Barnardos fundraiser more important than ever as families going without essentials

'When it’s a choice between keeping the electricity topped up or going for medical attention, that’s worrying'

Barnardos children’s charity was joined by a group of toddlers and Ambassador Karen Koster to launch their 19th annual Big Toddle.

Stark statistics published by Barnardos highlight why the charity’s biggest annual fundraiser – the Big Toddle – is more important than ever this year.

Its latest research on the impact of the cost of living crisis found almost two-thirds of parents and their children had to go without essentials – food, heat, electricity – over the past six months.