Single parents, equal families – Gingerbread’s manifesto for change
23rd Apr 2024
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BBC Radio 4 appeal with Robert Peston
Posted 25 February 2018
We’re pleased to announce that Robert Peston will be the voice of our BBC Radio 4 appeal, airing on Sunday 25 February at 7.55am.
As well as being an experienced journalist, writer and presenter, Robert is a supporter of Gingerbread and a single parent himself.
After losing his wife to cancer, Robert became a single parent to his son and wants other single parents to feel supported as he did.
Listen to Robert speak about his experience of single parenthood and why he is supporting Gingerbread:
Read the full transcript of Robert’s experience of single parenthood, as well as Valentina’s story, one of the single parents we have supported who’s featured in our appeal.
Listen to the Radio 4 appeal“Gingerbread is so important […] It means that single parents who suffer tremendous stresses don’t feel alone, don’t feel isolated, and don’t feel powerless.”
This year, Gingerbread turns 100. We’ve fought for a century to support single parents and their children and while great progress has been made, there is still more work to do.
Single parent employment is at a record high, but work is often unsustainable and unsuitable. The number of single parents on zero-hours contracts has increased tenfold over the past ten years. More than 40,000 single parents are on these contracts.
And while single parent employment is at a record high, work isn’t paying. A third of children with a working single parent are in poverty, which is expected to rise to 63% of children by 2021. Single parent families are at twice the risk of poverty compared to couple parents.
We want to help single parent families to thrive. By donating to our appeal, you’ll help us to provide effective services to help single parents lead successful lives – whether that means having a healthy family, a flexible job, stable finances or a chance to study, we will work to make it happen.
How to listen to the appeal
The appeal will be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on Sunday 25 February at 7.55am. Listen live to Radio 4.
The appeal will then air again on Sunday 25 February at 9.25pm and Thursday 1 March at 3.25pm.
How to donate
To donate to the appeal, please give between Sunday 25 February and Saturday 3 March in one of the following ways:
- Online: you can donate online by filling out this form on the BBC website. You can make a donation by credit, debit, or CAF card
- Phone: call freephone 0800 404 8144 to make a donation over the phone
- Post: send a cheque made out to Gingerbread to Freepost BBC Radio 4 Appeal. (That’s the whole Please do not write anything else on the front of the envelope and mark the back of the envelope ‘Gingerbread’).