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• Share Tips to save money on your food on Facebook Share Tips to save money on your food on Twitter Share Tips to save money on your food on Linkedin Email Tips to save money on your food link

  Tips to save money on your food

  almost 3 years ago
  

  Cracking Good Food, campaigns against food waste and supports communities to access healthy food. Here are some tips on how to make nutritious dishes while also saving money.
  
  Save money on your food shop

  • Make sure to check your cupboards, fridge, and freezer and eat before you go shopping so you don’t buy items you don’t need
  • If you go grocery shopping in the evening, you can usually find lots of good options in the reduced section for a bargain price. Look for the yellow ‘Reduced’ stickers, particularly on long shelf-life cupboard products such as dried pasta, canned vegetables etc... Continue reading

  Cracking Good Food, campaigns against food waste and supports communities to access healthy food. Here are some tips on how to make nutritious dishes while also saving money.
  
  Save money on your food shop

  • Make sure to check your cupboards, fridge, and freezer and eat before you go shopping so you don’t buy items you don’t need
  • If you go grocery shopping in the evening, you can usually find lots of good options in the reduced section for a bargain price. Look for the yellow ‘Reduced’ stickers, particularly on long shelf-life cupboard products such as dried pasta, canned vegetables etc. that can be kept for when you need them
  • Try own brands or value brands in supermarkets as these are normally cheaper and can be just as tasty
  • Reduce your meat intake – veg is much quicker to cook and often costs less, so fill up on vegetables, pulses, and lentils. You’ll be helping the environment by reducing your meat consumption too because meat produces lots of CO2 emissions
  • Grow your own fruit and veg if you can. Sometimes all you need is a jar and some water – spring onions will regrow if the bases are put in some water so you can use them all over again
  • Try apps which show heavily reduced fresh, dry and cooked foods that you can collect in your local area. On ‘Olio,’ people can advertise food that they won’t be able to use so you can take it off their hands for free. on ‘Too Good To Go’, you can get surprise food bags from shops and restaurants for low prices – perfect for an affordable, mystery treat.

  Save energy and money with your cooking appliances

  • If you’ve got the oven on but it isn’t full, you could chop up and roast some spare vegetables to use for sandwiches or a side dish
  • Batch cooking lunches or dinners for the week will help you use less energy, by cooking it all in one go, and because meal planning it will mean you are less likely to buy food you don’t need that might go to waste
  • Make sure you leave leftovers or batch-cooked meals to cool before putting them in the fridge or freezer as this requires more energy
  • You don’t need to buy Tupperware to store leftovers. You can re-use washed butter and ice cream tubs.
  • When cooking on the hob, make sure the size of your pan matches the size of the ring, and use pan lids, so you’re not wasting energy
  • Check out charity shops for pressure cookers which reduce cooking time
  • Slow cookers are cheaper to run than ovens and use less electricity than conventional light bulbs
  • When using a kettle, only boil as much water as you need. If you have excess hot water, use it for washing up or watering plants once cooled.

  Check out Cracking Good Food’s ‘Power up the flavour’ leaflet which includes a meal plan costing between £45-60 a week to feed a family of four. The guide will help you batch cook dinners to reduce the amount of energy you use and save you money.

  Power up the flavour - Cracking Good Food
• Share Ellesmere Port - The Bread and Butter Thing on Facebook Share Ellesmere Port - The Bread and Butter Thing on Twitter Share Ellesmere Port - The Bread and Butter Thing on Linkedin Email Ellesmere Port - The Bread and Butter Thing link

  Ellesmere Port - The Bread and Butter Thing

  almost 3 years ago
  

  The Bread and Butter Thing is a charity that provides affordable and good-quality food to people in local communities. Recently we have opened a third hub in west Cheshire where people can sign up to get a low-cost weekly shop including essentials like fresh fruit and veg, fridge favourites and cupboard staples.

  The new hub at St Saviour Church, Tarporley Road, Ellesmere Port, CH66 3JY is open on Mondays between 2pm and 2.30pm.

  To access the food on offer, you need to become a member, which is simple and easy to do. Send a text to 07860 063 304 with... Continue reading

  The Bread and Butter Thing is a charity that provides affordable and good-quality food to people in local communities. Recently we have opened a third hub in west Cheshire where people can sign up to get a low-cost weekly shop including essentials like fresh fruit and veg, fridge favourites and cupboard staples.

  The new hub at St Saviour Church, Tarporley Road, Ellesmere Port, CH66 3JY is open on Mondays between 2pm and 2.30pm.

  To access the food on offer, you need to become a member, which is simple and easy to do. Send a text to 07860 063 304 with your full name, postcode, and the name of the hub you will be collecting from – for example, St Saviour Church. Then, you'll be part of the affordable food club to get a weekly bag of fresh produce.
  
  The food bags cost between £5 for an individual bag and £17 for a family bag, and you can pay by cash or by card when you collect it. You might still need to top up from the shops as well, but the food bag will go a long way to helping you feed your family affordably.

  The Bread and Butter Thing also accepts Healthy Start cards. If you don't want the food on any given week, you can reply to the delivery reminder text that is sent out the day before saying, ‘No’.

  The weekly bags are made up of surplus food from supermarkets which would otherwise go to waste, often because the packaging is slightly damaged or just because they have too much of it. So, if you join the affordable food club, you will be helping to combat food waste as well as getting fresh and affordable food for your family.

  The Bread and Butter Thing

  For information on other local community groups currently providing food support in your area, take a look at the live, interactive map on the Welcome Network website.

  Welcome Network interactive map
• Share Claim your Pension Credit entitlement now on Facebook Share Claim your Pension Credit entitlement now on Twitter Share Claim your Pension Credit entitlement now on Linkedin Email Claim your Pension Credit entitlement now link

  Claim your Pension Credit entitlement now

  almost 3 years ago
  

  Hello everyone, I am Gus Cairns MBE, and I would like to give old people like me (76) a little push in the direction of Pension Credit which is a way of boosting your pensions.

  Pension Credit is an extra payment to help with your living costs if you’re over state pension age and on a low income. It tops up your weekly income to a guaranteed level of £201.05 if you’re single or £306.85 if you’re married or in a civil partnership.

  Pension Credit can not only help you cover your day to day living costs, but it can... Continue reading

  Hello everyone, I am Gus Cairns MBE, and I would like to give old people like me (76) a little push in the direction of Pension Credit which is a way of boosting your pensions.

  Pension Credit is an extra payment to help with your living costs if you’re over state pension age and on a low income. It tops up your weekly income to a guaranteed level of £201.05 if you’re single or £306.85 if you’re married or in a civil partnership.

  Pension Credit can not only help you cover your day to day living costs, but it can also entitle you to other grants, benefits, and discounts such as:

  • Housing Benefit if you rent the property you live in
  • cost of living payments worth up to £1,200 in 2023/24
  • support for mortgage interest if you own the property you live in
  • Council Tax discount
  • a free TV licence if you’re aged 75 or over
  • help with NHS dental treatment, glasses and transport costs for hospital appointments, if you get a certain type of Pension Credit
  • help with your heating costs through the Warm Home Discount Scheme
  • a discount on the Royal Mail redirection service if you’re moving house.

  You can claim Pension Credit regardless of whether you’re still working or have retired. You can also claim if you have other income, savings, or own your own home. You might get a higher amount of Pension Credit if:

  • you are disabled
  • you have caring responsibilities, or
  • you are responsible for paying essential housing costs, including mortgage interest payments.

  Pension Credit is not charity, it is an entitlement for all your hard work over many years. One in three people who are entitled to Pension Credit are not currently claiming it. Make sure you apply for Pension Credit now if you are eligible.

  How to claim

  You can apply to claim Pension Credit online, over the phone, or by post. You will need:

  • your National Insurance number
  • information about any income, savings and investments you have
  • information about your income, savings and investments on the date you want to backdate your application to (usually 3 months ago or the date you reached State Pension age)
  • you’ll also need your bank account details. Depending on how you apply, you may also be asked for your bank or building society name, sort code and account number.

  Apply for Pension Credit online

  Apply over the phone: 0800 99 1234

  To apply by post, print out and fill in the Pension Credit claim form or call the claim line to request a form. Send the claim form to the Pension Service or ask someone to do it for you.

  The Pension Service 8

  Post Handling Site B

  Wolverhampton

  WV99 1AN

  Pension Credit claim form - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

  Read more about Pension Credit on the government website
• Share Get affordable food from Blacon Beacon on Facebook Share Get affordable food from Blacon Beacon on Twitter Share Get affordable food from Blacon Beacon on Linkedin Email Get affordable food from Blacon Beacon link

  Get affordable food from Blacon Beacon

  almost 3 years ago
  

  
  

  Blacon Beacon offer food, advice, and support to the local community. If you need affordable food, live in Blacon and receive benefits, why not join the Blacon Beacon?

  Food membership

  With a family membership, you could receive approximately £30 worth of food per week for just £5 per week. Individual members pay £3 per week and receive approximately £17 worth of food. Blacon Beacon provide quality tinned and cupboard items as well as fresh produce, to be collected from Trinity Hall each Thursday.

  To become a member, all you need to do is fill out a simple form, which will... Continue reading

  
  

  Blacon Beacon offer food, advice, and support to the local community. If you need affordable food, live in Blacon and receive benefits, why not join the Blacon Beacon?

  Food membership

  With a family membership, you could receive approximately £30 worth of food per week for just £5 per week. Individual members pay £3 per week and receive approximately £17 worth of food. Blacon Beacon provide quality tinned and cupboard items as well as fresh produce, to be collected from Trinity Hall each Thursday.

  To become a member, all you need to do is fill out a simple form, which will ensure you are put on the waiting list. When a space becomes available you will have a chat with one of the trustees who will ask you some questions about your circumstances to make sure you are eligible. You will then become a Blacon Beacon member for six months and will be expected to pick up food each Thursday.

  When your membership ends, there are still lots of ways you can get help with nutritious food. For example, there is a monthly face-to-face cooking session for adults called 'Chat, Chop and Chew'. There are also regular family cooking sessions for adults, or you can get monthly slow cooker recipe bags, which come complete with most of the ingredients.

  If you are still finding the cost of living difficult at the end of your six-moth membership, you can be put back on the waiting list again.

  To get a membership form, or to find out about the cooking sessions or slow cooker recipe bags, contact Blacon Beacon by phone on 07851 870 078.

  Or by email at lesleyblaconbeacongm@gmail.com.

  Alternatively, you can pop into Blacon Beacon in Trinity Hall, Norris Road, Blacon, CH1 5DZ, at the times below to fill out a membership form.

  • Tuesday and Wednesday 10am to 12noon
  • Thursday 10am to 12.30pm, or 3pm to 4pm

  Support getting online

  If you know someone who's not online, you could help them access digital services by telling them about Blacon Beacon's free computer support. There is no booking required, so they can turn up at the times and places listed below.

  • Trinity Hall - Tuesday 10am to 12noon
  • Trinity Hall - Thursday 12noon to 4pm
  • Holy Trinity Church café - Thursday 10am to 12noon

  Emergency food support

  If you haven't got enough food to feed your household, there is help available at the West Cheshire Foodbank Hub in Trinity Hall. You can get a referral voucher for a foodbank from the onsite Citizens Advice Financial Inclusion Advisers.

  The West Cheshire Foodbank Hub opening times are:

  • Tuesday 10am to 12noon
  • Wednesday 10am to 12noon
  • Thursday 1pm to 3pm

  
  

  Blacon Beacon
• Share Tattenhall Repair Café on Facebook Share Tattenhall Repair Café on Twitter Share Tattenhall Repair Café on Linkedin Email Tattenhall Repair Café link

  Tattenhall Repair Café

  almost 3 years ago

  
  

  If you've got a broken household appliance, item of clothing, or a piece of furniture that you can't fix, bring it along to Tattenhall Repair Café. The repair café is open on the last Sunday of every month, between 10am and 12noon, in the Barbour Institute, Tattenhall, Chester, CH3 9PX.

  The repair café is run on a donations basis, to cover the cost of materials, but you don't have to give any money if you are not able to. The repairers will still be happy to help you out so that you don't have to buy a new item to... Continue reading

  
  

  If you've got a broken household appliance, item of clothing, or a piece of furniture that you can't fix, bring it along to Tattenhall Repair Café. The repair café is open on the last Sunday of every month, between 10am and 12noon, in the Barbour Institute, Tattenhall, Chester, CH3 9PX.

  The repair café is run on a donations basis, to cover the cost of materials, but you don't have to give any money if you are not able to. The repairers will still be happy to help you out so that you don't have to buy a new item to replace your broken one.

  The repair café is run by Transition Tattenhall. The volunteer repairers have a wide range of skill sets, so they can usually fix items like hoovers, a garden strimmer, clothing, and even paintings and sculptures. You can take along anything that needs to be repaired and they will do their best to fix it for you.

  Even if the volunteers can't repair your item, you can still enjoy the café. You can get a hot drink and a cake while chatting with members of the community.

  By taking your item to the repair café, you will save the cost of having to replace it. It also prevents the item ending up in landfill which is harmful for the environment. When a new appliance or piece of furniture is manufactured, it requires energy and materials that increase your carbon footprint.

  With the help of Tattenhall Repair Café, you can repair and reuse items that would otherwise have been thrown away, saving you money and helping the environment.
• Share Weaver Vale Housing Trust Support Services - Energy Debt top tips on Facebook Share Weaver Vale Housing Trust Support Services - Energy Debt top tips on Twitter Share Weaver Vale Housing Trust Support Services - Energy Debt top tips on Linkedin Email Weaver Vale Housing Trust Support Services - Energy Debt top tips link

  Weaver Vale Housing Trust Support Services - Energy Debt top tips

  by Caroline Thompson, almost 3 years ago
  

  
  

  Weaver Vale Housing Trust

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Weaver Vale Housing Trust is here to help you if you're worried about money or struggling to pay your bills. The teams offer personalised advice and support because everyone's circumstances are different.

  Making contact is the first step to helping with any money worries and they are committed to giving you the advice and practical support you need.

  For more information on support services, call: 0300 303 9848 and ask for the Rent Support Team. They will help you find out which services you can access.

  We have a number of dedicated support teams including Money... Continue reading

  
  

  Weaver Vale Housing Trust

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Weaver Vale Housing Trust is here to help you if you're worried about money or struggling to pay your bills. The teams offer personalised advice and support because everyone's circumstances are different.

  Making contact is the first step to helping with any money worries and they are committed to giving you the advice and practical support you need.

  For more information on support services, call: 0300 303 9848 and ask for the Rent Support Team. They will help you find out which services you can access.

  We have a number of dedicated support teams including Money Matters Team. We can help you with debts, budgeting, benefits, and energy advice. They are experts and they are there to help you. You can access this support by calling us on 03003039848 and asking for the Rent Support team

  There are also support services to help people get back into work and/or training. For more information on training and other employment support, email: workteam@wvht.co.uk or call the number above and ask for the Work Team.

  Energy debt is another area they offer advice on. Here are some important tips to help you avoid falling into energy debt or deal with your debt during these difficult winter months.

  Top tips to avoid or deal with energy debt

  • If you are worried about your bill, contact your supplier (this is whoever your gas and electric account is with) straight away to come to an affordable arrangement. The sooner you do this the better. Don't let a big debt build up.
  • Before you agree a payment arrangement, go through your budget (the money you have coming in and what you spend each week or month) to make sure you know what you can afford. Be honest with yourself about this because it's no good offering to pay something you can't afford.
  • When making a payment arrangement, don't agree to something you know is not affordable. If this means you can't pay for energy, speak to your supplier or seek some advice regarding your debt. Citizens Advice is always a good place to start for this. You can visit the Citizens Advice website or call: 0800 278 7806.
  • If you are on a pre-payment meter, contact your supplier to make sure that any money owed to them is being paid at the lowest rate possible.
  • Remember if you set up a weekly arrangement to repay money owed from your meter and you don't top up for a month, these missed payments will continue building up. So if you agree to pay £5 per week and miss four weeks then £20 will be added back on to the debt balance and can sometimes be taken in a lump sum when you first top up.
  • Don't forget the standing charge (daily fixed charge) on your meter will be charged whether you have used any gas or electricity or not. If you have no money on your meter this will build up as debt and be recovered weekly or in full, from the amount you top up.
  • If you haven't used your meter for a while (this sometimes happens over summer if you haven't used gas) and can't afford to pay the debt that will have built up from the standing charge in one go, speak to your supplier. They can arrange to recover this at a weekly amount, which should be affordable for you.
  • If you are behind on your water bill, contact your water provider as they have affordability schemes available to help you get back on track.
  • If you are in receipt of means tested benefits, have water dependent medical conditions or a large family, advise the water supplier of this as there may be cheaper tariffs available for you.
  • Your supplier may have a grant scheme to help repay gas, electricity or water arrears so ask them about this when you contact them. Be open and honest with them about your situation because they are often very willing to help.

  
  

  Weaver Vale Housing Trust

  
  

  
  

  
  
• Share Find food support near you on Facebook Share Find food support near you on Twitter Share Find food support near you on Linkedin Email Find food support near you link

  Find food support near you

  almost 3 years ago
  

  If you're looking for food support in your area, take a look at the live, interactive map on the Welcome Network website.

  The map brings all services together in one place, so it's easy for you to find support near you or signpost friends and family to the right place.

  Live, interactive map

  
  

  Volunteering

  Volunteers play a key role in these food groups and other charitable organisations. The Cheshire West Voluntary Action (CWVA) volunteering platform highlights the range of opportunities available for those wanting to support their local community.

  Volunteering is flexible and you can often find a role to... Continue reading

  If you're looking for food support in your area, take a look at the live, interactive map on the Welcome Network website.

  The map brings all services together in one place, so it's easy for you to find support near you or signpost friends and family to the right place.

  Live, interactive map

  
  

  Volunteering

  Volunteers play a key role in these food groups and other charitable organisations. The Cheshire West Voluntary Action (CWVA) volunteering platform highlights the range of opportunities available for those wanting to support their local community.

  Volunteering is flexible and you can often find a role to suit your skills and interests, making it ideal for anyone looking to try something new. Volunteering also meets all of the 5 Ways to Wellbeing by helping you to:

  • connect with others
  • keep active
  • take notice of the world around you
  • learn new things
  • give back.

  Search volunteering opportunities5 Ways to Wellbeing

  
  

  About Cheshire West Voluntary Action

  The Welcome Network is part of the team at Cheshire West Voluntary Action, an organisation that works with food groups across west Cheshire to help residents access the food they need.

  As the go-to place for charitable organisations in the community sector across west Cheshire, CWVA has been working closely with the Council and other organisations around the cost of living, helping its members to:

  • access funding opportunities to ease any challenges
  • recruit new volunteers to support services
  • form links with other organisations
  • and much more.

  If you're providing services in the community to support residents, you could become a CWVA member and access the range of support it offers to charitable organisations.

  Cheshire West Voluntary Action
• Share Find community projects near you - Lache Larder on Facebook Share Find community projects near you - Lache Larder on Twitter Share Find community projects near you - Lache Larder on Linkedin Email Find community projects near you - Lache Larder link

  Find community projects near you - Lache Larder

  almost 3 years ago
  

  There are lots of community projects available across the borough that are there to support people who are facing financial hardship. Many of these projects have been created through the Cheshire West Crowd, a crowdfunding initiative run by the Council, working with Spacehive. Spacehive is a crowdfunding platform that community projects use to raise money for their campaigns.

  
  

  Lache Larder

  One of these projects is the Lache Larder, a resident-run social supermarket that offers affordable, fresh food while also helping the environment by reducing food waste. You can go along during opening hours and get good-quality produce at a low... Continue reading

  There are lots of community projects available across the borough that are there to support people who are facing financial hardship. Many of these projects have been created through the Cheshire West Crowd, a crowdfunding initiative run by the Council, working with Spacehive. Spacehive is a crowdfunding platform that community projects use to raise money for their campaigns.

  
  

  Lache Larder

  One of these projects is the Lache Larder, a resident-run social supermarket that offers affordable, fresh food while also helping the environment by reducing food waste. You can go along during opening hours and get good-quality produce at a low price. Everyone is welcome.
  
  Lache Larder is open Wednesday 2pm until 4pm, Thursday 7pm until 9pm and Friday 2pm until 4pm.

  You'll find the Larder at 76 Cliveden Road, Lache, Chester, CH4 8DT.

  
  

  Cheshire West Crowd

  Cheshire West Crowd empowers people to create projects that will make a positive difference in their community. Over 44 new community projects began running crowdfunding campaigns in Autumn 2022, in the biggest round of funding yet.

  If you have an idea and a project in mind that you believe will make a real difference to the people around you, consider sharing it with a local organisation. Any community project can kickstart their crowdfunding campaign on the Cheshire West Crowd.

  Cheshire West Crowd

  
  

  The Cheshire West Crowd website has a range of information including projects that are up and running, which have already successfully used the platform, as well as details of how people can support them. You can filter the projects to Funded to see which ones are live.

  Community projects on Cheshire West Crowd