The first meeting of the Motherwell and Wishaw Community Action Network was held at the start of Challenge Poverty Week.
The Community Action Network (CAN) is an initiative which brings together charities, civil society groups, churches, community and national organisations, and campaigners with a shared commitment to tackling poverty and supporting people in their community.
Challenge Poverty Week is an annual campaign coordinated by the Poverty Alliance, which sees campaigners and charities across Scotland highlight the injustice of poverty and propose solutions to address inequality.
The Network will allow members to share their expertise, raise awareness of different issues facing their community, and work collaboratively to support people in Motherwell and Wishaw and across Lanarkshire.
CAN continues the legacy of the Poverty Action Network which began in 2016 spearheaded by the then SNP MP Marion Fellows.
Motherwell and Wishaw MSP Clare Adamson is the chair of Community Action Network.
She said: “It is fitting that the Community Action Network holds our first meeting to mark Challenge Poverty Week because the group’s members are dedicated and driven to doing just that all year round.
“CAN’s members are committed and compassionate campaigners, local volunteers, stalwarts of the community, and experts across from local and national organisations from a range of policy areas: mental health to climate change; food insecurity to fuel poverty; problematic substance use to disability support and more.
“Through collaborative working, we want to bring about better outcomes for the people of Motherwell and Wishaw and highlight the need for change at national level.
“People are worried about rising costs and it is impacting health as well as finances. CAN will bring together incredible community groups and national organisations to support the people we serve.
“People are facing food insecurity, inadequate social security support, barriers to education and employment, fuel poverty, and all of it is contributing to poor mental and physical health.
“There is no single solution to ending poverty but that is why CAN is important. We want to bring together people with expertise in different areas.
“Poverty impacts just about every issue of policy and that is why we need collaboration to bring about the systemic change.
“I must pay tribute to my friend Marion Fellows who started the Poverty Action Network in 2016. It was brilliant to work with community groups through that network and we felt it was important to carry on that good work in a new forum.
“Our first meeting was positive and productive, but our members know all too well that we have so much to do.”
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