A Blackburn woman was set to spend Christmas Day alone, with eggs on toast for Christmas dinner, until a charity stepped in.

James Anderson, owner of Burnley charity Depher CIC, was called out to Mary’s house earlier this month after she reported a leak.

James then spoke to her about the cost of living crisis and learned that the woman, who is in her 80s, is set to spend Christmas Day alone and cook a meal of eggs on toast as she only had £1.67 in her bank account.

Lancashire Telegraph: James Anderson, owner of Depher CICJames Anderson, owner of Depher CIC (Image: James Anderson)

James said: “Mary told me she’s been having to cut back on a lot and reduce the amount of times she uses her boiler or kettle, due to the cost of living crisis.

“She didn’t have a lot of food in her cupboards. Maybe two packs of pasta, a burrito box, and a tin of beans and spaghetti, orange juice and eggs.

“When I asked her about her Christmas plans and what she was having for dinner she said ‘I have eggs here and there isn’t anybody I can really spend Christmas with’.

“She just accepted that this will be her Christmas saying this is the way things are now with the cost of living crisis and that she will just have to adjust.”

James ordered Mary a £191 food shop from Asda to ensure she has a fully stocked fridge on Christmas Day.

He also plans on “seeing her for a cup of tea and a chat” on the day.

He said: “If you are on your own, Christmas Day must be the worst day imaginable.

"I have been on my own on Christmas and I will never forget that day, it was a horrible feeling.

“It took a lot for her to open up to us like that. People seem to drop their barriers and trust us, understanding that we are human.”

James said stories like Mary’s are becoming increasingly common.

Earlier this month James said an elderly lady from Burnley came to them after her house flooded. James said she had leukemia and no money in the bank.

James said: “The 74-year-old’s boiler has burst. When we got there it was a waterfall and we had water up to our ankles.

“Her husband passed away last year, she has a disabled daughter and no money in the bank.

“She came to us exhausted and crying, begging on her knees for help.”

This week, she has a free boiler installed.

 

 

None of Depher’s work would be possible without donations from the public.

This week, the charity received a whopping £37,000 donation from Swizerland-based Oak Foundation.

James said: “The donation that we received will feed thousands of people and keep families warm this winter.

“The support coming through is unbelievable. People have even set up direct debits and standing order donations.

“We now have around £700,000 pounds in the bank that we can use to support people.

“This is what Depher is about. We get the donations and give it away. It’s not there to look at it's there to spend and give people a reason to smile.”