Friday - Communities
People across our Region have the knowledge and skills to Challenge Poverty, today we are sharing some of the excellent work being done in our communities to help those in need.
Dumfries and Galloway Council's Communities Committee help to fund and oversee our Council's on-going response to tackling all forms of poverty and inequalities throughout our Region including all of the projects, activities and support which are completed by our Council's Poverty and Inequalities Team.
The Chair and Vice Chair of our Communities Committee are Councillor Archie Dryburgh (Chair of Communities Committee) and Councillor John Campbell (Vice Chair of our Communities Committee). Both Councillor's take a very active role in supporting both our Poverty and Inequalities Team in all of their events and campaigns and detailed below are highlights on their support at a few of our events and additional Projects which they also support who work towards reducing poverty and inequalities throughout our Region:
Cllr Archie Dryburgh, Chair of Dumfries and Galloway Councils Communities Committee said 'Challenge Poverty Week every year gives me a chance to see all our third sector partners deliver for their local communities and whilst I do not like seeing poverty in any part of our region, the fact is it is that there are different types of poverty from lack of money to transport poverty to fuel poverty and Council is working with all of our partners to try and reduce the effects of it. I can only thank the good people of Newstart Recycle and the many others across the region that are assisting us tackle this.
Councillor Dryburgh with staff and volunteers from the Newstart Recycle Project in Annan. Councillor Dryburgh volunteers on a weekly basis with Newstart Recycle who offer a wide range of support services to those in need within the Annandale & Eskdale areas.
Councillor Archie Dryburgh with Jill Hyma, Youth Work Services Team and one of our Young Volunteers at our Free Back to School Uniform Event which was held at The Oasis Youth Centre, Dumfries on 7th August 2022.
Councillor Archie Dryburgh, Chair of Dumfries and Galloway Communities Committee with Jeff one of our Volunteers Hairdressers for our Free Back to School Uniform Event which was held at The Oasis Centre in Dumfries on 7th August 2022.
Councillor John Campbell, Vice Chair of our Communities Committee noted "Our Challenge Poverty Week Programme which is being delivered in conjunction with the Poverty and Inequalities Partnership, is again supporting our annual campaign awareness raising week which offers help and support for anyone within our Region who is struggling at this time. Our Theme for Thursday is "Communities" and both myself and Councillor Dryburgh are very committed to ensuring that all of our communities and the residents in each are supported at much as possible at this very challenging time.
We are ensuring that everyone can access support no matter their location through both accessing help via our Webpages, Social Media adds, direct marketing via local support groups within their local areas and also direct support too through making connections by phone or by calling into any of the projects featured who can help to improve the lives through increasing incomes and reducing the costs of those in need. We know that a huge number of projects throughout our Region offer very high levels of support and assistance at this time of unprecedented need and we are very grateful to each and every one for all that they complete every day".
John Campbell Stranraer: Councillor John Campbell, Vice Chair of Communities Committee at our Free Back to School Uniform Event in Stranraer on Friday 12th August 2022 along with Nicola Smithers, Youth Work Services and Reuse Recycle Project Volunteer Margaret.
John Campbell Castle Douglas: Councillor John Campbell supporting our Free Back to School Uniform Event in Castle Douglas on Sunday 14th August 2022 along with Tamara Fulcher, Tackling Poverty Reference Group Volunteer and Iain Falls, Youth Work Services.
Tackling Poverty Reference Group
The Tackling Poverty Reference Group was established in 2016 to give the Council and Partners a greater understanding of the needs of families and individuals facing all forms of poverty.
The Group is driven by Volunteers from across the region with direct experience of living in poverty and provide a vital voice of their lived experience of poverty and how future policies, projects and funding could be developed to remove barriers for anyone in poverty.
We would like to expand the group and would welcome new members who can bring new ideas and a new perspective...
New Volunteers Required - Click here >>
Expression of Interest Form >> [DOCX - 40KB]
In 2021 the Group wrote a book looking at the highs and lows of their journey into making a difference to the lives of people living in poverty in Dumfries and Galloway. Please click the link below to open the book.
A Mountain to Climb >> [PDF - 1MB]
Access to free Period Products
Free Period Products are available to all individuals and families within our region.
Period products can be expensive. We know the financial pressures many households are facing, and families shouldn't have to worry about affording period products.
The Scottish Government has introduced new legislation - the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021. The Act requires local authorities to ensure period products can be easily obtained free of charge by anyone who needs them.
Products are free to anyone regardless of income. We want people to have access to free products in a dignified way and we want to reduce the stigma surrounding periods by raising awareness of the range of products available, promoting menstruation as an important area of health and wellbeing and tackling period poverty, whilst respecting individual dignity.
Free period products are available within all primary and secondary schools, education and youth work centres in Dumfries and Galloway. All of the products which are available can be accessed confidentially within all toilets and there is no requirement to request these products in anyway which ensures that there is no stigma attached to receiving these essential supplies.
In addition, we also offer to anyone in need our Free Period Dignity Partnership Project which allows you to choose the products which you wish which will then be delivered free of charge straight to your home address.
This Partnership Project is completed by our Council Support DG Team and ten local organisations within our region who complete the deliveries to your home address on a monthly basis. Both the period products and the confidential deliveries to your home address are all free of charge.
Complete the form on the page below to have period products delivered to your home.
Free Sanitary Products request form >>
Free School Uniform Project
Each year in August we run Free School Uniform Back to School Events across the Region where you can come along and help yourself to Free School Uniform.
We also have 6 permanent School Uniform Banks in each of the following locations which are open all year for the donation and collection of School Uniforms;
- Reuse Recycle, Enterprise House, Fountain Way, Stranraer. Tel: 01776 707 375. Website - Reuse Shop
- Newton Stewart Initiative Community Shop, Dashwood Square, Newton Stewart. Tel - 01671 401449 Website - Community Shop - Newton Stewart Inititiative
- Dalbeattie Community Inititiave, 71 High Street, Dalbeattie. Tel - 01556 612752. Website - Dalbeattie Community Initiative - Dalbeattie Matters
- Action for Children, Kirkfield, Greystone Avenue, Kelloholm. Tel - 01659 66135. Website - Upper Nithsdale Family Service | Action For Children
- Newstart Recycle, Provost Mill, North Queensberry Street, Annan. Tel - 01461 202430. Website - Newstart Recycle - Supporting the Community and Reducing Waste
- SHAX Shop, 4 Nith Street, Dumfries open Tuesdays to Saturdays 10.00am to 4.00pm. Phone No: 01387 245 358. Website - Shax Dumfries | Home making with the homeless
Free School Uniform Events Poster >> [PDF - 75KB]
Do you need School Uniform, trousers, skirts, shirts, jumpers, cardigans? Can you collect from Dumfries? Please fill out the form below with details of what you need and sizes. One of our Team will be back in touch and let you know if we have anything available and arrange for you to collect your items from The Oasis Centre, Newall Terrace, Dumfries.
School Uniform Form (Open form as full page) >>
Warm Winter Clothes Project
Later this month we will be running our Free Warm Winter Clothes Projects. These will be held across the Region where you can come and help yourselves to Free Warm Winter clothes including coats, jackets, hats and scarves.
Keep an eye on our Social Media page for further details.
We aim to provide information in a range of formats so that it's accessible for as many people as possible.
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