Voices from the Tackling Poverty Assembly

Part 9 – Louise Stokes | Groundwork North Wales

As part of our continuing coverage of the Wrexham Poverty Action Collaboration (WPAC) Tackling Poverty Assembly, we’re sharing the voices, experiences and ideas that are helping shape community-led action to tackle poverty across North East Wales.

Every presentation adds another piece to the picture, helping ensure lived experience informs future action and accountability.

The latest speaker in our series is Louise Stokes, Training Manager at Groundwork North Wales, who presented findings gathered through the organisation’s Adult Community Learning Programme.

The programme works with adults seeking to build new skills, confidence and opportunities. Yet alongside those aspirations, participants spoke candidly about the realities they continue to face outside the classroom.

Several themes emerged consistently throughout the lived experience work.

Many participants described insecure or unsuitable housing, with some saying they no longer felt safe in their homes or communities.

Others spoke about insecure employment and uncertain incomes, making it difficult to plan for the future or achieve financial stability.

Food poverty also featured prominently, with rising prices forcing many households to make increasingly difficult choices about everyday essentials.

Louise’s presentation highlighted that while learning and personal development can open new opportunities, many people remain constrained by wider social and economic pressures that education alone cannot resolve.

The experiences gathered through Groundwork North Wales now form part of the wider body of evidence being brought together through WPAC, helping inform future discussions, the community-led manifesto and ongoing engagement with decision-makers.

🎥 Watch Louise Stokes’ presentation here:

Over the coming weeks we’ll continue sharing presentations from community leaders, organisations and people with lived experience who contributed to the Assembly.

Together these voices are helping build a clearer understanding of poverty across North East Wales and shaping practical, community-led action for the future.

Every story shared brings us one step closer to creating fairer systems and stronger communities.