When Ricky met Linzi! Our Chief Executive Featured on BBC Radio Foyle
As some of you may have recently heard, our Chief Executive, Ricky Wright, was recently interviewed by Linzi Lima on the BBC Radio Foyle programme Consumer Fight Back, where he spoke about the challenges facing many people in our community and the work Vineyard Compassion is doing to support them.
Reflecting on the experience afterwards, Ricky said it was both daunting and a privilege to represent the charity.
“It can be a bit nerve-wracking going on the radio,” he said, “but it was a real privilege to be able to share the story of Vineyard Compassion and talk about the incredible work happening through our team and volunteers.”
During the wide-ranging conversation, Ricky shared the origins of Vineyard Compassion and the heart behind our mission: to support people in crisis and help them move towards reaching their full potential.
As anyone who has ever visited the Hope Centre knows, at Vineyard Compassion, we aim to walk alongside the people we support. Rather than simply addressing immediate need through our food and clothing banks, our team seeks to understand the root causes of the difficulties someone may be facing, working with them to tackle these challenges and helping them build a more stable future.
However, Ricky also spoke about the increasing demand we are experiencing.
We explained how as the cost of living remains an issue, we are seeing more and more people coming to the Hope Centre for help, as “expenditure rises faster than incomes.”
Sadly, rising inflation and the increasing cost of living are having a disproportionate impact on people on lower incomes. As the costs of rent, heating and food continue to rise, many working households are finding that their wages simply are not keeping pace.
During the interview, Ricky shared the heartbreaking story of a young couple who had recently welcomed a newborn baby. Both parents were in employment yet still found themselves struggling to cover basic costs.
He shared how they were taking cold showers so they could save the gas to heat water for their daughter’s baby bath. What should have been a joyful and exciting time for this young family was instead filled with anxiety and stress.
Stories like this underline just how important community support can be, and Ricky also used the opportunity to pay tribute to the volunteers who make our work possible.
Ricky said, “As I always say - our volunteers are at the heart of everything we do and it was great to share the many ways people can get involved, including helping at the Vineyard Market.” This local institution, which takes place on the first Saturday of every month is a mix of farmers market, craft fair and car boot sale and provides a space where local people can sell used items to raise some extra money, while others can pick up bargains and connect with the community.
Ultimately Ricky was able to get the message out there that through these projects and partnerships, made possible by our staff and volunteers, we continue to work alongside our community to support people facing difficult circumstances and help them move towards greater stability and hope.
You can listen to the full interview with Ricky Wright on Consumer Fight Back on BBC Radio Foyle. Ricky appears at the 39-minute mark.
Link: