We're seeing people who've never needed help before

COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION IN DRIVE TO END POVERTY IN TRENDY SUBURB AND ACROSS CITY

- EMMA GILL

WHEN you hear the name Chorlton, what often springs to mind is a quirky south Manchester suburb lined with trendy bars and restaurants and home to well-off professionals and families.

But behind the fashionable exterior are some of the poorest communities in the city, with households struggling to survive.

And it's people from all walks of life - from those relying solely on benefits to two-parent families finding their joint income is no longer enough to fund food and energy bills.

It may well be a bleak picture, but a project set up to tackle the issues affecting people most has not only shone a spotlight on the problems but is rapidly finding solutions and providing a template for other projects across the region.

Barlow Moor Community Association (BMCA) has been a part of the community for years largely helping residents on the surrounding Merseybank Estate and Arrowfield Estate, formerly Nell Lane.

But over recent months it's been achieving more than anyone thought possible, pulling in funding for community projects and helping families get the financial and practical support they so desperately need.

It's a partnership approach between BMCA and a whole host of organisations, but it's the fact that the voluntary sector is leading on things which has made all the difference - in terms of people's willingness to ask for help, the funding it can access and the speed with which it works.

Toni Toner is the CEO for children and young people at BMCA and is leading the Building An Anti-Poverty Community partnership across Manchester - trying to establish groups in other areas of the city to replicate the success they've had in Chorlton Park.