Empower and Elevate: Free Invitation To Cumbernauld’s Biggest Anti-Poverty Event This October

Cornerstone House Centre and Cumbernauld Community Board’s Food and Financial Insecurity Sub-Group are inviting local people and organisations to come together for an action-packed day of free advice, information and support in Cumbernauld town centre this October to mark Challenge Poverty Week 2024.

Empower and Elevate: Let’s Work Together to End Poverty in Cumbernauld will take place on Friday 11 October 2024 from 11.00am-3.00pm at Antonine Shopping Centre (Tryst Road, Cumbernauld, G67 1JW), with an open invitation extended to all. The unique partnership event is being led by Cornerstone House Centre in liaison with North Lanarkshire Council Community Partnership Team, Cumbernauld Community Board and Antonine Shopping Centre.

It will feature one of Cumbernauld’s largest-ever community marketplaces, with organisations from the Community and Voluntary Sector (CVS), Public Sector and Private Sector providing services for local people and families facing inequalities and financial security encouraged to book information stalls. This will enable them to engage with and offer free guidance, insight and assistance to people of all circumstances, including those experiencing poverty and deprivation, on the day.

To this end, a multitude of local service providers will be on hand at the event to offer valuable information and support in a range of areas, including benefit and debt advice, energy saving and keeping warm at home, mental health and wellbeing, employability, carer support and learning opportunities. Organisations can book information stalls at the marketplace by emailing WarrenA@northlan.gov.uk. Mary McNeil, Development Manager at Cornerstone House Centre, said:

“We would like to extend an invitation to all people of Cumbernald to drop in to see ‘Empower and Elevate: Let’s Work Together to End Poverty in Cumbernauld’ in action on Friday 11 October 2024, with local organisations encouraged to book a stall. The first 100 people attending will receive a free soup pack.

“It is recognised that a combination of increasing socioeconomic challenges has resulted in a major increase in the number of people from Cumbernauld that are struggling to keep their home warm at a reasonable cost and purchase essential food items on a daily basis.

“The planned event will serve as a pivotal platform for delivering crucial information and resources to residents in need. It will facilitate direct and indirect engagement between key public and community and voluntary sector sector providers and individuals who are struggling, offering them practical solutions and guidance.”

Challenge Poverty Week, taking place from 7-13 October this year, is an annual awareness campaign in Scotland designed to highlight the reality of poverty and encourage action to tackle it. It acts as the flagship initiative of The Poverty Alliance, a national intermediary which coordinates a network of organisations and individuals working to combat poverty across the country.

For further information about the planned event, please contact Cornerstone House Centre on events@cornerstone-house.org.uk or 01236 739220. More details on Challenge Poverty Week 2024 activities across Scotland can be obtained by clicking here.

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Click Here to Download ‘Empower and Elevate: Let’s End Poverty in Cumbernauld’ Event Poster