When Christmas is a choice between eating and heating

We have had soup kitchens and shelters for the homeless for decades. But I despair that we live in a society that hundreds of thousands of UK children are dependent on personal charity to stop being hungry.

The cuts are getting worse, the safety net is being sold off and dismantled. Where is this going and where will it all end up? We are already suffering the biggest pay cuts since Victorian times.

· Statistics from The Trussell Trust show that there has been a dramatic increase in demand for food banks and charitable help in the UK, with more than 20m meals provided in 2013 – a 54% increase on the previous year.

913,138 people were given three days emergency food and support in 2013-2014, of whom 330,205 were children.

· 423 food banks have now been launched, with two new food banks being launched every week to support growing demand.

(hat tip recent email encouraging donations)