We hope you’ve all had a lovely summer. We’ve got a few events lined up for the Autumn which we are keen to share with you, along with updates on the planned changes to Universal Credit, due to come into force in October. There’s also the usual links to news and resources that we hope our network will find interesting and useful.
SFPA updates
-‘Worrying About Money?’ leaflet launch event and second print run
We will be running a launch event on Monday 11th October, 4pm-5pm for Shropshire’s new ‘Worrying About Money?’ leaflet. These leaflets are new co-produced resource for Shropshire that we hope will help to reduce barriers to existing financial entitlements and the need for charitable food aid.
The session will be a chance to:
Find out more about the leaflet, where to access it and how to use it.
Hear more about the ‘cash-first’ approach to food insecurity.
Understand more about the current financial landscape for people on low incomes in Shropshire.
Hear from some of the groups who have helped co-produce the leaflet and other frontline groups working in Shropshire.
Register your interest in receiving further training around the leaflet and how to approach conversations about money with the people you support.
You can register for a free place here.
We also now have more hard copies of the leaflet available- please let sophie@shrewsburyfoodhub.org.uk know if you would like some or fill in the online order form here.
Following on from our 2020/21 research into children’s food insecurity in Shropshire we are running a free online workshop on Wednesday 6th October 4pm-5.30pm.
The session will be an opportunity to:
Celebrate the successes of projects run by community organisations across Shropshire.
Learn from the many projects across Shropshire and further afield.
Hear more about the Shropshire Food Poverty Alliance’s research into children’s food insecurity.
Consider priority areas to continue and strengthen, along with new projects to start, and potential joint funding bids to develop that could improve access to healthy, affordable food in Shropshire
-Planned cut to Universal Credit
Many of you will be aware that the £20 per week uplift to Universal Credit which was introduced in March 2020 is due to be dropped from next month. Latest figures show that over 20000 people are currently in receipt of Universal Credit in Shropshire, an increase from 9431 at the beginning of 2020. Many of these people claim this benefit to top up low wages, with 43% of people claiming the benefit in Shropshire being in work. There are calls from across the political spectrum to make the uplift permanent.
You can find out more about the planned changes at the articles below:
Shropshire updates
As part of the National Bus Strategy Shropshire Council has compiled a survey regarding bus services. This could potentially be the biggest change to public transport in Shropshire for many years and they are encouraging as many people as possible to complete the survey.
- Shropshire HAF (Holiday Activities & Food) Celebration and Learning Event
On Tuesday 12 October, 7.00pm to 9.00pm at Shrewsbury Town Football Ground. Book a free place here.
Upcoming courses/ webinars
-Trust People’s Community Transformers Programme
A free online course for anyone who wants to make a difference in their community starting 27th September 2021. More information available here.