WE ARE all struggling in the credit crunch but after Greenwich and Lewisham were named in the top 10 worst London boroughs for child poverty, News Shopper spoke to two families who are feeling the pinch more than most.

Figures released by the Campaign to End Child Poverty found 55 per cent of children (or 62,750) in the two boroughs live in low income families.

The report names Lewisham’s Evelyn ward as the worst with 2,900 children (72 per cent) from families which are struggling financially.

School cook Fortune Green lives in this area in Deptford.

The 41-year-old, of Evelyn’s Pepys Estate, in Grove Street, lives with her unemployed husband, Rowland, 47, and two daughters — Michelle, seven and Rowdyn, two, who share a room.

Mrs Green said: “We have an income of £500 a month and £240 of this goes straight on the childminder.

“A shopping trip with £20 used to get us enough food for the family. But now it hardly gets us anything.

“It was only a few years ago milk cost £1 but now it’s more than £2.”

In neighbouring Greenwich, Woolwich Riverside ward has 2,810 children living in low income families.

Of these, 2,065 children are from families without jobs.

Naomi Emes, 31, lives in Maxey Road, Woolwich, with her 15-year-old brother, Michael Omo-Bare, and her three children — Josiah Olatunji, eight, Cornell Olatunji, 11, and Chenee Olatunji, 13.

The youth worker said: “Luckily I earn £1,800 a month to look after all of us, but things are getting more expensive.

“I used to pay £55 each for gas and electricity. But in the past year it has gone up to £75 for gas and nearly £90 for electricity.”

The report shows more than 20,000 of Lewisham’s 59,530 children (35 per cent) are from unemployed families, while in Greenwich there are 19,320 children (also 35 per cent) from a jobless background.

A Greenwich Council spokesman said it was about to publish its Children and Young People’s plan 2008-11.

He said: “This sets out our priorities, including raising attainment at all levels, helping children and young people to be happy, healthy and safe, and providing extra support to families when needed.”

A Lewisham Council spokesman said: “Reducing child poverty is a key priority in Lewisham and we are tackling both the causes and consequences.

“The Mayor has signed up to the London Child Poverty Pledge. We have an action plan aimed at delivering the pledge, including helping parents back into work.