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Food for thought: Rochdale teens tackle homelessness with £4 a day initiative

Teenagers in Rochdale are attempting to raise awareness of homelessness – by suggesting people across Greater Manchester try to live on just £4 a day.

Team Ward is a group of passionate 16-17 year olds working to promote a cost effective trend and have been commended by charity officials for their latest idea.

They are suggesting that people should try to live off just £4 a day to better understand the struggle homeless people face.

A spokesperson for Team Ward said: “£4 doesn’t seem like a lot but for the homeless community of Rochdale, £4 is all they have to live on for a day.

“Three meals for the same amount of money is what the average UK family spends on food to be thrown away every single day.”

Petrus, the charity that endorsed the high street initiative, have stated they remain confident in their mission statement yet realistic in the uphill battle in raising awareness on the high street.

Trustee member of Petrus, Denis Skelton said: “We are very pleased with the commitment and enthusiasm that the 16 and 17 year olds have shown.

“Homelessness is sadly a growing problem set against a backdrop of decreasing service provision as national government cuts bite hard.”

Nationally, there has been a 26% increase in the last four years of households approaching their councils as homeless.

A total of 112,070 households approached their council as homeless last year alone, with more than 52,000 households accepted.

On top of this, last year over two-thousand people slept rough on any one night in England, a rise of 36% over three years.

Image courtesy of Jim Fischer, with thanks

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