Cost of living crisis summit to be held in Cornwall
Organisations are coming together to come up with a 'robust action plan'
Last updated 5th Sep 2022
Officials behind a cost of living crisis summit being held in Cornwall say it represents a clear call to action.
Turning the Tide aims to produce a robust plan to help the Duchy's vulnerable and struggling families cope with spiralling bills.
Cornwall Council, charities, volunteer groups and foodbanks will come together on Monday 5 September.
It is part of a joint pledge to support residents through the worsening cost of living crisis.
The event being held at the University of Exeter's Penryn campus will see a range of partners share experiences and ideas to help the most vulnerable, in both the short and long term.
Participants include Cornwall Council, Cornwall Independent Poverty Forum, Citizen's Advice Cornwall, Voluntary Sector Forum, Volunteer Cornwall, Disability Cornwall, End Hunger Cornwall, Department of Work and Pensions, Kernow Credit Union, and Independent Food Aid Network/Trussell Trust.
Cllr Linda Taylor, Chair of the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Leadership Board, said: "The rising cost of living is already having an enormous impact on our residents – many of whom may be experiencing financial hardship for the first time in their lives - and the situation will only get worse as we head into winter with more and more people affected.
"Many are at serious risk of not having enough money to maintain even a basic standard of living and could end up being unable to feed their families, heat their homes, hold down their jobs or run their businesses. This would clearly have a catastrophic effect both on their physical and mental health.
"This is why we must act now, as a countywide partnership, to pool resources, experience and knowledge so we can provide a safety net to as many people as possible.
"The aim of this summit is to get the ball rolling with this and ensure momentum is built quickly. Many organisations in Cornwall are already doing a lot to help people but by working together we can do much more. By the end of the day we will have agreed on a list of commitments to help people maximise their income, manage debts and look after their mental health and wellbeing.
"We recognise that our combined powers and financial resource will not be enough to help everyone with rising energy bills and living costs so we will also be calling on the new Prime Minister to do everything in their power to help alleviate the pressure on people.
"Only by working together can we weather this storm".