during the winter months.

In January, Lynn’s food bank distributed 746 parcels and another 586 last December.

Packages contain a variety of items which are enough to feed a family for three days. This is designed to ease the burden on people struggling with ever-increasing food costs.

“There is a lot of pressure at this time of year on families,” Helen said.

“People are driving themselves into debt at Christmas to try to provide presents and food.

“Over Christmas, there can be a change in a family’s circumstances, perhaps a family breakdown.

“It takes people time to get over that. We are there to support people through these hard times.

“Usually, people rely on us for a short amount of time. They use us to give themselves some breathing space to get back on their feet, often to find a new job or sort out their benefits.”

She added that since the cost-of-living crisis, the food bank has seen a drop in the number of people making donations.

“The cost of living crisis has had everybody having to save where they can,” Helen said.

“Since then, we have had to bulk purchase food and items that are needed but not regularly donated.

“Tinned meat, fish and fruit we often need, but are more expensive.

“A tin of corned beef now costs £3.75. That is a lot of money. It used to be an item people would have in the cupboard to put in a sandwich.”

The food bank is also preparing to put together Christmas food parcels to ease the pressure for families at this time of year.

While it does not include a turkey, there is a trifle kit, as well as other essential festive items, which you’d find on your plate on Christmas Day.

Throughout the year, the food bank provides parcels which often include a source of carbohydrate and protein as well as vegetables.

These are often tinned, so that they can be preserved.

“These put less pressure on people’s finances,” Helen added.

The food bank in Lynn is open from 12-2pm weekdays for people to take donations in at its St Margaret’s Lane premises.

Alternatively, you can drop off items during the mornings at the warehouse on Bryggen Road on the North Lynn Industrial Estate.

A list of items the food bank needs can be found on its website or through the Bank the Food app.

‘IT DOES NOT TAKE MUCH TO DONATE’

While out doing my weekly food shop in Aldi, I decided to pick up a few items to donate to the food bank in Lynn.

Before heading out, I downloaded the Bank the Food app on my phone, where I could see what the food bank needs.

It was in need of ten “urgent” items, as well as 22 items it is running low on.

I decided to focus on choosing a few urgent items, including tinned vegetables and jars of cooking sauces.

I also picked up a couple of bottles of shampoo and shower gel.

The total of the 11 items I picked up came to a total cost of £5.79, so it certainly did not break the bank.

I was able to donate while keeping to my weekly food shop budget.

While having a clear out, I also found I had way too many large shopping bags, so I decided to give some of these to the food bank for people to take home their parcels in.

It does not take too much to donate, by dropping off a few tins, you could really make a difference to a family in need.

‘WE SEE PEOPLE COME HERE WHO HAVE PERHAPS GIVEN UP ON THEMSELVES’

Following its first year of being open all year round, the night shelter is expecting to get even busier during the winter months.

The premises, located on St John’s House at Blackfriars Road, provide accommodation for up to three months for those experiencing homelessness.

It is currently working on increasing its facilities by extending, meaning it will be able to increase its capacity by a third.

Those living at the night shelter have their own bedroom, and can use the laundry and other facilities on site.

Staff are on hand to support them through any issues that they may be facing, and offer support with signing up to a nearby GP and keeping up with probation or Change Grow Live appointments.

It is particularly a big help for those struggling with drug addiction, so that they have somebody around to check if they are okay.

Lucy McKitterick, director of the night shelter, explained that the charity is solely reliant on donations from the community and receives no Government funding.

“People become homeless at any time of year and come for our help,” she said.

“The single best thing that anybody can do for us this winter is to make a donation or organise a fundraiser or do something with some work colleagues or something like that.”

The night shelter also accepts donations of everyday household items that its residents can use.

“It’s a huge privilege as a staff volunteer here to be able to make that difference for people,” Lucy added.

“We know that we can only do that because there are a lot of people behind us making it happen.

“When I offer somebody a hot dinner, I can only do so because it was cooked by a volunteer with donated ingredients.

“I’ll go home and leave them with the night staff, and I’ll know that it’s thanks to the night staff and night volunteers that we’re able to keep everything going here, that we have a roof over people’s heads.

“We see people come here who have perhaps given up on themselves.

“Because they have been valued here, they find a sense of purpose and hope, and they start wanting to make plans for the future.”

A report by the Museum of the Homeless said that last year, four homeless people were dying across the country per day.

Here in Lynn, Lucy believes these numbers could be a lot lower than the national average thanks to the night shelter’s efforts.

“Rough sleeping is dangerous at any time of year, but cold weather is a particular hazard. And drug use is a particular hazard,” she added.

“What we hear so much of is the loneliness and the isolation, the disconnection and the feeling of worthlessness.”

Lucy expects that there could be a rise in those using the night shelter as the Labour Government begins to release prisoners early.

Around one in four prisoners at HMP Norwich are homeless.

“Some of those people may well come our way. We may know them already,” Lucy said.

A list of items needed by the night shelter can be found on its website, where it also takes in monetary donations.

‘HELP IS AT HAND IF YOU ASK FOR IT’, THE COUNCIL SAYS

Cllr Jo Rust, cabinet member for people and communities at West Norfolk Council, explains some of the support available to residents.

She said: “As the nights draw in, the temperature drops, and we head towards the winter months it can feel even harder for people struggling with everyday living costs as well as mental well-being.

“For some residents, the concern of heading towards Christmas, and the extra demand placed on family budgets, can create stress and be overwhelming, as some may live life from day-to-day or even moment-to-moment, and this has the effect of storing up bigger problems for later.

“People often respond to money problems in one of two ways. They either avoid the problem altogether because they don’t know how to get out of it, or they panic and go for a short-term solution like giving up their home or going to a money-lender, both of which usually make things worse in the long term.

“But it doesn’t have to be like that, and the council’s main message is: talk to us before doing anything else – we can help.

“We can check that you are getting all the financial benefits you are entitled to. If you’re in debt, we have services that will help you get back on track. If you find yourself in crisis, we may be able to arrange help with food and rent costs.

“If you’re struggling with your mental health, we can put you in touch with people who can help with that, too.

“We understand that it can be really difficult to think beyond today’s problems, but please take that first step of talking to us.”

The council offer an array of services to help, including its cost-of-living roadshow, Beat Your Bills.

They have been visiting towns and villages across West Norfolk for the last three years.

These events offer help on all aspects of cost of living, including information about how to access benefits, grants, discounts, save money and more.

At each roadshow, there are staff on hand to answer questions and give information on a range of cost-of-living subjects, including energy bills, rent problems, general money worries, grants, benefits and advice on how to reduce costs.

The council also offers money advice services, and urges people to look at alternative choices other than taking out a loan.

The council pays for a money advice service that’s specially to help with this and is free to use online or by calling 0800 144 8848 or drop in at Hanse House between 10am-2pm Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

A spokesperson from the council said that it had received a lot of phone calls from people who have given up their tenancies because they think they can’t afford it. They intend to go on the housing register to get an affordable home.

“What many people don’t realise is that in many cases, Government rules see this as making yourself ‘intentionally homeless’, which means that the council can’t do much to help,” they said.

“Even if we can help, it could be a long wait as very few affordable homes are available and there are around 1200 people on the housing register in this borough alone.

“Over the past three months, only 60 homes with three or more bedrooms have become available – that’s about 20 each month.

The borough council’s Lily Service works as a “one-stop shop” for finding organisations, services, and activities. This is in a bid to reduce social isolation.

The team has recently recruited staff to work on the Proactive Intervention Service.

Funded by Norfolk County Council, this innovative initiative aims to prevent, reduce, and delay the need for statutory and NHS services by supporting adults in West Norfolk to age well and live independently.

It will help residents access a wide range of services and activities that promote wellbeing and reduce the risk of falls.

Food for Thought sessions are also run by the borough council to encourage residents to eat and cook healthier while on a budget.

“Having taken it to venues in Downham, Hunstanton and Lynn many times, I’m pleased that we can now deliver them in our villages,” Cllr Rust said.

Terrington St Clement Methodist Church on Wesley Road is hosting weekly sessions every Tuesday from 9.30am until 11.30am until mid-December.

Cllr Rust added: “These free, family-friendly sessions aim to help residents learn new cooking skills, swap recipe ideas and discover ways to eat healthy and nutritional food while also saving money.

“I encourage residents of Terrington, as well as Clenchwarton, Tilney All Saints, Terrington St John, the Walpoles and beyond to pop in on a Tuesday morning.”

For more information on these sessions, either email asklily@west-norfolk.gov.uk or telephone Lily on 01553 616200.