The Hardest Hit - A Week Later, Still Paying The Price

The Hardest Hit - Paying The Price/Why More Of Us Didn't March

Granada Reports video on yesterday's hardest hit protest in Manchester


By Graeme Lamb Media

By Graeme Lamb Media

And the day after....

The Hardest Hit Protests - Saturday October 22nd 2011

Disabled people, those with long-term conditions and their families are being hit hard by cuts to the benefits and services they need to live their lives. The Hardest Hit campaign, organised jointly by the Disability Benefits Consortium (DBC) and the UK Disabled People’s Council, brings together individuals and organisations to send a clear message to the Government: stop these cuts. You can find our key messages in this document.  Key messages on the Hardest Hit

Take action this October

Following our protest in May, when an estimated 8,000 people marched on Parliament, further events are taking place across the UK this month. These events are designed to raise awareness amongst the general public, the media and politicians of our key messages.  Click here to find your nearest event. 

Regardless of whether or not you are able to attend one of the events taking place on October 22, 2011, there are still lots of ways you can get involved to support this campaign. We need your help to really make an impact. It won’t take much time out of your day, but it will make a massive difference to the success of our campaign.

You can:
1. Write to your MP and invite them to attend their local event. We want as many MPs to know what’s about the campaign as possible.
2. Lobby your MP in the week leading up to the event by attending a constituency surgery or writing to your MP, you can help make sure that they are aware of our campaign and the arguments against welfare reform.
3. Write to the editor of your local newspaper. By doing this, you are helping us advertise the events and making sure that as many people as possible know they are happening.
4. Send a Press Release to your local paper, not only will you be sharing your concerns about Government cuts but making sure that as many people as possible know the event is happening.
5. Be a case study. Your story is the most important. Tell decision makers and the media why you support this campaign and help us show the human face of welfare reform.

Events taking place on October 22

Key messages on the Hardest Hit

The #HardestHit - Day Of Action

 By MarkThree Media in conjunction with Scope.

We Have A Dream Speech #hardesthit

We have a dream. This is our dream.

Three score years and six ago the welfare state was formed. A vision of Britain as Jerusalem for all, a beacon of hope in a country battered and bruised by the ravages of war. Principles so important that despite the crippling debt of the post war years, our grandfathers and grandmothers made sure their dream of a society caring for all was a priority. Despite two world wars and countless people disabled in the pursuit of justice it took another 25 years for disabled people to start our own road to freedom..  

Now is the time to remember the founding principles of the welfare state. Now is the time to rise up. Now is the time to remember ‘rights not charity’ Now is the time to make equality of opportunity apply to all people, now is the time to measure our worth in talent not gold. 

It is obvious that Britain has defaulted on it’s promissory note of welfare for all, a famous note signed by Lloyd George, Beveridge, Attlee and Bevan with their hopes and dreams of a better world, a fairer future for all. A beacon of hope carried forward some 25 years later by Lord Morris with his Chronically Sick And Disabled Persons Act , the first in the world to recognise and give rights to people with disabilities. 

We refuse to accept a system bailed out by the taxpayer is so bankrupt it can no longer meet it’s obligations to the basic welfare of all people. 

We refuse to believe in a world which bankers choose to increase bonuses whilst disabled people choose between food and heat. 

We refuse to believe local authorities deem it right and proper to save money by leaving old ladies overnight in their own urine, we refuse to believe that removing respite care can be right. 

We refuse to believe that we should be blamed, targeted, made less human by those who sip from the cup of success.

It may now be a nightmare, but we too can dream. To dream is a right for all humans and the first step on the road to justice. Without our dreams we have no hope, and we all have hope. Our rights, our dignity, our existence can all be threatened, but the flame of our hope cannot be extinguished. The hope of a world in which all people are seen as human first, human, with fundamental rights; to eat, to drink, to live, to love, to be free, to dream. We can dream of a day when all children grow together, learn together, play together regardless of ability. We can dream of a day when those children become adults, accepting adults who see the world as equal, a world of ability not disability. We can dream of a world of people with the right to have their basic needs met in whatever form they arise.

We are asked “when will you be satisfied?” We can never be satisfied as long as those rights, first enshrined in statue are under threat.  We can never be satisfied as long as disabled people are victim of unspeakable horrors. We can never be satisfied as long as we remember Fiona and Francecca Pilkington, driven to such desperation by disablist bullying that suicide seemed their safest place. We can never be satisfied as long as we remember Christine Lakinski, urinated over as she lay dying in a doorway. We can never be satisfied as long as we remember Colin Greenwood, kicked to death by teenagers he couldn’t see. We can never be satisfied while disabled people kill themselves for fear of the DWP. We must embrace our diversity, our differences, our talent and work together until we can dream the dreams of all.

We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with fatigue cannot gain access to the transport, to the workplaces, to the leisure spaces of our cities. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are segregated, denied appropriate aids and parents broken by the lack of support.

We make to you this promise. We will not cease from mental fight. Nor shall our pens sleep in our hands. Til we have built a new accessible Jerusalem. Til we have built a Jerusalem we can again be proud of, in England’s green and pleasant land.

More Protest Songs For #HardestHit

By Peace Artist Lainey

Que Sera, Sera

Is This The Way To Treat Disabled?

You Are My Benefit...

With huge thanks to Hossylass for the lyrics and sincere apologies for the singing, here's the first of the protest songs people might like to sing at The Hardest Hit March on wednesday...

"You Are My income
My only income.
You pay my heating
When skies are grey.
You'll never know, Dave,
How much I need it.
Please don't take my benefit away

The other night, Dave,
As I lay sleeping
I dreamt that I was fit and well.
When I awoke, Dave,
I was mistaken
And I was living a version of hell.

You are my benefit,
My only benefit.
You give me freedom
To go outside.
You'll never know, Dave,
How much I need that
Please don't take my freedom away.

I'll always need help
To eat and get washed
If my benefits the same would stay
But if you force me
To claim another
You'll regret it all some day;

You are my lifeline,
My only lifeline.
It puts my clothes on
When skies are grey
You'll never know, Dave,
How much I need that.
Please don't take my lifeline away.

You told the world, Dave
> You would protect me
> And nothing else could come between
> But now you've left me
> To die alone Dave
> You have shattered all of my dreams;

I need my sunshine,
My only sunshine.
You make me unhappy
Make my skies grey.
You know we  know, Dave,
How much you lied Dave.
Please don't take my sunshine away"

Details For The Hardest Hit

Details for the Hardest Hit – May 11th 2011

By carerwatch
The route goes from Victoria embankment, around Portcullis House, in front of the Houses of Parliament and finishes next to Dean Stanley street.

1. Jubilee Bridge
2. Westminster Bridge
3. Victoria Embankment
4. A308
5. Whitehall Place
6. Whitehall Court
7. Horse Guards Avenue
8. Richmond Terrace

9. Derby Gate
10. Bridge Street
11. Parliament Street/Whitehall
12. The Mall
13. Horse Guards Road
14. Downing Street
15. King Charles Street
16. Birdcage Walk

17. Victoria Street
18. Great Peter Street
19. Dean Stanley Street
20. Horseferry Road
21. Lord North Street
22. Gayfere Street
23. Dean Bradley Street
24. Great Smith Street
25. Great Smith Street

What support will be available on the day?

There will be a large team of 250 stewards to ensure the day runs smoothly as well as representatives from disabled people’s organisations and charities involved with the day.To ensure we know what levels of support we need to provide please register your details. Following registration you will receive regular updates and all the information you will need for the day.

Where should we meet on the day?

The march will begin at the Embankment by Horseguards Avenue. We will ask everyone to assemble at this point at 11.30am. The march will then begin at 12.30pm.

Can I still take part if I can’t get to London on May 11th?

Yes of course. You can write to your MP and meet with him locally. MPs usually hold surgeries and meet with constituents on the Friday or the Saturday. A template letter is available at hardesthit.org.uk You can also show your support for the campaign by sending a message along with a photo or short film of yourself about the importance of disability benefits to info@hardesthit.org.uk

What provision will there be for disabled people?

Accessible toilets will be available on the day.

Where will I be able to park?

There will be a drop off and pick off points for coaches and minibuses at Methodist Central Hall and on Victoria Embankment. Additional parking spaces will be arranged. Please check back to ukdpc.net or hardesthit.org.uk for more details.

Will I be able to get additional support?

If you are member or a service user of a charity or organisation involved with the march please contact your representative in that organisation for additional support needs. They will be able to let you know if they can meet you at a train station, or cover any expenses. Email at info@hardesthit.org.uk for further information.

Will the march still go ahead if the weather’s bad?

Yes, but please check the weather forecast before you set off and bring with you the appropriate clothing.

How far do I need to walk, and how long will it take?

The march will take an hour. It will begin at the Embankment by Horseguards Avenue and take in Victoria Embankment , Bridge Street, Parliament Square, Millbank and finish in Dean Stanley Street. A map of the route will be available shortly.

Will there be drinks and refreshments available?

Please bring your own lunch and refreshments for the day.

Do I have to be there all day, or can I join in with different parts of the day?

The day is divided into three parts, the march in the morning, meeting with MPs in Westminster Hall and a rally in the afternoon at Methodist Central Hall. It is up to you which elements of the day you wish to attend. On your registration form please tell us which bits you will be attending.

Do I have to take part in the march, the rally and the lobby?

It is up to you, which part of the day you attend, but please let us know through the sign up form.There are limited spaces for the rally at Methodist Central Hall, and places will be allocated through the sign up form.

Do you have any promotional materials I can print off?

We have prepared a poster that can be downloaded as a PDF.
Hardest hit march poster (A4)
Hardest hit march poster (6 x A6)

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If you have any problems using this sign up form, please contact info@hardesthit.org.uk for alternative methods of signing up.

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The Hardest Hit protest march is being organised and/or supported by:

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Action Duchenne
Action for Blind People
Action for M.E.
Age UK
Arthritis Care
Breast Cancer Care
Broken of Britain
Carer Watch
Carers Poverty Alliance
Carers UK
Changing Perspectives
Child Poverty Action Group
Citizens Advice
Clic Sargent
Cystic Fibrosis Trust
Deafblind UK
Disability Alliance
Disability Awareness in Action
Disability Wales
Elizabeth FitzRoy Support
Epilepsy Society
Every Disabled Child Matters

Guide Dogs
Haemophilia Society
Hammersmith and Fulham Coalition Against Community Care Cuts
Hampshire CIL
Inclusion Scotland
LASA
Leaning Disability Coalition
Leonard Cheshire Disability
Macmillan Cancer Support
Mencap
Meningitis Research Foundation
Mind
Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association
MS Society
Muscular Dystrophy Campaign
NCIL
National AIDS Trust
National Autistic Society (NAS)
National Deaf Children’s Society
Norfolk Coalition of Disabled People

Parkinson’s UK
Public and Commercial Services Union
People First Ltd
Rethink
Royal Association for Disability Rights (RADAR)
Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID)
Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB)
RSI Action
Scope
Sense
Spinal Injuries Association
Sue Ryder
Terence Higgins Trust
The Union for Life
The Vassall Centre Trust
Transport for All
TUC
United Response
Vitalise
Where’s the benefit?