Started by Clare Norcott – Parent, Advocate, and Member of The Disability Union My granddaughter Lily is autistic and non-verbal, and I know how hard it is to find support that truly understands our children. That’s why I’m devastated that Hampshire County Council is planning to shut down The Aviary Nursery in Eastleigh – the only nursery in our area with a dedicated SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) hub. The Aviary is more than a nursery. It’s a place where children with complex needs are not just accepted – they are celebrated. It’s where skilled staff provide tailored care, where parents feel seen and supported, and where children like mine have the chance to thrive. If the closure goes ahead, families will be forced to travel as far as Winchester to access equivalent services. That’s miles away – completely unmanageable for many families, especially those already stretched emotionally and financially. We’ve come too far to lose a place like this. Every child deserves access to the right care, close to home. Don’t let our children become casualties of cuts and convenience. Please sign and share this petition. Together, we can save The Aviary.

Brighton and Hove Council have a responsibility to ensure the safety of children along the Brighton seafront. The sea can be an unsuitable environment for children, even in the summer months, and as such, providing a way for children to interact with the water safely is essential.  The Kings Road paddling pools allow children to play with water safely, without needing to enter the sea.  Brighton & Hove Council have taken the decision to close the pool due to repairs needed and a lack of funding. The decision will see the pool closed for the whole of summer 2025. This decision will see more children entering the sea. 

My mum, Wendy, was preyed on by a 24-hour slots venue in the town where I live, Stockport, when she was undergoing cancer treatment. Wendy spent hours each day gambling on the machines, losing many thousands of pounds – everything she had, as well as loans – her only break to go to the ATM. The staff never intervened to stop her. My mum’s story is not unique with hundreds of these slot venues springing up on high streets across the country, devastating families in almost every town and city. Despite containing the most addictive and harmful form of gambling – where you can spin a £2 bet every 2.5 seconds – councils are nearly powerless to refuse their licenses because current laws say that they should “aim to permit” gambling. They are open 24 hours a day – including Christmas day – so people are often drawn in when everything else is closed. People lose their wages, benefits, or pension for the whole week in minutes, leading to poverty, crime, mental health struggles, relationship breakdowns, and suicides. The money does not go back to the community but to international firms profiting from misery. We need to stop these predatory places opening and stop the existing ones being 24hrs. The government must give councils more powers to reject them and we now have a chance to make it happen. In December Angela Rayner presented to parliament the English Devolution Whitepaper which says it will “look to complement local authorities’ existing powers in relation to gambling outlets to refuse or place conditions on premises licences”. I’m calling on the government to bring this into law and stop these venues killing our high streets and our communities.

Many of the locals can't afford the new prices. This will mean that many of the elderly and disabled people of Heacham who can't walk far will no longer be able to use the beach at all, as it's a long walk for the majority of the village. The beach is crucial to some for mental health reasons. I feel that this is discrimination against the elderly and disabled. We already have a problem with beach traffic parking illegally and irresponsibly, this will only get worse  with more people not being able to use the carpark and will have a negative effect on those living closer to the beach. Stopping villagers from accessing the beach is a line that the council must not cross.

From hospitality to retail, from finance to the post office, contracts that silence workers from speaking out about discrimination, harassment, and abuse in the workplace are everywhere.  These agreements silence victims forever from talking about the abuse they face - but we have a chance to finally stop these abusive contracts that gag workers.  The Employment Rights Bill is making its way through Parliament. This bill is about fairness, equality and wellbeing of all workers. That’s why I, together with Can't Buy My Silence, am fighting for an amendment to the Bill to outlaw abusive non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) once and for all. Please join me and sign the petition. I’ve heard from a woman who was raped and unable to talk to doctors. Employees blacklisted from the industry because they couldn’t share their side of the story, and people still suffering years after the abuse because of the toll of staying quiet. It’s the time to stop this abuse of the law. We now have a law that bans NDAs in universities - but this only protects workers in higher education. It’s time for every worker to be protected. Let’s stop the law silencing staff who face abuse.

Hundreds of thousands of people were already living with the chronic post-viral illness ME/CFS before the covid pandemic. COVID turned out to be highly effective at producing chronic post-acute illness: about half of the estimated two million people now living with Long Covid in the UK have all the symptoms of ME/CFS. Three quarters of sufferers are too ill to work or to be in formal education or training. A quarter are housebound or even bedbound and heavily dependent on care.  The burden on the economy of having so many people unable to work or train, some reliant on the care of others, will be measured in billions. The cost of ring-fencing funds for an effective research programme would be measured only in millions.   Living with ME/CFS is utterly miserable. Government investment in research could transform the lives of huge numbers of its citizens, enabling them to return to being active members of society and contributing billions to the economy. It makes sense on both the human and the economic level; to allow the present situation, in which ME/CFS research is massively underfunded compared to less common and less disabling conditions like multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons and rheumatoid arthritis make no sense at all.  Thanks to the psychologisation of the disease in the 20th century, there is still enormous prejudice in the medical and research communities: People with ME/CFS are “either depressed or mad” according to one senior medical researcher at Cambridge, based not on evidence but on institutional prejudice. This appalling reality is the reason that next to no research gets funded, and very few researchers are willing to risk their careers and reputations by getting involved.  This will only change if the government commits to ring-fencing research funding until the illness is understood, and effective treatments are found.  

This closure will have a huge impact on a daily basis for all those who lose a family member. We need your support in the community to reverse this decision before it happens

The Government intend to make changes including a new Personal Independence Payment (PIP) eligibility requirement, to make it much harder for disabled people to receive the daily living component of PIP. To restrict eligibility, it plans to bar people from receiving the daily living component if they do not score at least four points on any one of the 10 assessed activities. Under the plans, you would not even be eligible if you needed assistance to wash your hair or wash below your waist (two points) or needed assistance getting in or out of the shower (three points)! Nearly half of all disabled people already live in poverty, and these cruel cuts will further deepen the inequality gap, reduce independence and drastically lessen people's quality of life. Those with disabilities, who are neurodiverse or have mental health conditions are now fearful for what the future holds for them. It's barbaric that the government are balancing the books by targeting the most vulnerable people in our society! We, the undersigned, believe that they should instead apply a 1-2% wealth tax on assets over £10 million, which would raise up to £24 billion a year! Thank you for supporting this petition, please sign and share widely Cllr Laura Edie, Green Party member for Newtown, Dartford  *Promoted by Mark Lindop on behalf of Laura Edie, c/o 12 Old Downs, Hartley, DA3 7AA 

Basingstoke is at a crossroads. Our town centre, once vibrant and full of promise, is now marked by empty units, tired infrastructure, and regeneration plans that haven’t yet delivered real change. While we support Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s long-term vision — especially around green space and multi-purpose use — let’s be honest: it’s not enough.  The Town Centre Masterplan lays important foundations, but the reality is delivery has been slow, and existing plans still treat Basingstoke's shopping centres as if both can be revived. That simply doesn't reflect the scale of the challenge - or the opportunity.  We face a drastic oversupply of retail space. Trying to breathe new life into both Festival Place and The Malls - while expanding into Top of Town - risks diluting investment, scattering footfall, and missing the chance for true transformation.  The Malls are owned by the Council. That means the future of this critical part of the town centre is in their gift. And with Festival Place having gone into receivership in 2023, the second floor now sits largely empty. How can we expect to attract new businesses and investment when our retail core lacks purpose and momentum? This proposal puts forward a bold but practical solution: • Relocate the businesses currently in The Malls into the vacant units in Festival Place and Top of Town. • Demolish The Malls and create a modern, people-centred green space that supports business, culture, sport and wellbeing — all in the heart of Basingstoke. There are currently around 22 businesses trading in The Malls, while Festival Place has at least 27 vacant units — ranging in size from large anchor spaces like the former Debenhams, to smaller units suitable for the majority of shops in The Malls. Festival Place alone has the capacity to absorb the existing businesses from The Malls — and that’s before even considering the additional space available at the Top of Town. A vibrant high street will attract new business and investment — from bakers to butchers, cafés to co-working spaces, bookshops to barbers. It’s about creating a place where independent traders thrive alongside well-known brands, where families can spend the day, where culture, convenience and community meet. A successful town centre should offer more than just shopping — it should be a destination, a meeting place, and the beating heart of local life. This is a win-win-win — for businesses, who will benefit from increased footfall and investment; for our community, who gain a modern green space and cultural venue; and for Basingstoke, which can once again be a leading example of local regeneration done right.  Let’s be ambitious. Let’s take control of our town’s future. Let’s reimagine Basingstoke — together.

Why Canada Water Market Matters Since its launch in April 2022, Canada Water Market has been a lifeline for independent traders, small businesses, charities, musicians, and local creatives. It provides:  ✅ Jobs & income for entrepreneurs and small businesses  ✅ A platform for charities (who are given free stalls)  ✅ Live music & cultural events that enrich the community  ✅ Opportunities for underrepresented groups in business This market is a cornerstone of the local economy and social life. Its sudden, unjustified shutdown or potential council takeover will leave traders without income, businesses at risk of closure, and the community deprived of a market that has been significantly improved with seating, entertainment, increased footfall, community engagement, high-quality traders, and a well-organised operation.

Every year, 170,000 children and adults go missing. Many are found, but others remain missing, leaving them at serious risk of harm and causing heartbreak for their loved ones. People disappear for many reasons like mental health issues, suicide, exploitation and dementia. Currently, there's no clear government strategy to prevent this or to support people. Vulnerable people are falling through the gaps,experiencing serious harm while they are away, with little or no support to help address the reasons why they went missing. They need support, so they don’t go missing again. A dedicated strategy led by the Home Office, Department for Education, and Department for Health and Social Care could provide the necessary attention and resources. Without it, thousands will continue to go missing without support. When people return, there is no meaningful opportunity to speak to anyone about why they went missing, or what happened while they were away. This leaves vulnerable people, who are often in crisis, with no support. Everyone should know that someone cares, and that help is available, including from the charity Missing People.  

• Every year 12 million tonnes of plastic ends up in the ocean, killing 100,000 marine mammals and turtles and a million sea birds • 100+ million plastic cups are used every year at UK festivals and live events, and most of these are incinerated or sent to landfill • Globally 500 billion plastic cups are used each year. If lined up end-to-end these cups would span 50 million kilometres – or more than 130 trips from the Earth to the Moon • Plastic pint cups are the sixth-most commonly found plastic item in Britain’s rivers, and the eighth on the nation’s beaches