Help and information available during Challenge Poverty Week

Challenge Poverty Week, which runs this week, until Sunday, October 10, is a national campaign run by the Poverty Alliance to show that poverty exists in Scotland and affects everyone.

Challenge Poverty Week is designed to highlight that poverty is a solveable problem, and to showcase solutions everyone can get behind.

Each year, hundreds of organisations in Scotland do just that, including elected representative, charities and NGOs, local authorities, faith groups, businesses, school and colleges, trade unions, professional bodies and more.

During the week, the Angus Child Poverty Working Group has been keen to build on recent work to gather the views of local people so they can understand the issues that people are facing by bringing them and services together for a cuppa and blether at various venues across in Arbroath, Montrose, Brechin and Carnoustie.

Mark Armstrong, chairman of the Child Poverty Local Action Group and Depute Chief Executive of Angus Council has also posted a video message sharing the priority for the Community Planning Partnership Group to eliminate child poverty across communities and families in Angus.

The county’s firefighters are also getting behind the campaign, with events at fire stations in several burghs up to Friday (October 8).

Kirriemuir Fire Station will be open from 11.30am-1.30pm while Carnoustie Fire station will be open from 9.30am-11.30am and Arbroath’s will be open between 10.30am and 12.30pm and each will be organising different activities to raise awareness surrounding poverty.

They will also be inclusive opportunities for people to go along and meet their local fire fighters, have a look at the fire engines and get some fire safety advice.

Kirriemuir crews are running an open station where visitors can receive a bite to eat while on station and also meet representatives from several support groups from Angus Council and charities who will be on hand to speak to people and and offer advice..

At Carnoustie, firefighters are giving out breakfast packs, clothing and will also have a few support groups from Angus Council and charities present. coming along to speak to people.

Arbroath Fire Station will be handing out soup bags, nappies, baby wipes and other items kindly donated by Morrisons.

Also, offering the opportunity for people to pop down and get information on how they can get help but also how they can help. Various local charities and Angus Council support groups will be in attendance.

For a limited time period, Angus Council has also made it easier for certain categories of people to get around by more easily accessing public transport.

Up until Sunday, October 17 October, the council is providing free bus travel throughout Angus (including travel to and from Dundee) for a ll children under 12 accompanied by one adult and young people who have a National Entitlement/Young Scot Card.

Families who have children/young people with additional support needs, and are unable to use local buses, may access free transport by calling one of the numbers below. Please use a service local to your area and quote “Holiday Fun” when booking.

Angus-wide (fully accessible minibuses)

Scotblue: 07939 178267

Shorts Travel: 01307 477914

Brechin/Montrose (taxis)

ABK Cabs: 01356 622228

Arbroath/Carnoustie/Monifieth (taxis)

Barr Cabs: 01241 853000

Links Cabs: 07775 903627

Carnoustie/Dundee/Murroes/Monifieth (taxis)

Tele Taxis: 01382 669333

Over the school holiday there are also fun learning activities based around reducing food waste and the impact on the environment. These also include an S-Mart Meal Kit with recipe and ingredients for the family to cook together.

This is available to any family which is eligible for the free school meals or school clothing grant and will be held daily from up to Friday (October 8) thereafter daily from Monday, October 11 to Friday, October 15. To book a place email [email protected] email or message S-Mart Angus on Facebook.

Other useful information is available on the council’s website, including an online Benefit Calculator to help fi nd out what benefits you can claim; budgeting tool to help create your own personal budget plan; a benefits and entitlements webpage to claim or apply for benefits; details about the council’s welfare rights advisers who provide free confidential help and advice at www.angus.gov.uk/welfarerights.

The council’s Skills Team also offers a variety of training opportunities within Angus for those looking to gain sustained employment. It may also be able to assist with short- term funding for vocational training or childcare costs as well as providing support and guidance to those recently made redundant due to Covid -19.

Find out more about the ‘No-one Left Behind’ initiative which offers employability support for people leaving school to those up to 67 years old. Details can be found at https://www.angus.gov.uk/