Legal Spark was formed as a result of the crisis in legal aid. People were going without representation because they could not afford a lawyer. This is particularly the case for disabled people. No one else would do this type of work, as it was deemed too expensive, not financially viable and also too complex. Daniel Donaldson, a disabled Solicitor, set up Legal Spark with the Support of the Scottish Institute for Enterprise under their Young Innovators Challenge 2015 programme. Daniel wanted to develop creative solutions to help people access justice and to fix the exclusion that disabled people face from the legal system. Daniel spent one year talking to the Law Society about this issue, highlighting that it was important that everyone could access a lawyer. Legal Spark consulted with the Chief Executive (Lorna Jack), the Head of Professional Practice, the Registrar and the Deputy Registrar (James Ness) and the Secretary to the Civil Legal Aid Quality Assurance Committee (Hannah Sayers) amongst others. A document was prepared that explained what Legal Spark was planning to do. The Law Society accepted this document and did not object. The Law Society encouraged Legal Spark and found their approach "refreshing" and "innovative". Legal Spark was granted permission to do Legal Aid work in November 2015, and a compliance certificate was issued in December 2015. Legal Spark began helping the many disabled people that needed their help and began to have success. In April 2016, the Law Society decided that they had made an "error" and instructed Legal Spark to stop all Legal Aid work by Thursday 30 June 2016. By this stage, Legal Spark had a number of clients, with active and complex cases, some of which were about to go to Court. "A" is one such client. They had experienced awful disability discrimination from a University. They were not given adequate support to help them during a course, and had to leave. Additionally, Legal Spark uncovered evidence that the University's staff had used "unprofessional language" in their approach to "A". This case has now been lodged in Court. "B" is another client adversely affected by this decision. B is also disabled and is housebound. They had tried to find a lawyer for sometime but because of their rural location in the Highlands there were no Solicitors available to help. Legal Spark took on this case and was successful (in part) in achieving a resolution for B. However, because B had been adversely affected by a decision of Highland Council, and had lost out financially, the case may need to go to Court. B is unable to find anyone else to help them. These are only two examples of where Legal Spark is making a difference, there are others too. Since establishing Legal Spark, Daniel Donaldson has not drawn a salary and has used some of his own money to sustain the Legal Practice while it develops and is able to stand on its own feet. Legal Spark has also grown to enable it to employ staff and provide much need paid employment to some disabled people and unemployed law graduates. The Legal Aid certificate meant that Legal Spark could help people who could not access help elsewhere. Now "A", "B" and other will have to go without representation because of the Law Society of Scotland's failures. The Law Society's Chief Executive (Lorna Jack)says that they have to act in the public interest. The Director of Regulation (Philip Yelland) shares this view. 1. Where is the public interest in denying disabled people representation? 2. Also, where is the public interest is giving permission to do Legal Aid work only to revoke that permission 6 months later? The Law Society say that there are other Solicitors who can help, however this is not true. Legal Spark contacted 134 Civil Legal Aid lawyers with advertised specialism in discrimination law. Even the biggest Legal Aid firm in Scotland could not help. The Law Society has said that this will cause Legal Spark’s disabled client’s “inconvenience”. This is an offensive comment; they have never met any client, they have ignored client’s opinions, and also refused to acknowledge that they will suffer substantial prejudice in their cases because of the Law Society’s decision. This petition is addressed to the Law Society and the Scottish Legal Aid Board. It is important that you fulfil your roles correctly. Overturn your decision to stop Legal Spark doing legal aid work, remedy the mistake you have made and apologise. This is the only way you can restore public trust and continue to say you act in the public interest. Allow Legal Spark, and their clients the opportunity to continue to work together for the public interest and tackle the horrors faced by disabled people on a daily basis.

This is important to safeguard the future of the Post Office network into the future. Safeguard the futures of the workers and their pensions but also the Post Office being a vital part of both communities and the UK high street

Hartlepool is a city of 100,000 people. Our General Hospital, later called the University Hospital of Hartlepool, covered not just that population, but another 100,000 people in towns and villages to the North of Hartlepool. Since the closure of our Accident Emergency and the moving of many of our services from our state of the art modern hospital to another hospital to the South, some fifteen miles away of Hartlepool, there have been higher than expected annual death rates; to the extent that it has become a matter of concern. it takes a full extra 30 minutes to arrive at A&E from Hartlepool, and it takes more than an hour to arrive at that same overcrowded A&E from other local areas. http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/07/14/article-0-141053F5000005DC-371_634x729.jpg The ill and infirm, and anyone who wishes to visit them, have a very long journeys when sick, or to visit. This is intolerable hardship when a hospital still stands which could serve all the needs of the local population. This not only increases the financial hardship in terms of travelling costs, but it increases travelling times and the need to travel for all of the staff too. To add to this all of the data regarding privatisation has shown that patients are not the first priority. Fortunately we have been promised that a fully funded national service is now within our remit and a solid possibility, and this will better serve the population and less profit will go to large business based in other countries. We ask for direct funding to again have the NHS and the Hospital which our society deserves.

So that carers get a fair wage .

Poole Council's closure of town centre and shopping area toilets is hurting those who need more accessible loos - whether that be for those with disabilities, parents with small children and our OAPs. The alternative offered of using the toilets provided in shops does not take into account our community's needs as the shops taking part in the scheme may not be open when you need it or not be what people need. For example, I have spoken to disabled people that would not want to go into a cafe to use their wc to change themselves with their helper. One other lady said: "My husband had prostate cancer. We wouldn't have been able to go out if there were no public toilets for him to use. There are many in the same situation who rely on them." In Bournemouth, they have new disabled toilets with hoist and a changing table. Let's get Poole Council to reinstate the public toilets - particularly for OAPs, parents with small children and disabled people.

A lot of people work in all those hospitals and many would lose their jobs and the patients could be transferred to those community hospitals that aren't near their homes and families.

We have voted to leave the European Union. Right or wrong, there it is. With the news this morning that Mark Carney, Governor of the Bank of England, will make £250 BILLION POUNDS available for the banks to keep the financial markets of the UK stable, we are all complaining that the promise to divert much needed funds into the NHS was just rhetoric. Our Nation Health Service is falling apart. If this money is available to aid stability we should use a small amount of it wisely. The NHS is desperate for a cash injection, the banks are not. This petition is to the British Government, to supply the NHS with much needed cash to stabilise a true British achievement. The banks do not need ALL of the money and with the lies told for the leave campaign, its about time the people who devote their lives to helping others keep their health got a bit of a breather.

Essex County Council have decided to withdraw the subsidy for the 20 and 167 bus routes which they currently pay to Transport for London. This is to take effect from April 2016. It is boggling as to how they can propose cuts to the service, let alone the possibility that it could disappear altogether. More info here: http://www.buckhursthillresidents.co.uk/index.php/14-news/104-threat-to-20-167-bus-routes Please also check out https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-the-167-bus-route for a campaign (by H Chow) hoping to save the 167 route from Debden to Ilford.

The Terrence Higgins Trust claimed counselling services were threatened by reduced funding in Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark. HIV rates in the three London boroughs are far higher than other parts of the UK. The services provided by the Terrence Higgins Trust, which currently provides specialist advice and counselling services for people living with HIV across the three boroughs are currently funded by Lambeth Council, Lewisham CCG and Southwark CCG but are being reviewed this month. Please continue to fund these vital services to vulnerable people in the borough who suffer with HIV.

The Transport for London (TfL) proposal to cut the 167 bus route so that it only runs between Ilford to Loughton station will significantly impact people who live in Debden or who need to get to Debden. In particular, people who don’t have cars and who depend on public transport such as school children, elderly people, people with mobility problems and parents with young children. The carer for my disabled son relies on the 167 bus route to travel to my house in Debden twice a week to provide me with much-needed respite care. This proposal will make it much harder and longer for her to get to and from my house. The proposed new route 677 will have just one bus in the morning and one in the afternoon and will follow the existing route of the 167 until Loughton and will then become a shuttle service from Loughton to Debden to cover the secondary schools. This plan is flawed and inadequate. My son goes to one of the local Debden schools and with only one bus he will struggle to get on the bus along with all the other students from Davenant Foundation School, Roding Valley High School and Debden Park High School. If he can’t squeeze onto the one bus or has after-school activities or if he misses the bus then he will be left with little choice for transportation. This proposal is not only unfair as it impacts hardest on those who are most in need of good public transport. But it is also short-sighted as: - The Central Line is already under heavy pressure and cutting the 167 will push even more people to use an already overcrowded tube line. - There are a number of proposed residential and commercial developments in the Debden area, this will increase demand for transport not reduce it. One of TfL’s mottos is ‘Every Journey Matters’ and we want to say that the 167 bus route matters! It is extremely valued and well used, serving all members of the community and we appeal to you to scrap your proposals and let us keep the existing 167 route.

The Bristol Estate is located in East Brighton. An area predominately made up of high and low rise social housing. The residents are currently feeling isolated from the rest of the city due to the infrequency of their bus service. A few years ago buses used to take folk in and out of the estate every 7 mins. Now, however it is every 30 mins in the day time and a shocking every 75 mins in the evenings. With buses running on Sundays only once an hour. For the many elderly people living here the infrequency of the buses is adversely affecting their well being. The elderly talk about not wanting to go into town to the theatre or to see a concert anymore as they cannot risk being stuck at a bus stop for well over an hour. People talk about not being able to take on evening jobs as they would not be able to return home safely. Residents talk about the difficulties in getting to the Doctors and the Dentists. There is only one small shop servicing the whole estate, so locals rely on the bus for eating, for leisure activities, for health care, for work, for education. The residents feel like they have been forgotten, that they don't matter, that no one cares that they cannot get out and about for their good health and well-being like other residents in the city. We call upon Brighton and Hove City Council to ensure that the residents of The Bristol Estate have a fair and equal access to the city centre by making the provisions needed to allow a more regular and frequent bus service to and from the estate. Please do not allow the poverty gap to increase further in our city by not doing all you can to make sure that residents can move easily and frequently in and out of the estate on public transport.

There is woefully poor provision for childcare of under 2's in Walthamforest. Waiting lists are often 12 months or more. Woodside is a amazing nursery that gives families somewhere safe and happy to put their babies. It is an important resource that needs protecting for families now and in the future. There needs to be more support to enable mothers to return to work once their maternity leave finishes - this is when a child turns 1, not 2. Please sign this petition to protect an important resource in the community.