Council’s welfare services team helps to support residents with cost of living over the winter – by donating slow cookers
South Staffordshire Council has been leading an innovative scheme to help local residents in the ongoing cost of living crisis, and ensure they eat well this winter.
Photo by Vladyslav Bahara / Unsplash
Slow cookers – sometimes called ‘stock pots’ – are electrical appliances that simmer food over a long time. They are simple to use and they run at lower temperatures than are needed in baking, boiling or frying food, so require less energy.
What’s more, slow-cooked stewing suits cheaper cuts of meat – they’re often better in slow-cooked dishes than expensive cuts!
The result: wholesome, warming food at relatively low cost. It is a practical solution to the pressures facing many residents as the winter kicks in, with the Met Office warning of ice and snow this week and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issuing amber and yellow cold-health alerts across northern England and the Midlands.
To date, more than 100 slow cookers have been distributed across the region through the scheme, including in Bilbrook, Cheslyn Hay, Codsall, Essington, Huntington and Penkridge.
South Staffordshire Council has worked with local community groups and welcome hubs to identify residents eligible for a slow cooker. The criteria include those living on their own, who are isolated and / or on low incomes. Some families relying on food banks and those with health concerns have also qualified for the scheme.
Cllr Gary Burnett, Vice-Chair of Bilbrook Parish Council, says: ‘The scheme has proved extremely popular. Slow cookers are great for residents of pension age, especially if they are living alone, because they can prepare nutritious meals with minimal effort and save on energy costs.’
Cllr Megan Barrow, Cabinet Member for Welfare Services at South Staffordshire Council, adds: ‘Those vulnerable, isolated residents, and families using local food banks are all benefiting from this project. St Nicholas CE First School are also loving the way these community projects are including their organisations and supporting their pupils and families.’
More information about the scheme, including how to apply yourself or on behalf of someone else, is available about the council’s welfare support events over coming weeks:
- November 19, 1.30 – 3.30 pm, St Thomas Church, 18 Duel Way, Huntington WS12 4GD
- December 4, 12.30 – 3.30 pm, Codsall Hub (Council Offices), Codsall WV8 1PX
- December 10, 11 am – 2 pm, Bilbrook Village Hall, Joeys Lane, Bilbrook WV8 1JL
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