Campaigners in the Borough are urging the Bromley Council to reconsider its decision to end the Bromley Welfare Fund, which supports low-income families. On January 22, the Bromley Council Executive voted to withdraw funding for the Bromley Welfare Fund.Â
The fund, financed through a government grant and costs the council £250,000 annually, currently helps 400 low-income families by providing essential household goods like cookers, beds, and fridges.
Bromley Welfare Fund cut raises alarm
A campaigner for Bromley Borough Foodbank, Ray Nowak is part of the Trussell Foodbank Network, which distributed more than 8,000 emergency food parcels across the Borough last year.
“We work on the front lines of these situations and see first-hand how the absence of bare household essentials quickly worsens a person’s quality of life. “
She said it always leads to further hardship that is more difficult for services to manage. The fund supports people in desperate situations, families left with nothing after a house fire, domestic abuse survivors rebuilding their lives, and elderly residents struggling to keep food fresh, many who rely on the fund have no savings and are already struggling with rising living costs.
“Local organizations already provide significant support to struggling residents, but they cannot fill the gap left by the closure of this fund,” said Bromley Borough Foodbank manager Kate Sing’ombe
Ms Sing’ombe emphasized that cutting the fund will increase costs for the council and health services across the Borough. While the council has cited financial pressures as the reason for the cut, campaigners say alternative solutions were not considered in the proposal.Â
They are calling on the council to reconsider its decision and work with residents, charities, and stakeholders to find a sustainable way to maintain the Bromley Welfare Fund. A petition by the Bromley Borough Foodbank has been set up, calling for the fund to be saved.Â
More than 300 people have already signed the petition, and Bromley Council has been approached for comment, funds like these transform lives on a transformative tide. For instance, on Thursday morning, a Windsor-based group donated to several local organizations, bringing the community together in celebration.
A total of $60,000Â was given to 20 local charities and organizations, Like the Circle of Seven, these charities are operated by professionals and volunteers who care deeply about improving lives. The Circle of Seven’s donations are targeted at small local organizations because they firmly believe these are the fundamental sources of support needed by communities.Â
Many charities they help focus on assisting the most vulnerable populations, including children, people with disabilities, and families in crisis. The Brombley Welfare Fund and the Circle of Seven support the community’s most vulnerable members.
Campaigners call on the Bromley Council to reconsider its decision to end the Bromley Welfare Fund, and sustainable ways to maintain it are being considered.