The Cost-of-Living Crisis and the impact on the local community.
The theme of May’s BECBC Social Value meeting was the cost-of-living crisis. More families and individuals than ever before are finding themselves in difficult financial situations, due to rising prices and that includes those who have never struggled before.
It is leading some to make the impossible choice of heating or eating. The increase in food prices and utility bills disproportionately impacts lower-income households as food and energy make up a higher proportion of their total household expenditure. Our guest speakers, Julie Wedgewood from the Rural Regeneration Unit, and Willie Slavin, Chair of the West Cumbria Poverty Forum described what they are doing in their respective fields to address and raise awareness about the issue.
Julie is the project manager with the Rural Regeneration Unit presented some troubling statistics about poverty in Cumbria.
• 1 in 10 households live in fuel poverty.
• 11, 700 children live in poverty
• 1 in 8 households have an income of less than 10k per annum.
• 1 in 5 people have long-term health problems.
• 68% of adults are overweight.
These figures are taken from a report produced by Cumbria Community Foundation in 2019 and Julie believes the situation is much worse now. She is currently working on a project called Pathways from Poverty to provide wrap-around support for individuals and families who are receiving help with food in Carlisle.
The project enables families and individuals to purchase food from an affordable food hub, an online supermarket in effect to buy food at a much-reduced rate. It’s based on a credit system and customers are encouraged to purchase healthy products at a much-reduced cost.
Continued
A mobile food hub is being piloted so that people living in Maryport and Wigton and parts of Carlisle can access the service. This is being funded by the St Vincent de Paul Society. There are also plans to work in the West if additional funding can be sourced.
As well as providing food, Pathways from Poverty ensures that help is provided to resolve some of the wider issues that households are facing, benefits, debt, budgeting, housing, energy, or employment. Julie is working closely with Inspira who are providing expert advice on getting into work or training; individuals accessing food support will be invited to attend 6 sessions covering:
• Money advice – Debt, Benefits, In Work calculations, help to identify the cheapest utility broadband etc,
• Living on a budget – Looking at meal planning, budgeting – referral to green doctor
• Careers advice – What support is out there and developing a personal action plan.
• Transferable skills - How they can be applied to current job vacancies and trends in the labour market.
• Training options – exploring what free training is available in order to up skill.
Anyone attending the sessions will be given 30 credits (a week’s shop) to spend on the affordable food hub website.
Julie is looking for some volunteering time to help set up the outreach centres and if any organisations would like to donate some credits in order for people to spend in the food hub (£6.50 is 30 credits and buys a weekly shop of basics off the site)
BECBC Social Value Group 20th June
Andy from Stantec will talk about their involvement in the “Better Places” initiative and demonstrate a data approach to a Quality-of-Life (QoL) tool developed via the Innovate UK Knowledge Transfer Partnership between Stantec and the University of Reading. Andy’s work relates to the objective of making “Better Places” and how the built environment can influence and improve quality of life and social value.
This has involved exploring what data underpins better places/QoL, frameworks for evaluating QoL, how community feedback (active) data can inform needs and the importance of the qualitative feedback gained from consultation.
Jenny Brumby will then discuss the TEGRetail SHOP LOCAL Cumberland campaign, emphasising the importance of supporting local businesses. Lakes College will follow with a presentation on its Sustainability Apprenticeship program, highlighting the role of apprenticeships in promoting sustainable practices.
We will then hear from Vicky Ritson of Inspira and Claire from The Centre for Leadership Performance who will be giving their usual update.
The meeting will end with discussions about Any Other Business.
Thanks to Lakes College for sponsoring the Social Value Group and providing us with the room.
