Sefton’s Welfare Reform and Anti-Poverty Partnership (WRAP) held it’s annual conference last month at Linacre Mission in Bootle.

The Partnership is made up of a number of organisations from across Sefton that are dedicated to alleviating poverty and supporting those affected by welfare reform.

This year’s conference was themed around the ‘Power of Partnership to Alleviate Poverty’ and outlined the Partnerships future action plan while celebrating examples of the work that’s already happening in the borough.

Representatives from Sefton Council, Sefton CVS, South Sefton Foodbanks, the Department for Work and Pensions, Citizens Advice Sefton, Migrant Workers Sefton Community, The Salvation Army and Sefton Council’s Affordable Warmth Team spoke at the event to provide an insight into their work and the pressures they continue to face.

They shared the following statistics:

• South Sefton Foodbanks gives out seven to eight tonnes of food a month
• Citizens Advice Sefton has written off £7 million of debt to those in need
• Last year, Migrant Workers Sefton Community helped 184 people into full time employment
• Footfall at Sefton’s Salvation Army hit 8,900
• Sefton Council’s Affordable Warmth team assists over 1,000 households

Attendees also had the opportunity to have their say on six potential projects for 2019/20 including a coat bank, debt project, period poverty, friendship, funeral poverty and taking root.

Cllr Trish Hardy, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing, said: “Many people in Sefton continue to suffer as a result of policies and decisions that are out of their control and I hope that our partnership work can help to rebuild a small element of social security that this Government has taken away.

“I can’t thank all of the people who are involved in the services and activities that are helping to alleviate poverty enough, but rest assured that Sefton Council continues to fight austerity and make it one of our key pledges as we work with partners to help those most affected by welfare reform.”

Residents that may be affected by welfare reform can find information and support at www.sefton.gov.uk/benefits