Elected Member Briefing - Challenge Poverty Week 2023

About this briefing note

Report by: Lisa Potter, Communications & Performance Manager

Date: 2 October 2023

Subject: Challenge Poverty Week

Purpose

To provide an overview of activity taking place this week for Challenge Poverty Week (2-8 October 2023).

Background

Challenge Poverty Week is organised annually by The Poverty Alliance. Together with partners in the Anti-Poverty Task Force and across Council teams have organised a series of activities for staff and the public to mark this week.

The Poverty Alliance has created a theme for each of the days of the week, and from Monday to Friday we will be marking these across social media and through internal and external events. Your support to share and signpost residents would be appreciated.

Monday 2 October 2023

Theme: Communities & Volunteers

The Council's Equalities Team are hosting a staff presentation to talk about how the cost of living crisis has impacted on the groups they work with and support.

Social media focus on getting involved as a volunteer, reminders about success of warm spaces in 2022/23 and update on 2023/24.

Tuesday 3 October 2023

Theme: Housing

On both the corporate and tenant social media accounts we'll be sharing information about how the Tenant Grant Fund and Financial Insecurity Fund can help local households at risk of losing their homes due to rising costs.

Wednesday 4 October 2023

Theme: Adequate Income

Citizens' Advice Bureau are hosting two online sessions on No Recourse to Public Funds. The sessions have been designed for our customer services team, but are open to staff working in any of our teams who may be asked to advise/support local residents.

Social media focus on support available from our Welfare Rights Team.

Thursday 5 October 2023

Theme: Transport

Between 10am and 2pm visit our information bus which has been kindly provided by local public transport operator Stagecoach. The bus will be on the High Street in Perth outside the former Debenhams store. Visitors to the bus can speak to keyworkers from across the Council and partners discussing initiatives for challenging poverty, offering support and advice, and reducing the stigma.

Social media focus on encouraging people to access free public transport if they are entitled to and successful community transport projects.

Friday 6 October 2023

Theme: Food

Local social enterprise Giraffe Cafe is hosting a pay it forward style lunch event for us. If you order a pay it forward Bento Box lunch from Giraffe Cafe before 5pm on Wednesday 4 October, Giraffe will also provide two healthy ready meals to community members in need through financial of food insecurity.

Simply order your lunch via the Challenge Poverty page on the Giraffe website before 5pm on Wednesday, 4 October and you can help local people in need. You can arrange to pick up your order from the cafe on South Street, Perth or lunches can also be delivered for collection from G27 in Pullar House between 12 noon and 1pm.

If you're not working in Perth, or don't want to order a meal for yourself, you can also donate a single meal (£4 donation) or a family meal (£16) on the same Challenge Poverty page.
Social media focus on community larders/foodbank projects.