What do you see when you hear the word ' POVERTY'? A war torn country? Starving, unclothed children on the other side of the world?

In Manchester, UK alone, nearly half of children under 15 years old are living in poverty. Read that again.

We need to really look no further than our next door neighbours to see what poverty looks like and means here in the UK. And most of us have no idea that this a very real reality. We're not talking about kids whose parents can't afford the latest NIKE trainer or summer holiday. We're talking about parents who have to make the decision between feeding their kids at all, or keeping the heating on. Some of the families living in poverty, are generational; passing down substance abuse issues and, general parental neglect, where physical/sexual/emotional abuse is a large part of their family dynamics. But some are people who fell on hard times, in a challenging economy, and simply can't fight their way out without the support of others.

Regardless, of how poverty entered into their lives, we cannot ignore that half of children in Manchester alone, are falling through the proverbial cracks. And without the support of organizations such as 'Manchester Youth Zone' and people like our guest today, Heather Etheridge, they will be lost in the ether. On this weeks episode, host Jennie and guest Heather Etheridge, CEO of Manchester Youth Zone, talk about what poverty today actually looks like in the UK; how it it impacts the children in its clutches, the families and the community, long term. Heather candidly talks about her own experiences growing up in a household of abuse and neglect and her own struggles that resulted, and how it connects her to the kids of and her work at MYZ. The work she is doing and the spaces that MYZ are providing to these kids and their families, are not just paramount to their development, but to their SURVIVAL.

You can follow Manchester Youth Zone on Instagram: @manchesteryouthzone

You can DONATE (personally or corporately), Volunteer or learn more about Manchester Youth Zone here: Home - Manchester Youth Zone (manchesteryz.org)

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