Winter Survival Appeal: 'Without me these children would be put in care. This charity is my rock'

Carrie never imagined that, in her fifties, she would be bringing up her grandson Tyler as his carer and trying to survive on a food budget of just £2.33 a day. But 12 years ago, when Tyler was one, his parents were deemed unfit and Tyler was taken into care. At the time Carrie had a decent office job, £25,000 in the bank and did not worry about bills. So, when social services said Tyler would be given up for adoption, Carrie stepped in and said: “Nobody is taking my grandson off me.”

The grandmother, who lives in a council house in south-west London, was handed a child arrangements order giving her full custody of Tyler. She would sacrifice her career to look after the toddler, but had no inkling of the financial hardship and