THE challenge of tackling ­poverty will form the central theme at an event in Glasgow.

A conference called Working Together To Tackle Hardship is being held at Glasgow City Chambers on Monday, with a host of guest speakers lined up to appear.

The conference has been ­organised by the Citizens ­Advice Bureau (CAB).

Most of the various ­agencies, politicians and community groups in Glasgow who have a role in fighting poverty will be represented at the event, which runs from 10am to 1pm.

The main speakers include Margaret Lynch, CEO of ­Citizens Advice Scotland, and Jackie Killeen, Scotland ­director with the Big Lottery Fund.

Organiser Norrie Murray, from Maryhill and Possilpark CAB, said: "Spiralling problem debt, increasing income ­inequalities and reducing public expenditure, especially in welfare, are combining to create a perfect storm driving more families and people into hardship.

"There has never been a more important time for ­organisations in all sectors to combine their efforts in order to give the best possible support to people and families in hardship and to make it easier for them to connect to available services.

"This conference, organised by the Citizens Advice ­Bureaux across Glasgow, is an opportunity for all the organisations who have a role in fighting poverty to come ­together, hear what is ­happening now to alleviate hardship and discuss what steps we can take in the future to fight and eradicate poverty in our city."

Poverty has a firm grip on many Scottish families, with high-interest payday lenders contributing to rising levels of debt, even in working families.

As reported in the Evening Times this week, new research showed that more than half of children in poverty were ­living in households where at least one parent was in a job.

In May last year, Glasgow City Council set up a working group - Tackling Poverty ­Together - to devise an anti-poverty strategy.

Also speaking at Monday's conference will be Councillor Malcolm Cunning, a member of the Poverty Leadership Panel and Glasgow City Council's executive member for s­ocial care.

Dr Jim McCormick of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Caroline Mockford of the Poverty Truth Commission, Keith Wimbles, CEO for the Voluntary Action Fund and Ginny Jackson, the director of Parkhead CAB, will also address the conference.