Ricky Tomlinson at Trussell Trust food bank: My proud city Liverpool does not deserve to go hungry

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Concerned: Ricky is upset that families have to turn to food banks
Chris Neill
When I was asked to help out at a Liverpool food bank by the Trussell Trust and Len McCluskey, I leapt at the chance. But what I saw there really stopped me in my tracks.

The volunteers were working flat out packing food boxes for families who without their help would have nothing to wake up to on Christmas morning.

Then the manager Paul told me this was just one of a number of food banks in and around Liverpool and all of them would be rushed off their feet over Christmas.

In all there are 400 Trussell Trust food banks trying to feed 20,000 kids this Christmas. That’s on top of the 500,000 people they’ve fed since April, which is like feeding the whole of Wembley stadium five and a half times over.

Now Len and I are working class Liverpudlians – born and bred. We know what Scousers are like. Ours is a city full of proud people.

It’s obvious to us that the moment a family was forced to go to a food bank for help would’ve been one of the hardest of their lives – no matter how friendly the volunteers.

So it makes me furious when a prat like Tory Government minister Lord Freud says people are just going to take advantage of a free meal. Rubbish! These families are totally desperate.

And don’t even get me started on Esther McVey. That Wirral MP is simply a complete embarrassment to all of Merseyside.

Last week she was representing the Government in a debate on food banks, which was demanded by the 144,400 people who signed Jack Monroe’s petition – backed by the Mirror and Unite.

But Esther couldn’t even be bothered to stay the whole way through the debate. Just like her boss Iain Duncan Smith, she ran off, rather than face up to the damage that her Government is doing.



The truth is millions of families are facing a grim Christmas and 2014, because of frozen wages, rocketing bills and Government cuts. Pay packets simply can’t cover the cost of living.

But rather than do something about it, this lot in government are trying to blame ordinary people and turn us against each other.

Sadly, our afternoon at the food bank reminded Len and me of a time we’d hoped had been left behind.

We remembered being trade union organisers in the 1970s and 1980s, me on the building sites and Len as a dock worker. Back then ordinary families were facing desperate poverty.

But throughout that dark time one thing kept us going – the strength of our community.

Even if too often the government then didn’t give a toss about us, people pulled together to help each other out.

That’s why I’m so proud to be backing the Mirror, the Trussell Trust and Unite Christmas appeal this year.

It’s inspiring to see once again ordinary people, all around the country, putting their hands in their pockets to donate whatever they can manage.

As a trade unionist, I’m so glad that Unite is helping to lead this cause. After all, looking out for people in tough times is what we have always
done best.

It’s great that we are all coming together to make sure that families living in crisis can at least have some food on the table for Christmas Day.

I could not sit down to enjoy my Christmas dinner knowing that there were people who did not have one. Don’t forget – it’s not too late for you to help.



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Sassy wrote:The only clueless one here is you, as has been shown again and again.   You like Irn, lol, callying him a liar is a funny way of showing it.   I don't give a flying ..... what you think of me Didge, I loathe and detest everything you stand for.

I know, strange isn't it but he's just trying to get pally with me again and sook back in so that I will get off his back and stop giving him a hard time.
It won't work though because he burnt his bridges a few days ago and trying the humour approach to get me to cut him a bit of slack just won't wash.

Don't blame you.

Irn Bru wrote:

Sassy wrote:The only clueless one here is you, as has been shown again and again.   You like Irn, lol, callying him a liar is a funny way of showing it.   I don't give a flying ..... what you think of me Didge, I loathe and detest everything you stand for.

I know, strange isn't it but he's just trying to get pally with me again and sook back in so that I will get off his back and stop giving him a hard time.
It won't work though because he burnt his bridges a few days ago and trying the humour approach to get me to cut him a bit of slack just won't wash.

I suggest you go to page 7 on the Israel thread then Irn the lower part!

PhilDidge wrote:

Joy Division wrote:


..I was just being a tad Sarccy Sassy!...I know he goes all biscuit arsed and pretends to be joking...

Once didge knows he has overstepped the mark, he tries to pass it off as banter!, but luckily enough we are the forgiving type...for most things.

Oh Joy you are silly, I am joking, the only one I have no respect for is sassy, as she is clueless, I like you and Irn!

Well you seemed to have a bit of respect for me when I was the one that showed compassion and support when someone posted that you had just found out that your friend Jamal had aids. So much for that then.

Sassy wrote:Don't blame you.

Typical cap doffer though. Turn your back and out comes the knife to be plunged in between the shoulder blades.

They have no standards and will turn on you in a minute.

Bloody shameless cretins

Sassy wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


Oh Joy you are silly, I am joking, the only one I have no respect for is sassy, as she is clueless, I like you and Irn!

Well you seemed to have a bit of respect for me when I was the one that showed compassion and support when someone posted that you had just found out that your friend Jamal had aids. So much for that then.

Jamal?

Who is Jamal?

Think you have me confused with someone else on that!

Sassy wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


Oh Joy you are silly, I am joking, the only one I have no respect for is sassy, as she is clueless, I like you and Irn!

Well you seemed to have a bit of respect for me when I was the one that showed compassion and support when someone posted that you had just found out that your friend Jamal had aids. So much for that then.

I remember reading something about that somewhere. I think it was on Flap's forum - on the part that is in public view.

I do?   Don't you remember Didge?   Is it something you would rather forget?

Sassy wrote:I do?   Don't you remember Didge?   Is it something you would rather forget?

No I do not remember as I have no friend called Jamal dear, again you have me confused over someone else.

Irn Bru wrote:

Sassy wrote:

Well you seemed to have a bit of respect for me when I was the one that showed compassion and support when someone posted that you had just found out that your friend Jamal had aids. So much for that then.

I remember reading something about that somewhere. I think it was on Flap's forum - on the part that is in public view.

Oh do you mean something allakaka claimed about me, is that it.

Oh no, it was definitely you Didge, wasn't it a forum that Phil was on, they said you were gay and your friend Jamal had Aids.   I saw it and commiserated with you on Speak, and said how sad it was.

Sassy wrote:Oh no, it was definitely you Didge, wasn't it a forum that Phil was on, they said you were gay and your friend Jamal had Aids.   I saw it and commiserated with you on Speak, and said how sad it was.

That's what I read on Flap.

Irn Bru wrote:

Sassy wrote:Oh no, it was definitely you Didge, wasn't it a forum that Phil was on, they said you were gay and your friend Jamal had Aids.   I saw it and commiserated with you on Speak, and said how sad it was.

That's what I read on Flap.

Think it was on the Dogs Sleeping Forum or something like that, ask Catman, he was on it and Didge was posting.

Sassy wrote:Oh no, it was definitely you Didge, wasn't it a forum that Phil was on, they said you were gay and your friend Jamal had Aids.   I saw it and commiserated with you on Speak, and said how sad it was.

Yes I am sure they did say that, but I never said I had a friend who did or that I am gay, it was allakaka trying poorly to wind me up, so something I never said is now you thinking because someone else claims something that I must have a friend called Jamal.
Yes how sad they would make things up, the evidence is on the forum, you can show everyone if you like the link where I said I have suc a friend?

Be my guest and happy for you to look very wrong here!

Ah well, leave it at that as it was another forum, but I won't be commiserating again.

Actually, it was somebody pretending to be Didge. I read it myself at the time, and knew it was not him

https://newsfix.niceboard.com/t872-news-i-could-well-do-without

Sassy wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:

That's what I read on Flap.

Think it was on the Dogs Sleeping Forum or something like that, ask Catman, he was on it and Didge was posting.

Well there you have it, as I have never been on that forum and I wonder just like when I first joined here that someone was masquerading as me. Seriously Catman is a very naughty boy with his multi ID's, am glad Ben was able to show I was the real Phil didge after proof!

Costa wrote:Actually, it was somebody pretending to be Didge. I read it myself at the time, and knew it was not him

https://newsfix.niceboard.com/t872-news-i-could-well-do-without

Thank you Costa

Ah, so it was on this forum Costa.

PhilDidge wrote:

Sassy wrote:Oh no, it was definitely you Didge, wasn't it a forum that Phil was on, they said you were gay and your friend Jamal had Aids.   I saw it and commiserated with you on Speak, and said how sad it was.

Yes I am sure they did say that, but I never said I had a friend who did or that I am gay, it was allakaka trying poorly to wind me up, so something I never said is now you thinking because someone else claims something that I must have a friend called Jamal.
Yes how sad they would make things up, the evidence is on the forum, you can show everyone if you like the link where I said I have suc a friend?

Be my guest and happy for you to look very wrong here!

Well people were not to know that it was a wind-up at the time so if anyone showed support to you in the belief that it may have been true then you should be grateful for that and remember it.

So much for loyalty then.

As I said, turn your back

Sassy wrote:Ah well, leave it at that as it was another forum, but I won't be commiserating again.

But as seen I never said anything of the sort, did I sassy?

Sassy wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


Oh Joy you are silly, I am joking, the only one I have no respect for is sassy, as she is clueless, I like you and Irn!

Well you seemed to have a bit of respect for me when I was the one that showed compassion and support when someone posted that you had just found out that your friend Jamal had aids. So much for that then.

That wasn't him apparently...That was when Didge first joined this forum to set the record straight.

Maybe not, but I thought it was you and commiserated, won't be making that mistake again.

BTW, didn't you use Puriel on Flap?

Irn Bru wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


Yes I am sure they did say that, but I never said I had a friend who did or that I am gay, it was allakaka trying poorly to wind me up, so something I never said is now you thinking because someone else claims something that I must have a friend called Jamal.
Yes how sad they would make things up, the evidence is on the forum, you can show everyone if you like the link where I said I have suc a friend?

Be my guest and happy for you to look very wrong here!

Well people were not to know that it was a wind-up at the time so if anyone showed support to you in the belief that it may have been true then you should be grateful for that and remember it.

So much for loyalty then.

As I said, turn your back

Very sick windup to be honest to use the plight of people who have aids I must say Irn, so people giving me support was not supporting me either Irn, as it was not me, sorry that was silly thing to say, and if you want to continue being at odds when I have apologised to you, then so be it, no skin off my back

PhilDidge wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:

I remember reading something about that somewhere. I think it was on Flap's forum - on the part that is in public view.

Oh do you mean something allakaka claimed about me, is that it.

Wasn't he posting stuff from here over to to flap?

Sassy wrote:Maybe not, but I thought it was you and commiserated, won't be making that mistake again.

BTW, didn't you use Puriel on Flap?

Still not grasping someone using my id's sassy are you.

So Puriel on Flap wasn't you either?

Costa wrote:Actually, it was somebody pretending to be Didge. I read it myself at the time, and knew it was not him

https://newsfix.niceboard.com/t872-news-i-could-well-do-without

Your boyfriend was posting the stuff over to flap.

...Anyways we all know that it pisses off admin here to talk about different forums...So best not to talk about other forums?

Sassy wrote:So Puriel on Flap wasn't you either?

No I was Puriel on flap, someone used that after I exposed the person on here tying to be Didge, they then used that username, not very bright thing to do either, so basically you are then gullible to have been taken in.

PhilDidge wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:

Well people were not to know that it was a wind-up at the time so if anyone showed support to you in the belief that it may have been true then you should be grateful for that and remember it.

So much for loyalty then.

As I said, turn your back

Very sick windup to be honest to use the plight of people who have aids I must say Irn, so people giving me support was not supporting me either Irn, as it was not me, sorry that was silly thing to say, and if you want to continue being at odds when I have apologised to you, then so be it, no skin off my back

No, it wasn't you but someone was giving you support in the belief that it was you or may have been you and that may have had a friend named Jamal who had aids.

That's the point and surely that counts for something. Not so it seems.

Catman wrote:

Costa wrote:Actually, it was somebody pretending to be Didge. I read it myself at the time, and knew it was not him

https://newsfix.niceboard.com/t872-news-i-could-well-do-without

Your boyfriend was posting the stuff over to flap.

...Anyways we all know that it pisses off admin here to talk about different forums...So best not to talk about other forums?

Best you tell Irn and sassy that

Catman wrote:

Costa wrote:Actually, it was somebody pretending to be Didge. I read it myself at the time, and knew it was not him

https://newsfix.niceboard.com/t872-news-i-could-well-do-without

Your boyfriend was posting the stuff over to flap.

...Anyways we all know that it pisses off admin here to talk about different forums...So best not to talk about other forums?

You're the one talking about other forums Phil

I read one page, I was feeling sorry for you, silly me, don't think that will be repeated. So, to get it straight, you weren't Puriel on here, but you were Puriel on there, that sets the record straight then.

PhilDidge wrote:

Catman wrote:

Your boyfriend was posting the stuff over to flap.

...Anyways we all know that it pisses off admin here to talk about different forums...So best not to talk about other forums?

Best you tell Irn and sassy that

You brought up Speakfree a few minutes ago so take your own advice.

Irn Bru wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


Very sick windup to be honest to use the plight of people who have aids I must say Irn, so people giving me support was not supporting me either Irn, as it was not me, sorry that was silly thing to say, and if you want to continue being at odds when I have apologised to you, then so be it, no skin off my back

No, it wasn't you but someone was giving you support in the belief that it was you or may have been you and that may have had a friend named Jamal who had aids.

That's the point and surely that counts for something. Not so it seems.

That about sums it up.

Irn Bru wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


Very sick windup to be honest to use the plight of people who have aids I must say Irn, so people giving me support was not supporting me either Irn, as it was not me, sorry that was silly thing to say, and if you want to continue being at odds when I have apologised to you, then so be it, no skin off my back

No, it wasn't you but someone was giving you support in the belief that it was you or may have been you and that you did have a friend named Jamal who had aids.

That's the point and surely that counts for something. Not so it seems.

I really do not remember such a thing, as why would I take on board sympathy to nothing I have said, that makes no sense and do not believe anything that sassy stated was in reference to that but how she thought I was treated on Flap, that was what she had sympathy over, which I appreciated, but then I did not appreciated her stereotype views on the Irish, not one but twice now as already explained, not that I have to explain them. But then as i think sassy does not like Dean I think she was playing up and fishing for information and don;t think she cared at all to be honest judging by she exposed as much today saying I am bigging myself up standing up to racism and homophobia, where you are both to cowadly to tread on a forum where much is present

Hey ho, I do stand against both because I am passionate against racism and homophobia

Irn Bru wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


Best you tell Irn and sassy that

You brought up Speakfree a few minutes ago so take your own advice.

Which it takes two to continue, so take your own advice

I am also happy to admit that both Tess and Costa were right, I was wrong and happy to admit.

PhilDidge wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:

No, it wasn't you but someone was giving you support in the belief that it was you or may have been you and that you did have a friend named Jamal who had aids.

That's the point and surely that counts for something. Not so it seems.

I really do not remember such a thing, as why would I take on board sympathy to nothing I have said, that makes no sense and do not believe anything that sassy stated was in reference to that but how she thought I was treated on Flap, that was what she had sympathy over, which I appreciated, but then I did not appreciated her stereotype views on the Irish, not one but twice now as already explained, not that I have to explain them. But then as i think sassy does not like Dean I think she was playing up and fishing for information and don;t think she cared at all to be honest judging by she exposed as much today saying I am bigging myself up standing up to racism and homophobia, where you are both to cowadly to tread on a forum where much is present

Hey ho, I do stand against both because I am passionate against racism and homophobia

What about your stereotype of the Scots then?

Jumped up Jocks wasn't it?

Irn Bru wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:

I really do not remember such a thing, as why would I take on board sympathy to nothing I have said, that makes no sense and do not believe anything that sassy stated was in reference to that but how she thought I was treated on Flap, that was what she had sympathy over, which I appreciated, but then I did not appreciated her stereotype views on the Irish, not one but twice now as already explained, not that I have to explain them. But then as i think sassy does not like Dean I think she was playing up and fishing for information and don;t think she cared at all to be honest judging by she exposed as much today saying I am bigging myself up standing up to racism and homophobia, where you are both to cowadly to tread on a forum where much is present

Hey ho, I do stand against both because I am passionate against racism and homophobia

What about your stereotype of the Scots then?

Jumped up Jocks wasn't it?

Yep that was wrong of me, trying to goad you I am happy to admit, which again was ages ago on ADO, which it seems you don't want to drop, even though I do not drag up things you have said.
Hey ho, I admit wrongs, do you?

Anyway, I didn't stereotype them, I said that they had a funny attitute to sex, which was why they let a woman die rather than give her an abortion and why the Magdelene Laundries went on until the end of the 90s, and that's the truth.

Sassy wrote:Anyway, I didn't stereotype them, I said that they had a funny attitute to sex, which was why they let a woman die rather than give her an abortion and why the Magdelene Laundries went on until the end of the 90s, and that's the truth.

I rest my case on poor stereotypes, shame that thread was locked

PhilDidge wrote:I am also happy to admit that both Tess and Costa were right, I was wrong and happy to admit.

I had to think for a minute there, what you meant .... but yeah I get you!   

Night Didge!

PhilDidge wrote:I am also happy to admit that both Tess and Costa were right, I was wrong and happy to admit.

Well you accused me of impersonating you...Do you really think that i could have managed to do that on here, whilst i replied to your posts on here as well...I really did think that it was you for a while.   

Costa wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:I am also happy to admit that both Tess and Costa were right, I was wrong and happy to admit.

I had to think for a minute there, what you meant .... but yeah I get you!   

Night Didge!

Night Costa

Catman wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:I am also happy to admit that both Tess and Costa were right, I was wrong and happy to admit.

Well you accused me of impersonating you...Do you really think that i could have managed to do that on here, whilst i replied to your posts on here as well...I really did think that it was you for a while.   

Well as all the posts were replying to you and you have a history of doing so, what do you think?

To be honest I could not care if it was you, to do so is silly just to garner support, who ever does such a thing has no belief in their own posts

PhilDidge wrote:

Irn Bru wrote:

What about your stereotype of the Scots then?

Jumped up Jocks wasn't it?

Yep that was wrong of me, trying to goad you I am happy to admit, which again was ages ago on ADO, which it seems you don't want to drop, even though I do not drag up things you have said.
Hey ho, I admit wrongs, do you?

Just don't bother making false claims against people that they are liars and remember what happened to you with the Jamal friend incident and you won't end up looking like a mug in future.

Just learn from it and understand it.

Okay dokay

Irn Bru wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:

Yep that was wrong of me, trying to goad you I am happy to admit, which again was ages ago on ADO, which it seems you don't want to drop, even though I do not drag up things you have said.
Hey ho, I admit wrongs, do you?

Just don't bother making false claims against people that they are liars and remember what happened to you with the Jamal friend incident and you won't end up looking like a mug in future.

Just learn from it and understand it.

Okay dokay

Why do you think I was bothered about the Jamal incident, if I remember I never even got involved in the thread and please spare me the lectures Irn, you are in no position to talk either as seen clear enough today!

PhilDidge wrote:

Sassy wrote:Anyway, I didn't stereotype them, I said that they had a funny attitute to sex, which was why they let a woman die rather than give her an abortion and why the Magdelene Laundries went on until the end of the 90s, and that's the truth.

I rest my case on poor stereotypes, shame that thread was locked

Same with you on the jumped up Jocks incident then..
Good for the goose and all that.

Irn Bru wrote:

PhilDidge wrote:


I rest my case on poor stereotypes, shame that thread was locked

Same with you on the jumped up Jocks incident then..
Good for the goose and all that.

Which was ages ago again dear me you are getting desperate again and excusing her poor stereotyping, I admitted I was wrong , she has stated again she stands by it and yet no word from you on that.

Hilarious double standards in motion