“It is horrible. It is absolutely horrible. The worst one for me is the utility bills. Every 2-3 days, I have to put my gas and electricity meter on emergency. I only get money once every week to top it up. Everything is extremely tight.
I have four children, from a one-year-old to a fourteen year old. I’m in the supermarket multiple times a week. I’m not able to buy what I need. It’s getting worse. What I get can’t last us. Once I pay out all my bills, I’ve got £100 left for the week for everything. My money just can’t stretch to what I need for my children.
Rose Vouchers have definitely made a difference for my family. The vouchers mean my kids can have fruit and veg on a more regular basis. Having the Rose Vouchers lets me keep topping up our fruit and veg, so we have a constant supply.
I found out about Rose Vouchers from my local children’s centre. I’ve been using the services there for years. I take my three-year-old and one-year-old to groups there too. It got to the stage where I asked one of the staff for a bit of help from a food bank, and she told me about Rose Vouchers. They’re very good at letting all parents know what’s going on. They also give out food parcels.
My three-year-old goes to a 2+ group, and the parents take turns bringing fruit for the children. Rose Vouchers help enormously with providing this. Parents need to support bringing these healthy snacks to the group; we want our children to have this, and as parents, when it’s our turn, we can’t really say no.
I’m always in Brixton Market with my Rose Vouchers. They definitely have a major, major impact on our household. I get the veg I need for dinner, with onions, tomatoes, and the fruit we need too.
Having the Rose Vouchers means I don’t have to worry as much about fruit and veg as I know I’ve got the means to buy those things. It also means I’ve got an extra couple of pounds to put towards something else. I’ve started to save some vouchers each week, so I have enough to get the extra food I need during half-term and the holidays. I use every voucher I get.
I just think that Rose Vouchers are amazing. They really, really help us dramatically.”