Dear John
Challenging times call for radical action. So it is today, and so it was when Church Action on Poverty was launched - 40 years ago this week. This is the first in a series of messages to mark that special anniversary.
“Many people simply do not believe that poverty exists in this country,” Sister Mary McAleese from Liverpool announced at the inaugural public event in 1982. “We are out to make them aware, and at the same time actually do something about the problem. It must concern everyone, regardless of politics.”
This drive to open people’s eyes and to bring about change remains central today to so much work in the anti-poverty movement.
40 years of tackling the root causes, with people who know the issues first-hand
From the start, Church Action on Poverty’s approach was radical and bold. It was not enough to help people who had fallen into poverty, nor to just hope or pray for change. We knew that as a society we should address poverty at its root, and we should do it in partnership with people who have direct experience of poverty, who can bring unmatched insight and wisdom.
John Battle, the first convenor of Church Action on Poverty, has said:
"The church is sometimes present more as Church Action on Poverty than in other things. It’s a form of witness. I think the key transformation that Church Action on Poverty will help bring about is an understanding that change comes from people at community level."
As we celebrate this anniversary, we've interviewed John and gathered lots of stories from the past 40 years – from the landmark declaration 'Hearing the Cry of the Poor' to the UK's first Poverty Hearings, the Pilgrimage Against Poverty, and the Tax Justice Bus Tour. Take a moment today to reflect and look back with us:
And here's a reminder that tomorrow evening (Tuesday 5 July), we're celebrating those 40 years – and looking forward to the future – with a special service, streamed live from Iona Abbey. Please join us if you can:
The digital revolution and new technologies have changed the way supporters and activists can engage with one another, and helped to bring new issues into the spotlight.
But our core principles remain steadfast: working together with people in poverty to build a better future, driven by people’s experiences and insights. That’s how we will build a society in which everyone can live a full life, free from poverty.
If you can, please make a donation to our 40th anniversary appeal. We have already raised over £30,000. Help us reach our target of £40,000 to grow a movement that can reclaim dignity, agency and power.
Best wishes
Liam Purcell
Church Action on Poverty
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