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A charity based in Leeds appeared on BBC Breakfast yesterday, sharing their efforts to support families through the cost of living crisis.

Flourishing Families was established in Bramley five years ago and teaches families to cook economical, healthy and tasty meals, while also addressing issues such as low literacy levels, confidence, social isolation and disengagement from education.

They were interviewed by the BBC and shared their work running family cookery clubs whilst also launching their slow cooker campaign.

Energy bills have soared as part of the crisis and because slow cookers use less energy than conventional ovens, Flourishing Families have launched a campaign to provide them to those who need them most.

Director Kate Colbrook has admitted that when Flourishing Families was established, there was already a “big demand” for their services.

Chair of trustees Richard Colbrook said: “The poor are suffering in ways that are unimaginable.

"We had a message from one lady who wanted to donate to our appeal for slow cookers and she was responding to the story we told about children going to school in their pyjamas.

"She said it was an obscenity that in 2022, children in the UK are doing that and have no food on the table - I agree with her, it's obscene and should not be happening.”

Research recently estimated there are 54,273 babies children and young people living in poverty in Leeds, which is more than enough to fill Leeds United’s stadium, Elland Road.

Energy bills have soared as part of the crisis and because slow cookers use less energy than conventional ovens, Flourishing Families have launched a campaign to provide them to those who need them most.

Director Kate Colbrook has admitted that when Flourishing Families was established, there was already a “big demand” for their services.

Five years later, she has described the charity as being even more urgently required.

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She said: “When we started, we already saw there was a big demand. It's just gone through the roof and although we saw it as urgent already, it's become really, really urgent now.

The Yorkshire Evening Post is joining National World sister titles across the country to call on new Prime Minister Liz Truss to take urgent action over the cost of living crisis.

"It's a really desperate situation. The situation families are facing now is devastating. The sheer number of people that are going to suffer as a result of the cost of living is massive, it’s huge.

“We need targeted interventions that help those who are the poorest and most economically vulnerable.”

Donations to the slow cooker campaign can be made via their official JustGiving page.

Leeds charity shares work to support families through cost of living crisis on BBC Breakfast