Tower and Town, October 2024 (view the full edition)Challenging PovertyAs part of Challenge Poverty Week 2024, Devizes and District Foodbank, with Marlborough Area Poverty Action Group, invite the community of Marlborough to this event to challenge the systems that are contributing to local poverty, for example housing-related issues, and to get information on the different levels on which destitution is being challenged - local, regional and national. The speakers will give short presentations followed by questions and answers. The event is all about challenging perceptions of poverty in Marlborough, starting conversations with decision-makers, and hearing about projects in Marlborough, Wiltshire and the UK that aim to challenge the systems that are pushing people towards poverty. As a food bank, we know that food is not the answer to rising poverty in the UK. The people who are pushed towards a food bank are not just struggling with affording food, but also paying rent, bills, buying school uniform, and other essential costs. The factors that push people towards food banks include precarious work, low wages, a flawed social security system, and housing issues, amongst others. The Mayor of Marlborough, Kym-Marie Cleasby, will also be attending. There will be information about local support on offer in Marlborough. We look forward to hosting our first Challenge Poverty Week event in Marlborough. For any enquiries, please contact Chairman of Devizes and District Foodbank, Richard Oliver, on richard@devizesdistrict.foodbank.org.uk. Alex Montegriffo |