With so many being needy, surely its time for a change

Exmouth Community Food Larder manager Anthony Bernard. (Image: Archant)

Two years go in June 2020 the Foodbank reported "activists pulling down statues miss the many people trapped by disability, mental health problems, gambling debts, drink and drugs, as well as substandard accommodation or homelessness."

So highlighting the needy comes round again - or is it me?

Natural gas is suddenly more expensive, but have production costs really changed?

Market Economics caused prices to rise violently in response to supply and demand, the Coronavirus and Russian aggression in Ukraine are also big issues.

But too many problems carry on as always. These may seem minor in the big picture, but they are very major to those involved.

Disabled people still need help from social services, relatives and friends.

Social services do a wonderful job, but staff are not well paid; this needs government support for local councils to provide good social services, including a better funded care sector.

Mental Health remains difficult in the NHS; serious problems require serious help, for which proper training is needed, maybe at university degree level.

This takes time; results will come as trained staff are recruited, but this depends on the political will and on funding!

Gambling promotion escalated during lockdown. 'Only gamble safely' is silly.

Everyone knows bookies are richer than punters; a gambler is allowing his fragile hope to over-ride caution and good sense; addictions need help like any other mental condition.

Drink and drugs follow the same pattern, people get into these for many reasons, not least because it is made easy by those who profit.

Our free society allows personal choices which leaves vulnerable people at the mercy of drink, drugs and gambling promotions.

Substandard accommodation or homelessness follows from lifestyles muddled by gambling, drink, drugs or other problems; bad housing and bad hostels are opportunities for bad people to further muddle the lives of others.

Old comedies such as 'Till Death Us Do Part' remind us that prejudice and misogyny are not new; Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte and Downton Abbey tell stories of class prejudice for more upmarket viewers; Charles Dickens tells it how it was; human nature does not change.

Sleaze in Parliament needs a good stamping out, but the real issue is getting to grips with the actual needs of the really needy.

Interviews with voters after recent local elections cited party-gate and the cost of living, but not the failure to deal with the problems of disadvantaged people. Does democracy still work when the majority of people don't care??

Three new issues have now surfaced.

Ukraine refugees should not be housed where they can be abused; all refugees are vulnerable, especially women and children.

Careful checks are being made, but Russians will also attempt to merge informers amongst refugees. Stringent checks are appropriate, upsetting though the delays may be!!

Scam websites and emails seeking donations for the Ukraine are pure evil; scammers are trying to take advantage of generosity as recently highlighted in the news.

Direct Debit agreements allow energy companies to demand what payment they want, normally smoothing payments in line with actual costs.

But if actual costs go up 54 per cent, how could a payment demand of more than double be explained?

A supplier short of cash can exaggerate direct debit claims, but cash flow problems indicate nearness to bankruptcy; spare cash may be spirited to the Cayman Islands.

Everybody hates being wrong, but in this instance I hate being right. Things need to change.