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The cost of living crisis: how is your community responding?

Have you seen a creative response to the cost of living crisis in your community? If so, we want to hear from you

Have you seen a creative response to the cost of living crisis in your community? If so, we want to hear from you

So much for the ‘roaring 20s’ – as the pandemic recedes, a cost of living crisis has emerged. Predictions that this decade would be defined by hedonistic largess after two years of restrictions seem wide of the mark now. For the foreseeable future, rising inflation looks like it’s here to stay.  

For some, that means cutting back on non-essentials. For others it means making the choice between heating and eating. 

In these difficult times, Positive News wants to hear about the creative ways your community is responding. Has it launched a community fridge, as neighbourhoods in London, Bristol and elsewhere have? Is it trialling a communal garden, a dinner club or a food cooperative? 

Perhaps it has devised a community car-share scheme, like Share Our Cars in Oxford? Launched during the pandemic, it allows people to pool vehicles among trusted neighbours through Hiyacar (the ‘Airbnb for cars’), which takes care of booking, insurance and driver vetting.   

The scheme has enabled some people to sell their cars, which are a significant drain on household finances, while maintaining access to a vehicle for when they really need it. 

Can you tell us about a similarly empowering initiative? To share details of a project, fill out the form below. Don’t feel the need to offer a huge explanation, but web links and contacts for those leading the projects would be helpful. We look forward to reading your responses.

Main image: Rawpixel/iStock

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