The Hardest Hit – defending disabled people's futures -
Call for volunteers at the rally or march on 11 May
UKDPC is calling for volunteers to act as stewards at the rally or
march on the 11 May. Full details about the rally and march are
provided below.
UKDPC will provide full training to volunteers over the telephone or
in person. Training will also take place the 11 May 2011. Volunteers
will be notified of final arrangements.
If you would like to support this important day by acting as a
volunteer steward, then please get in touch with us by emailing
info@ukdpc.net no later than Friday 25 March 2011.
Please remember to include your name, contact number abd any access
requirements you may have in your email.
***Please note, this is a call for volunteers only. Details on how to
register as an attendee will be announced in due course. However, if
you are interested in volunteering as a steward, then please email us
at info@ukdpc.net***
The March
Thousands of disabled people as well as family and friends will be
marching to express solidarity and anger at the cuts threatening our
benefits, services, jobs and rights. The march will take us past the
Houses of Parliament and we will make sure that MPs and Peers hear
our collective voice and understand our message.
The Lobby
After the march many of us will be lobbying our MPs as the Welfare
Reform Bill reaches a critical stage in the House of Commons. We will
be sharing our stories, making sure that Parliamentarians understand
the combined impact of the cuts on our lives and futures. Crucially,
we will be challenging MPs to vote against policies that will push us
further into poverty and isolation.
The Rally
On the afternoon of the march we will meet in Methodist Central Hall
to hear from disabled people about the deep unfairness of the cuts
for their lives and futures. We will also listen to politicians from
the main political parties to find out how they plan to uphold the
rights, equality and participation of disabled people as promised in
the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities.
Where and When
We will gather for the march from 11.30 on the Embankment by
Horseguards Avenue. It will start at 12.30 and take in Victoria
Embankment, Bridge Street, Parliament Square, Millbank and finish in
Dean Stanley Street at around 13.30. We expect the lobby to take
place in Westminster Hall and to run between 14.30 and 17.30.
Everyone hoping to see their MP during the afternoon is encouraged to
write in advance to get an appointment. The rally will take place in
Methodist Central Hall (close to the Houses of Parliament) with
speeches between 15.00 and 15.30.
We look forward to seeing you there!
The UK Disabled People's Council (UKDPC).
Via Anne Novis
Non-partisan UK-based Disability campaign. Advocacy for people with invisible illness and/or physical & mental health conditions. Also Carers, their Families and Friends. Our individual voices are too quiet to be heard, but collectively we can shout loud enough to drown out this tide of abuse against us. Disability Hate Crime, lack of full legal protection, people in care homes costing too much to be let out and not one political party willing to fight for us.
Showing posts with label outdoor protests. Show all posts
Showing posts with label outdoor protests. Show all posts
Monday, 21 March 2011
Monday, 24 January 2011
National Day Of Protest
Today is a big day for the sick and disabled.
It is the second National Day of Protest against the cuts sick and disabled people now face.
The emphasis is on ATOS Origin, the company responsible for the astonishingly unsuitable medical testing of disability and sickness benefits. At their headquarters in London, Triton Square, and at offices in Edinburgh, Leeds, Tyneside and Burnley, sick, disabled and able-bodied protesters will raise awareness about exactly why the system was not fit for purpose before the Conservative-led coalition ever came to power and simply cannot take any more strain. ATOS uses "medical professionals" to assess whether someone is sick enough or disabled enough to receive state support, but they aren't doctors or nurses. They are paid on results, incentivised to find us miraculously fit for work. The assessments are demeaning and frightening too, and sick and disabled people find them so distressing that some are even forced to consider taking their own lives.
Perhaps David Cameron and George Osborne will be more concerned about the protests planned in Gloucestershire or Hastings or Islington. When Sussex and the Shires stand with Glasgow and Birmingham, the public start to realise that something must really be wrong. Hastings plan to lay a trail of red drops, all the way to London and the breadth of the protests show that this isn't a minority problem - it's affecting millions of people from all backgrounds, all colours and all creeds in every town and village of the UK.
As with One Month Before Heartbreak The internet will be awash with bloggers and linkers and tweeters and Facebookers telling the world their messages, so do please join in even if you just send this article to three friends - you will be making an enormous difference to how these cuts are perceived and getting the protests in front of a wider audience.
If you need a little inspiration, then please watch this on YouTube :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKx3MUqzCcQ "Danny's Speech, Brassed Off, 1996"
If you watch nothing else today, then click on the link above - just a moment away from the kitten that can count or the bloke who can put his legs up his nose. You see, we've been here before. We don't have the luxury of saying, "Oh well, they'll be fine, they'll get through, we all just need to tighten our belts" because sick and disabled people often can't get through. They can't get out to protest and they wouldn't have the energy even if they did. If the miners were broken men in the 80s, then imagine how those who can't physically fight will be affected as they are targeted in the same way in 2011?
For those who can get to a protest today, thank you. For every person there today, there are 10, 50, maybe a thousand people at home, willing you on and manning the keyboards. If the recently departed Pete Postlethwaite from the tremendous clip above is watching, then I think he would be willing you on too.
**If you want to read testimonials from the sick and disabled and learn more about why ATOS and politicians are making a dreadful mistake over ESA and DLA, please do take a few minutes to read some of their powerful stories by clicking on the One Month Before Heartbreak link.
By Sue Marsh
It is the second National Day of Protest against the cuts sick and disabled people now face.
The emphasis is on ATOS Origin, the company responsible for the astonishingly unsuitable medical testing of disability and sickness benefits. At their headquarters in London, Triton Square, and at offices in Edinburgh, Leeds, Tyneside and Burnley, sick, disabled and able-bodied protesters will raise awareness about exactly why the system was not fit for purpose before the Conservative-led coalition ever came to power and simply cannot take any more strain. ATOS uses "medical professionals" to assess whether someone is sick enough or disabled enough to receive state support, but they aren't doctors or nurses. They are paid on results, incentivised to find us miraculously fit for work. The assessments are demeaning and frightening too, and sick and disabled people find them so distressing that some are even forced to consider taking their own lives.
Perhaps David Cameron and George Osborne will be more concerned about the protests planned in Gloucestershire or Hastings or Islington. When Sussex and the Shires stand with Glasgow and Birmingham, the public start to realise that something must really be wrong. Hastings plan to lay a trail of red drops, all the way to London and the breadth of the protests show that this isn't a minority problem - it's affecting millions of people from all backgrounds, all colours and all creeds in every town and village of the UK.
As with One Month Before Heartbreak The internet will be awash with bloggers and linkers and tweeters and Facebookers telling the world their messages, so do please join in even if you just send this article to three friends - you will be making an enormous difference to how these cuts are perceived and getting the protests in front of a wider audience.
If you need a little inspiration, then please watch this on YouTube :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKx3MUqzCcQ "Danny's Speech, Brassed Off, 1996"
If you watch nothing else today, then click on the link above - just a moment away from the kitten that can count or the bloke who can put his legs up his nose. You see, we've been here before. We don't have the luxury of saying, "Oh well, they'll be fine, they'll get through, we all just need to tighten our belts" because sick and disabled people often can't get through. They can't get out to protest and they wouldn't have the energy even if they did. If the miners were broken men in the 80s, then imagine how those who can't physically fight will be affected as they are targeted in the same way in 2011?
For those who can get to a protest today, thank you. For every person there today, there are 10, 50, maybe a thousand people at home, willing you on and manning the keyboards. If the recently departed Pete Postlethwaite from the tremendous clip above is watching, then I think he would be willing you on too.
**If you want to read testimonials from the sick and disabled and learn more about why ATOS and politicians are making a dreadful mistake over ESA and DLA, please do take a few minutes to read some of their powerful stories by clicking on the One Month Before Heartbreak link.
By Sue Marsh
Friday, 21 January 2011
Benefit Claimants Fight Back
Latest News - National Day of Protest Against Benefit Cuts
Cities and towns across the UK are mobilising for the second National Day of Protest Against Benefit Cuts on 24th January 2011. Atos Origin, who carry out medical testing on behalf of the DWP and are likely to be involved in testing DLA claimants in future, have been named one of the main targets. Workfare sharks A4e are also set to be visited in Newcastle and Leeds.
A wide coalition of local and national groups, as well as autonomous benefit claimants, are holding events and protests around the country. For those unable to attend protests in person the Second National Troll A Tory Day has been called: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=174707432567575&
In London a Party and Picnic at Triton Square NW1, home to Atos Origin's UK headquarters, will begin at 2pm prompt.
Atos' Scotland offices in Livingston also will be visited from 10am, whilst claimants in Leeds will be gathering outside Atos at 10 and then heading to A4e at lunchtime.
Tyneside Claimants Union will be at A4e Newcastle from 11am and call on people to join them. In Birmingham students will be holding an event to warn that the upcoming benefit cuts will harm the ability of Disabled Students to continue with their education.
Atos are also set to be visited in Glasgow and events are also planned in Lydney, Burnley, Brighton, Hastings, Crawley, Chesterfield and Oxford.
For full details of all events please visit: http://benefitclaimantsfightback.wordpress.com/
Cities and towns across the UK are mobilising for the second National Day of Protest Against Benefit Cuts on 24th January 2011. Atos Origin, who carry out medical testing on behalf of the DWP and are likely to be involved in testing DLA claimants in future, have been named one of the main targets. Workfare sharks A4e are also set to be visited in Newcastle and Leeds.
A wide coalition of local and national groups, as well as autonomous benefit claimants, are holding events and protests around the country. For those unable to attend protests in person the Second National Troll A Tory Day has been called: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=174707432567575&
In London a Party and Picnic at Triton Square NW1, home to Atos Origin's UK headquarters, will begin at 2pm prompt.
Atos' Scotland offices in Livingston also will be visited from 10am, whilst claimants in Leeds will be gathering outside Atos at 10 and then heading to A4e at lunchtime.
Tyneside Claimants Union will be at A4e Newcastle from 11am and call on people to join them. In Birmingham students will be holding an event to warn that the upcoming benefit cuts will harm the ability of Disabled Students to continue with their education.
Atos are also set to be visited in Glasgow and events are also planned in Lydney, Burnley, Brighton, Hastings, Crawley, Chesterfield and Oxford.
For full details of all events please visit: http://benefitclaimantsfightback.wordpress.com/
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