"Lots of help at hand" thanks to Council's 'A Fairer Stockton-on-Tees' scheme

From 'community spaces' to low-cost food hubs, a range of support remains available for residents across the Borough struggling with the cost-of-living.

The help on offer from Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council is part of the authority's 'A Fairer Stockton-on-Tees' (FSOT) framework, launched in 2021.

And a meeting of the Council's Cabinet on Thursday (May 16), heard how in addition to the long-term vision of reducing inequalities, there's also more short-term focus on guiding residents through the current economic climate.

This has led to a number of avenues of help for residents, accessible by visiting the 'here to help hub' web page.

"We know that there are a number of residents who continue to feel the wide-ranging effects of the cost-of-living crisis, but thankfully there is lots of help at hand," says the Council's Leader, Councillor Bob Cook.

"For example, the 'community spaces' initiative now has more than 70 venues signed up, which goes well beyond just providing a warm space and has a broader offer to include things like learning and skills courses. The number of residents who have utilised a community space now stands at nearly 3,000 over the last 12 months.

"The Bread and Butter Thing low-cost food hubs, ran by the brilliant local volunteers, have proven to be very popular for residents and are a vital lifeline for close to 400 families each week. In total, more than 6,000 people have accessed the offer, which is very heartening indeed.

"We also held 'here to help' events across a range of venues and they were attended by a number of partners such as Moneywise and Cleveland Fire Brigade. Look out for more of these events to come soon.

"And this outstanding work alongside our partners comes at a time when our 'Powering Our Future' programme ramps up across the Council to ensure we're fully utilising the potential of our communities and voluntary sector to provide better outcomes for our residents."

You can find out more on FSOT by visiting the FSOT web page, or by emailing fsot@stockton.gov.uk.

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