Heledd Fychan Canol De Cymru - South Wales Central

Report following the Meeting of the Cost-of-Living  Network organised by Heledd Fychan MS

Tonyrefail Community Centre / The Lighthouse Project, Prichard Street, Tonyrefail, CF39 8PA.

18.10.2024

On the 18^th October, organisations working both locally and nationally came together in Tonyrefail for Heledd Fychan MS’ eighth Cost of Living network events.   The purpose of the network  is to respond to the needs of people in our community by bringing together community groups and organisations to share information, promote partnerships and discuss potential solutions

Over the past three years, it has become clear that the current situation is not a temporary crisis but rather a permanent one.

The speakers at the event were:

• Andrew Butcher and Matthew Stevens from Taff-Ely Foodbank and Trussel
• Steffan Evans Head of Policy (Poverty) with the Bevan Foundation
• Rocio Cifuentes MBE Children's Commissioner for Wales

This is a summary of the presentations:

Andrew Butcher

Andrew shared information about the four Food Banks in Rhondda Cynon Taf.  He wanted to remind us that these numbers represent people, adults, children and the elderly.  (presentation is attached)

Trussell is trying to work more closely with community food pantries to ensure that data is collected about food poverty in our communities.

Matters arising:

• Challenges for people to fill in forms especially online
• Pantri Cynon is happy to share statistics but asks when data is shared with politicians what then happens to that data and what are the results?

Matthew Stevens -  Trussel Campaign Coordinator for the Ensure the Essentials campaign

• 80% of food parcel recipients are on benefits. Over half of them say they cannot afford essential things.
• This campaign calls for 3 actions. If they were all realised it would lift  8 million  people out of poverty, including 600,000 children:

1. An independent process to regularly determine the Essentials Guarantee level, based on the cost of essentials, such as food, utilities and vital household goods.
2. That the basic rate of Universal Credit (its standard allowance) must at least meet this level, and
3. That deductions (such as debt repayment to government, or as a result of the benefit cap) can never pull support below this level.

    

   Dr. Steffan Evans Head of Policy (Poverty) at the Bevan Foundation

   Dr Evans gave a presentation setting the poverty of Wales in the context of Joseph Rowntree's definition of poverty (see attached presentation) 
   
   The Bevan Foundation will carry out further work in the following areas:
   
   Affordable housing (Welsh local authorities currently spend £100m a year on temporary accommodation) Nowhere to call home: Understanding our housing crisis - Living in temporary accommodation - Bevan Foundation
   
   Childcare - because taking a break from work due to a lack of affordable childcare has a long-term effect on mothers' income in particular
   
   Welsh benefits system - work has started on this but improvements are slow
   
   Access to justice for example free school meals for immigrant children and those with no access to public funds

    

    

   Apps to control your money (Emma / Plum / Hyperjar)

   Between 12-14% of people who responded to the Bevan Foundation survey use them and find them useful
   
   Issues raised:
   
   Many of the solutions are political choices and poverty is not inevitable. 
   
   Bevan Foundation’s organisation does not support the government's efforts to ban 3for2 offers from shops on less healthy foods because of the impact on those who are poorest.  Resources - Bevan Foundation 

Rocio Cifuentes Children’s Commissioner for Wales 

By the time a child is 5 years old, half of the calories they eat are used by their brain.  So it must be remembered that the impact of malnutrition on young children is extremely significant.  

The Commissioner's job is to promote and advocate for children's human rights - which are incorporated in the UNCRC 

The Commissioner has a team of 22 people working in Port Talbot.  They try to get out as much as possible to talk to people in the community. Recently they were in food banks where stories were told of the extreme impact of poverty on children - situations that were like Dickens stories from Victorian times. 

The Office's work is based on the response of over 10,000 children and young people to a survey they carried out which has led to their 3 year strategy. Three-year strategy: 2023-26 - Children’s Commissioner for Wales

The United Nations monitoring committee reported last year that the biggest problem of children's rights in Wales and the UK was child poverty and that better strategies with targets and political commitment were needed.  

Some of the main policy issues the Commissioner is campaigning on are:

• Housing and homelessness
• The call for free transport for young people and children
• Better support for mental health issues

Rocio said that inequality and greed are issues that need attention.  

 Matters raised with Rocio:

She was asked about the recent decision by the Welsh Government to refuse to support GCSE in British Sign Language BSL - a decision which affects the ability of young people and children to communicate.

The call for free public transport was supported.  Although the Commissioner and the Petitions Committee asked the Welsh Government to prepare for this, the call was refused.

A question was asked about the Welsh Youth Parliament - a body of 60 young people who are elected by young people. At the moment there is no obligation for the Welsh Government to respond to their recommendations or their reports.

The Commissioner told us that her office has case workers who can sometimes provide assistance and that anyone is welcome to refer cases to them.

Contact: 

01792 765600

08088011000

[email protected]

Feedback from the event

Responses from those at the meeting showed that people really enjoyed the guest speakers, and the information provided, and the opportunity to network.

All said that they would like to see another meeting and suggested sessions on single parents in poverty, youth mental health issues,           healthy foods, in-work poverty, and there was a call for a goal focused session (how to get it done)

Who attended?

• Sustainable food coordinator RCTCBC
• Warm Wales Cymru
• Community Sharing Shop Porth
• Wales Council for the Deaf
• Interlink
• Valleys Kids
• Lottery
• Bryncynon Strategy
• Grow Rhondda CIC
• Ynysbwl Youth Club
• Valleys Steps
• Tonyrefail Pantry New Life Church
• Trussell
• Pontypridd food bank
• Arts Factory
• Gobaith Clothing Presbyterian Church of Wales
• Spectacle Theatre
• Coalfields Regeneration

If you would like to attend a future event, or think someone you know would like to find out more, please ask them to get in touch via [email protected]