iCare Peterborough: Our Services Are More in Demand Than Ever
iCare Peterborough provides a number of services for people in need across the city, as well as offering volunteering roles for the youth.
iCare was established by UKIM in 2016 to provide support to those in need across the UK. There are around 30 branches in the UK, and the Peterborough branch has multiple projects that happen on a weekly or monthly basis. This includes a weekly Food Hub Community Kitchen and a monthly Cemetery Preservation project.
Last year, the work put in by the iCare Peterborough team helped hundreds of people across the city. The cost-of-living crisis affected many single-parent families and low-income earners quite severely, and many were still struggling in winter, but iCare was able to provide hot meals, winter clothing and other essentials to people in need, including asylum seekers.
The Office for National Statistics shows data for the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis in the UK in recent months:
‘In the UK, the price of consumer goods and services rose at the fastest rate in four decades in the year to October 2022. The annual inflation rate reached a 40-year high of 9.6% but has since eased to 8.8% in the year to January 2023.’
With regards to inflation on food, it has had severe impacts on many families and individuals across the country.
‘More than 4 in 10 adults (42%) said they had to spend more than usual in the previous two weeks to get what they normally buy when food shopping, according to survey data collected between 25 January and 5 February 2023.’
‘Between 22 November and 18 December 2022, around one in seven adults (15%) said they had been worried about running out of food before they had money to buy more in the past two weeks.’
Akeel Khalil, the Peterborough iCare Branch Manager said: "Due to the cost-of-living crisis, our services have never been more in demand. We have assisted over 30,000 people, from providing food, clothing and signposting to services.”
Akeel added: “We feel the main reason people contact us for support is simply due to our services being reliable and consistent.”
iCare Peterborough showed a lot of growth in 2022, as seen with just some of their annual achievements. They featured on BBC Radio Cambridgeshire multiple times to cover various aspects of their work and societal issues, they featured in Peterborough Matters (locals news), onboarded several businesses to support iCare’s work, and were recognised by colleges, schools and universities for their work and the volunteering opportunities they offer to youth.
iCare Peterborough has given me, and many other young people, the perfect opportunity to put our skills to good use for the benefit of the local community. Such opportunities are crucial for preparing the youth to lead communities.
Akeel said: “Our mantra is to engage with our local community and encourage people from all backgrounds to partake in all our services. We offer opportunities for young people in social media, marketing, project management, leadership, public speaking, radio and education.”
Hafsah, from the Youth Team said: "I think charity work is important because helping people out in any way, big or small, can have such an impact on someone who needs the help.”
“Through volunteering, I’ve made new friends and met new people which has really made me more confident. The great thing about charity work is you work as a team with other people.”
Hafsah has been a part of iCare since the summer of 2021, and has greatly supported the team in carrying out events and projects.
Ali, from the Youth Team said” "I joined [iCare] as one of the very first volunteers and then took on the role of Youth Lead and Marketing Lead.”
“When I first joined iCare I was quite a shy and nervous 15-year-old, I wasn’t good at communicating or putting my ideas forward. But iCare really helped me develop and learn those skills alongside other skills too. Now I chair meetings, take meeting minutes, recruit volunteers for iCare and much more.”
iCare also allows volunteers to show their volunteering experiences to employers and for further education applications. This enables student volunteers to put themselves apart from other students by showing their real-life experiences in helping individuals and the community.
Ali said: “One of the benefits is being able to talk about my experiences with iCare in job interviews, degree apprenticeship applications and university applications.”
“By volunteering with iCare, I’m able to give back to those who are less fortunate, and to make a positive impact on the lives of others. This is a very rewarding experience.”
Ali has been a part of iCare since January 2021, and has supported the branch since its inception through leadership and marketing roles, as well as providing hands-on support at Food Hub missions and other projects.
Now, as 2023 commences, iCare Peterborough shows no signs of slowing down. The team has been organising speaker events, litter picks, food collections and distributions and much more, all of which will greatly benefit the local community in Peterborough and bring people closer together.