Lewisham Poverty Summit looks at the impact poverty has on the lives of Lewisham locals

The first Lewisham poverty summit took place at Goldsmiths, University of London in New Cross on July 12.

The impact of poverty on the lives of Lewisham locals was discussed by more than 70 local residents and representatives from community organisations.

The findings of the summit will be released this Autumn and will focus on how to tackle child poverty and how to make people more employable.

Members of Lewisham Poverty Commission, established in Feburary 2017, listened to what participants of the summit had to say.

Councillor Joe Dromey, Cabinet Member for Policy and Performance and chair of the Commision, said: “Tens of thousands of our residents live in poverty.

“One in four people working in our borough are paid below the Living Wage. That's not acceptable.

“This summit helped us really understand the causes and effects of poverty in Lewisham and what we can do as a council and a community to tackle the scourge of poverty.

“But we can’t do this alone. We're looking forward to working with residents and partners to develop innovative solutions that make a real difference for our community.”

More information about the Lewisham Poverty Commission can be found at www.lewisham.gov.uk/povertycommission.