A father who lost his job reveals he is only able to have one meal a day in order to save money to feed his son and partner amid the cost of living crisis. Wayne Baker, 38 is hoping to raise cash for his family through a fundraiser so he can go back into construction work as he said he doesn't 'want much but I want anything better than this'.
The tearful dad has opened up about when he 'cried the first time' he had to go to the food bank and that he has lost three stone after only having one meal a day, the Mirror reports. Wayne who lives in Thurrock, Essex with his partner Zoe, 32 and 12-year-old son Cody was let go from his job in construction as a hod carrier in November 22 after the company he worked for downsized.
The desperate dad was left devastated by the news and felt he had 'nothing left' after being forced to sell his possessions and pawn valuable jewellery for some money. Having been the main income provider in the household, losing his long term job last year where he worked for nine years has had serious consequences for the family.
Wayne has been left in over £2,000 worth of debt as Zoe only works part-time in childcare and the couple have been handed an eviction notice on their home. Discussing being let go from work and how that affected the family in the lead up to Christmas, he said: “I went in to work one day on a Wednesday and around half the team lost their jobs – we went from a team of 48 to a team of 22.
"I worked there for eight/nine years, so it was a bit of a shock to the system. As I lost my job in the first week of November and my (12-year-old) son’s birthday was at the end of November and Christmas was coming up, it was a hard time to lose a job.
He added: "Christmas was really bad to be honest because we could not give our son all the presents he wanted, but he was quite understanding." The 38-year-old added that when he had 'nothing left' to sell to get some extra cash, he was advised to use a food bank.
While he was first uncertain whether or not the family should go due to 'embarrassment', he says he has visited twice again. Wayne said: “My partner was quite hesitant because we were not putting stuff in, we were taking from it.
"When I went, it was hard to swallow. I think I cried the first time I went, I felt quite embarrassed as I thought: ‘Really, I’ve got to this stage?'"
Wayne said the most difficult challenge they are facing each day is not knowing where their next meals are coming from as he reveals he had 'toast for a week straight for dinner'. The devoted father who's lost three stone as a result said he sacrificed his own eating in order to make sure his young son was getting enough food.
The dad said: “It’s just the simple things really, like worrying about where the next meal was coming from because the food banks are handy, but they don’t supply an actual meal – it helps with the meals, but just still constantly worry about when and where the next lot of food is coming from.
“I regularly have only one meal a day – one week, I had toast for a week straight, for dinner. I would make sure my son ate three meals a day and my partner because I’m not working, so I think I don’t deserve to eat as much as the others as he is going to school and my partner is going to work so they need the energy, and I have lost three stone in the past two months.
“We also had no heating for three weeks because we could not afford it.” The dad who has now accumulated over £2,000 worth of debt due to his unemployment said: “The council have been quite understanding as I am without a job, but it is a debt that I will have to pay back. It is still hanging over my head."
Wayne sold a computer, a TV and some jewellery to help pay off his debts but the family were given an eviction notice halfway through November which led to even further stress. Despite it being a struggle for the family, the dad has praised his local council for their help in getting them through one of their toughest times and providing them with food on Christmas Day.
He said: “It’s been really hard. I have been helped by a woman called Heidi at Thurrock Council. She put me through to Beam and has helped me throughout the whole process.
“She put me through to the food bank and she bought me a Christmas hamper so I could eat on Christmas Day, but the last two months have definitely been a struggle.” The dad who created a Beam account which is a crowdfunding platform has raised a little under £600 in eight days in order to help him get back to work.
The funds are being used towards his Construction Skills Certification Scheme ((CSCS) card, a laptop to complete his training and apply for jobs and safety boots. The grateful father said: "I didn’t expect the money to be raised so quickly by roughly 30 people.
"It just shows that even though there is a crisis going on, people are still willing to help. It’s a nice feeling and hopefully when I am back on my feet I can do the same for someone else.
"I could not really ask for help or money from friends or family as everyone is struggling with the cost of living right now.”
If you wish to donate to the fundraiser, you can do so here.
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