The Brick has launched the Text Brick £1 campaign to end child poverty in the borough and local rugby team, Wigan Warriors, have helped to kick the campaign off, with their support.
Data from the Department of Education showed that by the end of the 2020/21 school year, 60% of children in Wigan were eligible for free school meals, this is a staggering 43% increase from 2016-17.
The Brick sees first-hand how school holidays are a challenging time for families, and now, as the cost-of-living crisis materialises, more and more people will be forced to skip meals, and miss bills, rent, and mortgage payments.
To face this challenge head on, The Brick has launched the Text Brick £1 campaign to raise money, to ensure that it can continue to provide its essential services. Wigan Warriors have endorsed the campaign by being the first to text their donations and to kick off the campaign.
Martin Mcloughlin, Head of Community at Wigan Warriors Rugby League Club, said: “We support everything that The Brick does to help those in our community, and as soon as we heard about this campaign, which the aim to end child poverty we had to get on board.
“During the school holidays, when free school meals are no longer available, is an especially tough time for families, so we encourage everyone who can, to donate a £1.
Wigan Warriors have donated to the campaign, so now we just need the community to get on board, and together we can work to end child poverty in Wigan and Leigh.”
Wendy Doherty, Head of Fundraising and Partnerships at The Brick, said: “The UK is facing a perfect storm of increasing prices, higher interest rates, soaring bills, and with inflation reaching its highest rate for 30 years, we know that over the coming weeks, more and more families will be pushed into poverty.
“We wanted to launch a campaign that everyone can contribute to, and by texting just a £1, people can help us to continue to provide emergency food parcels, to buy essential toiletries and to provide free and subsidised furniture and appliances for families on low incomes.
“We are extremely grateful for the support of Wigan Warriors and with their help I am confident that the people of Wigan and Leigh will come together to help us to really bring an end to child poverty in our borough.”
To donate to The Bricks Text Brick campaign, simply TEXT BRICK£1 to 70480 or go to www.justgiving.com/campaign/TEXTBRICK1
If you would like to donate more, just change the amount e.g BRICK£2 BRICK£5, BRICK£10 Anything you can spare will make such a difference.