A neighbourhood in Birmingham, where Trident Reach delivers vital community engagement, has some of the highest levels of child poverty in England, new analysis has revealed.

The government published official rankings of childhood poverty across the country with figures ranking individual neighbourhoods – small areas with a population of around 1,500 people each – based on how many children aged 0 to 15 are living in income deprived families. They include children in families on income support, jobseeker’s allowance, employment and support allowance, pension credit, certain types of universal credit, and some other benefits.

Rubery, an area of Birmingham, emerges as the 13th most deprived out of any of the 32,844 neighbourhoods in England. An estimated 305 of the 473 children in the area are living in poverty. In total, there are estimated to be more than 36,600 children in Birmingham aged 0-15 who are in the top 10% of the country when it comes to income deprivation.

Trident Reach manages the Deelands Hall Community Centre, which is situated in the heart of the Cock Hill estate in Rubery. In and around the estate, children are forced to miss school because they have no uniform, left with no toys because they’re fleeing domestic violence and even sleeping on the floor as they have no bed to lie on. And now the coronavirus pandemic has left families with no money to be essential cleaning products to keep their children safe from viruses, bacteria and germs. 

Bernie McFall, Social and Community Engagement Manager at Deelands Hall, is now fundraising vital funds to purchase food hampers, cleaning products, baby goods and Christmas gifts for Santa to give to the children on the Cock Hill Estate this Christmas.

Through partnership working and after visiting the estate and learning about the localised issues with mental health, addiction and domestic violence, Engie, a leading service, business energy and regeneration company, is now fundraising for Deelands Hall.

If you would like to donate and help with Deelands Hall efforts, please use the following banking details to transfer your donation:

• Account name: Trident Reach

• Account number: 67589944

• Sort code: 60-02-35

For further information, please contact Bernie McFall directly on 07734882237 or email via berniem@tridentreach.org.uk