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Earlier this week, inflation hit 10.1 per cent as prices continue to rise at their fastest pace for 40 years, putting more pressure on households and businesses.
If feeding your children is a worry during the school holiday next week, Money Saving Central has created a round-up of places where children can eat free or for £1. The BBC also has budget meal plans on its website.
If you’re looking for ideas for days out, joining a local Facebook group might give you some inspiration, such as Things to do with kids in North Somerset or Things to do in Portishead and Bristol with kids.
Some highlights in North Somerset next week include:
- there are lots of free activities and events happening in our libraries, including the Family Learning Festival, Black History Month, and books for teens to support mental health in the Reading Well scheme. Libraries are free to join and you can borrow a wide range of books, comics and e-books, as well as joining in the many events and activities on offer.
- free-to-enter Weston Museum is hosting an exhibition of dazzling drawings from Horrible Histories author Martin Brown. See the display, at the Burlington Street museum, until Saturday 12 November.
- Weston-super-Scare Halloween Party – 11am, Monday (24 October), at The Stable, Wadham Street in Weston-super-Mare. Children’s entertainer Action Pussycat is running a special interactive storytelling event. £3 per child.
- Castle Batch Children’s Centre and Family Hub, in Worle, is opening its doors for a day packed with free activities and attractions. Everyone is welcome on Wednesday 26 October between noon and 4pm. Activities include giant garden games, arts and crafts, karaoke, drama and hula hoop dance workshops by Theatre Orchard, Avon Fire and Rescue with a fire engine, free bike security marking from Avon and Somerset Police, and visits from local sports teams - Somerset County Cricket Club (noon to 2pm), Bridgwater United Football Club women’s team (noon to 2pm), and Worle Football Club (2pm to 4pm). North Somerset Violence Reduction Unit’s drugs bus and escape room will also be there from noon to 2pm. Find out more about our children’s centres on our website.
- follow a spooky Halloween trail courtesy of Sand Bay Fish and Chips. The popular annual event runs from Thursday 27 to Sunday 30 October. Hunt the spooky clues around the village and beach.
- young train fans can enjoy an hour of Thomas the Tank Engine and other trained-themed fun next week. Trainmaster sessions take place in Yatton, Portishead, Clevedon next week, along with Weston and Nailsea in November. Tickets cost £7.25.
Ideas of things to do together at home include:
- baking or cooking with cheap, simple ingredients you may already have in your cupboard. The BBC has meal ideas for £1 per portion on its website
- reusing old yoghurt pots or cardboard to create some spooky Halloween costumes. Hobbycraft has some spooky craft ideas for under £5 on its website
- free colouring sheets to download and print off are available on the Crayola website
- more ideas can be found on the MoneySavingExpert website.
A round-up of advice and guidance about the cost-of-living crisis is available on our website. You can find out about help with bills, childcare costs, housing support, and energy and heating advice.
There are also useful links to local food banks, a cost-of-living survival kit and support to help people travel to work.
We’ve also worked with the Independent Food Aid Network and Trussell Trust to produce a leaflet to help people who are worried about money.
If rising food costs is your worry, The Fridge of Free Stuff, based in The Sovereign, Weston-super-Mare, shares surplus food to the community to reduce food waste going to landfill.
The Stable Food Shop has also recently opened at The Stable, in Wadham Street, Weston. It also sells surplus food and other household items.
As we get into winter, the Energy Saving Trust also has some quick tips on ways to save energy.
Sign up to weekly emails from Martin Lewis, the Money Saving Expert, for his latest advice.
The BBC has a round-up of tips with a personalised guide to saving money, six things you can do as prices rise, and ways to save energy around the home.
This might be a worrying time, but help is out there.
All working-age residents and pensioners who claim council tax support will receive a £60 food voucher automatically in November, as part of the Household Support Grant Fund. In North Somerset, this will apply to 12,400 people.
Food vouchers of £60 will also be paid in one instalment for care leavers and each child receiving free school meals.
If you’re on a low income or pension credit you may be entitled to the Warm Home Discount Scheme, which will be re-opening in November. Visit the government website for details.
There’s also the Cold Weather Payment and the Winter Fuel Payment which can help during colder months.
Tackling the digital divide is also important during this cost-of-living crisis.
Being digitally excluded means being cut off from basic activities most take for granted, such as accessing job adverts, finding essential health information, and using digitised public services.
If you're struggling to afford to buy a sim card or mobile data, you can now access them for free thanks to the National Databank, which is through our library service.
This week is Get Online Week, organised by Good Things Foundation, and it aims to inspire people to do more online and teach them how.
This year’s theme is 'try one thing' and our library service has produced a bingo-style card of prompts with ideas to inspire you or a loved one to get online.
Challenge yourself to complete a line, four corners, or really push yourself to a full house.
Free Tea and Tech sessions are also taking place across North Somerset for people to get digital advice along while enjoying a free cup of tea and cake.
Upcoming sessions are:
- Weston-super-Mare - North Somerset Training Hub, Alexandra Parade. 2-4pm on Tuesday 1 and 22 November. Booking essential. Contact Steve on 07773 107 813.
- Abbots Leigh – Village Hall, Church Road. 10am-noon on Wednesday 2 and 30 November. Booking essential. Contact Tina on 07502 641 805.
- Winscombe – Community Centre, Sandford Road. 10am-noon, Tuesday 15 November. Contact Tina on 07502 641 805.