Staff event arranged for Challenge Poverty Week
Colleagues are – once again – proudly backing Challenge Poverty Week in October to help anyone who is living in crisis.
The week-long drive (5 to 11 October) shines a light on poverty and what we can do to help make life better for people in our communities – and staff - who are struggling to make ends meet.
Arranged by the Poverty Alliance charity, the week of events and awareness raising inspires communities to work together, support each other and find new ways to change attitudes.
This is the eleventh consecutive year the Council has proudly shown its backing for the national campaign.
The week is used to shine a light on Council services and partner organisation supports that are available to help people in need – wherever they live in North Ayrshire.
The daily themes for this year’s activities are:
- Monday 5 October – Social Security
- Tuesday 6 October – Energy
- Wednesday 7 October – Fair Work
- Thursday 8 October – Tackling Child Poverty
- Friday 9 October – Communities and Volunteers
- Saturday 10 October - Stand up for mental health
- Sunday 11 October - Care and prayer.
Here in North Ayrshire, throughout the week, the Council’s social media channel will be used to highlight:
- how the team at North Ayrshire’s welfare rights and money advice service, Money Smart, helps residents financially and what the feedback from service users has been in recent months
- an energy support grant, various schemes and advice that is available to residents who are struggling to pay energy bills or are at risk of being cut off
- how local businesses play their part through offering flexible working practices to parents and being a Real Living Wage employer
- the great work being done through our network of community larders
- the role our Third Sector partners play in supporting residents in collaboration with the Council.
There will also be an in-person event, for Council staff only, at The Volunteer Rooms, Parterre, Irvine, on Tuesday, October 6 from 9.30am to noon.
This will include presentations from partner organisations Lemon Aid Energy Advice and One Parent Families Scotland as well as our own Child Poverty team.
Lemon Aid has been offering free, impartial energy advice to people living in Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway for 13 years.
Advisers can offer guidance on: to how to lower and manage your gas and electricity debts and getting your gas or electricity back on if you’ve been disconnected. They can also help deal with energy suppliers and billing issues on your behalf and tap into broader support from other organisations on your behalf.
One Parent Families Scotland is the leading charity working with single parent families in Scotland.
It provides expert advice and practical support on a range of issues from welfare rights and money advice to wellbeing and access to flexible childcare services.
On the day, our Child Poverty team will talk about the impact fuel poverty has on children and there will also be market stalls to browse, including representatives from Money Smart, Christians Against Poverty, Social Security Scotland, CEIS Ayrshire, Megan’s Space, Children First and our network of community larders.
If you would like to attend, simply pop along to The Volunteer Rooms (near The Portal leisure centre on High Street) on the day.
This is a drop-in event but please be aware that presentations will be held between 9.45am and 11.30am.
The Council’s top priorities include reducing child poverty and supporting residents through the continuing Cost-of-living Crisis.
Existing support available through the Council includes: finding work through the employability service, Working North Ayrshire; foodbanks and budgeting; Council Tax reduction and a range of grants; disability benefits and housing benefit.
If you need help with Cost-of-Living support, please visit the Council’s dedicated webpage.
You can find out more about the work of the Poverty Alliance.
Follow North Ayrshire Council on Facebook between 5 and 11 October, using #ChallengePoverty
Published September 30, 2026
