Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Poverty Truth Commission held its ‘Poverty Truth Unboxed’ celebration at Citygate Church in Bournemouth in September (2026). About 150 people from all walks of life attended the event.

This is the second Poverty Truth Commission in the area. The first one was held in 2023.

The Poverty Truth Commission is an innovative approach to tackling the root causes of poverty by turning the usual balance of power on its head. Our belief is that lasting and systemic change will only be possible when people with direct experience of poverty (Community Commissioners) help to lead that change.

The second BCP Commission was launched in September last year (2025), when a group of fifteen Community Commissioners were joined by a similar number of Civic and Business Commissioners.

Together, the Commissioners identified three key themes to address that originated from the wisdom and experience of the Community Commissioners; person-centred systems, humanising migration, and joined-up support and services.

“Sometimes poverty cannot be seen,” one of the Community Commissioners in the Humanising Migration Task Group, said in her story. “When we judge by appearance, we reduce people, we put them in boxes, and we make them smaller than they really are,” she added.

There was a range of activities during the celebration. The audience identified how they wanted to feel, choosing from 16 feeling themes. The most commonly chosen themes were safe, heard and I matter.

The BCP Poverty Truth Commission is funded by the National Lottery, Talbot Village Trust and BCP Council. Thanks were given to them all. To find out more about the Commission and follow their journey, visit their website.