Watch: Cost of Living Assembly speaker videos & report download
The second Network of Kindness Cost of Living Assembly was an opportunity to hear from three projects about how they're responding to the crisis in local communities. You can watch videos of all three guest speakers at the event below, and click here to download our report summarising what we heard about and discussed at the event. |
Rev’d Jack Shepherd – Missional Priest at the Parish of Upholland and Dalton
Jack spoke about the Oaks church warm space, foodbank and warm coat scheme, run from a council house on the Tanhouse estate in Skelmersdale.
Gayle Connor-McCreith of The Opening Doors Project
Gayle spoke about how the Opening Doors project is working with the local community in Walton, in partnership with St Nathaneal’s church.
Richard Owens, CEO of Compassion Acts
Richard spoke about work running food banks, pantries and moving ‘from charity to solidarity’ with communities in Southport and Formby.
The Network of Kindness Cost of Living Assemblies aim to help gather a deeper understanding of the issues communities are experiencing locally, and discuss how we can support each other with practical and impactful responses.
Please join the Network of Kindness and follow our social media @TogethLiv on Twitter and @TogetherLiverpool on Facebook for details of upcoming events. In the meantime, here are some useful links for reading, and updates from selected national cost of living campaigns:
- The Child Poverty and the Cost of Living Crisis report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group Child of the North (Jan 2023), has found that children in the North are some of the least protected from the current cost of living crisis. The report shows that child poverty, including fuel poverty and food insecurity, is higher in the North than the rest of England.
- Joseph Rowntree Foundation Going under and without: JRF’s cost of living tracker, winter 2022/23 This report makes clear that Government support provided so far hasn't been sufficient to stem the tide of hardship for millions of families.
- VS6 Partnership 'Sustainable & Affordable Food for LCR' Report (Dec 2022) reveals the scale of food poverty in Liverpool City Region and offers an 11-point plan. Download the report, with a Forward from our Chair of Trustees, Rev Canon Dr Ellen Loudon, here.
- Christians Against Poverty Cost of Living Crisis Report (Nov 2022) explores why credit is too often the only lifeline for people in difficult times, and accessible routes to safety. CAP UK | Lifelines to safety
- End Child Poverty Action Coalition/ Child Poverty Action Group (Nov 2022) Explores the the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on 16-25 year olds: We’re Skint - End Child Poverty
- Theos Think Tank (Nov 2022) A Torn Safety Net: How the cost of living crisis threatens its own last line of defence. Hannah Rich’s report explores how economic and social in insecurity is affecting churches, faith groups and local communities. It draws on 48 interviews with faith leaders, volunteers and charity workers in four local authority areas. Download the full report with Foreword by Gordon Brown and Dr Rowan Williams here.
- Together Liverpool Network of Kindness Cost Of Living Assembly Report Download our report following the last CoLA held in September 2022, here: Cost of Living Assembly Report - Together Liverpool
You can also watch this video of Rev Jack Shepherd speaking at General Synod about the Cost of Living crisis
Jack highlights the work of the Network of Kindness and how churches across the Diocese of Liverpool are working in solidarity with communities: