09/10/2026
Challenge Poverty Week at STAR has brought together practical support, important conversations and opportunities to ensure our community’s experiences are heard 📢
On Monday, we attended the launch of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report 'Poverty in Scotland 2024' and discussed it with Fiona Stalker on BBC Radio Scotland🎙
On Tuesday we welcomed MP Johanna Baxter to volunteer at Pantry Plus and see our community food services in action.
On Wednesday, we joined the Fairer Renfrewshire Panel at a Renfrewshire Council drop-in, meeting with council officers to discuss the Panel’s achievements and hopes for the future. It was an opportunity to highlight the importance of people with lived experience of poverty helping shape local decisions.
We also launched Hope for Sale, our new workshop series exploring gambling, financial hardship and mental health. Funded by The Scottish Government through the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland, the series creates space to look beyond individual choices, challenge stigma and explore where people can find support ✊
On Thursday, we attended the Challenging Poverty through Human Rights event. We were also invited to St Andrew’s House to meet with MSP Shirley-Anne Somerville, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Housing, alongside fellow The Poverty Alliance members to share the realities of poverty in our community, discuss concerns about public sector reform and highlight the action needed to strengthen support for people on low incomes 💷
These opportunities matter because the experiences people share with us at STAR need to inform the decisions that affect their lives.
We’ve been proud members of The Poverty Alliance for many years, and their team have outdone themselves this year with the variety and quality of events. Thank you for bringing people together, creating space for honest discussion and keeping the focus on meaningful change🫶
Challenge Poverty Week is one week. Our commitment to dignity, fairness and tackling poverty continues daily 🙌
The Poverty Alliance
