The Stoke-on-Trent Hardship Commission is committed to tackling hardship in the city of Stoke-on-Trent.
The Commission’s membership consists of representatives from a range of constituencies including third sector organisations, education and the local authority.
There can be no doubt that the City is committed to an ambitious programme of economic regeneration but there are significant and deep-seated problems associated with poverty and hardship. For example, Stoke is the 14th most deprived district out of 317 in England; 43% of children live in poverty; and in terms of destitution rates the city ranks 11th out of all local authorities in the UK.
We believe that for the majority of people, hardship is not caused by individuals making good or bad life choices, rather people living the harsh realities of poverty experience a diminishing range of choices that in the end lead to little or no choice; heat or eat sadly is a reality for many. Given support, resources and opportunities individuals, families and communities will thrive.
In addition to analysing various sources of data we are increasingly focussing our energies on building a campaigning movement that places the lived experience of those experiencing hardship at the heart of what the Commission does. Our rallying cry is ‘Raising Voices, Changing Minds, Ending Poverty’
Find out more about our members here