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This Christmas the UK faces a child poverty and homelessness crisis - and we need your help. According to the Child Poverty Action Group, one child in three will spend the next two years living on the breadline. That's 4 million children living in acute poverty in the eight largest economy in the world. Let's think about what that means for a moment.
The LandAid-funded construction workshop at St Eds in Norwich was a hive of activity when Caroline Fraser and me paid a visit on Friday.
Paul Morrish has been appointed new Chief Executive Officer of LandAid. Paul joins LandAid from VoiceAbility, one of the UK's largest advocacy charities working with vulnerable adults and young people, where he is currently Deputy Chief Executive.
On Friday I attended the grand opening of Eikon's beautiful new offices at Fulbrook School in Surrey. After several years of planning and six months of construction, supported by a £20,000 refurbishment grant from LandAid, the new centre will enable Eikon to double their services and reach out to more young people across the county.
Thursday lunchtime Caroline and I were joined by LandAid Chairman Robin Broadhurst and Trustee Suzanne Avery at Circle Sports, Hackney. With all the buzz around vibrant creative businesses and pop-up food experiences in Hackney, it can be easy to forget that it still remains one of the most deprived boroughs in the UK and its young people can have a hard time getting into employment.
This week (3 - 7 November) is National Pro Bono Week, which celebrates the free legal advice given by law firms to communities across the UK. LandAid launched its own pro bono programme in July this year. While the legal profession has a long tradition of giving pro bono advice, it is not as established in other parts of the property industry.
Yesterday saw the start of Living Wage Week, the annual UK-wide campaign organised by the Living Wage Foundation (LWF). The occasion was marked with a widely-publicised rise in the UK and London Living Wage rates for 2014-15 to £7.85 and £9.15 per hour respectively. This, the LFW hopes, will in principle improve the take home pay of 35,000 low-paid workers who are employed by over 1,000 Living Wage supporting organisations.
Today is LandAid Day, the annual day of fundraising where the UK property and construction sectors unite to do something amazing for disadvantaged children and young people. Across the UK, over 50 companies will show their commitment to our cause by getting active or doing something serious, silly and selfless to fundraise for LandAid.
Figures released by the Campaign to End Child Poverty yesterday paint a bleak picture, particularly for London's children. Our capital, home to some of the most expensive real estate in the world, officially contains the highest child poverty rates in the UK. Ten London constituencies hold this unfortunate accolade. Bethnal Green and Bow, which has 49% children in poverty, is the highest in the country. The leafy environs of well-heeled Wimbledon, Twickenham and Richmond Park each have 15%. That's one child in seven.
