Council supports Challenge Poverty Week

During Challenge Poverty Week the Council will be shining a spotlight on the challenges faced by people living in poverty, through the voices of those with lived experience.

Running from 16 to 22 October, the theme of Challenge Poverty Week England and Wales 2023 is Dignity for All: a more hopeful future. The aim of the week is to raise voices against poverty, show what has already been done to challenge and ease poverty, and end the stigma around poverty.

A series of videos will be aired throughout the week to encourage local communities and businesses to consider what changes need to be made to build a better and more compassionate society where everyone has the same opportunity to thrive. 

There will also be an opportunity for residents to drop into different locations across the borough to speak to Community Inspirers, individuals with life experiences of poverty or hardship, and hear about their work with different partner organisations and what they’ve been able to achieve by working together.

Monday 16 October - 10am to 5pm:

Pop into Blacon or Ellesmere Port libraries to speak with Inspirers and find out about their Walk Further Together project with the University of Chester. You can also pick up information about cost of living support, whilst you’re there. In Ellesmere Port you can speak to representatives from West Cheshire Foodbank, and in Blacon in the afternoon from 2pm you can speak to the Citizens Advice Cheshire West, Energy Advisor.

Wednesday 18 October - 10am to 5pm:

Pop into Winsford or Northwich Brio sites to speak with Inspirers and find out about their Walk Further Together project with the University of Chester. You can also pick up information about cost of living support, whilst you’re there. In Winsford, you can speak to part of the team from Motherwell CIC and in Northwich, representatives from a local peer support group will be on hand to chat through what they do.

Cabinet Member for A Fairer Future, Councillor Lisa Denson said: “Since the launch of our poverty strategy A Fairer Future in 2018, we have been working with an amazing group of individuals, known as Community Inspirers. The group is helping others to thrive and lead more prosperous lives, by shaping the way our borough’s leaders make decisions about Council services. Their stories and real-life experiences are at the centre of the week’s activities.

“Through listening and understanding the challenges that our Community Inspirers have faced in the past, and still face today, we are helping to change attitudes.

In the words of one of our community inspirers:

Shame and attitudes to poverty are really shocking. Some people believe that the way out of poverty is through work, but some people are unable to work and many people in poverty are working. People living in poverty feel shame and embarrassed and what we need is empathy for people living in poverty.”

The Council continues to work with its partners to tackle the root causes of poverty and is encouraging more businesses to sign up to the Poverty Pledge:

I pledge to treat you how you want to be treated.