Sue Ikin Reflects on Community, Solidarity and the Lessons of the Past

The latest video in our Voices from the Tackling Poverty Assembly series features Sue Ikin from The Rainbow Foundation, whose thoughtful presentation connected the experiences of older generations with the challenges communities face today.

Sue began by sharing memories passed down from her grandmother about life in Ruabon, recalling how local people came together to support neighbours facing illness and hardship.

Resources were limited, but communities found ways to help one another.

As Sue remembered:

“They didn’t have much, but they did have solidarity.”

That reflection became the foundation for a wider conversation about the experiences of older people today.

Drawing on the lived experience work carried out by The Rainbow Foundation through the Wrexham Poverty Action Collaboration (WPAC), Sue described how many older residents continue to demonstrate remarkable resilience despite increasing financial pressures.

She reflected on the fact that welfare systems were developed to help protect people from hardship in later life, yet many communities are once again facing significant economic challenges.

Her contribution reminded the Assembly that tackling poverty is not only about understanding today’s statistics, but also about recognising the strengths, resilience and community spirit that have helped people support one another across generations.

The lived experiences gathered by The Rainbow Foundation now contribute to the wider evidence being brought together through WPAC, helping inform community-led action and future conversations with decision-makers across Wrexham.

🎥 Watch Sue Ikin’s presentation here:

The Voices from the Tackling Poverty Assembly series continues as we share the experiences and perspectives of organisations helping ensure community voices remain at the heart of efforts to tackle poverty across North East Wales.