Sheffield Central Labor MP Abtisam Mohamed has called on the government to find ways to reduce inequality by increasing financial support for low-income families and restoring support for early childhood.
Mrs Mohammed was speaking at the annual Urban Poverty Pilgrimage organized by our local group Church Action on Poverty in Sheffield.
He told the participants: “Campaigning against poverty is very important to me – it’s why I got involved in politics.”
Ms Mohammed called on the government to reverse sanctions that had reduced the amounts paid to benefit violators.
“The last thing we need to do is adopt a culture of sanctions where people are forced into work when they are not ready or need support to return to work.
“While I am pleased that the Government has said we will review benefits and Universal Credit, I will be pressing with many of my colleagues to make sure this review goes in the right direction so that social security provides real security. a network for people who need it most.”
Abtisam Mohamed said he hoped the government would reinstate and end the Sure Start program introduced by the last Labor government. two child limit.
“Certainly Start was a major program that many young people benefited from. “The loss of Sure Start centers was one of the biggest tragedies of the last 14 years.”
Ms Mohamed welcomed the launch of Sheffield’s Poverty Truth Commission, which brings together people with experience of poverty and people from the civic and business sectors who make decisions that affect people’s lives across the city.
He said he hoped to link the Commission with the National Child Poverty Task Force set up by the new Labor Government to develop strategies to reduce child poverty.
Sheffield Church’s Pilgrimage to Urban Poverty was the 15th event organized by the local group in the city. The event is designed to raise awareness and understanding of how poverty affects people in Sheffield and initiatives run by interfaith groups.
This year’s pilgrimage took place in Broomhall, Broomhill, Crookes and Hillsborough areas of the city. Pilgrims heard from a number of people actively involved in poverty alleviation.
Broomhall Center chair of trustees Jillian Creasey told pilgrims that energy poverty has become a major issue for people in the area and the Center has offered £50,000 to fund Citizens Advice staff and energy advice sessions for local people.
The Revd Beth Keith, vicar appointee at St Mark’s Church in neighboring Broomhill, said the pilgrims were trying to provide one-on-one support for rough sleepers from the area, who often choose its grounds as their first refuge after losing or leaving their homes.
Both Broomhall and Broomhill have a higher proportion of students and people seeking shelter and this is reflected in the make-up of those who find themselves homeless.
The Revd Keith told the pilgrims: “Many of them are victims of sexual harassment and violence – particularly asylum seekers who have had violent and traumatic experiences in their own communities.”
Fr Michael Umameh, Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Hillsborough, highlighted how poverty is increasing across the board, but also spreading beyond traditional areas of focus such as finance, housing, food and energy: “Poverty exists at different levels.”
Some people have financial means, but they can’t go out because they can’t walk long distances, can’t carry bags, and don’t have vehicles. Others are lonely because they don’t have friends, others have been forced to flee their countries and cannot speak English well enough to explain their work or fill out forms, but cannot call on translators to help them.
“Lack of translators is also a type of poverty” said Mr. Michael, emphasizing the role of Hillsborough parishes together and the Society of St Vincent de Paul of the Sacred Heart, now celebrating its centenary, to alleviate some of these problems.
Fr Michael urged people to go beyond the simplistic stereotypes that some people try to stereotype asylum seekers and migrants.
“When you call someone just an immigrant, you deny their identity. Ask them for their stories. “The best way to understand problems is to ask people their stories.”
Vicky Romegoux and Veronica Hardstaff, of St Mary’s, Walkley, said the influx of professionals was driving demographic changes in the area. However, Walkley is a ‘layered community’ with social deprivation and hidden needs, which members of St Mary’s congregation are trying to address through action in a number of community groups.
At Walkley, pilgrims also heard from the Revd Dr Alan Billings, former Police and Crime Commissioner for South Yorkshire.
Dr Billings told the pilgrims that churches were not engaging with communities as they had in the 1980s, when he played a leading role in the Faith Church of England City Commission.
It has been asked whether the church today is as “afraid to put its head on the parapet” as before.
In the 1980s he said: “Looking back on the city in faith, I realize that as we traveled the country, we encountered congregations in urban areas that had deep roots in their communities and could tell us their stories.
“A lot of that was lost because we didn’t have the numbers back then – but it’s true
many organizations including trade unions and political parties. “All groups have weakened, but I think the churches are not communicating in the same way.”
