Bad press for Accrington.
 

Can't Hyndburn BC or Peter Britcliffe or someone send out a press release to counter-blanace this article? Not a very nice picture of Accrington.

Millions of working families one push from penury, Guardian research finds | Society | The Guardian

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

Why should anyone want to counterbalance an article which is actually true? I worked for several years on the district in Accrington and the poverty is shocking. Many of the worst off were working families who earned a quid or two more than the cut off for any kind of benefit to assist them.

Some working families that I visited had no carpets in the house, just plain floorboards. Hardly any furniture, no washing machines, tv or fridges.

Funnily enough, the families who weren't working seemed to be much better off. They had their rent paid, usually a decent telly, washing machine, fridge and the latest mobile phones :rolleyes:

I think that it will be an uphill battle for the government to convince some of our families on benefits that they are better off working because, sadly, they're not.

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

Sad but true, Lettie.

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

Just stop reading the crap the Guardian churns out week after week after week

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

The C.E.O. of Exerian, the company whose findings prompted this report, is on an annual salary of $1,400,000.00.

Perhaps someone from Accy should nick his job.

It would mean dripping on the whole town's bread.

I agree with Lettie, those in work are very often less well off, and in a more precarious position than those on benefits. Which is wrong.

Personally I always struggle with the headlines that shriek that one in three children in the U.K. live in poverty.

In my book if you have access to a free health care, free education, own a mobile phone, and have satellite television aeriel, that ain't what I call real poverty.

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/...shire--008.jpg

It's not bad.

Admittedly the sky's a bit grey, that's usually the norm, but all the slate roofed terraces look pretty.

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

Ya every time you see these "poor kids" they all have a phone to their ear and the latest nike trainers and tracksuits on:cool:

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

My father was out of work for a while in the 1990's(it was 1991 - he died in Feb. 1992).......my mother earned 50pence more than the threshold, at which he would have been give a bit more in the way of benefits....he was advised to leave her so that he would be eligible for benefits...needless to say he didn't take that advice they just made the best of what they had, and did without things that they could not afford.

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

How strange -I thought it was actually a good photo of Accy too! Quite Lowry-esque somehow and beautiful in its way!

I always wonder why we measure poverty in terms of electrical appliances though...

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

I remember going for an interview in Cambridge after the entrance exam - would have been 1982 -my Dad, an engineer, had been made redundant at the time and was working for a local funeral parlour while he was looking for a job in his sector (was reminded of this at my Aunt's funeral the other day -remember him setting off for work all smart in dark suit and black shoes). Most of the other interviewees parents were something in The City or teaching at Oxford or cambridge -I remember being proud of my dad's job -the main thing was he was doing his best for his family...funny how it was so important "what daddy did!"

Accy had a proud history in Engineering - seems to have disappeared -it's such a shame.

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

Sadly the question most would probably ask today is, why?

To which the puzzled people of that generation would answer, that that's just what you do.

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

If they haven't got everthing they want , they are "poor"

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

Any Guardian Readers, or just those who think that those who don't have large flat screen tv's etc are in poverty, I suggest you visit parts of the Third World, something I do on a regular basis (I just got back from Libreville, Gabon). Then you will have a understanding what Povery really is.

Any more and I will start to sound like one of the Four Yorkshire Men...

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

Poverty is relative and none of us in Britain live in a Third World country. People here all seem to have material goods whatever their income, but to me there is a complete lack of aspiration and worthlessness in the section of society we would class as being in poverty. They seem to accept their lot and not see that there is anything better for them. I don't know what the answer is but from my professional experience I think that we need to be able to change attitudes - I've seen and continue to see families living in situations that none of us would wish to be in.

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

I was writing metaphorically as per the picture of Accrington the article painted. Although it was interesting that they didn't choose picture of the fine Victorian Town Hall or Market.

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

yeah yeah yeah... we knew that. :p

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

The article is more about working families on the edge of what UNESCO class as poverty.. of course there can't be any comparision to people starving in some parts of the world and the this country... but some of the responses on here have the attitude that no familes in the UK can be classed as poor.
The usual "we had it hard in thowd days and so should this lot" snaps of a race to the bottom...to me this attitude fuels the governments obvious policiy of bringing middle to low earners down down a peg or two in economic terms.
If millions of working families in the UK are on the verge of "poverty" then it is surely a matter of concern.. and not just a chance to have a dig at so called poor people.

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

Never!

Well who on Earth would have guessed that was the case?

Oh yes, that's right.

Anyone at all, with a sense of humour.

Whoosh.

:rolleyes:

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

No.

Wrong.

No one on here as said that there's no such thing as poor families in this country.

I see people of all backgrounds who are morally impoverished.

As Anne said, poverty's relative.

If our great-grandparents could come back today, I doubt they'd think our poverty as any great hardship.

Running water, free health and education, indoor toilets.

It's all relative.

At my school I lived with the shame of only having an outdoor swimming pool, not an indoor one.

I just to accept the relative poverty, and get on with working my way out of it.

;)

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

http://www.buddy-icons.info/img/smile/1674.gif

Do you and Wee Jimmy Krankie alternate, as to who's going to log in as who?

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

I think that's roughly what I said.. there's no point in comparing what was called "poor" in the past.. even in the "you've never had it so good" early 60's most households had out door toilets... it is all relative and so how should we class some families as "poor" in 2012?.. I'm talking about working families.

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

Lettie said very often she saw working families that had less, than those on benefits.

Most would agree that seems wrong, and in the long-term, unsustainable.

Three consecutive Labour governments created a non-working underclass, who were funded by an ever dwindling working class.

That is wrong, and fair on no one.

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

I was tempted to answer this post earlier on.......but didn't have time...sausages to prick, clinkers to poke and real life to get on with. Mancie, you see in posts something that you want to see, and always with a political stance.....you interpret them subjectively.
I haven't seen anyone who has said the kind of thing you have quoted....and when people have mentioned their impoverished past, that doesn't necessarily mean they think that people today should expereince the same....they are making a comparison to what it was like then ....and what it is like now.

I would not wish poverty on anyone....mainly because I have been impoverished......financially that is.
Poverty imprints itself on you and changes your relationship with money and acquisition of goods.

It can also be very productive....it can make you resilient, self reliant and resourceful......but this only happens when you are prepared to get out there and graft. Graft at anything. Work isn't just about money, it is about aspiration, self worth...being part of a society that is useful...rather than sitting back and expecting someone else to do the legwork.
I'm pretty sure you will find some political slant to put on this...where there is none.

There are different kinds of poverty.......and lots of them have nothing at all to do with what you have, where you live, or what you do for a living, or for that matter what political views you hold.

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

Straight to the point honest post that makes sense, I'll just sit back now and wait for the backlash;)

Couldn't have put it better myself

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

Can't argue with your last post Margaret and agree with most of it.. as for me making things political I'd say of course people finding themselves in a bad situation can work hard and progress... but then again when the government give a 5% tax cut for those earning over 150k per year increasing their income by at least £120 per week and the same time making an increase of the minimum wage by 9p per hour I reckon I'm well within my rights to question the stance and intent of this government.. of course I know those who even dare face up to this Tory Government on here will take flak .;)

Re: Bad press for Accrington.
 

My point was...when you are poor, it is up to you to do what you can to lift yourself. You focus on what will help you...regardless of what anyone else is doing...you do not stop and compare yourself or your situation to that of others - that is taking your eye of your goal.
You train to do something, you work at anything......it is useless to use your energies to rail against whatever government is in power, until you have done the first two things...once you have got yourself a job or training and attained some sort of stability...then and only then cany you afford to concentrate on attempting to alter the political stance...although having said that The political parties(all of them) seem to hold the voters in flagrant disregard.