Summary of Current Actions

Congregational  Development - helping individuals' to become leaders and influence the ways in which their church makes decisions, enabling people to become leaders and participate more effectively in their communities.   Some feedback from two recent courses

Care & Dignity of the Elderly - the initial findings are emerging from our listening campaign.    

Dignity at Work - what are the consequences on family life for people whose income is below a living wage?

Stocksbridge bypass - is this road now safe, what more should be done to improve this dangerous bypass?  Over 200 completed questionnaires have been received.

Financial Exclusion - How can a community regenerate itself when millions of pounds are pouring out into the hands of predatory lenders?   

Development of Credit Unions - working with local schools and some Credit Unions to build the Credit Union movement by engaging with volunteers and identifying ways to reach more potential customers.

Environment - how can planning agreement be given to build a substantially larger incinerator before the City has a realistic a workable waste strategy?

M.E. - improving the way people who suffer from this illness are treated by the health and benefits services.   See their website at www.sheffieldmegroup.co.uk. 

  Last year IMPACT took the Sheffield ME Group to the North Primary Care Trust, at that Cath Clement asked the PCT to support them in making a case to government for around £8 million in funding towards ME clinics in Sheffield.

The Government has today (21/1/04) announced £8.5 million for Sheffield... what was IMPACT's role -  we opened doors and get the ME Group to the table!

  We have received our first funding for the ethical loan company.   A very generous donation from an individual and a promise of a 2-year grant from the Church Urban Fund.

  On 9th December, we held our Annual Review.   Attended by 55 people from across the City.  A report  of our achievements in 2002/3 is available here. 

  Since identifying that people living in our most most disadvantaged communities were being excluded from financial services provided by mainstream organisations, IMPACT have been campaigning for the formation of an ethical loan company.   This company, working closely with Credit Unions, Debt Support and providers of personal finance education, would form a Sheffield Financial Inclusion Forum.  Our proposal has received widespread support from Sheffield and beyond.  Read our presentation to HM Treasury.   

  The Government published it's White Paper on 8th December 2003, this sets out what steps are to be taken to protect customers who buy goods and services on credit.   Will it make any difference to people who live in our poorest communities, cope on low wages and who don't own their home?    Read our initial reaction.

Snippets

"A strong community is the foundation of a prosperous society. The Government wants to be judged on improving the life chances of our most excluded people and the most deprived communities" [John Prescott, Deputy Prime Minister "Inclusion" Autumn 2003]     What is the Government doing to tackle financial exclusion - the sort of exclusion that means people living in our poorest communities, on the lowest of incomes, have to pay extortionately high prices for basic goods and services - have your say.

Poverty caused by Debt - The media has now caught on to debt as an issue, we have been campaigning for over 3 years to set up an ethical loan company to provide people who live in our poorest communities with access to reasonably priced loans.   John Battle MP, the leading campaigner against companies who prey on our poorest people by imposing extortionate charges has asked to meet IMPACT about our proposed independent ethical loan company.  

Diary Dates

Thursday February 5th - Central Strategy Team meeting, 7.30pm, venue to be confirmed.

About Us

IMPACT works mainly in Sheffield, South Yorkshire.  Our 26 member communities identify issues that are of concern,  IMPACT then provides training and support to enable these issues to be addressed, consequently, we are actively involved in a large number of issues at any one time.

Reflection - A story in “Listening to One Another – Simple Conversation to Restore Hope to the Future” by Margaret Wheatley.

If you are interested in our work and you would like to be informed on future activities then please register with us.

Archive

The residential training weekend held in Nov 2003 was a success; with 35 people attending -  Reactions -  Information about the weekend training

Bishop of Sheffield speaks in the House of Lords in support of a Sheffield-wide strategy to tackle financial exclusion

"Sheffield a Divided Village  the rich get richer the poor get poorer?" - September 2003

Pat Conaty co-author of "Profiting from Poverty" meets IMPACT - 10th July 2003

Annual Report 2001/2

Accountability Assembly - April 2003

Bread & Candles - November 2002

Links

We have some useful links to other Website - don't forget to come back to us!

Do you live on Park Hill Flats in Sheffield, why not join a group to share your views with others?

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