The finishing touches were put to my blog a little later than usual this evening because my good self took the opportunity to do some late night Christmas shopping.

Of course my presents were bought weeks ago so this evening excursion around the shops was to stock up on food for the festive season.

After the last shopping bag was emptied my cupboards were full and the compressors on both of my commercial freezers were humming away trying to freeze the gargantuan load of food that had just been placed in them.

Next I sat down in my drawing room and switched on my trusty computer. Naturally my first port of call was the Bucks Free Press website were I happened to notice an article in the news section headlined 'Baker hits out at Bucks poverty levels in food bank debate'.

The facts in the article shocked me.

Did you know that 12,000 children in Buckinghamshire live in income poverty?

Did you know that 2,859 food parcels have been distributed in the Wycombe area since March 2012, reaching 3,182 adults and more than 2,000 children.

Did you know that one in three children in the Wycombe parliamentary constituency go to bed hungry?

Appalling isn't it?

I for one sat and read the article in silence and took quite a few minutes to digest its contents.

For many Christmas is a time to feast and be merry but it seems there are many in the community for whom it will be anything but a festive time.

With rising energy bills and other increases in the cost of living poverty is creeping up on all in modern society.

Living costs may be rising steady but wages are not keeping pace meaning than many more people are destined to fall into the poverty trap.

Nobody should have to go to bed hungry in twenty first Century Wycombe but sadly it seems that people are.

Maybe if the factories were still open in the town the workers would be able to get better and more highly paid jobs? Sadly shop work is not enough to pay for a house and bring up a family.

Now I am feeling rather ashamed of all the food that I purchased this evening. I guess yours truly is one of the lucky ones. However my thoughts go out to those in need.

What can be done to stop people falling into the poverty trap? If you have any suggestions please leave a comment and let us know.

What do you think?

*Don't forget to read my regular column in this Friday's edition of the printed version of the Bucks Free Press!