Report from CAP in Sheffield's 2008 AGM

David Price, as chair, drew attention to some of the issues pursued during 2007-8:

Poverty and Homelessness Action Week
Starting on 27 January, this was the climax of this year. We held five events (the CAP newsletter described us as “leading the pack”), at which powerful testimony was given by people suffering from poverty and deprivation in various forms.

Amongst the findings from these events, to which we drew the attention of all the Sheffield MP’s and councillors, were:

• the need for more affordable housing;
• debt problems and bureaucracy as a cause of homelessness;
• ill health, including mental ill health, as a cause of homelessness;
• inadequate legal services and a ban on working for asylum-seekers;
• bureaucratic barriers to claiming benefits and to easing the return to work.
  

Destitute asylum-seekers
This included joining with other organisations to set up the South Yorkshire Migration and Asylum Action Group, participating in the City of Sanctuary in Sheffield (which seeks to change the culture in Sheffield to one of welcome to asylum seekers), and making some financial contribution to groups giving direct assistance to asylum-seekers.

The problems of single parents
We held a meeting addressed by representatives from SCOOPAid (a Sheffield charity providing advice and support to single parents) and from the DWP about the proposed (and subsequently enacted) requirements for single parents of children of 12+ to look for work. We remain concerned about the effect that compulsion may have if the regulations are not applied with sufficient sensitivity.

Interesting talks were then given by three speakers:

Frances Potter from the Sharrow Citizens Advice Bureau spoke on “Benefits and the Welfare to Work Agenda” and argued that it is the complexity of the benefits system and the frequent changes to the regulations, without reference to how people actually organise their lives, that create many of the barriers to escaping from poverty. She emphasised the importance of not stigmatising those who cannot work.

Canon Shackerley from Sheffield Anglican Cathedral described the work of the Archer Project, which has developed from its inception in 1990 to serving up to 90 meals a day to the homeless and also, importantly, providing a raft of services to help people back into stability, including having a home and employment.

Liam Purcell from CAP national office in Manchester introduced the Get Fair campaign, to be launched as a “follow on” to the findings of the Poverty and Homeless events held around the country. These identified the lack of affordable housing, the generally negative public perception of poverty and the lack of appropriate services as main issues. CAP would be leading on a national campaign, but in conjunction with many other faith-based and secular agencies to draw the attention of the public and politicians to these issues, and Liam invited CAP in Sheffield to play its part locally.