Be part of a movement that’s reclaiming dignity, agency and power

Since 1982, Church Action on Poverty has been working to build a powerful movement to end UK poverty, led by the real experts – people who have experienced poverty themselves. In 2022, join us on the journey. Together we’ll reclaim dignity, agency and power. 

Upholding the dignity of every person

As Christians, we must hold onto our belief that every person is a unique human being, created in the image and likeness of God. We must never forget Jesus’ second great commandment: we must treat our neighbour as we ourselves would wish to be treated. 

Sadly, even those with good intentions can sometimes treat people in poverty as a problem to be solved. But Church Action on Poverty sees the face of Christ in every person. 

Our programmes and campaigns involve people who are struggling against poverty, in ways which build dignity.

Your Local Pantry is a sustainable way of tackling food poverty which builds community, and offer dignity, choice and hope. Church Action has helped to rapidly growthea network of over 60 member-run food clubs across the UK. In return for a small weekly fee, members can choose a basket of food, saving over £780 on their annual shopping bill. Over 11,000 families now get access to good food by being members of Your Local Pantry.

Our goal is to grow Your Local Pantry into a national member-led movement of at least 200 Pantries and 30,000 members across the UK by 2025.

"It’s more than just a full tummy, it’s a massive link in the community."
(Audrey, Pantry member in Stockport)

Respecting everyone’s agency to make their own decisions

Often in the face of great difficulties, people experiencing poverty have great generosity and a desire to make a positive difference. 

In Church Action on Poverty’s experience, people who struggle against poverty on a daily basis have not only great insight into the challenges they face, but a really deep understanding of what needs to change, and some of the best ideas for doing so. 

Self-Reliant Groups (SRGs) allow people to exercise their agency and develop their own ways of tackling poverty.

SRGs are small groups, mostly made up of women on low incomes, who meet and save small amounts of money together (as little as £1 a week).  Each group makes its own decisions, shares skills, learns together, and generates income from selling crafts, cookery or other creative goods, which they decide how to spend together.  

Our goal is to work with a range of new and existing partners to support and grow the Self-Reliant Groups movement across the UK over the next five years.

"Self-Reliant Groups give us the chance to save, learn and grow together in our own way. In short, SRGs equal freedom."
(Jayne, SRG member in Salford)

Using our power to make change together

Putting an end to UK poverty will require big changes. We can’t do it without speaking truth to power and, in the words of the Churches’ fourth mark of mission, ‘transforming the unjust structures of society’. 

In the words of the prophet Amos: “Let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”

Penny Walters knows what it is to struggle against poverty on a daily basis. But with support from our Food Power programme, she has had the courage to speak out for change not just within her own community, but nationally. 

By building a powerful movement with Penny and people like her, Church Action on Poverty has achieved real change, speaking out against low pay, extortionate lending, unfair prices and other injustices. 

Our goal is to train and support a new generation of people experiencing poverty to become activists and campaigners. Join with us. Together we can have an even more powerful voice in speaking truth to power.

Join us on the journey – help us raise £40,000 to grow the movement

40 years of building dignity, agency and power is a big milestone. But we’re still moving forward, and you can join us on the journey. 

In Church Action on Poverty’s 40th year, please help us raise £40,000.

Your donations could: help more communities to uphold dignity by setting up Local Pantries… enable more people to exercise their agency in Self-Reliant Groups… support more people like Penny to speak truth to power… and more.

Using this site, you can invite your friends and family to mark your birthday with a special gift: a donation to help build a movement that can reclaim dignity, agency and power.

Click here to find out more about this appeal and other ways of donating.