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Campaign Events

Campaign Events

For our main future activity see Keep the Promise.

Below are a list of past campaign events:

Annual Debate and AGM

February, 2008

Alongside the election results and a round up of the years achievements, attendees were invited to celebrate the Dare to Care: Make time to help to end child poverty volunteering project with presentations from Claire Ghoussoub, CSV, John Ellis and Liz Thorne Barnardo’s and Moira Luccock, NCH.

End Child Poverty rally

November, 2007

There were about 300 people at this rally outside the Treasury, from a wide variety of organisations that make up the Campaign to End Child Poverty; all calling for the Government to keep its child poverty promises.  Demonstrators were joined by politicians from the main 3 political parties including Kerry McCarthy, Tim Loughton, Vince Cable, the acting leader of the Liberal Democrats, and one of the leadership candidates, Chris Huhne.

Following the rally, young people, connected with members of the Campaign to End Child Poverty, met Government ministers to quiz them about child poverty.  The young people questioned 3 Secretary of States and a Minister: Alistair Darling, Ed Balls, Peter Hain and Jane Kennedy at the meeting chaired by Kerry McCarthy.  They were questioned about their commitment to ending child poverty and meeting the child poverty targets they set themselves. 

The Chancellor re-committed himself to the child poverty targets and promised action on child poverty in the next two budgets.  We will continue to keep the pressure on to make sure that this happens.

Launch of the Month of Action 2007

October, 2007

We launched the Month of Action on 17 October – World Poverty Day – with the release of a fresh look at child poverty across the UK in the press and two events, a TUC conference and a policy seminar at the National Adult and Children’s Services conference.

The TUC event – a Minimum Social Wage conference – was hosted by the Unemployed Workers Centre in support of the Campaign to End Child Poverty. This conference was well received and we have had reports from attendees impressed with the energy and momentum in the room.

Secretary of State for DWP Peter Hain reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to the issue of ending child poverty. ECP Director Hilary Fisher and other members of the Campaign were also invited to speak and take part in the panel.

On the same day Jo Coles, ECP Trustee, Caroline Abrahams, Programme Director for Children and Young People, LGA and Claire Kober, Head of Policy and Campaigns, FWA, spoke at the ECP policy session – “How Local Government services can end unequal choices for children in poverty”. This session attracted a great deal of interest from more than 70 Council representatives and Directors of Children’s services.

Engaging with teachers at the NUT Conference

April, 2007

Engaging with teachers at the NUT Conference in Harrogate, April 2007

Millions of children go without basic necessities such as adequate clothing or a healthy diet and so are excluded or unable to fully take part in school activities. Teachers are well aware of the damaging impact that poverty can have on a child and their educational achievements or expectations, and know this damage can last a lifetime. So for the first time this year we went to the National Union of Teachers annual conference to meet teachers and involve them with the Campaign. If you are a teacher and would like more information about how your school can participate in the Campaign to End Child Poverty then do email info@ecpc.org.uk

Annual Debate and AGM

March, 2007

Carey Oppenheim, Chair of the London Child Poverty Commission and David Walker, editor, Guardian’s Public magazine explored the possibilities that a new Prime Minister and administration would provide for the Campaign in this exciting discussion with Campaign members and supporters.

At the event we bid a fond farewell to our Chair, Caroline Abrahams, Director of Programmes, Local Government Association who has served the Campaign superbly over the last few years and welcomed Martin Narey, Chief Executive of Barnardo’s who was elected as the new Chair of the Campaign. He spoke of his enthusiasm and commitment to ending child poverty and addressing the membership acknowledged, “We are utterly united in our determination to make a real difference to children’s lives.”

Following the debate our AGM recognised the election of two new associate members to the Board of Trustees; Jo Coles, Rainer and Alison Garnham, Daycare Trust.

 

End Child Poverty at the National Poverty Hearing,

December, 2006

This event was held by a wide ranging group of charities and anti-poverty organisations including End Child Poverty, and Church Action on Poverty, Age Concern, Help the Aged, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Oxfam, Poverty Alliance, Refugee Council, Shelter and the UK Coalition Against Poverty. We engaged senior politicians, policy makers and opinion formers in the media and public life and grassroots anti-poverty/civil society groups from across the United Kingdom.

The day highlighted the breadth and depth of poverty in the UK. Bringing together a range of organisations and poverty themes that do not normally share a common platform, the event acted as a positive stimulus to dialogue between people with direct experience of poverty and national policy makers and opinion formers.

Our powerful presentation was given by 11 young people, from St Thomas More School, North London, watched by the Chair Lisa Harker. Narrated by Roshni Nagaria, the young people expressed the voices of children living in poverty, drawing attention to the educational & emotional impact poverty has on their lives.

Universal Children's Day. Final Day of the Month of Action to End Child Poverty

November, 2006

We went to the Treasury with hundreds of supporters demanding action from the Government and expressing outrage that more than one in four children are still living in poverty in the UK.

Meeting with the Chancellor
Later that day five children from a South London School handed Government Ministers Gordon Brown, Beverley Hughes and Jim Murphy season’s greetings cards from the campaign to end child poverty.

Within the cards were the names of over 100 senior figures who support the campaign including Chief Executives and Trustees of member organisations, Religious leaders and the Kaiser Chiefs who have all signed up to join the Campaign to End Child Poverty’s call to the Government to commit more resources to ending child poverty. Then representatives from the campaign met with the Chancellor to discuss the call for £4bn extra resources in the comprehensive spending review in 2007.

Children’s lobby of MPs

For Universal Children's Day, and for the final event of the month of action we held a children's tea party; an opportunity for families, children experiencing poverty and members of the campaign to speak with MPs. Ed Balls MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury hosted the tea party in the members dining room at the House of Commons.

Month of Action to End Child Poverty Launch at the All Party Parliamentary Group on Poverty, UN Day for the Eradication of Poverty

October, 2006

End Child Poverty Month started with over 50 Chief Executives signing a letter calling on Gordon Brown to give £4 billion to wipe out child poverty in the UK. Children from Victory Park School, London delivered the letter to the Treasury in the morning. Read the letter we delivered to the Chancellor on our News Page.

Rt Hon John Battle MP hosted the parliamentary launch at the All Party Parliamentary Group on Poverty, where many MPs and representatives of the voluntary sector came to discuss what role parliamentarians could play to ensure an end to child poverty is found.

The Secretary of State, Rt. Hon John Hutton MP, addressed the meeting. Attendees were also able to speak to two young care-leavers; Helen Dent who is a trustee of the Campaign to End Child Poverty and Director of the Family Welfare Association; and Donald Hirsch, Special Adviser to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and author of their latest research on the costs of ending child poverty.

There was also an opportunity for members of both houses to sign up to support this Month of Action to End Child Poverty.