Suffolk Salvation Army warns of growing financial pressures with Christmas around the corner

The Salvation Army in Woodbridge says it is facing mounting financial pressure as demand for support rises and the cost of living continues to increase ahead of Christmas.

Increase in costs

Major Alan Hill of the Salvation Army said spending on emergency support has risen sharply compared to previous years, placing additional strain on local resources during the colder months.

“It’s everything, really,” he said. “I was just working out the cost of the food bank from April to October, and we spent £9,900 on food.

“That’s not including what we’ve given out in heat and support and all the other variations that people need at this moment in time."

Hill explained that the current level of spending represents a significant rise compared to previous years.

“Normally it’s around £9,000 a year,” he said. “So I’ve still got up until March to go.”

While demand has increased, Hill said rising prices are having a major impact on the charity’s ability to meet need.

“Demand has gone up,” he said. “I wouldn’t say it’s massive. The biggest thing is that the cost of everything has gone up.”

With Christmas around the corner, the Salvation Army expects more people to seek help with heating and household bills. Hill said the organisation continues to respond as needs arise.

“The Salvation Army will provide if I run short,” he said. “At the moment, I’m not overly concerned. If I get a big amount in these next couple of months, it gets cold, people need to get warm.”

“If someone comes in and says they need the heating bill paid, I'll look at it,” he added.

External funding

Hill said the charity has previously relied on external grants to help cover fuel costs, but those sources are no longer available.

“I used to get grants from the Co-op,” he said. “They used to give me fuel vouchers that we give out. I haven’t had any for a while now, so I’ve had to work it out myself.”

He said spending on fuel support now runs into the thousands.

“Normally it’s a few thousand,” he said, adding that the money comes from Salvation Army funds rather than his own personal finances.

Operational pressures have also increased, with additional demands on deliveries and staffing.

“We’ve added a couple on,” Hill said. “But I’ve had to look at how we can share our drivers. We’ve had some new deliveries required, but we’ll just come to it and we get on with it and find out how we cope.”

Despite the pressures, Hill said the Salvation Army remains committed to supporting people who come through its doors.

“If someone’s in need and they come to the Salvation Army, I’ll try and help them,” he said.Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.