Dr Sue Bagshaw, a member of the Council’s Poverty Taskforce.

Poverty today is affecting all aspects of health, says Dr Sue Bagshaw, a member of the Council’s Poverty Taskforce.

One of the main reasons she sees ill health occurring is lack of family support.

"When families are working and include all generations, then some aspects of poverty are mitigated."

Solutions lie in building up resilient communities — groups of people who value each other and care for each other, she says.

"They meet regularly and may not agree, but they listen to each other and aim to act collectively."

These communities may be as small as a family or as big as a whole city. However, there are advantages to having small groupings — streets, or the collection of houses around a community hall or a primary school.

Each needs a focus and a facilitator. Dr Bagshaw’s definition of health is based on the World Health Organisation view that health is a state of well-being, rather than merely the absence of disease.

"To be healthy it is important that mind, spirit and body are healthy."

Her view of the Poverty Taskforce’s job is not to ask for money to be poured in, but to look at how money can be used effectively.

"This means considering how ordinary people in poverty can be enabled to move out of the victim role, and to become contributors."

It will take one-to-one mentoring, talking and group action. "How to organise this effectively in community development, rather than imposing solutions from on high, is the task of the Taskforce committee."