At the beginning of 2016 Marion formed the Poverty Action Network – a project designed to link together public representatives, organisations, churches, and charities from the community, who aim to combat poverty in the local area.
Regular meetings allow member organisations to share expertise, awareness, and knowledge, with the first meeting of PAN having been convened in March 2016.
The Poverty Action Network has went from strength to strength since, allowing closer ties and successfully facilitating working relationships between valuable community organisations and individuals.
On the launch of the Poverty Action Network, Marion said:
Poverty is a large challenge that we as a nation face and tackling it is at the forefront of the SNP’s agenda in Holyrood and Westminster. From London, I have voted against the Tory’s austerity agenda which has cut welfare and our public services forcing more people into unemployment and pushing others further into the poverty cycle. However, as well as fighting poverty in our parliaments, we must also fight it in our communities at a local level with local action. I know that Motherwell and Wishaw has a strong sense of community and loyalty to one another and I’m confident this will show as the group works to tackle poverty.
The Poverty Action Network involves the following member groups and individuals:
Citizens Advice Bureau (Motherwell and Wishaw)
The National Lottery Community Fund
Christians Against Poverty (Wishaw)
Lanarkshire Community Food and Health Partnership
FAMS (Families & Friends Against Murder & Suicide)
Community Care Scotland (Bumblebee Babies)
Centre Point (Forgewood & Gowkthrapple)
Wishaw Murdostoun Fortissat Community Forum
Police Scotland (Wishaw, Motherwell and Bellshill)
For website articles on the Poverty Action Network, click here.