Dignity: report reveals thoughts on a Scotland without poverty

‘If there wasn’t poverty, every community would be proud, there would be no stigma associated with living in particular places. People would feel able to participate in their community; they wouldn’t be scared of going out and getting involved.’
dignity
Over twelve months The Joseph Rowntree Foundation supported the Poverty Alliance to carry out a range of activities that would help ensure that the voices and experiences of those living on low incomes in Scotland were included as part of JRF’s UK Anti-Poverty Strategies research programme.
Over the course of this piece of work, the question of what a Scotland without poverty means was put to the participants in a series of activities. These activities – including community engagement meetings, establishing a community panel and organising the Scottish Assembly for Tackling Poverty – were then supplemented with further interviews with people living on low incomes late last year.
This short report (click on link below) highlights the particpants’ views on what a Scotland without of poverty would mean to them. The report sought to identify what some of the main challenges are, and how these may be addressed over the short and longer term.  
The JRF Anti-Poverty Strategy for the UK will be published later this year.

Leith Festival set to kickstart summer

Sunny Leith’s all set for nine days of festival fun

Laith Festival banner

Nine days of fun, entertainment, exhibitions and performance kicks off in Leith tomorrow with the Gala Day and pageant from midday.

There’s been a festival in Leith for over a hundred years and this year’s programme is as bold and ambitious as it’s ever been with a range of events and activities to suit all tastes.

Dave Carson, Chair of Leith Festival, said: “Leith is one of the largest community festivals in Scotland, with a regular attendance of between 11, 000 – 15,000 local people and families participating on Gala Day, and many more besides during the following week of activites in our comunity.

“Leith Festival celebrates and reflects the cultural diversity amd richness we have in Leith, acting as a facilitator to celebrate our community assets and seeking to promote a sense of community, neighbourliness and connectedness with each other.”

To see the full Leith Festival programme visit

www.leithfestival.com