CAP NI Committee Members Meet With South Antim MLA & MP
(February 04, 2010)Three members of the newly formed Northern Irish branch of the interdenominational Christian charity ‘Church Action on Poverty’ met with South Antrim MLA and MP William McCrea recently to express their deep concern at the levels of poverty that exist in Northern Ireland.
As Rev. Paul Holdsworth, chair of the Northern Irish Branch of CAP explained: “CAP is a national ecumenical Christian social justice charity committed to tackling poverty across the UK. We work in partnership with churches and with people in poverty themselves to find solutions to poverty, locally, nationally and globally”. William Mateer, CAP Committee Member continued: “the Northern Irish Branch of CAP was set up following an initial meeting of interested individuals on Monday 15th June 2009 and is run by a committee of volunteers from across the denominations”.
Rev. Dr. Scott Peddie, CAP NI Secretary explained the background to the meeting: “a recent study for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation highlighted the fact that the level of persistent poverty amongst children living in Northern Ireland is more than double that recorded in Great Britain. Furthermore, the report identified high levels of unemployment, disability, lower wages and poor quality part-time jobs as major contributory factors. That a fifth of families in Northern Ireland experience persistent poverty compared to a tenth of families living in Great Britain is a shocking statistic”. Dr. Peddie continued: “parents on low incomes and caring for disabled children are suffering from particular difficulties. Research recently published by Save the Children and the Family Fund showed that one in three disabled children were living in poverty. The report added that almost half of children living in a family with a disabled adult are in poverty. The levels of poverty experienced in Northern Ireland cannot and should not be permitted to go unchallenged” said Dr. Peddie. He continued: “the resultant feelings of hopelessness and social exclusion should be a matter of utmost concern for all of us with a stake in our society. As a result, CAP NI is keen to meet with political representatives to raise the profile of poverty related issues in the Province and to seek action”.
Rev. Paul Holdsworth concluded: “we were very grateful to Dr. McCrea for agreeing to meet with us and are encouraged by his willingness to seek viable solutions to a complicated problem that blights many lives across Northern Ireland”.
From L-R: Rev. Paul Holdsworth (Chair, CAP NI), Dr. William McCrea and Rev. Dr. Scott Peddie (Secretary CAP NI). 
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