0:00:02 > 0:00:05Across Britain, in hundreds of towns,
0:00:05 > 0:00:08cities and neighbourhoods, people are struggling with everyday
0:00:08 > 0:00:11worries that have got on top of them.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13But there are places to turn,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16even if it seems that no-one else will help.
0:00:17 > 0:00:19This centre is one of them,
0:00:19 > 0:00:21made unique by the woman that runs it.
0:00:23 > 0:00:25A nun for 50 years...
0:00:25 > 0:00:27- HONKS HORN - Bye-bye.
0:00:27 > 0:00:31..she's made it her mission to get this community back on its feet
0:00:31 > 0:00:35and make a real difference to the lives of as many people as she can...
0:00:36 > 0:00:38..in her own particular way.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43They don't call me the Formidable Sister Rita for nothing.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50Today, Sister Rita has to act fast when she discovers not
0:00:50 > 0:00:54everyone coming to her foodbank really needs its help.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57The foodbank is a lifeline. It is not a lifestyle.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03And the team swings into action delivering furniture, food, or
0:01:03 > 0:01:07simply a supportive ear to those who most need its help.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10I don't think anybody should go out without having some
0:01:10 > 0:01:12difference made to their situation.
0:01:12 > 0:01:13That would be my aim.
0:01:18 > 0:01:2010am in Collyhurst, Manchester.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23As the Lalley Centre gets ready to open its doors,
0:01:23 > 0:01:25a queue is already forming.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Wait a minute, please.
0:01:29 > 0:01:30We have a little delay.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34The Lalley is a drop-in centre, offering financial advice,
0:01:34 > 0:01:38welfare support and tea and toast to the residents of one of the most
0:01:38 > 0:01:40deprived areas in the UK.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44Please, don't push, don't push.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47And no-one messes with the woman in charge, known to
0:01:47 > 0:01:50all as the Formidable Sister Rita.
0:01:50 > 0:01:54When I talk, you shut up. I'm telling you.
0:01:54 > 0:01:56I'll throw him out in a minute.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Do you want me to throw you out?
0:01:58 > 0:02:00In her 50th year as a nun,
0:02:00 > 0:02:03Sister Rita's determined to improve the lives of as many
0:02:03 > 0:02:08people as she can and she's doing it in her own, unique way.
0:02:08 > 0:02:12People have an idea that religious sisters are very quiet and docile.
0:02:12 > 0:02:15Would you go away, would you? Clear off.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17It's not like that at all.
0:02:17 > 0:02:19You either come in now or we'll have to phone them
0:02:19 > 0:02:22and tell them you didn't show up for two days.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25It's safe to say that Sister Rita makes quite
0:02:25 > 0:02:27an impression on everyone she meets.
0:02:29 > 0:02:33Good afternoon, it's the Lalley Centre.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36It is the boss. Who's speaking?
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Mr Derbyshire, you're dead when I get you.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42You're dead and all your employees are dead.
0:02:42 > 0:02:48People who have met Sister Rita are acquainted with the concept of fear.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Do you know, darling, that when I talk, you don't?
0:02:51 > 0:02:54I don't suffer fools gladly.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57If you're not happy with it, knock on my door
0:02:57 > 0:02:58and we'll discuss it, OK?
0:02:58 > 0:03:01I don't mince words.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04I say it right out, looking into your eyes.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09But for those who come looking for help,
0:03:09 > 0:03:11there's no-one better to have on your side.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15I'm going to sort this today, do you know that?
0:03:15 > 0:03:16Thank you. I know.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20My name is Sister Rita. I run the Lalley Centre.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24I sat here crying my eyes out and she put me at ease
0:03:24 > 0:03:27and she said, "Don't worry, we're going to help you."
0:03:27 > 0:03:29Give it a bit of time.
0:03:29 > 0:03:34You will meet lovely people in here because lovely people come in.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37She was extremely welcoming, extremely friendly
0:03:37 > 0:03:39and told us that we weren't alone.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42"We will give you help and all you have to do is ask if you need it."
0:03:42 > 0:03:44Have you got any manager there?
0:03:44 > 0:03:46A senior manager if possible, please.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48Everybody who comes in, love her.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50She's a very, very good woman and a very good person.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52Well, you could be just the one I want to talk to.
0:03:52 > 0:03:54'OK, what's it regarding, Sister Rita?'
0:03:54 > 0:03:56I'll tell you what's happening.
0:03:56 > 0:03:57She's just great.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59You can have a laugh and if you've got a problem,
0:03:59 > 0:04:01she'll try and help.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04Thank you. Yes!
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Sister Rita's made it her mission to find solutions for everyone
0:04:09 > 0:04:11who comes through her door
0:04:11 > 0:04:14and the issues she and her team of volunteers tackle
0:04:14 > 0:04:17are replicated in communities right across the country.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22You'll be smiling at the end of the day.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25Whether it's helping people understand their benefits,
0:04:25 > 0:04:27or encouraging them to look for work,
0:04:27 > 0:04:31she wants people to realise that at least some of the answers
0:04:31 > 0:04:34may be closer to home than they may have realised.
0:04:34 > 0:04:36Do you want another cup of tea?
0:04:36 > 0:04:38- I will, please. - Yeah. Go on. Why not?
0:04:38 > 0:04:41- You won't get drunk on it. - No, I know.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45Some of the people come in and you actually wouldn't believe
0:04:45 > 0:04:47the dire poverty they're living in.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50They would say they had no beds for the children and they're
0:04:50 > 0:04:54putting them on the floor on duvets and things like that.
0:04:54 > 0:04:59Our brief is to try, to the best of our ability, to move them on a bit.
0:05:00 > 0:05:05And sometimes, as today, that's about giving more than just advice.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09# Do what you do do well, boy
0:05:09 > 0:05:12# Do what you do do well... #
0:05:14 > 0:05:18Rita and her team have a very special delivery for Livia,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21a single mum who came to the centre because she's finding it hard
0:05:21 > 0:05:23to manage on what she earns working part-time.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28She is struggling, big time, with furniture, so we are just
0:05:28 > 0:05:31bringing her two wardrobes that she desperately needs.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34She needs them for her son and she has a baby, of course.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37This is what we do, we just bring stuff that people need
0:05:37 > 0:05:40and try to make their lives a bit more bearable.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43It could go into the wall. Yeah, right back to the wall.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46That's it. Yeah.
0:05:48 > 0:05:52That's fine, yeah. Now, the next one.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56Careful, Naz, take your time.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00Furniture won't solve all Livia's problems,
0:06:00 > 0:06:02but it's made a difference just knowing there's somewhere
0:06:02 > 0:06:04nearby she can go for support.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08- So, you're happy with the two wardrobes?- Yes.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12- You've waited a long time for them. - Yes. Thank you.- It's no problem.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14And Rita's not done yet.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17When you come to the Lalley Centre, we will give you
0:06:17 > 0:06:22a doll for the baby, OK?
0:06:22 > 0:06:26Yeah? I'll see you tomorrow.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29- Bye-bye then, you.- Say bye-bye.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33It's very rewarding when you see people getting
0:06:33 > 0:06:35something that they really, really need.
0:06:35 > 0:06:40In a case like this, we continue, at the Lalley, to support and make
0:06:40 > 0:06:43sure that if there is anything else they need,
0:06:43 > 0:06:44we'll do our best to get it.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Back at the Lalley, the most immediate way that
0:06:55 > 0:06:58people in the area get help is from the foodbank.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01This is the foodbank. We do it as fairly as we can.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04It's the most obvious resource the centre provides to the
0:07:04 > 0:07:08community and one of hundreds of foodbanks run by charities
0:07:08 > 0:07:10and church groups right across Britain.
0:07:10 > 0:07:16You do not go to the foodbank from here until your number is called.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18Is that clear?
0:07:18 > 0:07:19Over the last couple of years,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22demand for foodbanks has risen to record levels.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24It's been estimated that, nationally,
0:07:24 > 0:07:27up to a million people have been using them.
0:07:29 > 0:07:32For Sister Rita, the Lalley's foodbank is
0:07:32 > 0:07:36the cornerstone of everything she's hoping to achieve in this community.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39She'd love all her resources to be under one roof,
0:07:39 > 0:07:42but at the moment, it's based down the road in a separate building
0:07:42 > 0:07:44and open two mornings a week.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48The poverty in Collyhurst, it would make you weep.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52There are people struggling like mad to make ends meet
0:07:52 > 0:07:55and I say, "Well, that's where we're going to help you.
0:07:55 > 0:07:56"We'll help you with food."
0:07:56 > 0:08:00I'll have one of those. And they've got tuna there.
0:08:01 > 0:08:06I've got a tuna salad! That's all right, innit?!
0:08:06 > 0:08:10Anyone can drop in once and take some food.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12But Sister Rita's quite clear that those wanting to return
0:08:12 > 0:08:16a second time will need to be assessed by the team to see
0:08:16 > 0:08:18if they really merit the centre's help.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22They have to have an assessment so we need to see their documents,
0:08:22 > 0:08:24benefits, proof of address
0:08:24 > 0:08:27and we want to know what's going on in the family, as well.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29Could somebody close the door, please?
0:08:29 > 0:08:32We are not heating the outside of Collyhurst.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35The team works hard to make what could be a dispiriting
0:08:35 > 0:08:38process as positive as it can be.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42If you give somebody a sweet, or you have something for the kids,
0:08:42 > 0:08:45it's a good feeling for them, really.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48It's bleak enough waiting outside in the cold,
0:08:48 > 0:08:51so it's a nice start to coming in.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53Carol is number nine.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Number nine or number six?
0:08:55 > 0:08:57No, number nine.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01Rita's deputy, Max, gives everyone who comes in a number,
0:09:01 > 0:09:04and when that number is called, it's their turn to head to the
0:09:04 > 0:09:07distribution building over the road and pick up their food.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12They come down here, they start here with the bread
0:09:12 > 0:09:15and then the cornflakes and then they go out there,
0:09:15 > 0:09:19there should be meat and whatever comes in.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22To fill the foodbank shelves, Sister Rita and her team have to
0:09:22 > 0:09:26charm local and national businesses into making donations.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30This is from Kellogg's. All this bread is from Greggs.
0:09:31 > 0:09:36Any food left after the shutters come down is still put to good use.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39Any leftovers are given to another charity.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41They come and pick it up after we've finished.
0:09:41 > 0:09:46There are mountains of food being wasted in our country today.
0:09:46 > 0:09:51It's totally vital to all of us that we don't waste food.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54The UK tops the chart for food waste in Europe,
0:09:54 > 0:09:59with 15 million tonnes of food ending up in the bin each year.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01Most of that's thrown away by households,
0:10:01 > 0:10:05but supermarkets are under pressure to do their bit too.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Morrisons recently became the first supermarket to announce it
0:10:08 > 0:10:11will donate all its unsold food to charity.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16At her foodbank, to make sure everything's distributed fairly,
0:10:16 > 0:10:20Sister Rita relies on a team of volunteers to police how much
0:10:20 > 0:10:21each person can take.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24OK. Choose for yourself, then. One of each thing along.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26They can't just take what they want.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28You've got to make sure that everybody gets
0:10:28 > 0:10:32a chance at a diet that's nutritious.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Can I have them nice ones there, Tony?
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Yeah. They're nice, them ones. You have them. They're fresh.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40Cheers, Tony!
0:10:40 > 0:10:46I would say 99% of the time, it's OK and they will take what
0:10:46 > 0:10:47we tell them.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50There might be the 1% when they might get annoyed, but it
0:10:50 > 0:10:54doesn't matter if you get annoyed or not, you're not going to get it.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56See you next week, yeah. Thank you.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01Some of those who use the food bank have become regulars.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04This bread will probably last two or three days.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07And for now, one of the people relying on the supplies
0:11:07 > 0:11:09he gets here, is John.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11These are the good things cos you can have them
0:11:11 > 0:11:14in your cupboard for God knows how long, so, you know,
0:11:14 > 0:11:18that'll be saved for some future date when I've got no food.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23But 18 months ago, his life was very different.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26And the idea he'd be making weekly visits to a foodbank was
0:11:26 > 0:11:28the last thing he could've imagined.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32Welcome to the humble abode!
0:11:32 > 0:11:36For now, this small housing association flat is John's home.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39You can see it's quite narrow and there's no carpet yet.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43He lives alone, with no bed, fridge or cooker.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46This is basically my cooking station for the moment.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49When I make a full pot of that, that's three, four days' food.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55It's a far cry from where he lived until 2014,
0:11:55 > 0:11:57when he was working in Thailand.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01I was doing IT installations for a company. It was great.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03It was a good life.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07This is the place where I stayed in Thailand. Beautiful place.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09It's a bit of a difference in lifestyle.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14Things went downhill rapidly
0:12:14 > 0:12:18when John's employers in the Far East got into financial trouble.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21The last company I worked for decided to cease
0:12:21 > 0:12:26their activities without telling the people that were working for them.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30The company left a lot of us out of pocket, a lot of us,
0:12:30 > 0:12:34and it ended up being quite a lot of money.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38John returned to the UK with £8,000 in savings.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42Once that was spent, and unable to find work, he applied for benefits.
0:12:43 > 0:12:47But he soon found himself with what's called a benefits sanction,
0:12:47 > 0:12:50a temporary cut in his payouts.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53Officials told John he wasn't doing enough to look for work, although
0:12:53 > 0:12:57over the period in question, he'd been doing various courses
0:12:57 > 0:13:01and volunteering that he hoped would boost his chances of employment.
0:13:03 > 0:13:08As a result, his payouts have gone down to just over £26 a month.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12If you get sanctioned, you're in trouble, because you can't make
0:13:12 > 0:13:15a phone call and hope somebody's going to back step, cos they won't.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18They'll say, "Well, I'm afraid it is what it is,
0:13:18 > 0:13:20"you've got to accept that decision."
0:13:20 > 0:13:24Benefits sanctions have proved controversial, and more than half
0:13:24 > 0:13:28of those challenged in independent tribunals have been overturned.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31The government is confident the policy's working in the way
0:13:31 > 0:13:34it should, weaning people away from a reliance on benefits
0:13:34 > 0:13:36and back into work.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40But Sister Rita, who sees their impact first-hand, isn't convinced.
0:13:41 > 0:13:45I do believe in discipline and I won't stand for any nonsense.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48But when they tell me they've been sanctioned,
0:13:48 > 0:13:50there's kind of an alarm and fear.
0:13:50 > 0:13:55This devastation, powerlessness, really, that they're in.
0:13:55 > 0:14:01I don't think leaving people without money is a good idea.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07It was at this point, with money tight and unsure where else
0:14:07 > 0:14:11to turn, that John found his way to the food bank at the Lalley.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14- They are good ones, you know. - Yeah, yeah.
0:14:14 > 0:14:19The first time I came here, I hadn't eaten for eight days so, I said,
0:14:19 > 0:14:22"Well, if these people are prepared to help me,
0:14:22 > 0:14:24"then I will gladly accept."
0:14:24 > 0:14:28Even though it took quite a while to get used to that.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32She's no soft touch, but even after five decades as a nun
0:14:32 > 0:14:35and social worker, Sister Rita still finds stories
0:14:35 > 0:14:37like John's difficult to hear.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42When people come in and they say they're hungry, it's always
0:14:42 > 0:14:45a bit of a shock that they're struggling to such an extent.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47You never get used to it.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50Thank you very much. See you now. Bye-bye.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00Right, let's see what we've got.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05Back at John's flat, it's clear how much he values the service
0:15:05 > 0:15:07Sister Rita provides.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11Certainly for the last four or five weeks, with the lack of funds
0:15:11 > 0:15:17due to the sanction, I wouldn't have eaten without the foodbank.
0:15:17 > 0:15:18Simple as that.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20With me, I knew that if I didn't get something,
0:15:20 > 0:15:24I was going to do myself some long-term damage.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28John's sanction will shortly come to an end, at which point his benefit
0:15:28 > 0:15:30payments will return to normal.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33He's hoping it's the first sign that his luck may be about to
0:15:33 > 0:15:35change for the better.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39I'm hoping to get my first payment after a four-months sanction
0:15:39 > 0:15:41on Friday.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45If I've got money, I don't need to take food from the foodbank.
0:15:46 > 0:15:47Big plans, big plans.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53John's in no doubt he owes a great deal to the Lalley Centre
0:15:53 > 0:15:56and it's a debt he hopes to find a way to repay.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01But Sister Rita's team has been making a difference to the
0:16:01 > 0:16:04lives of local people like him for the last seven years.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10We should stick up for those people who are struggling.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14It's taken a lot of hard work to turn
0:16:14 > 0:16:17the Lalley into somewhere that the community can rely on.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20I'll never forget the day I saw the main room where the
0:16:20 > 0:16:25Lalley Centre is and I thought we would never get this sorted.
0:16:25 > 0:16:30But it very slowly began to look like a drop-in centre.
0:16:30 > 0:16:35It wasn't a flush number of people in the first two months,
0:16:35 > 0:16:40but we didn't give up and as word got around, slowly,
0:16:40 > 0:16:43the numbers began to build and, well,
0:16:43 > 0:16:45we have the Lalley as it is today.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49As the centre's grown, so too has Sister Rita's
0:16:49 > 0:16:52ambition for the range of problems it tries to help with.
0:16:52 > 0:16:57If you have to pay bedroom tax, you can't pay it, put your name
0:16:57 > 0:17:01down there and we've got somebody who's coming in who'll help you.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04It's now a one-stop shop with advice on everything from debt
0:17:04 > 0:17:07and benefits to how to apply for jobs.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11The main aim of the Lalley Centre is to improve people's
0:17:11 > 0:17:14lives in whatever way we can.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17Collyhurst is a very poor area.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22As a society, you can't drag those people, you have to carry them.
0:17:22 > 0:17:27So, we address those issues of poverty
0:17:27 > 0:17:31and when they begin to believe that, you know, you do care about them,
0:17:31 > 0:17:36actually, very much, then they begin to want to go forward.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41I don't think anybody should go out without having some
0:17:41 > 0:17:43difference made to their situation.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47That would be my aim. That would be all our aim.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51Though just a stone's throw from some of the smarter
0:17:51 > 0:17:55parts of Manchester, the area around the Lalley is officially
0:17:55 > 0:17:58ranked as one of the most deprived parts of England, which is
0:17:58 > 0:18:02why Rita is so impatient to build on the successes she's achieved so far.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08I think the powers don't want to hear this,
0:18:08 > 0:18:15but there are poor people still in our country and as long as they're
0:18:15 > 0:18:20struggling, we will be there to support them at the Lalley Centre.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27There are centres like the Lalley in communities across the UK.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30But many of the locals who'd most benefit from their advice
0:18:30 > 0:18:33don't use them, either in the mistaken belief there's
0:18:33 > 0:18:36a stigma in asking for help, or because they're not fully
0:18:36 > 0:18:41aware of the support that's available right on their doorstep.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45To put that right, Sister Rita's on a mission to spread the word.
0:18:45 > 0:18:49She's arranged a residents' meeting at one of Collyhurst's main
0:18:49 > 0:18:52tower blocks, where she hopes to tell people about the crucial
0:18:52 > 0:18:54help they could be missing out on.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58Hello, Steve, how are you?
0:18:58 > 0:19:01- Sister Rita.- It would be nice to meet you if it wasn't for this door.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05- Do come in.- It's lovely to meet you, Steve.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08Steve Anderson is one of the residents keen to find out
0:19:08 > 0:19:11more about how a centre like the Lalley can make a practical
0:19:11 > 0:19:13difference to people's lives.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15I don't know very much about it at all, other than the fact
0:19:15 > 0:19:18that it's a facility that I think that we need.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21There's no reason, on this estate, for people to be lonely
0:19:21 > 0:19:23and on their own. The problem is getting the word out.
0:19:23 > 0:19:28And that could be more of an issue than Sister Rita had anticipated.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Because despite the number of people who live in the high-rises,
0:19:31 > 0:19:33only a handful of them have turned up.
0:19:33 > 0:19:37One of those who has come along is Tony,
0:19:37 > 0:19:40who heads up the Roach Court Residents Association.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44Well, as I say, we've leafleted everybody, so everyone's aware
0:19:44 > 0:19:47it's on tonight. How many people will turn up tonight, I don't know.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50Let's see what happens. Watch this space, they say.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Yeah, exactly.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55But the poor turnout isn't the only shocker of the night.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Tony straight away brings up an issue
0:19:57 > 0:20:01he says many of his fellow residents routinely complain about.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04It seems some locals are put off using the Lalley
0:20:04 > 0:20:07because they believe the foodbank is being misused by people
0:20:07 > 0:20:11from outside the area, who don't really need the food to survive.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15And that's contributed to the low turnout.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19There's a lot of opposition and it's generally the fact that
0:20:19 > 0:20:22they see people arrive in expensive cars and go into the foodbank
0:20:22 > 0:20:23and get free food.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26There's been rumours that when the pub was open,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29they were actually taking it from there and going selling it in
0:20:29 > 0:20:32the pub and over the convenience store over the road.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35Tony's point, though not what the Sister wants to hear,
0:20:35 > 0:20:37doesn't come as a total surprise.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41I suppose there are people coming into the foodbank sometimes,
0:20:41 > 0:20:46and they're out to exploit us or they really don't need the food.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50That's something we deal with on a day-by-day basis.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54Not a very nice feeling.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57When the meeting does get started, Sister Rita kicks
0:20:57 > 0:20:59things off in her usual style.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02So, I think you all know who I am by now,
0:21:02 > 0:21:04except the two at the back munching.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08Tackling the foodbank issue head on, Sister Rita
0:21:08 > 0:21:11and her trusty deputy, Max, explain how they vet the people using
0:21:11 > 0:21:15the service to make sure no-one's trying it on.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19If you come the first time and you have no documents, what do we do?
0:21:19 > 0:21:22We do let them take for the first time.
0:21:22 > 0:21:26If they say they have children, we provide only for them
0:21:26 > 0:21:29and once they bring the birth certificates, then
0:21:29 > 0:21:32we will provide the food for them and their children.
0:21:32 > 0:21:38Nobody gets away with it, because we hate injustice.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42Why are we in this job? Because we hate injustice.
0:21:42 > 0:21:46You're talking about people with cars and you check, etc, etc.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48But I know and people round here know, and I know because
0:21:48 > 0:21:50I've seen them.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52They're parking their cars on Rochdale Road,
0:21:52 > 0:21:55they're parking their cars up by Mossbrook in the car park
0:21:55 > 0:21:56and walking down.
0:21:56 > 0:21:57Now, these are big expensive cars.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00I don't understand how they can do that,
0:22:00 > 0:22:02if you do all the checks like you say.
0:22:02 > 0:22:07I would not stand up here and say to you, nobody cheats us,
0:22:07 > 0:22:11because this is a cheating world, I'm afraid,
0:22:11 > 0:22:15and there are times when it will just escape through.
0:22:15 > 0:22:20We are very vigilant, we are constantly on about it.
0:22:20 > 0:22:25We say to the visitors, if you see anybody driving up here in a car,
0:22:25 > 0:22:29we want to know about it and they are the best detectives of the lot.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32Sister Rita's taken aback at how the perception that the foodbank
0:22:32 > 0:22:36is being misused has so clearly taken hold amongst these residents.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41But as the meeting ends, she knows it's an issue
0:22:41 > 0:22:43she urgently needs to sort out.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46Oh, I'm very concerned about the cars.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50We're going to follow it up, but we're always following it up and
0:22:50 > 0:22:53we'll get somebody down there just to see and they'll be barred.
0:22:53 > 0:22:55It's as simple as that.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58We won't play around with it, they'll just be barred.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10For many years, the growing use of foodbanks in the UK
0:23:10 > 0:23:12has proven controversial.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15For some, the fact they're even needed in 21st century Britain,
0:23:15 > 0:23:17is a national disgrace.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20While others have suggested the rise in people using them
0:23:20 > 0:23:23is as much to do with growing awareness that such services
0:23:23 > 0:23:25exist, as it is genuine need.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29Tim! Two more, please.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34But Sister Rita prides herself on remaining extra vigilant
0:23:34 > 0:23:37when it comes to assessing who should and who shouldn't
0:23:37 > 0:23:39have access to her foodbank.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44In the Lalley Centre, it's not easy to walk in
0:23:44 > 0:23:46and just walk away with food.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48Pasties!
0:23:48 > 0:23:52I would say to them, "Don't come here trying to pull the wool over
0:23:52 > 0:23:57"our eyes. Unless you bring me this, this and this, don't come back."
0:23:58 > 0:24:02The foodbank is a lifeline. It is not a lifestyle.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Abuse of the foodbank is something Sister Rita is not
0:24:06 > 0:24:09going to tolerate.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11She knows it could fuel the antagonism some people have
0:24:11 > 0:24:13towards them.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15She's concerned it risks bringing the rest of the Lalley's
0:24:15 > 0:24:16work into disrepute.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21She investigates further
0:24:21 > 0:24:25and finds that the finger points towards one couple in particular.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28They're reported to have driven into the area several times,
0:24:28 > 0:24:29parked out of sight,
0:24:29 > 0:24:35then loaded their car up with food meant for those who need it.
0:24:35 > 0:24:39This is a red flag to Sister Rita, who firmly believes that if someone
0:24:39 > 0:24:43can afford to run a car, then they can afford to buy their own food.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47If people are doing that, they're really laughing behind your back
0:24:47 > 0:24:51and, I don't know, spreading it around outside,
0:24:51 > 0:24:55and it's not fair to the others.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58To find out how this couple could be slipping through the net,
0:24:58 > 0:25:02Sister Rita calls an urgent meeting with Lalley Centre social
0:25:02 > 0:25:03worker, Lorraine.
0:25:03 > 0:25:08And it seems that while the woman does appear to have been assessed,
0:25:08 > 0:25:11her male partner is unknown to the team, which means he shouldn't be
0:25:11 > 0:25:14regularly returning to the foodbank, let alone
0:25:14 > 0:25:16taking his own share of the food.
0:25:18 > 0:25:19Do you know them?
0:25:19 > 0:25:22I don't know them. I spoke to them this morning.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25But has she been here before?
0:25:25 > 0:25:28Apparently, but I'd have to check the records.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32- Did they sign in as two? - Separate.
0:25:32 > 0:25:33Oh, no, we never let them do that.
0:25:33 > 0:25:38We are absolutely on it, right now, about cars.
0:25:38 > 0:25:43So nobody... If they come with a car, not only do I need to see
0:25:43 > 0:25:48their documents, but I need to know how they can afford to run a car.
0:25:48 > 0:25:52Right, have you got documents with address and phone number of her?
0:25:52 > 0:25:55She says she's not got a mobile number.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57- And she's got a car? - She's got a car.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00Very suspicious, isn't it? We won't let this go.
0:26:00 > 0:26:03- I need to see her if she comes tomorrow.- OK.
0:26:03 > 0:26:08I think we're going to have to hold a file on those we are not
0:26:08 > 0:26:14sure of, until we absolutely find out, are they genuinely in need?
0:26:14 > 0:26:20So, today, we failed miserably if they had food.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24I'm just a bit miffed about it.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28But when Sister Rita catches up with one of the volunteers, Naz,
0:26:28 > 0:26:31it seems the problem may be worse than initially thought.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35He confirms reports of other vehicles being loaded up with food.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38If he's got a car like this and he park it far from here
0:26:38 > 0:26:40and comes gets the food and walks this way...
0:26:40 > 0:26:43Well, he knows very well, when I see a car, I see red.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45- He knows. - Unless it's a disability car.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49And you know about him, as well, you asked him to bring some document
0:26:49 > 0:26:51for you, you're just waiting for this.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53Yeah, but she did, they brought everything.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56The best people for keeping an eye on it are the visitors.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58They tell us.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02They'll tell us whatever's going on, because they don't like it either,
0:27:02 > 0:27:06and they would rather that it was fair.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08That's all we want, fair.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13The realisation that her foodbank system is being abused
0:27:13 > 0:27:16spurs the team into tightening up procedures.
0:27:17 > 0:27:19We're all in this together.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23The staff, the volunteers and the visitors,
0:27:23 > 0:27:27in stopping exploitation at foodbanks and I think we do
0:27:27 > 0:27:28a jolly good job of it.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33But Sister Rita is encouraged to see that the visit to the high-rises
0:27:33 > 0:27:36that sparked off her investigation, has had another,
0:27:36 > 0:27:39more positive result.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41There may not have been many people at the meeting,
0:27:41 > 0:27:43but one of those that did attend, having known
0:27:43 > 0:27:48little about the Lalley beforehand, has now called in asking for help.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52- My name is Kath.- Mariam.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54Mariam. Thought I'd got it right.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57Like many visitors to centres like the Lalley,
0:27:57 > 0:28:00high-rise resident, Mariam, is finding it hard to make
0:28:00 > 0:28:04sense of the bureaucracy that can surround applying for benefits.
0:28:04 > 0:28:08Team member Kath is on hand to help her make sense of it all.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11The first I became aware of her was last week.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13She arrived here at the Lalley and she said,
0:28:13 > 0:28:17"I've been told just to come down. I need some help with benefits."
0:28:17 > 0:28:20And she's got a lot of medical problems.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24Would you mind telling me about your health conditions?
0:28:24 > 0:28:29Yeah. I've got osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32- I've got IBS.- Yeah.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36Vitamin D deficiency, high cholesterol, depression.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39- Yeah. Yeah.- It's madness.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41Some days I feel like, you know...
0:28:41 > 0:28:44Cos I want to be my old self, you know.
0:28:44 > 0:28:47Then other days I just break down.
0:28:47 > 0:28:51It's just coming to terms with your condition, isn't it, really?
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Mariam applied for what used to be known as the
0:28:54 > 0:28:58Disability Living Allowance, but since 2013, has been
0:28:58 > 0:29:01called the Personal Independence Payment,
0:29:01 > 0:29:02or PIP, for short.
0:29:02 > 0:29:06It can provide much-needed financial support for those with
0:29:06 > 0:29:08long-term health issues.
0:29:08 > 0:29:10But four months after making the application,
0:29:10 > 0:29:13Mariam still hasn't heard if she'll get one.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15It's just taking so long.
0:29:15 > 0:29:21I don't think they realise how stressful it becomes.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23Course, yeah, it is.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27There is a lot out there who don't know how to access things or
0:29:27 > 0:29:28deal with things.
0:29:28 > 0:29:32They can't get an appointment face-to-face with anyone.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36They haven't got the money to use mobiles to ring up.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38They don't know where to begin and they become full of fear
0:29:38 > 0:29:41and that's why I think it's really important to be able to offer
0:29:41 > 0:29:43that support to them.
0:29:44 > 0:29:48For many people, the benefits system can seem impenetrable.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52And navigating a clear path through isn't easy.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55It's something Citizens Advice centres across the country
0:29:55 > 0:29:58can help with, if you don't live in an area that has
0:29:58 > 0:30:01a centre like the Lalley on your doorstep.
0:30:01 > 0:30:02Oh, hiya. My name is Kath McCarren.
0:30:02 > 0:30:07I'm an advice worker from a community centre in Manchester.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11With a quick call to the office that processes the payments, Kath
0:30:11 > 0:30:13soon discovers the problem.
0:30:13 > 0:30:17There are two companies that assess eligibility for PIP claims
0:30:17 > 0:30:19and Mariam's has been passed between the two.
0:30:19 > 0:30:24In the process, some details have been missed off, causing delays.
0:30:24 > 0:30:27OK, then. Thank you.
0:30:27 > 0:30:28Thanks, bye.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32- She said it wasn't your fault... - Yeah.- It was the company.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35I think we've got to start from scratch.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40Kath advises the best course of action is for Mariam to
0:30:40 > 0:30:43re-apply for another assessment.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45But she doesn't leave things there.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47Whilst that's happening, she wants to know
0:30:47 > 0:30:51if there's anything else the team can do to help.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54Have you got a fridge or a washing machine?
0:30:54 > 0:30:57- I've got a freezer, but no fridge. - Right.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59And I don't have a washing machine.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01But out of the two things, if I could get one,
0:31:01 > 0:31:03what would be most beneficial?
0:31:03 > 0:31:05The washing machine.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07The washing machine.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11Kath starts hatching a plan.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14Mariam's current benefits only cover her rent, food and bills,
0:31:14 > 0:31:17and she can't afford the appliances she needs.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20But it looks like, thanks to the team at the Lalley,
0:31:20 > 0:31:23she may be about to get more help than she'd ever imagined.
0:31:25 > 0:31:28Of course, Sister Rita and her team don't have a ready
0:31:28 > 0:31:30supply of all the essentials that visitors come in saying
0:31:30 > 0:31:35that they need, let alone washing machines.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38Catholic charity, Caritas, gives the centre enough money to cover
0:31:38 > 0:31:40the basic running costs.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42But beyond that, like any charity,
0:31:42 > 0:31:44the Lalley has to raise its own funds.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49So, it's vital that Sister Rita can build up a battle-chest
0:31:49 > 0:31:51she can use to help people in whatever ways
0:31:51 > 0:31:54she considers best, whether that's buying appliances,
0:31:54 > 0:31:57or finding furniture for families who are desperate.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02But she's still several hundred pounds short of what
0:32:02 > 0:32:03she needs this year.
0:32:03 > 0:32:05So, today is a big one for her.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08It's the all-important annual family fun day.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13Well, this is a main fundraiser for the year.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16I don't really get out of bed for less than 1,000,
0:32:16 > 0:32:19but I don't think we're going to make 1,000 today.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24I think we'll be kind of lucky to make 500 but anyway, you can hope.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27But it looks like the nun has quite a mountain to climb.
0:32:27 > 0:32:31With wet weather likely to dampen the enthusiasm of the locals,
0:32:31 > 0:32:34Sister Rita knows she'll really have to roll up her sleeves
0:32:34 > 0:32:37to squeeze as much profit as she can from the day's activities.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40Brilliant. Thanks very much.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45You can't run a charity without fundraising.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48You have to keep fundraising all the time.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51There's a lot of expenses that we have to pay.
0:32:51 > 0:32:55£5 worth? Five tickets, right?
0:32:55 > 0:32:57And I suppose that's the hardest thing, really,
0:32:57 > 0:33:00looking for money to keep the whole thing going.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04There's plenty going on at the centre.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07Will you buy some cakes, please?
0:33:07 > 0:33:10Face painting for the kids, free massages for the mums
0:33:10 > 0:33:14and dads and outside in the car park, a very wet bouncy castle.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18Name the doll. 50p a square.
0:33:18 > 0:33:22Hamburgers and hot dogs are outside, get them while you can.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26But it's not just about making money.
0:33:26 > 0:33:28Sister Rita wants it to be fun and
0:33:28 > 0:33:31for it to bring the community together.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34Are you all right, love? Can I serve you?
0:33:34 > 0:33:38Yeah, I'll take four of the cupcakes, please.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41Put them on there. There's nothing in Collyhurst.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43We have to make money but we also have to try
0:33:43 > 0:33:45and break the apathy that's there.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48They don't meet with other people, they don't want to go places,
0:33:48 > 0:33:53you know, so we say, "You'd better be there or else!"
0:33:55 > 0:33:58Under orders from Sister Rita to enjoy themselves,
0:33:58 > 0:34:01visitors soon get into the spirit of things.
0:34:02 > 0:34:06I fit kitchens and bathrooms, so I get a lot of backache,
0:34:06 > 0:34:08you know, because of the job so, when she said to me,
0:34:08 > 0:34:12"Would you like a back massage?" Well, what would you say?
0:34:12 > 0:34:14I love a bargain.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17Well, I came along to support the community.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19What they do here is brilliant.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22It's just having that link with other people, knowing there's
0:34:22 > 0:34:25somebody at the end of the phone when times get hard and that.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31Also making the most of the day is parish priest, Father Ged.
0:34:33 > 0:34:35Brandy? Very good.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40How many thousands do you think you'll make today?
0:34:40 > 0:34:42- No, I won't make thousands. - You won't make thousands?- No.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45I asked the Lord last night to make sure Man United won
0:34:45 > 0:34:50and forgot to ask about the weather today, so sorry about that.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54As the rain continues, there's not much action on the bouncy castle,
0:34:54 > 0:34:59but have the activities inside raised the money Sister Rita urgently needs?
0:34:59 > 0:35:02Time to tot up the takings with Lalley Centre volunteer, Pat.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09- 900 and...- Five pounds.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12- I can't believe we've made... - That's with your float.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15I thought we might make 500 today, so this is amazing.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19It gives you great peace of mind to know that you can go on now,
0:35:19 > 0:35:23another couple of months and pay your way, basically.
0:35:23 > 0:35:27- So, we're very, very happy, aren't we?- Very, very happy.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29Very, very happy.
0:35:29 > 0:35:33We can go out tonight and get legless.
0:35:33 > 0:35:37Not just yet, though, because whether it's raising funds or
0:35:37 > 0:35:40drumming up donations, bolstering the Lalley's resources is
0:35:40 > 0:35:43a constant challenge the Sister likes to rush headlong into.
0:35:45 > 0:35:46Let's bomb it!
0:35:48 > 0:35:51She's not shy about tapping up big businesses that happen to
0:35:51 > 0:35:53be on her patch.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56And they don't come much bigger than Manchester City, one of the
0:35:56 > 0:36:01world's richest football clubs, found right on the Lalley's doorstep.
0:36:03 > 0:36:05Hello, Mike. How are you?
0:36:06 > 0:36:11- Hiya. Nice to see you again. Are you OK?- Yep.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14Sister Rita is paying a visit to Mike Geary,
0:36:14 > 0:36:15the Business Development Manager at City,
0:36:15 > 0:36:20to collect the latest in a series of donations from the club.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23I was introduced to Sister Rita about 18 months ago
0:36:23 > 0:36:27and I'd heard about the work she was doing up at the Lalley Centre
0:36:27 > 0:36:30and the foodbank and I just couldn't help
0:36:30 > 0:36:32but kind of be moved by what she's doing.
0:36:32 > 0:36:37- Are we allowed to do this? - Yeah.- Might be thrown out.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39I don't think you'll ever meet anyone like Sister Rita.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43She's so enthusiastic and it kind of instantly rubs off on you
0:36:43 > 0:36:47and she's so driven and so motivated by just helping other people
0:36:47 > 0:36:49that you can't help but want to help.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54When Sister Rita first made contact with Manchester City,
0:36:54 > 0:36:58she had no idea just what sort of help the club was about to provide.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01Mike said that he had some stuff
0:37:01 > 0:37:04and I thought, I don't think it clicked with me, really.
0:37:04 > 0:37:07I'm not into football, am I?
0:37:07 > 0:37:09Until he brought in the stuff and then,
0:37:09 > 0:37:12I couldn't believe it, you know, and of course the people who work
0:37:12 > 0:37:16with me thought this was heaven happening at the Lalley, you know.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18We never had anything like this before.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20This year, you know,
0:37:20 > 0:37:25we've been able to donate 16 boxes of kit to the Lalley Centre.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28We know that 100%, that's going to go to a family
0:37:28 > 0:37:30or an individual who really need it.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35After her tour around City's stadium, it's time for the Sister to get down
0:37:35 > 0:37:39to the real business of the trip and collect Mike's latest donation.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44These, what we've got for you today, are the away kits, so,
0:37:44 > 0:37:47like you say, they're all brand-new adult ones.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50I think Sister Rita has a way of getting what she wants
0:37:50 > 0:37:53and she's one of them people that it's very difficult to say no to.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55Do you want me to put this in your car, then?
0:37:55 > 0:37:57Yes, please. Thank you very much.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02- Is it heavy? - No, it's fine. Don't you worry.
0:38:02 > 0:38:04Strong man.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07If she wants something and she comes to you and says, "Can you help?"
0:38:07 > 0:38:10You know, God help the person that says no to her.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12- You be in touch. - Yeah, I'll see you soon.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14- Don't just forget me now. - I won't.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18I'll never forget you. Don't worry. See you later.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21Back at the Lalley, having decided the kit she's been given
0:38:21 > 0:38:25can't really be used for fundraising because it's from last season,
0:38:25 > 0:38:29Sister Rita and her deputy Max waste no time in making sure
0:38:29 > 0:38:33the centre's visitors can benefit from City's donations right away.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37- Hello, sir. How are you? - Hello, Sister. I'm fine, thank you.
0:38:37 > 0:38:38And you?
0:38:38 > 0:38:41They're soon calling people into Sister Rita's office to
0:38:41 > 0:38:44pass on coats that the club has also supplied.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47We know that you are a Manchester City fan.
0:38:47 > 0:38:48We have this jacket for you.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50- Oh, thank you very much.- OK.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53- Manchester City. - Keep you warm in the winter.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55In the winter, yeah.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57Oh. Don't you look posh?!
0:38:57 > 0:39:01I'm just surprised, you know, so, about to get this coat.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03So I'm really happy, pretty happy about.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06I'm over the moon about the coat. It's a surprise to me.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08I didn't even know I was getting a coat.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11I just got shouted in and they just give me a coat.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14Made my day. Made me happy.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18The Lalley Centre, I think, these people are helping to everyone,
0:39:18 > 0:39:21so, if you feel if you are struggling in your life,
0:39:21 > 0:39:25or something, then they going to help and they are willing to help.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28Our winters are quite severe and a lot of people here wouldn't be
0:39:28 > 0:39:31able to buy a jacket of that quality.
0:39:31 > 0:39:32It makes people very happy.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40Free coats and shirts aren't the only positive impact
0:39:40 > 0:39:43the Lalley's making on people's lives.
0:39:43 > 0:39:46- Thank you once again. - OK. Thank you.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48Kath has also had a result with the support
0:39:48 > 0:39:53she was hoping to provide for high-rise resident, Mariam.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56Is there anything else that I can help with today?
0:39:56 > 0:39:59Mariam's benefits only cover the basics.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01She's relied on friends to do her washing and
0:40:01 > 0:40:04she doesn't have a fridge.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06- You all good?- Yeah.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09But now, all that's about to change
0:40:09 > 0:40:11Hello.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13Hi. We've come to deliver your washing machine and fridge.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16Oh, thank you very much.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18The Lalley Centre has used some of the money it's raised to buy
0:40:18 > 0:40:21the white goods Mariam badly needs.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23It's very nice.
0:40:23 > 0:40:26I was told I was getting a washing machine
0:40:26 > 0:40:28and the fridge is a surprise.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32Kath and Sister Rita are calling round to see just what
0:40:32 > 0:40:35a difference the appliances will make.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38- Hello, Mariam.- Hello. - How are you?
0:40:38 > 0:40:39How are you?
0:40:39 > 0:40:41Mariam, we've brought you a little gift here
0:40:41 > 0:40:46and it's some washing powder and some softener for the clothes.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49- Wow. Thank you very much. - To go with your new washer.
0:40:49 > 0:40:52- Yeah. That's right. - Thank you. That will be a bonus.
0:40:52 > 0:40:53Thank you very much.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57I'd say that the washing machine makes a difference to you.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59It must have been very difficult for you before you got it.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02Yes. I don't have to rely on anybody anymore.
0:41:02 > 0:41:07I'm glad that we were able to help her with some of those vital
0:41:07 > 0:41:08items that she needed.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11She's obviously got health problems that are long term.
0:41:11 > 0:41:16And the other thing is, you know, we don't normally give a fridge
0:41:16 > 0:41:20and a washing machine, but we felt she was a special case, really.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25Mariam first visited the Lalley for help claiming a vital
0:41:25 > 0:41:29benefit for those with severe health problems.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32And though there's still no news on whether she'll be granted it,
0:41:32 > 0:41:36Sister Rita wants Mariam to know that whatever the outcome
0:41:36 > 0:41:40now she knows where the centre is, she can rely on the team's support.
0:41:40 > 0:41:44- There is no guarantee that this is going to happen, is there?- No.
0:41:44 > 0:41:49So, if you definitely cannot move this forward, well, I'm sure
0:41:49 > 0:41:53- we could try again to do something else for Mariam.- Yeah.
0:41:53 > 0:41:57So don't be thinking it's the end of the world.
0:41:57 > 0:42:02There's always so much more you wish you could do for people like this.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05But hopefully the little bits that we've done now,
0:42:05 > 0:42:09she knows we're there, so it's a place of support for her in future.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13And Sister Rita's delighted that the help they've been able to
0:42:13 > 0:42:16give Mariam means her bid to encourage even more local
0:42:16 > 0:42:19people to visit the Lalley Centre has started to pay off.
0:42:21 > 0:42:25When we came here, Mariam, to talk to the residents,
0:42:25 > 0:42:28we didn't have anyone turning up except yourself.
0:42:28 > 0:42:33I didn't mind because certainly it's done something for you.
0:42:33 > 0:42:36You told me that somebody would be able to help me.
0:42:36 > 0:42:41- I thought, OK, I'm going to come and see and I'm glad I did.- Good.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44That was the reason we came in the first place, to see, could
0:42:44 > 0:42:46we reach out to anyone that needed help?
0:42:46 > 0:42:50So, I think that it was well worth our while coming here.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53- Definitely.- We're very happy to meet you, Mariam.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55I'm hoping that we will see you very soon again.
0:42:59 > 0:43:03Whether it's helping with washing machines, wardrobes or
0:43:03 > 0:43:07supplies at the foodbank, Sister Rita is proud of everything
0:43:07 > 0:43:08her team of volunteers achieves.
0:43:09 > 0:43:14We make some little difference. We can't change it all.
0:43:14 > 0:43:17We might be able to do it over a period of months,
0:43:17 > 0:43:19but we can't change it all.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22She'd like to cap her 50th year as a nun by helping even
0:43:22 > 0:43:24more of the local community.
0:43:25 > 0:43:29But not only that, she wants to change lives on a wider scale
0:43:29 > 0:43:32and bring about real tangible improvement to those who need
0:43:32 > 0:43:34it most.
0:43:34 > 0:43:39So, she's got a plan and she's taking it right to the very top.
0:43:39 > 0:43:42I remember thinking, "Is there anything I could do,
0:43:42 > 0:43:45"just to make it a tiny bit better?"
0:43:45 > 0:43:47Now, I'm not feared of anyone.
0:43:47 > 0:43:50So, I wrote to the Prime Minister to say,
0:43:50 > 0:43:53"This is how it is for people who are desperate."
0:43:58 > 0:44:02As her mission continues, Sister Rita means business.
0:44:02 > 0:44:06They don't call me Attila The Nun for nothing!
0:44:06 > 0:44:09But as she heads to Westminster to put her plan into action...
0:44:09 > 0:44:12There is dire, dire poverty in Collyhurst.
0:44:12 > 0:44:17Our task today is to try and get this across to the Minister.
0:44:17 > 0:44:20She didn't count on the results becoming headline news.
0:44:20 > 0:44:27The media are flocking around right now. I have said nothing!