Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities meet to support those struggling in Elmbridge

Representatives from Christian, Jewish and Muslim communities met with Elmbridge Borough Council on 10 September 2024 to discuss food poverty and hear from local organisations on what support is currently available to those struggling in our community.

Hosted by the council at the Hersham Centre for the Community, representatives from the Surrey Minority Ethic Forum and Walton and Hersham Foodbank provided insight into the challenges faced by our communities in relation to food poverty. The event also heard how Elmbridge is the ninth most unequal borough in England*, meaning the gap between those with and those without is very stark.

Speakers at the event included Adam Chalmers, Chief Executive of Elmbridge Borough Council, Rabbi Kath from the Northwest Surrey Synagogue and Sarfaz Ali, General Secretary of the Molesey Islamic Cultural Centre. Discussions ranged from the very real, daily challenges being faced by many to feed themselves and their families to upcoming celebrations for Mitzvah Day and Islam Giving Day.

Margaret Hicks, Chair of the Elmbridge Multi-Faith Forum: “There is so much that unites our communities, and to bring different faiths together from across Elmbridge in an event like this helps to raise awareness of both the issues and barriers. We had some great discussions that have brought about tangible actions aimed at improving the lives of our residents.”

Councillor Gill Coates, Portfolio Holder for Community Care, also attended the event: “We know there are people in our borough facing great hardship and challenges, especially children, and that in work poverty is sadly rising. Through grant funding we are providing essential financial resources to help many charities and groups who are supporting our residents, but it is also important that we continue to build strong relationships across all parts of our community to ensure support is directed where it is needed most.”