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| Cost of living: Bristol single dad flooded with offers of help | Cost of living: Bristol single dad flooded with offers of help |
| (5 months later) | |
| Samuel was close to tears as he read messages from BBC viewers | Samuel was close to tears as he read messages from BBC viewers |
| Several weeks ago the BBC featured a resident of a highrise block in Bristol who is struggling to bring his family up on his own during the cost of living crisis. | Several weeks ago the BBC featured a resident of a highrise block in Bristol who is struggling to bring his family up on his own during the cost of living crisis. |
| The story was watched by hundreds of thousands of people and provoked an outpouring of sympathy. Reporter Fiona Lamdin visited him again to show Samuel some of the messages sent about him. | The story was watched by hundreds of thousands of people and provoked an outpouring of sympathy. Reporter Fiona Lamdin visited him again to show Samuel some of the messages sent about him. |
| "At least, I feel listened to...I feel the love," he said. | "At least, I feel listened to...I feel the love," he said. |
| Samuel was close to tears as I showed him the messages sent by BBC viewers. | Samuel was close to tears as I showed him the messages sent by BBC viewers. |
| He spoke a few weeks ago about how his family is forced to share a bed as there is not enough room for the boys to have their own in their 15th-floor one bedroom flat. | He spoke a few weeks ago about how his family is forced to share a bed as there is not enough room for the boys to have their own in their 15th-floor one bedroom flat. |
| WATCH: ‘I feel like I’m being listened to’ | WATCH: ‘I feel like I’m being listened to’ |
| WATCH: ‘I feel like I’m being listened to’ | WATCH: ‘I feel like I’m being listened to’ |
| His predicament was shown on BBC Breakfast and here on the website. | His predicament was shown on BBC Breakfast and here on the website. |
| Samuel was a security guard but was signed-off sick and now receives benefits. After he has paid all his bills, he is left with £52 a week to cover school uniform, shoes and all their food. | Samuel was a security guard but was signed-off sick and now receives benefits. After he has paid all his bills, he is left with £52 a week to cover school uniform, shoes and all their food. |
| He looked through some of the thousands of emails sent to the BBC after his story was featured. | He looked through some of the thousands of emails sent to the BBC after his story was featured. |
| Watch the first report with Samuel, which touched viewers | Watch the first report with Samuel, which touched viewers |
| There are kind messages and many offers of help. But before he could read any more, his phone alarm went off. It was time to get his boys from school. | There are kind messages and many offers of help. But before he could read any more, his phone alarm went off. It was time to get his boys from school. |
| As Samuel picked up his five-year-old son from school he was given banana cake from the lolly pop lady | As Samuel picked up his five-year-old son from school he was given banana cake from the lolly pop lady |
| When we arrived at the school gate, there was more kindness. This time closer to home, from within his community. | When we arrived at the school gate, there was more kindness. This time closer to home, from within his community. |
| Julie, the lolly pop lady, had baked them a banana cake for the weekend which she handed over in a plastic bag. | Julie, the lolly pop lady, had baked them a banana cake for the weekend which she handed over in a plastic bag. |
| The boys, Zenuell who is aged five and Lysander, eight, gave her a big hug. | The boys, Zenuell who is aged five and Lysander, eight, gave her a big hug. |
| Before the family even got through their front door, Samuel had the cake tin out by the entrance to the lift and he shared out the banana loaf. | Before the family even got through their front door, Samuel had the cake tin out by the entrance to the lift and he shared out the banana loaf. |
| Samuel's neighbour Charleigh said they help each other out as much as they can | Samuel's neighbour Charleigh said they help each other out as much as they can |
| We met Charleigh, she and her partner also live on the 15th floor with their four girls. | We met Charleigh, she and her partner also live on the 15th floor with their four girls. |
| "There's six of us in a two bedroom flat," she said. | "There's six of us in a two bedroom flat," she said. |
| "Everyone's on top of each other, stuck in a place like this you can't really do anything, it really does take it's toll. | "Everyone's on top of each other, stuck in a place like this you can't really do anything, it really does take it's toll. |
| "Having Sam helps...he is always knocking on my door with bargains." | "Having Sam helps...he is always knocking on my door with bargains." |
| Last week someone gave Samuel some chicken which he shared with Charleigh and her family. She turned it into a chicken curry which she the shared with his family too. | Last week someone gave Samuel some chicken which he shared with Charleigh and her family. She turned it into a chicken curry which she the shared with his family too. |
| "Community spirit is alive here," Charleigh adds. | "Community spirit is alive here," Charleigh adds. |
| And while the children played together outside in the corridor, inside his flat Samuel was rifling through his cupboards packing rice and tins of tomatoes into a plastic bag for single mum Muna. | And while the children played together outside in the corridor, inside his flat Samuel was rifling through his cupboards packing rice and tins of tomatoes into a plastic bag for single mum Muna. |
| She lives on the 16th floor and works part-time for the NHS. | She lives on the 16th floor and works part-time for the NHS. |
| "It's hard for us - right now if you spend £20 you can't have enough shopping that you like. It's a bit difficult right now," she said. | "It's hard for us - right now if you spend £20 you can't have enough shopping that you like. It's a bit difficult right now," she said. |
| Zenuell and Lysander played football after being invited to a free training session by a local club | Zenuell and Lysander played football after being invited to a free training session by a local club |
| By that point it was getting dark outside, but instead of getting ready for bed, Samuel had a treat for the boys. | By that point it was getting dark outside, but instead of getting ready for bed, Samuel had a treat for the boys. |
| Since we last filmed a community football club had invited them along to a training session. | Since we last filmed a community football club had invited them along to a training session. |
| It is free, local, and less than a mile walk from their block. | It is free, local, and less than a mile walk from their block. |
| Lysander was so excited and ran up to introduce himself to Chris Stenner, the Robins Foundation chief community officer. | Lysander was so excited and ran up to introduce himself to Chris Stenner, the Robins Foundation chief community officer. |
| Chris told me the group train every Friday and the project is all about getting children to engage and tackling anti-social behaviour by keeping children off the streets. | Chris told me the group train every Friday and the project is all about getting children to engage and tackling anti-social behaviour by keeping children off the streets. |
| Samuel loved watching his boys run around, knowing they are not disturbing any neighbours below. | Samuel loved watching his boys run around, knowing they are not disturbing any neighbours below. |
| "Just to see the joy on their face, this is what it's all about," he said. | "Just to see the joy on their face, this is what it's all about," he said. |
| Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk | Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk |
| Related Topics | |
| Bristol |