THIS week, I read that this summer was the first in nearly a decade which has been “free from political crises”.
It’s true that crises such as Covid and a Tory leadership contest have in past years led to calls for MPs to return to Westminster early. So, is this a summer without crisis? Absolutely not.
Away from Parliament, I have been visiting communities and groups across County Durham and the shadow of the cost of living crisis has lingered over every meeting.
Times are tough. Households have experienced the greatest drop in living standards since the 1950s. It’s as unsurprising as it is tragic that poverty has risen across our region. Across the North East just over one third of children in every classroom are growing up in poverty – a figure that’s exploded by nearly 10 per cent in under a decade on the Conservative government’s watch.
However, amongst this gloomy picture, lights of hope have shone in Durham’s communities. I have met incredible selfless volunteers and community workers who have reacted to this crisis and the needs of local people in difficult times, helping to shield those struggling from poverty in their area. An exhibition of true community spirit.
It has been heartening to meet with members of groups such as Durham Area Youth, who enrich the lives of young people though providing a safe environment for developing skills and having fun across Durham, or the Bearpark breakfast club, who bring elderly folk together for conversation and activities to combat social isolation.
In Coxhoe, I’ve met with volunteers at the Village Food Pantry, an entirely community-led food bank packaging a mixture of donations from the public in addition to “waste” from supermarkets donated by Co-op and FareShare to ensure families can access healthy food as grocery costs soar.
There are groups like these going the extra mile for local people in almost every community, but what often unites them is a need for vital funding to deliver new projects, and often also for something as simple as keeping their lights on and doors open.
That’s why it was incredibly useful to meet with Michelle Cooper, Chief Executive of County Durham Community Foundation, a grant-making charity which has sought to expose the pain and prevalence of poverty in our county, and which awards vital funds to groups seeking to address poverty of opportunity and to enrich lives.
In the past year, the foundation has successfully channelled £4m of much needed funding into many of the most deprived communities. As a former community development worker for Durham’s Council for Voluntary Service, I know the huge difference that relatively small pots of money can make to individuals and communities, but they often lack a voice in Parliament.
Recently, I have been elected as chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Charities and Volunteering. As Parliament returns, it is clear how important charities and voluntary groups are in combatting the serious social challenges in our society. But they cannot do it alone. They need Government on their side, willing to recognise the huge positive economic impact they can make.
As summer turns to autumn many will once again face the intolerable choice of heating or eating, but people in Durham can be confident that I’ll be fighting for their community, to support them and all those seeking to end poverty.
- Mary Kelly Foy is the Labour MP for the City of Durham
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