An activist has taken the cost of living crisis the UK is facing into his own hands, by bringing back his Step Up For Scousers campaign.
Actor and writer Ellis Howard set up the campaign back in 2020, after 322 Conservative MPs voted against a motion in Parliament that called for the poorest children in the country to be given free school meal vouchers across the half-term holiday. But the "outrage" 25-year-old Ellis felt during this new crisis has made him take a "step up" once again to help those most in need.
Ellis, from Norris Green, told the ECHO : "This is the second time I have launched the campaign, the first time was around when the 322 conservative MPs voted against feeding the school kids. I was so shocked and outraged, I had been doing quite a bit of work with food charities like some of the ones who worked alongside Marcus Rashford during when he was speaking out about how terrible it was.
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"Now I am from Norris Green, and I never felt like this [the support] hit us, so I thought I'm going to do something about it myself, and started Step Up For Scousers."
Step Up For Scousers raised thousands of pounds the first time it was launched and had "very active support" from across the city, including celebrities such as Jamie Carragher.
Ellis said: "We had the supplies sent out to those in need via Ian Byrne, the MP, with Fans Supporting Food Banks (FSFB), they distributed the supplies mainly across their lines, and also anonymous drop offs for those who needed it, or reached out via social media.
"I also did charity work around the Christmas period that year [2020], when I was living in London, we teamed up with Linkey to help get Christmas presents for those who may not have been able to get any. They could go onto our Amazon wish-list, and they got delivered for us to then pass on to the kids in the community."
Ellis continued: "With everything that is happening now, with the energy crisis, I’ve had so many people messaging me terrified that the war in Ukraine is going to lead to increased food prices. But now people can’t afford to heat their homes, I just felt that I needed to step up again and do something because people are struggling."
"I am so overwhelmed every time I do something like this. How quickly Scousers just galvanise and give money, give their time, happily given as well."
He added: "The Gofundme is just one part of it, as helpful as that is, I am also receiving donations from people personally to put towards the cause, or they have been like, ‘I have a load of baby clothes, blankets etc.’ - and so it is an amazing flash-point, but there is so much more happening behind the scenes as well, people just willing to go out and drive and do drop offs themselves."
Ellis is running the campaign, at the moment, up until Easter, with Ian Byrne telling him that the "demand is off the chain for something like this because people are terrified."
Ian Byrne MP told the ECHO : "Ellis has been a brilliant supporter of his community and Fans Supporting Food Banks for a number of years and I fully support his efforts with the campaign. But let’s call on Rishi Sunak to step up for scousers and support the call I and many others are making for a Right To Food to be included in the Spring Statement.
"Hunger is a political choice and Sunak can make the right one to help the millions currently freezing and starving in their homes."
Ellis said: "I am just trying to do as much as I can to help as many people as possible. We have people in working poverty with these price increases, and the big energy companies are turning over profits, once again it is the working people on the front line who are taking the flack for this. I always have my messages open on Instagram and my Facebook as well, and my mum and nan are always looking out on there for anyone who might be in need that we can help and do drop offs for."
He added: "My mum, nan and aunt, are helping out so much with it, and the tight ship that Ian runs with FSFB he comes with a big van and we can get the supplies out quick to the community."
If you want to help donate to Step Up For Scousers you can see the Gofundme page here. If you want to keep up with the progress or feel you may be in need of help yourself, you can follow Ellis on Instagram and message him here.
