How are families affected by poverty over their lifecycle?

How are families affected by poverty over their lifecycle? 

What are the underlying causes? 

What works in reducing poverty in the area of family relationships?

http://www.tavinstitute.org/news/animation-lifecycle-of-poverty-and-relationships/

Making our money go further at the Forum, Barrow

Making our money go further!

At the forum, Duke St, Friday 22 March 11-2.30pm

Come along and get FREE advice on everyday worries.

Say NO to high-cost credit and YES to expert advice from people with answers including;

-        Inspira          -  John Woodcock MP

-        CAB              Age UK

-        Jobseeker Plus         - Housing advice

-        Barrow Foodbank               - Barrow Credit Union

-        Furness Enterprise              Adult Learning

And much more …

200 FREE goody bags – first come first served

Children’s clothes wanted!

If you have good quality children’s clothing you’d like to pass on to others now you no longer need them please email neighbourhoodmgt@barrowbcgov.uk and let us know.

Why poverty - a holiday away from poverty

'Get Connected' - Child Poverty Challenge Fund

What’s the problem?

The number of children living in poverty in Central and Hindpool wards is 1,100

The percentage of children living in poverty in Central and Hindpool wards is 44.15%

How does this compare with the rest of Barrow and Cumbria?

The number of children living in poverty in Barrow is 3,340 – this means around one third of all children living in poverty in Barrow live in Central or Hindpool wards

The percentage of children living in poverty in Barrow as a whole is 21.7%.

The percentage of children living in poverty in Cumbria as a whole is 14.9%

What can you do to help address child poverty in Central and Hindpool?

The Neighbourhood Management team in Barrow are leading on a pilot project to address issues of child poverty across the Central and Hindpool wards of Barrow.

We currently have a steering group made up of representatives of various agencies and we’ve done some work to promote existing advice and support services which can help families who are suffering during these difficult times.

Now we want you to help too! What can your organisation do to help address child poverty issues in the Central and Hindpool wards?

We are offering up to £2,000, as a one-off grant, for any project your organisation can deliver which will address issues of child poverty across the target area. We’re interested in hearing from anyone who thinks they can make a difference … all we need from you is some basic information about your organisation, the kind of initiative you would run, what the measureable outcomes would be and a breakdown of your costs. You must be able to start your project straight away and we would need an interim report on progress against outcomes by 28 February 2013.

To find out more about the issue of child poverty in Barrow and Cumbria you can visit:

Cumbria Intelligence Observatory at www.cumbriaobservatory.org.uk, click on ‘Poverty and Deprivation’ in the left hand menu. This section also includes Cumbria County Council’s ‘Anti-Poverty Strategy 2011’ and their ‘Child Poverty Strategy 2011-2014’.

For a national perspective and further information you could also visit:

http://www.jrf.org.uk/work/poverty - The Joseph Rowntree Foundation believe that poverty is damaging to individuals and to society and they are determined to reduce it.

http://www.cpag.org.uk/ - Child Poverty Action Group is the leading national charity working to end poverty among children, young people and families in the UK. Their vision is of a society free of child poverty where all children can enjoy their childhoods and have fair chances in life to reach their full potential.

Closing date for applications is Friday 14 December 2012

You can download the application form here ... https://www.box.com/s/0yp4ya0by5ryhrrxmrnt

Return application forms to Steve Robson, 242/244 Dalton Rd, Barrow in Furness, Cumbria LA14 1PN. For further information please call Steve on 01229 876546 or email srobson@barrowbc.gov.uk 

Tackling Poverty in our Communities

Wednesday 22 June 2011, from 4pm – 8pm at Trinity Church Centre, Barrow-in-Furness, LA14 5HT. Churches, Credit Unions, Faith and Financial Inclusion working in partnership to address poverty and financial exclusion in Cumbria. How you and your church can get involved.

Speakers include:

Councillor Oliver Pearson, Chair of Cumbria Financial Inclusion Forum

Gordon Henry, Credit Union Development Co-ordinator

Chair: Rev John Goddard, Baptist Church & President of Churches Together in Cumbria.

- Stories from local credit unions.

- Practical workshops about how churches can help.

- Free event with buffet supper.

Information stalls from a wide range of groups tackling poverty.

Booking essential. For more information and to book: Email: hbctic@tiscali.co.uk Phone: 07503 931196

We must overcome poverty!

The battle to overcome poverty in Cumbria will be on the agenda today as the county's first Financial Inclusion forum is launched at Rheged.

Financial Inclusion is about having access to mainstream services such as bank accounts, low cost home contents insurance and affordable credit.

A recent survey by the Lancaster University Management School estimated that at any one time £3million is loaned out to doorstop lenders in the county.

More than 100 delegates from a variety of organisations across the county will meet on Thursday 20 August at Rheged to focus their attention on giving people more access to affordable credit through credit unions as well as other aspects financial inclusion including money advice.

It involves speakers from the Department for Work and Pensions, Financial Services Authority and existing credit unions. Senior officers from Cumbria's seven local authorities are expected to attend along with the county's MPs.

A government report highlighted levels of financial exclusion in Carlisle, Barrow-in-Furness, Copeland and Allerdale that placed them within the top 50 most excluded areas of the country.

Eden and South Lakeland along with pockets of rural Cumbria have also been identified as target areas in terms of access to basic financial services. As a result of this finding the DWP has formed a strategic alliance with the County Council and has invested almost a million pounds into the county.

Hosted by the county council and the DWP Financial Inclusion Champion for Cumbria, the 'Financial Inclusion - Tackling Poverty in Cumbria' forum will aim to improve advice and support for people on low incomes, those at risk of poverty and falling into the hands of illegal loan sharks.

This will be done through improved cross-agency working, the development of credit union services across the county as well as additional debt advice.

In Cumbria there is a limited access to credit unions for the general public with only eight across the county. These are Cleator Moor and district, Carlisle and district, Egremont and district, Maryport and north Allerdale, Walney Island, Workington and district, Whitehaven, and Millom and district.

Despite the important achievements of these credit unions, large areas of the county are still not served by a credit union, such as Eden, the South Lakes and Barrow.

Amanda Pyper is Financial Inclusion Champion for Cumbria and her role is to help everyone in the county have access to basic financial services. She said: "In a modern society having access to basis financial services is as important as being plugged in to electricity or telecommunications.

"Without this the poorest people in Cumbria are paying more for basic necessitates of life such as fuel and essential furniture."

Cumbria County Councillor Eddie Martin, Cabinet member responsible for Adult Social Care, said: "This forum will bring together the people who work everyday at trying to reduce levels of poverty in the county and I hope that it will raise awareness of poverty in Cumbria.

"Many of those affected by spiralling debts turn to unlicensed money-lenders because, for whatever reasons, they cannot obtain credit from elsewhere.

"Everybody should have access to affordable and responsible credit; to an appropriate bank account; to face-to-face debt advice and money management advice; and access to savings.

"The fact is that extreme poverty affects many people. We are all in this together and the only way that poverty will finally be eradicated is by working together.

"And together we can give those who live in the misery of poverty in Cumbria a glimmer of hope, better opportunities and a future worth living."

For further information see the Government published Financial inclusion: an action plan for 2008-11
www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/financialinclusion_actionplan061207.pdf