Kirkcaldy charity leaders raise child poverty concerns with Minister

It was organised by Melanie Ward, MP for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy, after she raised concerns over child poverty levels in the constituency in the House of Commons.

The meeting was attended by Fiona Sword, chief executive of YMCA Kirkcaldy as well as Angela Campbell and Ian Campbell, acting and former Chair of Kirkcaldy Foodbank respectively. The MP also shared testimony from The Cottage Family Centre who couldn't attend.

The charity leaders raised pressing issues affecting families in some of the most deprived parts of Kirkcaldy, highlighting the increasing struggles of even working families to make ends meet.

The charity leaders all shared data and examples of child poverty in Fife, which has risen from 24% in 2015 to 31.5% in 2023.

Ms Ward said: “Kirkcaldy Foodbank, Kirkcaldy YMCA and The Cottage Family Centre are amazing organisations working at the coalface of tackling child poverty locally. It really matters to me that our local experts are heard at the highest levels in Government. Westminster can often feel far away from the Gallatown, but I am so glad that Angela, Ian, and Fiona took the time to come down to Parliament to tell the Government what our community needs.

“Long-term solutions are needed so that every child has a decent start in life and fewer families reach crisis point. I will keep working for this, and continue to stand up for Fife.”

Angela Campbell, acting chair of Kirkcaldy Foodbank, said: “We presented the lived reality of child poverty’s impact and the limitations it imposes on children and their families, using our data and volunteer experience gathered over 11 years. Giving voice to our clients’ stories was hopefully a strong catalyst for much-needed change.

We also highlighted the powerful impact of our partnerships across Kirkcaldy, particularly the value of co-location and Fife Council’s support. Tackling poverty is a collective effort.

Fiona Sword added: ““Visiting Westminster and meeting with Liz Kendall was worthwhile. Kirkcaldy YMCA plays a vital role in our community, and it was important to share the real stories of the people we support.

“With UK anti-child poverty legislation in focus, it was encouraging to have civil servants in the room who genuinely engaged with these experiences. It’s great to see Kirkcaldy’s voice being heard at the highest level, and I hope what was shared will be taken into account in future policies to tackle poverty across the country.”