Last updated at 21:10, Thursday, 09 August 2012

The games have been truly glorious, but a harder reality beckons.

At the risk of being killjoys, we must point out that the euphoria surrounding the Olympics is little more than a televised diversion for a lot of hard presssed people.

The Bank of England’s gloomy economic forecast reminds us that austerity goes on, jobs continue to be lost, and far too many families are struggling to make ends meet.

Our Fight Against Poverty campaign, which we launch today in conjunction with Allerdale council, aims to highlight an issue that is worlds away from gold and glamour.

Figures show that in some parts of our area people can expect to live nearly six years less than the national average, and more than a quarter of children are now living in poverty.

We have estates here that are among the most deprived in the country.

There are many vulnerable people trapped in a spiral of debt and despair; they can only do so much, and need support and guidance.

Over the coming weeks we aim to point people to organisations that can help them.

On a broader front, there must be renewed effort to raise aspirations and create jobs.

Allerdale council will draw up a strategy for tackling poverty, which it hopes to approve in the autumn.

It’s a bold aim, but we need to create more winners than losers at the heart of our community.

First published at 19:19, Thursday, 09 August 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk