Southend-on-Sea City Council has donated slow cookers and electric blankets to help the most vulnerable during the cost-of-living crisis.
Thanks to a £25,000 health inequalities grant from the South East Essex Alliance, over 50 slow cookers and 77 electric blankets were purchased and delivered to charitable organisations and voluntary services across the city including: The Shoebury Ark, Southend Adult Community College, SAVS Southend, Little Heroes, SEND the Right Message, Southend in Sight and Age Concern. More will be purchased and distributed in the new year.
The South East Essex Alliance is a broad partnership of organisations who are working together to tackle health inequalities and improve health and wellbeing outcomes for local people in Southend, Castle Point, and Rochford.
Slow cookers and electric blankets can help reduce costs associated with rising energy prices and the cost-of-living crisis. Slow cookers use lower wattage over the course of eight hours and electric blankets can help reduce the amount of gas used to heat homes resulting in lower heating costs.
Helping to distribute the items was Vecteo, a company which runs school transport for the council. They provided one of their vans and a driver to deliver the items quickly across the city.
Cllr Ian Gilbert, cabinet member for economic recovery, regeneration and housing, and councillor lead for tackling the cost-of-living crisis, said: “I am delighted we secured the inequalities grant to fund the purchase of slow cookers and electric blankets. With the help of Vecteo, we were also able to distribute the items quickly across the city to help those who need them most.
“It's fantastic to see how fast the council and its partners across the voluntary sector have reacted to provide support for vulnerable residents. I hope that residents will utilise the cost-of-living resources the council have made available on the One Southend website and spread the word to help as many people as possible across our city.”
To view all available resources on cost-of-living support, including the interactive provision and warm spaces maps, visit the One Southend cost-of-living microsite.
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