AN Oldham vicar has spoken out about his fears of the crippling cost of living crisis that is gripping the borough.

Rev. David Austin, vicar of Holy Trinity Church in Coldhurst and St Stephen and All Martyrs in Oldham, has said the spiralling cost of living will ‘directly’ affect local families.

Data from the English Indices of Deprivation, released by Government in 2019, shows that Oldham is in the top 20 most deprived boroughs in the country with five areas being in the top one per cent of most deprived wards in the country, including parts of St Mary’s and Coldhurst.

Speaking to The Oldham Times the vicar, who is part of Oldham's Poverty Truth Commission, said the parish is working to offer ongoing support to families and remove the stigma of using services such as food hubs in light of the growing crisis.

He said: “The cut to Universal Credit and the increase in food costs, energy, and rent, is creating a perfect storm and the families who are approaching me for help are only the tip of the iceberg.

“My concern is for those who are not raising their voice because they feel they can’t or because of pride.

“There’s no shame in using these services. Help is available.”

The Reverend, who volunteers with the Oldham Street Angels and assists at The Bread and Butter Thing (TBBT) charity food hubs, has noticed an increase in the number of people on the streets and the amount of families using food hubs.

He said: “What I hear a lot is people saying, ‘Do we feed ourselves or do we turn the heating off? Do we go without so we can feed the children?’”

Rev. David Austin is also the local representative of the online charity Acts 435, a national online giving charity that works through a large network of churches and local charities to provide donated items to families including white goods, school uniform and gas and electric top-ups.

The vicar believes the church should have an equal part to play when it comes to helping charities and the community and as well as volunteering, he signposts families to relevant support agencies and holds regulars drop-in sessions.