London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Sep 20, 2026

Cost of living: Man gives £10,000 to charity after seeing woman’s story on the BBC

Cost of living: Man gives £10,000 to charity after seeing woman’s story on the BBC

Anne Vivian-Smith used to be well and work full time. She and her partner were earning good money and able to afford their own home and car.

But several years ago, Anne started to get ill with a neurodegenerative autoimmune disorder. Within two years, she ended up in a wheelchair and her partner became her carer. They both lost their careers.

The couple went from earning £40,000 each a year to £20,000 and receiving disability benefits.

Two weeks ago, we told her story as part of our cost-of-living coverage. And now, one reader has donated £10,000 to an energy charity to help Anne and others struggling with bills. Here's their story.


Equipment, costs and obsessive worry


Anne uses ceiling-track hoists, a powered wheelchair and a motorised door. They all require charging and use up a lot of energy. So with energy prices rising, Anne's bills have gone from £84 a month to £259.

Her energy usage can never go down to the same level that a non-disabled person's can because her machines are vital. "I can't switch them off, not like other people," she said.

But cuts have to be made, so Anne and her partner are no longer able to put the heating on. "Every day I'm cold, every day I'm stuck in a damp house. Every day I worry about putting the kettle on," she said.

"Everything is so expensive. My smart meter is a blessing and curse because I become obsessed with it. Every time I turn the shower on it's £3.18."

John felt inspired when he saw Anne's story on the BBC


When John Pluck saw Anne sharing her story he felt compelled to help her.

"Anne's bravery to tell her story started all of this off. Her situation really opened my eyes, she said she had to decide whether she could use her wheelchair or eat.

"I haven't seen something that's moved me like that for years, so I contacted the BBC straight away. I wanted to look after her energy bills for the next year."


'I need money - but not as much as others'


However, when Anne was offered John's donation, she refused it. Anne explained to me that despite her situation, other people are in much worse positions.

"I've done some volunteer work at food banks and homeless projects. I've met people, where the most they've eaten in a fortnight is half a Danish and a cup of tea.

"It makes me look at my life. Despite it being difficult, I have a roof over my head and food in my fridge. I know very well how much pain other people are going through and so I wanted to help others."

Reflecting on Anne's viewpoint, John said: "I think it says everything about the person she is. She is in such a difficult spot but she's adamant that I look after other people. She puts other people first - it says what a selfless person she is."

Anne asked John to donate the money he wanted to give to her to National Energy Action, a fuel poverty charity, instead. It aims to eradicate fuel poverty and pushes for better investment in energy efficiency to help those who are poor or vulnerable.

John, who is a divisional director at an international insurance broker, donated £10,000 plus £2,500 in Gift Aid, and says he wants to donate at least £5,000 a year to the charity.

Adam Scorer, chief executive at the charity said: "We are hugely grateful to John for such a generous donation. The average annual energy bill has more than doubled in a year and 6.7 million people like Anne are in fuel poverty.

"With the support of people like John, people can keep their homes comfortably warm and safe."

Anne told me how pleased she was that telling her story had made an impact.

"Nobody can stop me grinning because it's amazing and I can't express my gratitude to John.

"It's awesome and hopefully it will go on to help people in very difficult positions."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Ed Sheeran Tour Faces Backlash After Macklemore Is Removed Over Pro-Palestinian Remarks
Vandalism of Traffic Cameras Intensifies Across Parts of England
Nearly 300 Evacuated as Fire Hits Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone
King Charles Warns AI Executives About Risks From Uncontrolled Technology
Church of England Apologises for Role in Historical Forced Adoption Practices
UK Debate Over Online Speech Intensifies After Arrest Figures Draw Scrutiny
Oxfordshire Village Holds Symbolic Independence Vote Over Asylum Accommodation Plan
Nigel Farage and Richard Tice Sue National Crime Agency Over Alleged Banking Data Leaks
Apple Introduces Stricter Age Checks for UK Accounts
BBC Cash Reserves Fall 66% to £125 Million as Broadcaster Restructures
McLaren Announces £500 Million UK Investment and Plans 1,000 Jobs
Green Party Wins Historic Gorton and Denton By-Election as Labour Falls to Third
Burnham Government Prepares October Budget Under Growing Fiscal Pressure
UK Energy Suppliers Pull Fixed-Price Deals as Wholesale Markets Turn More Volatile
Bank of England Holds Rates at 3.75% as Middle East Energy Shock Raises Inflation Risks
Addison Lee Founder Loses £20 Million UK Tax Tribunal Case
BrewDog Creditors Face Losses on About £190 Million of Debt
Harrods Seeks to Recover Abuse Compensation Costs From Mohamed Al Fayed’s Estate
Ed Davey Targets Reform UK as Liberal Democrat Conference Opens
Great Britain Retail Sales Rise 0.5% in August
NHS England Approves Life-Extending Treatment for Incurable Breast Cancer
Proposals to Limit NHS ADHD Diagnoses Draw Criticism From Patient Groups
Resolution Foundation Warns of Housing Cost Crunch for Low-Income UK Families
BBC Cash Reserves Fall to Decade Low as Annual Deficit Reaches £121 Million
Millisecond Software Error Triggered Major UK Air Traffic Control Disruption
Twenty Women Underwent Unnecessary Mastectomies During NHS Cancer Care
Sensitive UK Police Data Found Vulnerable to Access by Foreign Actors
British Steel Faces Renewed Pressure for a Long-Term Financial Plan
MPs Urge Government to End Thames Water Restructuring Talks With U.S. Hedge Funds
Andy Burnham Warns of Difficult UK Budget Choices as Inflation Returns to 3.1%
England Tightens School Food Standards With Restrictions on Deep-Fried and High-Sugar Foods
Oxfordshire Village Votes Symbolically to Leave UK Over Proposed Asylum Centre
Michael Marra Elected Leader of Scottish Labour
BBC Cash Reserves Fall Sharply as Financial Pressures Mount
George Osborne Calls for UK to Rejoin EU Customs Union
UK Explores Joining Canada-Led Global Defence Bank
Thirlwall Inquiry Highlights Management Failures Surrounding Lucy Letby Crimes
Parliamentary Committee Calls for New UK Law to Address AI Risks to Human Rights
UK Considers Giving Regional Mayors Greater Oversight of Water Companies
UK Opposition Presses Burnham for Stronger Response to Russian Security Threats
Reform UK Faces Scrutiny Over £72 Million in Donations as Political Finance Rules Tighten
Millisecond Software Failure Behind UK Air-Traffic Outage That Cancelled More Than 2,000 Flights
Bank of England Holds Interest Rate at 3.75% as Energy Prices Complicate Inflation Outlook
Burnham Warns of Difficult Choices in October Budget as UK Inflation Rises to 3.1%
Addison Lee Founder Loses £20.5 Million Non-Domicile Tax Case
BrewDog Creditors Face Heavy Losses After Collapse
Thirteenth Metropolitan Police Officer Dismissed Over Charing Cross Conduct
Oxfordshire Village Votes Symbolically to Leave UK Over Asylum Accommodation Plan
NHS Approves Life-Extending Treatment for Women With Incurable Breast Cancer
Software Defect Blamed for Major UK Air Traffic Disruption
×