• Reducing Prison Officer Retirement Age
    Prison Officers are the forgotten public servants. Media attention for this service only happens in a negative way when we are forced to strike, highlighting increasing pressure placed upon us to deliver a safe environment for those in our care. If the reality of daily occurrences that happen across the prisons in our country ever got out, the public would be horrified at the extent of how cuts across the service have impacted on the safety of those within prisons.  Staff deal with violent and unpredictable prisoners every day, these prisoners are deemed too unsafe to be with the public. We protect the public by ensuring these people are secured and kept in a safe, humane environment. Whilst attempting to deliver programmes and courses to reduce re-offending so hopefully upon release, they can integrate back into society and lead law abiding lives and are no longer a risk to the public. As an Officer, I have been physically dragged into a cell and attacked, I've had both my knees dislocated in one incident. I have been spat on and threatened on many occasions. However, some Officers I know have experienced far more harrowing incidents I recall: Female Officers having faeces and urine thrown on them. Scolding hot water thrown at Officers for no reason, Officers have been held hostage, one Officer was sexually assaulted, another punched so hard in the face he has had to have extensive surgery on his face and will never return to the job. These are only a few incidents of Officers that I personally know, let alone Officers around the country in other establishments.  Every day we deal with prisoners self harming, sometimes so severely that the person self harming has lost use of their limb(s) . We deal with people attempting to (and sometimes succeeding) in taking their own lives, on a regular basis, sadly this is a common occurrence and is part and parcel of ring a Prison Officer. The mental scars left on us when this happens are dismissed and the expectation is for us to carry on as normal. We talk to prisoners on a daily basis in a bid to stop them from self-harming and stop them from potentially taking their own life. You probably think 'these are rare occasions' but they are not, these are daily occurrences. The stress and mental health issues Prison Officers face on a daily basis is four times the national average. A number of Officers have been medically discharged with mental health issues that arise from dealing with incidents like these.  I am not looking for sympathy or saying all of this for any other reason other than to raise awareness of what a Prison Officer deals with on a daily basis. Prison Officers do this job because they are committed to trying to change the mindset of challenging individuals and make a difference that will benefit everybody. Times are changing, prisons have become a more violent environment to work and live in, statistics demonstrate that this is continued to rise. Officers are assaulted DAILY and the Government expectation is for Officers to work in this environment until they are 68 YEARS OLD. Whilst this job is manageable from 18-55/60 MAX, this is not the environment for a 68-year-old to be working in. Can you imagine your 60-68 year old Mother/Father, even your Gran/Grandad attempting to stop a 15 stone, 18-year-old steroid user or a violent individual from attacking another person within the prison setting?   The new Prison officers salary for doing the job is now starting at £20,000pa and eventually rising to a maximum of £26,000pa (over a 6 year period) which may sound like a good figure on paper but would you do this job for that money? The pensions have been torn apart and we don't have great pensions either. We have Officers that have been doing this job for 20+ years and planned their whole retirements on a pension that can no longer support them or their families. It is a reported fact, that the job of a Prison Officer is one of the most stressful jobs in the country. There are several articles on this but here are just a couple: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/prison-officers-stress-is-four-times-average-mz3pcz3tc https://www.totaljobs.com/insidejob/top-5-most-stressful-jobs/ It is a fact that most Prison Officers don't make their retirement age and if they do they don't make it much past the retirement age of 60 let alone 68.  The Fire Service, the Police and all the armed forces retire at 60 and rightfully so. I am asking people to sign the petition for Prison Officers to be able to retire at 60 along with the other services that deal with dangerous and violent individuals. Thank you for your time.
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    Created by Kerry O'Shaughnessy
  • Free Feminine Products in Shops
    This is important because there is lots of homeless woman or just woman in general who are having to spend an average of £3-5 a month just because the way woman are built biologically.
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    Created by Kayleigh Alexander
  • Save Northamptonshire Libraries
    Libraries are important to all age groups in the County. They a focal points for local communities and in the modern era provide a large range of essential services. These include the loan of books, careers advice, IT training, Newspaper Reading Rooms, Group Activities for Young parents and children, Access to Computers and photocopiers, archives for researchers, local information. Libraries are important hubs in local communities providing information on local services, activities and groups. Closing local libraries will isolate communities and individuals, especially the elderly and disabled.
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    Created by Dave Stuttle
  • Keep All Northamptonshire Libraries in Public Ownership
    Libraries are often one of the last free to use public hubs in towns and villages where services have already been drastically cut. Reducing Northamptonshire's libraries and potentially leaving only 8 would be devastating for this semi rural county. These important buildings don't just house books they provide modern meeting places for many clubs and groups as well as community events, meeting rooms, internet access and a host of other services. To lose the libraries and with them some children's centres and elderly respite provision would be a real tragedy for our thriving communities leaving us without access to vital services.
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    Created by Suzanna Austin
  • Save our sexual health services
    Sexual health services that are free and open to anyone who needs them have been the keystone of world-leading sexual health care in England for over a hundred years. They provide essential functions such as testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV, free contraception including emergency methods such as the ‘morning after pill’ and long-acting methods, as well as sexual health promotion, advice on STI/HIV prevention and outreach services across the community. These services are free to access, confidential and are there for everyone, including those who are the most vulnerable in society. However, sexual health services, which are no longer funded from the NHS, are facing unprecedented threats as a result of damaging and persistent Government cuts to local authority public health budgets, from which they are now funded. These cuts come at a time when more people are accessing sexual health services than ever before, record levels of STIs are being diagnosed, difficult to treat antibiotic-resistant strains of infection are being detected and the need for quality contraception and HIV testing is more important than ever. Therefore, it is essential that the Government ensures appropriate public health funding is made available for local authorities so we are able to address these challenges head-on and continue to provide the care that people rely on. Failure to do so represents the falsest of false economies and will jeopardise the sexual health of both individuals and society as a whole. Sexual health services are for everyone - you do not know when you, your friends, loved ones or family may need them - so join with us now to pledge your support and help ensure that services receive the backing they require. Organisations endorsing this campaign include: - British Association for Sexual Health and HIV - Beyond Positive - British HIV Association - British Medical Association - Brook - Family Planning Association - Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare - Gay Men's Health Collective (MEN R US) - GMFA (the gay men's health charity) - The GMI Partnership - iwantPrEPnow - LGBT Foundation - LGBT Consortium - METRO Charity - NAM - National Aids Trust - National HIV Nurses Association - The NAZ Project - PositivelyUK - Prepster - Royal College of Nursing - Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists - Saving Lives - Society of the Social History of Medicine - Sophia Forum - Spectra - Terrence Higgins Trust
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    Created by British Association for Sexual Health and HIV Picture
  • Stop the cuts to 42 and 42A bus service Minster, Cliffsend
    The 42 and 42a bus is an important link for residents in Minster and Cliffsend. It links communities where some don't have access to private transport and connects to local schools, doctors' surgeries, shopping areas and village communities. It reduces car use, reduces airborne pollution, saves on parking charges and keeps communities together.
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    Created by Karen Constantine
  • Stop KCC cutting funding for Socially Necessary Bus Services (SNBS)
    These bus services are a lifeline to our communities. If these essential services are scrapped, it will have a devastating affect on vulnerable people, the elderly and children amongst others. It will also be highly detrimental to community well-being, along with the local economies in a wide range of areas across Kent. Kent County Council must guarantee its residents the continuation of all of these vital transport services for the health and prosperity of the residents that currently use them, along with growing numbers that will use them in the future.
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    Created by Jenny Reeves
  • Keep the 5:38 from Selhurst to Luton running - Due to change in May 2018
    If the train is stopped, then people who travel pass Blackfiars would have to find another means of transportation due to there no longer being a service (unless you change). This would extend their already lengthy journey time. This could also lead to job losses and could also effect Elstree Studios. This will effect commuters.
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    Created by Jacqueline-Anne McMillan Yarwood Picture
  • closure of padiatrician and adult heart surgury at Royal Brompton Hospital
    This hospital serves adults and children from this country and from abroad due to its high reputation in heart surgery and has received the highest Order of merit, a most excusive civilian award. Order of Merit are chosen personally by the Queen. he Brompton has previously scuppered a previous attempt and one a High Court battle arguing the process was flawed. Why then would the NHS Executive who will rule on Thursday the fate of the Brompton by dismantling the highest quality heart care service in this country. This could result in an unforgivable act to dismantle the most important heart disease in Britain.
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    Created by Valerie Williams
  • Ceredigion Council - offer Bodlondeb to the People of Penparcau
    The Bodlondeb Residential Home is a much loved home for the elderly members of the community, and as a publically owned building it belongs to the people of Ceredigion. Its redevelopment or sale needs to bring benefit to the local community. However, the council may be planning to allow a redevelopment of Bodlondeb that is not appropriate or suitable in this location. But if the building is offered to the community then it can continue to be a positive asset for the neighbourhood's elderly population and for families and younger people. There are many ways the building could be used, for example elderly services, a day centre, clinics, sensory spaces for young people with autism, childcare, studio and maker and start up business spaces, training and meeting spaces, please feel free to add your suggestions in the comments when you sign the petition!
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    Created by Dinah Mulholland
  • Save disability Day Centre in Falkirk
    Because it will isolate the Adults who use these Day Centres and they will have nothing to look forward to also they will miss their friends and activities and the independence they have and it will stop Parents/Carers having much needed respite and time to their self. My daughter Marie who is affected by closures has fought back after 2 strokes caused by a rare disease called Moyamoya will with my help fight these 2 closures to secure a long term future and choice to attend the day centre to help in my independence and choices how I live my life which will benefit me. Day centre users pay a fixed price every month whether they attend or not either due to sickness or holiday they still have to pay for day centre
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    Created by Michelle Lochrie
  • End Prescription Charges
    As people's budgets are getting more and more squeezed, more and more people are going without their vital medication. According to the Prescription Charges Coalition, 1 in 3 people with a long-term condition has been unable to pick up their medication, adding more costs to the NHS. As England is the only part of the UK which has prescription charges, it's time to do away with them once and for all!
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    Created by Katie Roche