Media for lockdown – what to read, listen to and watch

Second Class Citizens: The treatment of disabled people in Austerity Britain by Stef Benstead

A powerful book by one of our trustees. Professor Peter Beresford, co-chair of Shaping Our Lives, said it provides “the definitive verdict on government welfare reform, the UK’s shame”. 

Poverty Safari: Understanding the anger of Britain’s underclass by Darren McGarvey

A challenging, personal perspective on UK poverty and how to tackle it, drawing
on Scottish rapper Loki’s own experiences of community activism and growing up in poverty.

The Shame Game: Overturning the toxic poverty narrative by Mary O’Hara

Crucially, this book about changing the portrayal of poverty draws on the insights of people who experience it.

Mission from Below: Building a kingdom community by Janet Hodgson and Stephen Conway

How two nuns worked alongside local people to loosen poverty’s grip in a North East community. An inspirational story of church on the margins.

Broken

This 2017 BBC TV series by Jimmy McGovern is about a Catholic priest in a poor Liverpool community. It’s a powerful depiction of how the church can make a difference by sharing in people’s brokenness on the margins of society. It touches on issues Church Action on Poverty has campaigned on, such as high-cost lending. It’s available to watch on Netflix or YouTube.