2022 highlights
Creative Activities
Art Exhibition – Solace Women’s Aid
Visit the Solace Women’s Aid online art exhibition to see the amazing paintings created by children and families living in refuges, inspired by the city, to mark London Challenge Poverty Week 2022.
Barking and Dagenham Youth Dance
Barking and Dagenham Youth Dance (BDYD) use dance and culture to explore issues around knife and gang crime and its relation to poverty.
Film Launch – Journey To Justice
Journey to Justice launched their film “The Long Shadow of Class – Understanding Inequalities & Galvanising change“. Featuring powerful experiences and analysis of economic injustice in the UK by brilliant speakers.
Film Screening & Discussion – South London Refugee Association & Project 17
South London Refugee Association hosted a screening of short films & discussion on immigration, poverty and dignity. The short Films focused on the harmful impact No Recourse to Public Funds has on families. Watch and share their powerful videos widely to spread awareness.
Film Launch – ATD Fourth World
In collaboration with the Journeyman Theatre, ATD Fourth World put on a show to shine light onto the dire conditions experienced by those in poverty during the Victorian era. Watch the full performance here.
Red roots Incubator – Unite 4 Change
Red roots incubator hosted a ‘Food Jam’ session with practical instructions on how to preserve fresh fruits and veg & make healthy snacks, using local food surplus.
Workshops
Food Growing Workshops – Lewisham Local
Lewisham Local and partners hosted a range of free activities related to food access and growing across Lewisham.
Cooking Workshops- Home Start Ealing
Homestart Ealing provided some of their families with fresh ingredients, a slow cooker and recipe card to cook together on Zoom.
‘Speak up Barking and Dagenham’ – Mums on a Mission
Mums on a Mission came together with their community in Barking and Dagenham for the first in a series of workshops which focus on lived experience, advice and solutions to tackle poverty as living costs rise.
Community workshops – Britsom
BritSom a community led organization that supports disadvantaged Somali and BAME communities in Barnet is held a workshop to raise awareness of the impact of the cost-of-living crisis and support people facing poverty, debt, money management problems and lack of employment.
Youth Discussions – JDS Striving for Excellence
JDS- Striving provided the opportunity for young people to have open discussions about poverty in London, their community and what they think is needed to better their community.
‘Money Matters’ – Poplar HARCA
Poplar HARCA and partners held ‘Money Matters’ event which provided residents with helpful fuel, food and financial wellbeing advice, practical tools, tips and resources for immediate relief.
Restorative Justice for All – Teaching Green Conference
Restorative Justice for All held the Teaching green conference, a discussion on the challenges of poverty and the environment and how a restorative justice approach can be used to tackle challenges.
Southall Community Alliance
Southall Community alliance held a series of activities, awareness raising seminars and networking events focused on poverty indicators. The Mayor of Ealing Cllr Jasbir Anand, Cllr Surinder Kaur Jassal & locals came together to discuss the cost of living crisis and consider the solutions that can be applied locally.
Poplar HARCA and Felix Project – Community Lunch
The Felix Project is held a free nutritious community meal service in conjunction with Poplar HARCA housing. They brought together over 100 people in need and provided families a warm space where they can leave behind worries about food & heat.
Webinars
North East Child Poverty Commission and 4in10 webinar on “Why tackling poverty is central to leveling up”
North East Child Poverty Commission and 4in10 teamed up to host an online webinar on ‘why tackling poverty is central to levelling up’. Read the event summary and watch the recording here.
Sustain – Borough’s Food Group
Sustain supported the Mayor of London’s team to convene a Borough’s Food Group online meeting with a focus on cost of living. The two hour event include speakers from Local Authorities as well as a guest speaker from the Poverty Truth Network.
London Money Advice Group – Forum Meeting
London Money Advice Group (coordinated by Rainbow Money Advice) a forum for money advisers in London, held a meeting during poverty week which looked at how poverty affects those they work with.
Events
London Child Poverty Summit
The Childhood Trust and London Child Poverty Alliance hosted the London Child Poverty Summit. The annual summit provides a forum for constructive dialogue around the causes, consequences, and solutions for children living in poverty in London. The event focused on mental health, social exclusion in education, displacement and families with no recourse to public funds.
The Plan Launch event – Commission on Social Security
The commission on social security formally launched The Plan for a decent social security system. The Plan contains recommendations to reset the social security system and establish a new structure built on dignity, respect and decency. You can watch a full recording of the event here.
Blogs & Reflections
Blog – The WHAM Project
Dr Guddi Singh, Paediatrician and WHAM co-founder, has written a blog for London Challenge Poverty Week looking at what doctors working on the frontline can do to tackle poverty.
Blogs – Leaders Unlocked
Two of the young leaders at @LeadersUnlocked have written powerful blog pieces on the reality of poverty, here in the UK:
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Blog – St Michael’s Fellowship
St Michael’s staff member Ann-Marie describes seeing the ever-increasing impact of the cost-of-living crisis on families she supports, as a slow-motion car crash.
Blog – What Can We Learn From Zakat to Fight Poverty in London
Centre for London’s blog includes ideas for working together and reducing stigma from anti-poverty campaigners – insights from a private roundtable with the Zakat Foundation.
Blog – Supporting Ethnic Minorities in Northolt and Southall Through the Cost of Living Crisis
Staff at ESDEG share how they’ve been supporting refugee, elderly and low-income families through food provision programmes.
Research & Campaigns
Poverty amongst older Londoners: new research from Age UK London
Age UK London have published data showing that poverty rates for over 50s are significantly higher in London compared with the rest of the country. The figures show that 25% of older Londoners live in poverty, compared to 18% in the rest of England.
New briefing from 4in10 on the impact of the Cost-of-Living Crisis on London’s Children
4in10 London’ Child Poverty Network has published a short briefing looking at the impact of the Cost-of-Living crisis on London’s children. It draws together research findings to show how, unless urgent action is taken many more children will be drawn into poverty.
London Youth: a snapshot of London’s youth sector
What London’s youth workers are saying about the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on their sector and what needs to be done to keep youth services doors open and lights on.
Home Start London: new research
Home Start London have released new research about the impact the cost-of-living crisis is having on families with young children living in London.
Trust for London – updated Poverty Profile
Trust for London have updated London’s Poverty Profile with new tools. For each borough you can now compare performance on key poverty indicators to London and England averages and download quick Borough Profiles summarising key stats and indicators.
Community Awareness Campaign – Bin Knives Save Lives
Bin Lives Save Lives ran an awareness campaign on the link between knife violence and poverty in the community. They demonstrated and displayed two bleeding cabinet to the public, police and community. The Mayor, Cllr Jeyaranjan came and supported the campaign and project.
Campaign Little Black Dress Initiative (LBDI) – Junior League of London
The Junior League of London Held their 10th Little Black Dress Initiative which is a social media-driven advocacy and fundraising campaign, providing a platform for its members to raise awareness about poverty in London and raise funds for work to fight it.
New Research – Toynbee Hall
Toynbee Hall highlighted their recent report on the transition to net-zero energy as an opportunity to improve the finances of low-income households by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes. To find out more read their full report here.
Report – Growing Hungry: The call for a childhood hunger commission
London Assembly member Marina Ahmad Launched her report Growing Hungry: the call for a childhood hunger commission for London, hosted by 4in10 member Pecan.
For more thoughts and ideas about how to get involved and how to access support and resources check our our Get Involved Guide 2024.
And most importantly of all, if you are planning an event or activity then let us know about it so that we can include it in our communications about the week.
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