Growing up...

We’ve all been there. The fun, the play and the challenges.

There’s big moments we all remember. But often, it’s the small moments that have the biggest impact. Little by little, day by day, they make us who we are.

Hanging out with friends, playing football, going on school trips.

All children need positive relationships, new opportunities and experiences to help them learn, grow and build their self-esteem.

But for many children and young people, these opportunities may be out of reach.

29% of children across the UK are living in poverty*

But what does that mean?

It’s not just about having access to food, clothing, housing and hygiene products.

It means missing out on opportunities.

Not getting the chance to join in with activities and experiences that build self-esteem, memories, resilience, aspirations and wellbeing.

*(ONS HBAI 21/22)

Poverty in rural areas: a hidden issue?

Some places in the UK are well-known as tourist destinations. Places for long mountainous hikes and eating fish and chips on the beach. They can be wonderful places to grow up, with lots of nature and green spaces to enjoy. But rural life is not always idyllic.

Rural life also has its challenges, including poverty and isolation, that can make it harder for children and their families to access essentials, support and opportunities.

Scroll down to meet BBC Children in Need project workers from four rural locations across the UK.

Project Coordinator, Tarbert, Argyll

"We provide a safe and dedicated space for young people to come along and be together. We cook meals with them from our foodbank supplies. This means they can learn to cook, and also take this food home with them to their families. They always attend without a decent meal being had. Some come for free toasties at lunchtime and tell us they’ve had no breakfast. We aim to have every young person well fed and supported that comes through our doors.

"The cost of living crisis has been dire. Busier than ever, mental health declining, young people not feeling up to going out or mixing with other groups. We’ve had to be there longer hours to support young people, doing free BBQs in the community so everyone can just come by and grab something to eat. It’s all down to poverty, food insecurity and cost of living in a remote and rural area.

"Rural poverty is a vast issue. It goes unseen until it hits crisis point because of the distance between communities and people not being so visible. Sometimes, you don’t see a young person for weeks due to lack of transport - no money, no networks - and these few weeks can be the difference between early intervention and full blown crisis.

"The cost of living is also much higher here, with no choice of shopping venues other than the local shop. If you wish to have a selection then you have to travel at the price of fuel rurally! Essential food shopping has become a luxury and reliance on our foodbank has increased dramatically in the last 6 months. We fear for the young people during holidays and into the approaching colder months. It’s crucial that our services are continued, especially in such a rural area where services are few and far between.

"20 years ago, I didn’t want this job, I was persuaded to take the role. But since then, I’ve seen so many young people and worked through so many issues. I’ve seen them learn to believe in themselves, to go out into the world and return to the village and tell you about something that changed or was made better by their inclusion in our group. That to me, makes my heart sing. I love my job and couldn’t imagine doing anything else."

Principle Project Manager, Abergele

"We support children and young people by providing out of school activities, including breakfast club and activities for children and young people who are or at risk of becoming disengaged from education, training or employment. We encourage the young people to cook and we provide meals at our activities. We also support children and young people through our food bank by providing emergency food parcels to families.

"The area we serve is semi-rural and in a seaside location. Jobs are often seasonal, unskilled and low paid with zero hours contracts. Many people live in multi occupancy housing of poor quality. These families often cannot afford the essentials. They go without food, lighting and heating. Some young people say that they have taken on part time jobs in order to help mum out with household expenditure and that they sometimes go hungry. The young people feel the pressures at home and their own mental health is affected. They feel anxious and depressed and fearful for the future.

"Children and young people need to feel accepted and to develop a sense of family and belonging. It’s also vital that they have a place where they can feel safe with opportunities to express their feelings and emotions and enjoy a range of activities. Our project succeeds in providing that. We live in an area close to the sea and the mountains so we take advantage of this by providing beach activities and forest school activities. We also provide cultural experiences - trips to museums and art galleries as well as outdoor activity centres. This encourages independence.

"Since the cost of living crisis, attendance at breakfast club has been on the rise. It is more important than ever for us to provide services for the young people so that they develop a sense of security.

"I am proud of the achievements of the children and young people and the youth workers that support them so well. It is not without its challenges. But as long as funding is available, we will continue with the work."

Director of Services, Penzance

"We are a specialist organisation working only with families experiencing the worst impact of deprivation.

"The circumstances of our community are extreme - a staggering 52% of children live below the poverty line. Families here are witness to swathes of tourists coming to Cornwall to enjoy the natural environment and other attractions. But the children and young people we support don’t have the resources to access this for themselves. Their experience of Cornwall can be very different to that which is often portrayed in the tourism media.

"Cornwall provides a unique layer of complex challenges which includes a lack of infrastructure to access the most basic of health services. Most outpatient appointments are held at Cornwall’s main hospital which is 25 miles away and very difficult to access by public transport. It isn’t uncommon for children to miss much needed appointments due to transport issues - we encourage families to share any such appointments with us so we can either provide or seek the help they need. Children and young people here can also feel huge levels of isolation. There is little in the way of accessible opportunity or exposure to new cultural or social experiences - this is something we work hard to address, trying to broaden horizons and raise aspirations.

"Recently, we have noticed a huge increase in families sharing with us their daily struggle to ensure that they have enough food to eat whilst also being able to pay basic utility bills. More and more families are requiring help with food costs, needing crisis funding, food bank referrals, access to our community food larder - and on a much more regular basis. Our team are working to support these families. All projects are flexing and adapting to the rise in mental health crisis which, combined with the cost of living crisis, is creating trauma and serious difficulties.

"I have been at the project for almost 17 years. What keeps me here is the community with whom we work. It is a privilege to be able to form trusted professional relationships and be able to be part of team which can make effective and sustainable change for families."

Project Coordinator, Orkney

"We are a small project with a large reach and a diverse group of young people. We keep vulnerable young people connected - to us and to each other - and help make the links to embed them in the community with opportunities for support, engagement and achievement. We work to address poverty and inequalities and to create opportunities for everyone in Orkney.

"Since the start of the cost of living crisis, we’ve had to do a lot more planning and budgeting around increasing costs alongside increasing demand.  We need to be creative to meet the needs of our young people as we want them to feel they are always moving forward and overcoming the issues that hold them back.

"We have seen an increase in mental ill health in our young people and poverty certainly exacerbates the stresses and strains on managing life.  If you don't feel able to fully participate in society it can have a long term impact with you becoming increasingly isolated.

"The relationships we have at the project - between our staff and young people; between our young people themselves; and between the young people and the people in the community who they work with - it reinforces every day that connection is what so many people need.  To be in a place that is safe, supportive and with people who are happy to see them.

"We have wonderful young people who work every day to overcome challenges and move forward.  They are a pleasure to work with and it is a privilege to be able to see the progress they make and the positive goals they set and reach for themselves.

"Perhaps the best statistic we have is that 100% of our young people report feeling more confident after their time at the project, because when they feel confident and empowered and see possibilities ahead of them, they are far more likely to be successful on their paths."