West Country Social Struggles Newswire Archive

A jaunt out to another 'Managed Access' to celebrate the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge, at the permission [and conditions] of English Heritage. I had a nice time, met old friends and some wierd and wonderful people, doing wierd and wonderful things. BUT .... it is not as I would have it. I still sadly miss the festival that was / should be there. Read more | 8 comments >>

A jaunt out to another 'Managed Access' to celebrate the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge, at the permission [and conditions] of English Heritage. I had a nice time, met old friends and some wierd and wonderful people, doing wierd and wonderful things. BUT .... it is not as I would have it. I still sadly miss the festival that was / should be there. Read more >>

A jaunt out to another 'Managed Access' to celebrate the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge, at the permission [and conditions] of English Heritage. I had a nice time, met old friends and some wierd and wonderful people, doing wierd and wonderful things. BUT .... it is not as I would have it. I still sadly miss the festival that was / should be there. Read more | 2 comments >>

BRISTOL PEACE VIGIL NEWS : 20th June 2005
For News Around Bristol:  http://bristol.indymedia.org


BRISTOL PROTEST : A major Bristol protest has been called for Wed 6th July, in opposition to the start of the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, Scotland (see below). Read more >>

Video title: ‘Campaign to Save Daycare in legal threat from Bristol City
Council’
A short video (dur. 4.42 mins) in quicktime (.mov) or avi formats.
Read more | 1 comment >>

Bristol G8 Dissent has called a public protest for 6 July – for all those who can’t get to Scotland; for all those who went to Scotland on 2 July for MPH and came back enthused; and for everyone who says enough is enough! Absolutely everyone welcome. And don't forget to DIY autonomously during the day. Read more | 1 comment >>

Dr Who Crew comment on Wookey Hole Dalek 'incident'... Read more >>

Launch Party for Ahimsa Human Rights Society of Falmouth, Cornwall Read more >>

BRISTOL & REGIONAL ST0P-THE-WAR NEWS : June 2005
[West Midlands, Wales & South West] Please send us your events.
Email:  bristol-stop-the-war-coalition@yahoogroups.com

MAKE POVERTY HISTORY DEMO IN BRISTOL : Sat 11th June.
Meet @ Berkeley Square (Top of Park St.) @ 1:30pm (See Section 2)

G8 SPECIAL : ‘How To’ GUIDE FOR PROTEST SURVIVAL
 http://www.schnews.org.uk/diyguide/

For events and news publicised between newsletters, please
keep an eye on our message board, and other links provided.
 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bristol-stop-the-war-coalition/

DOWNLOAD: A printer friendly version of this newsletter is available.
Please print copies & give / sell them to people who don't have email.
Visit:  http://bristol.indymedia.org/newswire/display/23180/index.php Read more >>

Welcome to the June 2005 version of Bristol & Regional Stop-The-War News. This printer friendly version is part of a tactical response to the gap between the amount of info we've been able to send those with email, & those without. Please read on to find out how you can help us close this information gap. Read more >>

June 1st was the 20th anniversary of the Battle of the Beanfield, a notoriously brutal one-sided confrontation between 450 unarmed travellers - including many women and children - and a quasi-military police force of over 1,300 police and MoD. Read more >>

Travellers come from many backgrounds. But similarities far outweigh differnces, in peoples expectations on what they want out of life. Recently, politics has come crashing through the door, and trampled their boots, all over the usual suspects of , travellers, asylum seekers, migrants, and the rest .......! Read more | 3 comments >>

Anniversary of the 'Battle of the Beanfield' 1st June 1985
It's 20 years, since the major trashing of my community, travelling on the way the make the "Peoples Free Festival of Albion" at Stonehenge. It was a regular event on the calender. Read more | 1 comment >>

Here's an update of anti-G8 related events in Bristol for the next few weeks. If you are in bristol (or nearby ie Bath etc) feel free to come along, or organise your own! Read more >>

The Home Office have now ratcheted up the ante by re-introducing slavery through the form of 'voluntary service for people who have failed the Asylum System and needing subsistence and accommodation' with the assistance of the National YMCA Organisation.

Liverpool YMCA is going to be the first voluntary sector agency to collude with the Home Office in the immigration slavery scheme introduced by section 10 of the 2004 legislation.

While Liverpool is parading on its City Of Culture, 2008 Status (more like Culture of Capital, Here & Now), it would be worthwhile stating historical fact - Liverpool was home to the Slave Trade - and now in 2005, Liverpool could and may well become home to the New City Of Slavery.

The YMCA and the Home Office have called for a 'Closed Door' Meeting to be held at Liverpool City Councils Millenium House on Tuesday 24 May 2005 from 12:40 - 14:40hrs.

The aim of this meeting from what I can gather, is to 'embrace community dialogue' - through restricting the meeting to just a few (highly-paid & self-anointed) NGOs (whose own sources of revenue are probably paid for by the Home Office...)

The question is, can real community dialogue be achieved like this?

The meeting was posted on the SmartGroups Liverpool asylum seeker and refugee support group:

 http://www.smartgroups.com/message/viewdiscussion.cfm?gid=1256290&messageid=2609

----Section 4 Support - 'Voluntary Service'

>> There is a consultation meeting with the YMCA and
>> the Home Office about this on 24th May - 12.40 - 2.40
>> at Millenium House in Liverpool.

As you can see this is the only outside knowledge of this meeting.

I contacted the Liverpool YMCA today which people believe to be the site of the Pilot Scheme, and the Office Administrator has denied any knowledge of the meeting, but said that, "if it's not Liverpool then it might be Chester which will do it."

If the meeting is being held within Council premises, can Trade Unionists based within Millenium House please make and take action with regards to this?

UNISON, and other Unions the call-out for you is here.

Individuals with a conscience, please make your views heard on this subject.

The following links are related to this meeting:

YMCA slave labour scheme

Section 4 Support - 'Voluntary Service'

There is a consultation meeting with the YMCA and the Home Office
about this on 24th May - 12.40 - 2.40 at Millenium House in Liverpool.

 http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm?gid=1256290&messageid=2602

IND has announced that YMCA England will be running a pilot exercise for Section 10 of the Asylum & Immigration (Treatment of Claimants, etc) Act in Liverpool.

Word document:

 http://www.asylumpolicy.info/mayiapnews.doc

YMCA England Statement following meeting with Church Action on Poverty, Boaz Trust and Churches Commission on Racial Justice

Word document:

 http://www.asylumpolicy.info/ymcastatement.doc

It is important that no-one allows this 'Pilot' to get off the ground.

While the YMCA may or could agree to the scheme, it can only be made unworkable if YMCA Staff take a stand on this issue - strike action, refuse on moral grounds, refuse on Health & Safety issues (will the refugees be given proper H&S training?)

Or perhaps I could 'release' the person out, if I saw a refugee doing what I called anything like 'labour'?

Or maybe, the homeless people within the YMCAs will start "getting refugees to do their 'dirty-work'", or cause deep divisions within already dis-enfranchised communities?

If this doesn't happen here, it could happen near YOU.

Maybe meet up at The Egg, Tuesday 24/05, 11:30am?

Anyone into it?

Banners, drums, trumpets, anything to make a party & noise.

Can the 'Outside Media' meaning The Echo/BBC do something on it? Read more | 2 comments >>

Below is a list of upcoming events organised by Bristol Dissent and friends, plus summit info, along with web links where appropriate. Available at Bristol Dissent meetings are flyers, posters, briefing papers and info. Read more >>

Press Release for Issue 19 of Bristle Magazine

At a loose end on May 5th? Have a cosy lie-in with the latest copy of Bristle, the West Country’s non-profit, independent, radical magazine...and then get out there and kick some politician’s butt.
Read more >>

Hello,

Here's the finished timetable for the Bristol Social Forum Launch on Saturday 30th April. Food + Drinks will be available all day (Pitta Bread + Fillings).

TIME. 1:00pm - 6:00pm. Free Entry (donations welcome). VENUE: St. Werburgh's Community Centre, Horley Rd. (off Mina Rd.) St. Werburgh's, Bristol. BS2 9TJ. MAP:
 http://www.streetmap.co.uk/streetmap.dll?G2M?X=360342&Y=174535&A=Y&Z=1 Read more | 1 comment >>

Hello,

Preparations for the launch of the Bristol Social Forum are now well advanced. On Saturday 30th April 2005 Bristol will take its place alongside the ever growing number of Social Forums across the UK, and around our world. Read more >>

The recent coverage of a demo last Saturday in Swindon is whatIndymedia should be all about, excellent coverage of an excellent campaign on the dysfunctional planning system in Swindon. Read more | 1 comment >>