November 7, 2024

The South Lakes Poverty Truth Commissioners did themselves proud at their second public event, Nothing Without Us, in Windermere on 14 October.

About 85 people from as far afield as Morecambe, Barrow and Manchester, enjoyed an inspiring and engaging afternoon together at the Ladyholme Centre, hearing about the work of the PTC over the past year, their plans for the next few months and their hopes for the future.

The High Sheriff of Cumbria, local government members, officers and staff, health commissioners and funders and leaders of local charities and churches, as well as Commissioners from Morecambe Bay and Barrow PTCs, started by getting to know one another over a pie lunch from Old School Kitchen. Then, in the first session of the afternoon, Civic and Community Commissioners from each of the PTC’s four working groups – Poverty & Mental Health, Poverty & Community Hubs, Poverty & Domestic Abuse and Violence and Poverty & Person-Centred Services – took the stage, alongside partners from Westmorland & Furness Council and the NHS with whom they have been working – to share their achievements and experiences. Their work was also illustrated by four short films all now available on the Cumbria CVS YouTube channel in the SL PTC playlist.

After the coffee break, everyone took part in an activity led by PTC Facilitators Laura and Deb from Cumbria Development Education Centre using reflection on what they’d heard at the event to inspire pledges to take action to reduce the impact of poverty in the South Lakes. Those pledges, all photographed for posterity and currently being shared on social media, ranged from changing the language we use around poverty to raising the issues with managers in workplaces and considering funding applications and community projects differently.

The PTC is now focussed on completing a set of resources on poverty to be shared by the end of the year, evaluating and celebrating the work done, preparing to develop training on poverty in conjunction with W&F Council in the spring of 2025 and – finally – securing full funding for a second Poverty Truth Commission in the near future. The work goes on…

For more information, visit South Lakes PTC on Facebook or contact Coordinator Lois Sparling on lois.sparling@cumbriacvs.org.uk