Christmas, community and turning trauma into triumph with Sarah
“Christmas feels like it's not going to happen for us this year. There's just nothing spare for the kids at all. I've got enough to pay the bills and that's it. It feels like I let them down”
Single mum, Sarah and her family
If you’re feeling the festive pinch, you’re not alone. Bread and Butter member and volunteer, Sarah is choosing to look on the bright side of Christmas despite a tough year. As a single mother of four, Sarah faces the daily challenge of feeding four hungry kids on limited resources. Add to that the fact that she’s trying her best to overcome PTSD and depression and throw in the pressures of Christmas and anyone would be forgiven for crumbling. But with the support of her Crewe community and her family, Sarah is feeling positive.
“Christmas feels like it's not going to happen for us this year. There's just nothing spare for the kids at all. I've got enough to pay the bills and that's it. It feels like I let them down because I'm not one for spoiling them I always like to make sure they have a good variety of stuff, toys, clothes and books, but this time I can't even do that. But we'll still decorate because I'm Christmas mad. And I feel hopeful for the New Year.”
Community and cupboards
Sarah started volunteering with the Bread and Butter Thing after plucking up the courage to use their service a few times. Not only did it provide her with nutritious food for her family, but it also gave her a much-needed sense of purpose and routine. Sarah explains, “The Underwood West volunteer team are really supportive. The hub lead is amazing, she can never do enough for us. And the CDDOs that we get, they’re always down to earth and we can have a joke. It's just really nice. It's the only way I can describe it. We love it.”
Sarah has become the master of the ‘cupboard’ section, “I'm cupboard every time. No one's allowed to touch my section, I get quite protective, it's good. It’s my little space.”
Trauma to triumph
What started as a way to give back soon became a doorway to new possibilities. With her new found confidence, Sarah trained up as a teaching assistant. This was no easy feat, as Sarah had painful memories of being bullied at school. she decided to face her fears and return to the classroom environment. “I used to get beaten up at school pretty much every day. So I suffered with my mental health and used to stay in all the time, but getting involved with Bread and Butter got me out the house and rebuilt my confidence, so much so that I've just qualified as a Teaching Assistant. It's just a nice feeling, just to help people.”
Mum’s the word
One of the most heart-warming aspects of Sarah’s story has been the steadfast support of her mum. She has become her backbone and does as much as she can to help her avoid falling into debt. And in turn, Sarah is quite happy to make sacrifices and prioritise her kids over herself, “Luckily enough, I've got my mum, who will do us a bit of a food shop each week for us, and she'll buy my Bread and Butter every Thursday for me. I've always put the kids first, always, so I’m not sure what a luxury is for me now. I used to love just sitting in the café at Morrison's, and having a brew. I miss that a bit.”
Listen to Sarah’s podcast right here.
