Inflation - and the fight against Gloucestershire’s growing hunger crisis
Food prices remained a focus when inflation figures emerged this week, and with good reason. We spoke to two charities helping thousands unable to afford to eat. Many of them children.
Dear reader,
Whether you see the story below about thousands of people annually in Gloucestershire unable to afford to eat as wholly depressing, or choose to see the positive in the passion and commitment of the charities and their army of volunteers, it’s is up to you.
When the monthly inflation figures emerge courtesy of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) many of us zone out, others might check their investments, consider mortgage and loan repayments and impacts on real earnings.
We all have our own challenges.
For a growing army numbering in their thousands annually in Gloucestershire - news that the cost of living continues to rise means one thing; buying regular food for themselves and their families remains out of reach.
We can all help, of course. And many do.
If you read to the bottom of the main article you’ll see we begin to plug the charity CCP’s quite incredible annual Hamper Scamper Christmas campaign. Now there’s a great opportunity to get involved.
Have a great weekend.
Best regards,
Andrew Merrell (editor).
Your briefing notes…
🕰️🎁 Gloucestershire-based marketing and PR agency, APT is turning the ‘extra hour’ gained when the clocks go back on Sunday 26th October into a special offer for charities, not-for-profits, and B Corp businesses across the UK. The Cheltenham headquartered firm is giving 15 hours of ‘extra’ team time, to help purpose-driven organisations boost their communications strategies as they head into winter.
The hours can be used flexibly for support with: strategic marketing or PR consultancy sessions, communications planning or campaign brainstorming, copywriting and content support, crisis communications preparation and expert sounding board for upcoming initiatives and plans for 2026.
Email purpose@aptmarketing.co.uk and tell APT who you are and what you would do with your ‘extra’ hour(s) by Wednesday 29th October 2025.
🏗️💸💸 By the developer Morgan Sindalls’ calculations the University of Gloucestershire’s decision to convert the former Debenhams building in Gloucester city centre into a new campus has delivered a total social value of £44 million for the local community. It means that for every £1 spent 71 pence was re-spent within the city’s economy, with a focus on supporting SMEs and local suppliers. Benefits ranged from everything from jobs created to volunteering hours delivered for charities. The 20,000 square metre development opened this summer and is home to the university’s education, psychology and social work programmes as well as a new public library.
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This weekend...
Friday
Stroud Arts Festival 2025 continues today and runs until Sunday 26 October.
There is still chance to see the evocative Poppy Fields by Luxmuralis light show at Gloucester Cathedral. First entry at 6.15pm. Doors close at 10pm.
Saturday
Poppy Fields by Luxmuralis light show at Gloucester Cathedral ends today. First entry at 6.15pm. Doors close at 10pm.
Gloucester Rugby will be looking for its first win of the season when Cherry & Whites play Exeter Chiefs at 3pm away.
Gloucester City FC take on Havant & Waterlooville FC at home in the first round of the FA Trophy.
Cheltenham Town FC play top-of-the-table Walsall FC at home at 12.30pm.
Forest Green Rovers FC (fifth place in the National League) play third-place Boreham Wood at 3pm at home.
Sunday
The Museum of the Moon installation artwork by Luke Jerram is on show at Tewkesbury Abbey until 4 November 2025.
Featured upcoming event…
The Property Forum sets up shop on Thursday 6 November to look at the planning landscape and the impact of reforms around local and national housing targets. This event is sponsored by solicitors Willans LLP, chartered surveyors and planning consultants Evans Jones and business space specialist The Site. Tickets are £33.22 and the event is due to take place from 9am to 11.30am on Thursday 6 November at The Site, 24 Chosen View Road Cheltenham GL51 9LT.
Gloucestershire B Local has sent out an open invitatin to a special Christmas event this December at Gloucester Brewery. The event, which will be part social, from 4pm to 7pm, will begin with a collective action workshop run by Forum for the Future’s executive director and chief acceleration officer, Dr Sally Uren OBE (1-4pm). It will also be a celebration of B Lab UK’s tenth anniversary - the organisation that promotes the B Corp movement. Due to take place on Friday 5 December 1pm to 7pm.
We’ve flagged this one before, but The Raikes Journal is sponsoring one of the awards! On Thursday 27 November the great and the good of Gloucester and beyond will gather at the city’s Guildhall to applaud the shortlisted and the winners of this year’s The Believe in Gloucester Awards. The event, staged by Gloucester BID and sponsored by Gloucester Quays and WSP Solicitors, celebrates the businesses, organisations and individuals who help make the city such a great place to live and work. Find out more here.
*The Raikes Journal is the only independent news outlet in Gloucestershire approved to use the copy of the BBC local government reporting service.
* It is a digital magazine and community interest company whose supporters believe, like us, that journalism about Gloucestershire is worth keeping alive. Everything you read here - original stories about our county - is made possible by our incredible Founding Partners: QuoLux, Willans LLP, Gloucestershire College, Merrell People and Randall & Payne; our sponsors, Founding Members and wonderful paying subscribers.
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Inflation - and the fight against Gloucestershire’s growing hunger crisis
Food prices remained a focus when inflation figures emerged this week, and with good reason. We spoke to two charities helping thousands unable to afford to eat. Many of them children.
By Andrew Merrell.
When the inflation figures dropped mid-last month most homed in on the 3.8 per cent figure, with commentators picking out the biggest impact was on the cost of food and drink.
The cost of this part of a household’s spend grew at an annual rate of 5.1 per cent.
This week the latest data emerged, and while the headline figures stayed stable for the year to September, month-on-month the cost of food drinks (non-alcoholic ) actually edged down slightly in September to 5.1 per cent - the first fall since May 2024.
The cost of those items actually fell by 0.2 per cent between August and September this year, the first fall in 16 months.
Economists tell us the rise in food bills has been due in part to supermarkets passing on Government decisions to increase employers National Insurance contributions and the minimum wage.
All of which has only compounded what we’ve come to know as ‘the cost of living crisis’.
Few see the impact of that crisis like Gloucester Foodbank and, down the other end of the Golden Valley in Cheltenham, the charity Caring for Communities and People (CCP).
Vicky Ranford, director of Gloucester Foodbank, remembers the day the inflation figures were announced last month (September).
“We actually had our busiest day on that day. Whether that was also because it was cold and people were starting to think about their heating bills too, I don’t know,” said Ranford.
