By Lesley Walsh
ARDS and North Down hides chronic deprivation due to its perception as being part of ‘the Gold Coast’, according to a local charity leader.
But it is a borough in which many of its inhabitants suffer a ‘generational cycle of hardship’, and contains only a few pockets of wealth, according to Derek McGregor, manager of Community Advice Ards and North Down.
That is the reality gleaned from research and which has led to a landmark conference which will bring those affected by poverty and policy makers together next week.
People affected by fuel poverty, in-work poverty and affordable housing are being invited to join the Breaking the Cycle: Real Help Against Poverty conference being hosted by Community Advice Ards and North Down (CAAND), formerly the Citizens’ Advice Bureau.
Local government ministers are scheduled to attend the conference along with MLAs and local councillors. The event is aimed at addressing the wide-ranging and escalating cost-of- living challenges within the borough.
It will also feature specialists in the landscape of deprivation, including Sarah Corrigan, from The Law Centre (NI), and Jude Hill-Mitchell, from Save The Children.
They will address the pertinent issues of poverty, following extensive research into the root causes and
profound impacts of poverty. Together, they aim to offer a roadmap for how local communities can better advocate for those in need.
The event takes place next Thursday, May 14, at Bangor’s Community Hub at 39 Hamilton Road, from 9.15am to 12-00 noon and is open to everyone in the community.
Derek McGregor, CAAND manager, said among those currently struggling to cope were home owners coming out of fixed rate mortgages, who suddenly find themselves paying monthly payments that have risen sharply. “Likewise, renters are coping with
£200 or £300 per month rent rises imposed by landlords and they’re among the ‘working poor’, which, though I don’t like the term, describes working people who are finding it difficult at the moment. “Older people are affected too,” he added. “ Twenty three per cent of people in our borough are older people, and we have the largest population of older people in all of the 11 council areas in Northern Ireland.
“In Ards and North Down, specific issues such as fuel poverty, in-work poverty and affordable housing continue to trap people in a generational cycle of hardship.” Ethnic minorities are joining the ranks of those availing of support services available in ever-growing numbers too, he added.
Mr McGregor also spoke to smash the common perception of the so- called ‘gold coast’ depicting general wealth within the borough.
“The perception is exactly that, of ‘the gold coast’, but Ards and North Down is an area of deprivation with a few areas of wealth, he said. “Poverty in Ards and North Down often remains under the radar.”
Expanding on the aims of the conference, he added: “We are trying to have a discussion and make all the groups and partners we work with be aware of each other. Secondly, we will have policy makers there, including two ministers from the Northern Ireland Executive, MLAs and councillors who need to know about, and be aware of, the situation.
“It’s also for members of the public and to tell them that there is help out there.”
The event will also celebrate the work of the local voluntary sector, showcasing the positive impact of the vital work of organisations who provide daily lifelines to the community.
“By bringing together the legal and research expertise of the Law Centre and Save The Children, in addition to hearing about the positive work and positive impact from some of our local frontline partners, we can strive to alleviate poverty within our area.
“We just want to assure people that there is help.”
