Our October talk

Our October talk – community cohesion and financial literacy with Pat Clough from Minority Financial Inclusion

Social entrepreneur Pat Clough from Minority Financial Inclusion started her talk by telling us how her own experience of becoming a carer and not knowing where to find help had informed the work she is doing now.

One person pointing her at the local carers’ centre had made all the difference. In turn, Pat wanted other people in minority communities to feel comfortable finding help, telling their GPs that they’re carers and mixing with people from other backgrounds and faiths. In Pat’s community cohesion work, drumming and other arts activities are used as a way to get people talking about each other’s cultures.

Pat also runs financial literacy sessions in schools, often as part of a maths lesson. The sessions build the knowledge, skills and attitude to manage money. The topics that Pat covers include peer pressure, the difference between need and want, budgeting, saving, working and earning. There are meetings with financial institutions too, to encourage them to go in to schools.

A lively Q&A brought our members’ working knowledge, community experiences and family perspectives to the discussion. And there was a deceptively-tricky quiz. 

A big thank-you to Pat for her insightful and informative talk, hello to the two potential new members who came along, and snacks always being a welcoming part of our meetings, thanks also to Heather for the delicious (and photogenic) mini Victoria sponges.

Monthly Coffee Morning

Friday 28th October, 10.30am, Stepney City Farm

The nearest stations to Stepney City Farm are Stepney Green Underground on the District Line, and Limehouse DLR, (both around 10 minutes' walk). Bus 339 stops outside the farm (St Dunstan’s stop) and 309 stops behind the farm (Stepney Green School stop).