On Saturday 18th April 2015, a group of activists occupied the old Bank of England building at 31 Castle Street in Liverpool. This huge building has sat empty for several years, while local homelessness services have seen a dramatic increase in demand for the help they provide. The Whitechapel Centre has reported a 32% rise in demand for the service over the last three years: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/whitechapel-centre-fears-new-year-8416181 The occupied bank has yesterday received papers for a court hearing about the occupation. The hearing will take place on the 28th of April. We are petitioning Liverpool City Council and the court judge to not evict the activists and to allow the centre to remain open indefinitely, to meet the acute needs of local people living in poverty. Article 25, Universal Declaration of Human Rights: (1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control. A "perfect storm" of central government cuts, stagnating wages and other unfavourable economic conditions have hit Merseyside the hardest out of any area in the country (While the national average cut in council budgets has been 2.9%, Merseyside councils are facing a reduction of 4.7%) and led to a dramatic increase in homelessness and housing issues, food poverty, fuel poverty and other types of material deprivation. Liverpool City Council has been instrumental in enacting cuts that have affected the most vulnerable members of the local community, and existing services are struggling to cope with the increased demand that this hardship is causing. http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/one-seven-merseyside-homes-living-7305611 http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/merseyside-foodbank-capital-country-according-6994144 http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/04/23/labour-austerity-benefit-cuts-deprived-areas-_n_3137416.html A group of concerned local people have decided this situation can no longer be tolerated. We have therefore set up the "Bank of Love" - the Jess James Community Outreach Centre - inside the abandoned building. As it was mainly the 2008 UK bank bailout that has led to the imposition of damaging austerity policies which are devastating out local communities, we feel it is apt that a former bank building should be used to house, feed and clothe those in need. Inside the bank we have set up a kitchen which has fed hundreds of people since the occupation began, and the big empty rooms above have housed many local people with nowhere else to go. Activists at the bank have also been providing food bags and free shoes and clothing to those in need. Government policy in the form of benefit sanctions (state-approved destitution) and the bedroom tax and changes to council tax benefit are leaving people unable to meet their most basic needs and the most basic needs of their families. Unless and until the government/local council addresses this ongoing breach of human rights, the centre must remain open.

Click to see the full bilingual version of the declaration:: http://pawalescymru.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/referendum-against-austerity-in-wales.html People across Europe and the UK who did not cause the financial crisis are the ones who are paying for it. Cuts in public services, benefits, wages and conditions at work are being imposed in the name of austerity. These cuts are causing permanent damage to people’s lives, to their health, families and communities. The very structure of our civic and cultural life is being permanently degraded. As the People’s Assembly Wales we say on the grounds of justice and equity that enough is enough. Austerity cuts must be stopped by every means possible. They are unnecessary, cruel and alternatives can be implemented – if there is a political will to do so. Action in Wales against austerity: • We support all local campaigns against austerity in Wales joining together to strengthen collectively the effectiveness of our challenge. • Get involved – we call upon every individual in Wales to defend all services and benefits and unite to challenge the UK government austerity policies. It is easy to start campaigning – just contact us. • We call upon Welsh trade union leaders and members to oppose austerity in every way possible, including through the use of industrial action and joining with local community campaigns. • We call upon all Welsh political parties which oppose austerity to work toward joint action and policies, including support of trade union and anti-austerity action and campaigns. • We call upon all Welsh election candidates and elected representatives to commit themselves to act against austerity policies. First, by being prepared to implement alternatives. Second, by voting to do whatever is necessary to stop austerity cuts up to and including refusing to set a cuts budget. Mae pobl ar draws Ewrop a’r D.U yn talu am greisis ariannol nad ydynt wedi creu. Mae toriadau mewn gwasanaethau cyhoeddus, budd-daliadau, cyflogau ac amodau gwaith yn cael eu gosod yn enw llymder. Mae’r toriadau yma yn achosi niwed parhaol i fywydau pobl – eu hiechyd, eu teuluoedd a’u cymunedau. Mae fframwaith ein bywyd diwylliannol a dinesig yn cael ei iselhau am byth. Fel Cynulliad y Werin yng Nghymru, rydym yn dweud ar sail tegwch a chyfiawnder mai digon yw digon. Nid yn unig y dylai toriadau llymder gael eu hatal wrth ddefnyddio pob modd sy’n bosibl, rydym yn dweud bod y toriadau yn ddiangen, yn greulon, a bod dewisiadau amgen os yw’r ewyllys gwleidyddol yn bodoli. Gweithredoedd yng Nghymru yn erbyn llymder • Rydym yn cefnogi pob ymdrech leol yng Nghymru yn erbyn llymder, ac yn ymuno gyda’n gilydd i gryfhau effeithiolrwydd ein her. • Ymunwch â ni -rydym yn galw ar bawb yng Nghymru i helpu i amddiffyn ein gwasanaethau a’n budd-daliadau, ac i gyd-weithio i herio polisïau llymder llywodraeth y D.U. Mae’n hawdd dechrau ymgyrch - cysylltwch â ni. • Rydym yn galw ar arweinwyr ac aelodau yr undebau llafur yng Nghymru i wrthwynebu llymder ym mhob ffordd gan gynnwys trwy weithredu diwydiannol ac ymuno ag ymgyrchoedd lleol yn erbyn llymder. • Rydym yn galw ar bleidiau gwleidyddol Cymru sy’n gwrthwynebu llymder i weithio tuag at sefyllfa sy’n datblygu gweithredu ar y cyd, a pholisïau unol, gan gynnwys cefnogaeth i’r undebau llafur a’r mudiadau sy’n gwrthwynebu llymder. • Rydym yn galw ar bob ymgeisydd yng Nghymru yn yr etholiad cyffredinol a phob cynrychiolydd etholedig i ymrwymo i weithredu yn erbyn polisïau llymder - yn gyntaf drwy fod yn barodi i weithredu polisïau gwahanol, ac yn ail i bleidleisio i wneud popeth sydd ei angen i roi stop ar doriadau llymder, gan gynnwys gwrthod sefydlu cyllideb toriadau llymder. Detailed arguments: http://pawalescymru.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/english-no-cuts-38-degrees-petition.html http://pawalescymru.blogspot.co.uk/

Belmont Children's Farm is a fabulous local community and educational resource in London Borough of Barnet allowing children, students and those with learning difficulties access to farm animals and a day out in a beautiful rural environment in the heart of London. It educates through practical experience and helps to raises awareness of farming and animal welfare, and to teach children (and adults) where our food really comes from. WHATEVER YOUR POLITICAL PERSUASION please support the campaign to try to get Barnet Council to reverse their closure decision (after a one month reprieve the farm is still set to close at end April 2015). The farm is just 9 miles from Marble Arch in the centre of London. It is a unique and invaluable rural educational resource in the heart of London. Maybe the Tory council in Barnet and the property developers would prefer to build thousands of houses here instead ? Who knows the real reason ? Please support the campaign to keep Belmont Children's Farm open. You can watch the campaign video here https://vimeo.com/123298701

The proposed changes in special educational needs transport for disabled children and young people in Derby City and closure of Castle Street Nursery will have a devastating impact of hundreds of parents/carers, and their children. The proposals will deal a further blow to parents /carers, who are already under immense pressure, due to their caring roles and responsibilities. The proposals will also severely affect siblings, and parents/carers ability to get to work.

Broxtowe is undergoing great change with centrally-imposed infrastructure projects radically altering the area. The impact of this centrally-imposed, swingeing cut on the local council budget will destroy all hope of mitigating against such changes. Front-line services will be under threat, with the impact being felt by all residents; with the most vulnerable being hit hardest. Read more here: http://www.nottinghampost.com/Borough-faces-biggest-spending-cut-country/story-25737818-detail/story.html

I strongly believe that this increased distance is to far too expect a child to walk to school, never mind the weather conditions such as the rain and snow. Our children will be tired, cold and maybe even soaked through before they even start school. How can we then expect our children to be able to learn when tired, cold and wet? Thanks to the council amalgamating many schools, the distance that need to be travelled are now much further for many pupils. Many of the children will have to leave the house around 7.30 am to arrive at school for 8.40 and then will not get home until after 4 pm on the days they finish at 3 pm and after 5 when they finish at 4 pm. This would mean that in the winter months they will be expected to walk in the dark under the underpasses and unsupervised as many of the parents will be at work. This is not to mention the overly heavy school bags that they are expected to carry which would also add to tiredness, increased stress and potential health problems such as bad backs, posture and sore feet. Furthermore the children are then expected to complete homework whilst tired and with dramatically compromised concentration levels. Many of the routes to the schools do not have adequate pedestrian walk ways and many areas do not benefit from having regular public buses which can transport children to school. On a normally day the amount of traffic in and around our schools is already extremely heavy. If these plans are approved then there is likely to be more congestion and more danger as parents are forced to transport their children to school themselves. Many parents will simply not be able to ensure that their children can get to school safely as they will have to leave early themselves, to get to work. This will impact family life as the parents may have to reduce their working hours or give up work completely.

Nurseries who have children with additional needs can apply for funding to provide that child with additional support such as a one-to-one. Funding was applied for in advance of the term so the setting secured finances to employ staff as required. However from the summer term 2015 the panel will not be held until much later in the term, this term it will be June. This puts not only a financial burden on the nursery to provide the support necessary but there is a financial risk as it is not guaranteed that funding will be granted or they might not receive the level of funding applied for. Therefore nurseries might decide they can no longer offer places to children with additional needs. My 4 year old son has Downs Syndrome and has one-to-one Support as he is not verbal and communicates with sign. He also has no concept of danger and will run if he senses freedom so to have that allocated adult to supervise him is essential. However his nursery is a charity and doesn't really have the spare funds or profit to employ staff for most of a term and the financial risk of having children with additional needs must be a factor for their future. We have friends who have children with additional needs who had issues with the level of support their child has as the nursery have not been able to secure the full level of funding. If nurseries feel unable to offer places to children with additional needs then they miss out on valuable experiences and friendships with their peers and preparation for transition into school. Children in the nursery miss out on the joy of interacting with diverse abilities and experiences. Parents of children with additional needs miss out on important down time to recharge and get things done. The only benefit is keeping money in the council coffers for a few months. At what cost I ask! Please take the time to sign so all children can access nursery in Norfolk.

All the maternity and women's health provision of Liverpool was pulled into this one site. It's a much loved hospital. It provides crucial specialised care and the daily joy of new babies. #one born. The driving force for closure is a clumsy funding structure not the needs of women and babies. The alternative of wards in the new Royal is not an equivalent. This is a modern hospital on a good site.Our taxes built it for our babies and for our women.

The sick and disabled people applying for PIP fill in a very long application form, which often repeats itself and so the individual(s) applying must repeat the answers. Even with getting professional help filling in these forms, does not guarantee, a fair and balanced end result. Many applicants are requested to have a one to one assessment and the results of these assessments seem to be down graded against the applicant

Both my sons went to Castle Nursery School a few years ago and I can't tell you how amazing this nursery is, they gave my boys the very best start to their school lives and Ofsted rate them as 'outstanding' too. Our children deserve the best as they only get one chance. Every parent should have the choice to send their children to and outstanding provider if they wish. But not only this Castle Nursery is also in the Arboretum Ward which is the most disadvantaged area in Derby and currently does not have enough childcare places for the children living in the ward. Derby City Council should be making residents aware that they can access this oustanding nursery not taking it away just because families don't know about the nursery or don't know they are entitled to 15hrs free childcare. Please help me make Derby City Council accountable for their decisions and make it known that we are not going to let them take away yet another invaluable provision just because they have mismanaged their budget. Thank you

Any cuts to this vital service would cause real hardship to the less able in many parts of Wiltshire

We hear about overspending NHS trusts but much of this arises from central government policy to reduce public expenditure without fully appreciating its implication. A recent 38 Degrees campaign refers to changes in medical advances which uses stem cell replacement to treat for bone cancer. Something not available 20 years ago. I recently lost two family members to bone cancer and was advised this was not available. Looking at the local trust it is because it is running short of funding! The public needs to agree what it requires, the NHS decide how much this will cost and the Secretary of Health and national government advise how much this will cost in taxation. The public then have the choice as to whether to accept the increase taxation or accept a lower level of NHS service. At present the public have no choice in the matter. Personally I prefer to have a NHS service I can rely upon rather than a service which is underfunded or a private sector which is constrained by profits and contracts. I hope you support this petition