A change of perspective.....

Here I am on the edge of Autumn with a busy summer behind me. No time for blogging, bullet-journaling or other writing activities as I've been much engrossed in thinning, sorting, tidying, decorating, and otherwise reinventing the house to a configuration better suited to my retirement status. This week the final piece of furniture was moved into place in the reading room which only requires a perfect rug to finish it off; the sewing room (my "room of requirement") is complete and only needs the sorting and ordering of books to make it the most perfect space, and huge amounts of 'stuff' has been donated to charity shops all around the district. It was during one of these donation visits that I experienced one of those moments that change one's perspective for ever.

I was dropping off some paper-board at 'Remake Scotland' in Crief - a great charity that specialises in craft materials, recyclable furniture, commercial waste (like fabric off-cuts and paper products) that works with youth groups and others to teach 'up-cycling', 're-purposing' and 're-using' of things that would otherwise go to landfill.  While I was there one of the volunteers told me that they were sharing cash donations with the local food bank because they were so desperate.

One charity sharing precious and limited resources with another. A food bank in CRIEF.

I was stunned. There are food banks all over Scotkand and the U.K., but I wouldn't have thought that there were many places in the central belt that were deprived, or that food banks were under such pressure that they needed to beg funds from other charities. And yet, (I have since discovered) there are 12,000 people in the district of Stirling alone that are living on the poverty line.

I have always worked hard and there has always been paid employment when I've wanted and because I've had a good education that employment has usually been lucrative. But I know I've also been lucky. No major illnesses or catastrophes or disasters. No redundancies or dismissals. I've never worked for an organisation that has gone bust, and I've never had to live on the minimum wage. I've also not had to support children or elderly parents, I've not been cursed with addictions and I've not been the victim of crime. I have been a comfortably-off, middle class, white-collar worker that has managed to save a bit, contribute to a pension and live (mostly) within my means. I expect my retirement to be equally comfortable (but not affluent - I didn't contribute THAT much to a pension). I certainly don't expect to be worrying whether I can pay the heating bill or where my next meal is coming from. And yet there are pensioners,  single parents and others who, through no fault of their own are worrying about just these things. Which is why I've decided that for four weeks from the 11th October I am going to join the breadline. I'm going to restrict my food budget to £30 (just over £1 per day) and the difference between this amount and what I would normally spend in a month on food (and alcohol) will be donated to 'Start-up Stirling' a charity that runs a food bank and a service providing essentials for those living on the poverty line moving into  new accommodation (perhaps for the first time). I'm setting up an on-line donation page and will be transferring the month's savings to the charity via this means. I hope some of my pals and family will sponsor me too! I'll record my experiences on this page.