The Bishop of Derby hosted the Department for Work and Pensions Minister, Baroness Sherlock OBE, to see projects and meet people involved with Derby Food4Thought Alliance and other anti-poverty work.
The visit was arranged to showcase the vital contribution of churches and other faith communities in Derby supporting children and families experiencing poverty, as part of stakeholder engagement the Government is undertaking ahead of the publication of its child poverty strategy.
The Minister visited the Osmaston/Allenton Family Hub, a partnership between Alvaston Churches Together and the Jubilee debt advice project. She met with people who use the services, volunteers and staff to discuss the resources available, including debt and benefits signposting, food support, and activities for young children.
At the Padley YMCA Centre, the Minister heard from service users about services that have particularly helped them and their children through difficult times. This was followed by a policy-focused round table meeting with representatives from local churches, schools, the council, former service users who have become volunteers, and others involved in the Derby Poverty Commission, enabling a rich discussion of the different initiatives and joined up work taking place within Derby to tackle child poverty, and some of the barriers still faced in offering provision.
Reflecting on the visit, the Bishop of Derby, Libby Lane, said: “It was good to give the Minister a flavour of the work taking place out of faith communities in Derby to support children and families. These examples of faith in action in Derby give hope that every child can know that they are loved and enjoy a happy, healthy start to life. I pray for an ambitious and effective child poverty strategy that draws on the skills and potential of our communities, not just to deal with the consequences of poverty but address the root causes.”
Baroness Sherlock said: "I am deeply moved by the dedication and impact of the faith communities in Derby, and I’m very grateful to Bishop Libby for her invitation to visit these projects.
“The projects I saw were inspiring, and demonstrate how essential partnerships between local organisations, churches, faith-based projects and government are in addressing the particular needs of the community.
“As we continue to engage with stakeholders across the country, the insights gathered during my visit will help inform our upcoming child poverty strategy. We are determined that our strategy not only addresses the immediate needs of those affected by poverty but also tackles its root causes, breaking down barriers of opportunity and ensuring every child can thrive, as part of our Plan for Change."
Paul Brookhouse, Senior Manager of Derby Food4Thought Alliance, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome Baroness Sherlock and some of her team to highlight the great partnership work we have here in Derby and the collective working to tackle the high rates of child poverty. I appreciate Bishop Libby organising this so that we could specifically highlight the faith led projects and their unique offer to the residents of Derby.”
