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Assemble: 11am Malet Street, London W1
Rally Trafalgar Square
Wednesday, 20th Februaru, 2002
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The demo's on Wednesday

We're almost there. Join us as we march against hardship and then come to the exclusive party that kicks-off after the Trafalgar Square rally. ULU (Malet Street) is playing host to both the Freestylers and Way Out West on Demo night. Tickets are only £4 and are available by sending in this form to NUS HQ (you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to download it).

And as Demo day approaches it seems at last Welsh students are being listened to. NUS welcomes the reintroduction of grants in Wales but wonders: what about England? Read all about NUS Wales' victory in press releases (news section).

Thousands of students will descend on central London on 20 February 2002 to voice their anger at the government's current student finance policies. To symbolise the state of their finances NUS is calling on all students to turn out dressed in red.

It's now four months since the government acknowledged the failings of the current student finance system. Unbelievably, instead of relieving the burden, some of the options currently being considered will actually exacerbate the debt of thousands of students. The preferred option by the Treasury, commercial interest rate loans, would create an intolerable burden on students, with debt doubling every six years after graduation. NUS figures show that over just a ten-year period, the interest accrued at a market rate would be over £20,000. It's important that students turn-up for the Demo in large numbers and show the goverment their anger.

On Demo day students will march through central London along the most high profile route for generations. Following negotiations with both the police and the Greater London Authority NUS has secured a path that passes the Houses of Parliament and Downing Street, as well as a rally in Trafalgar Square – unheard of during the week.

Speakers for the event include London Mayor Ken Livingstone, NATFHE's Tom Wilson, the AUT's Natalie Fenton, Lib Dem MP David Rendel and Narinder from Big Brother.

The march will bring parts of London to a standstill and leave politicians and the public in no doubt at the contempt with which students regard the government’s current funding policies.

Visit your local students' union for further details. The march sets off at midday from Malet Street, ULU. Assemble 11.00 am.

Are you looking for somewhere to stay while you take part in the Demo? NUS has produced this list of budget accommodation.

Are you a student officer? The password-locked officers' section contains all the resources you'll need to organise Demo activities (go to information/student officers)

Are you working in student media and looking for materials? NUS has issued this syndicated article all about the Demo.
(see website for links)