Food, clothing, shelter, comfortable furnishings and warmth are things most of us tend to take for granted. But for many people in this country, a crisis like an accident, illness, or job loss, a tragedy like the death of a loved one, or unfortunate circumstance such as growing up in a deprived background and not having the chance for a better life, can lead into a life of poverty.

The St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP) is a Catholic charity which helps thousands of people experiencing material poverty every year. In its ‘Who Cares?’ awareness campaign this September, the charity is raising awareness of different forms of poverty such as loneliness, hunger, material poverty and sickness and showing how the SVP cares about all these areas.