Surrey Charity: "3/4 children in poverty are from working families"
Walton Charity has launched three initiatives that aim to find more innovative ways to tackle poverty, and learn more about the nature of the problem
A charity in Elmbridge have launched a series of initiatives this festive period to tackle the growing issue of poverty.
These initiatives launched by the Walton Charity include a forum which gathers local civic, community and business leaders in an attempt to share and develop innovative ways of tackling the issue in the local area.
Walton Charity CEO Rob Mills, says there is plenty of misconception in the area regarding poverty across Surrey.
"People sometimes don't believe that poverty exists in Surrey. We are very fortunate that we live in a lovely county and also the lovely borough of Elmbridge, close to the river, nice houses, good connections into London, but there's real pockets of deprivation in in Surrey."
Rob adds that inequality has been rapidly on the rise in the local area, with alarming statistics to back it up
"We've seen a 40% increase of people using the food bank since 2022 and that's just in Walton and Hersham Food Bank in Elmbridge.
3/4 of children in poverty within Elmbridge are from working families. So it's not an issue just affecting people who are unemployed or retired, it's actually people who are working, that's the biggest increase that we've seen."
Walton Charity have done work with the Good Company in East Surrey, who Rob says have been invaluable to making a difference.
The Poverty Truth Commission brought together over twenty organisations, plus foodbank volunteers and clients with lived experience, to discuss collective responsibility to tackle poverty and inequality.
"The Poverty Truth Commission is something quite different. It's new for us, but the Good Company over in East Surrey have done a couple of poverty truth commissions and this is bringing together a number of people with lived experience of poverty, which is really, really critical.
And for people to hear directly from people with lived experience and poverty of what the services and the difference it makes to them."
The Walton Charity have also launched a fundraiser to help cope with increasing demand, the fundraiser is on Just Giving and is called 'More Than a Meal'
It focuses on expanding the hub at the charity called The Bridge, which is a community space offering a warm welcome to Elmbridge working families who are struggling with the rising cost of living.
If you want to donate to the fundraiser, click here: More Than a Meal fundraiser
Rob added that although poverty and inequality is undeniably on the rise, charities by nature must be optimistic.
"I think anybody working in the charity sector has to remain optimistic that we can make a difference and change people's lives for the better.
It does does feel tough sometimes when you're having pressures from all sides and we know that the cost of living crisis is continuing and having a big impact on people.
But I think we, we all remain optimistic that we can make a difference to people's lives."