This poll regards the issue of stoma-care in the UK and my firm belief that stoma supply manufacturers are taking financial advantage of the NHS at the expense of many stoma patients quality of life. A stoma is formed during a surgical procedure in which a piece of bowel is brought out onto the surface of the abdomen and a bag or pouch is attached to the skin with adhesive in order to collect bodily faeces. I have had a stoma for over 30 years and until quite recently virtually all makers of stoma bags gave patients a choice between a pouch with a filter or a pouch without a filter.  Essentially, the filter is a small hole pre cut into the pouch to allow gas to escape.  Now, whereas this can be a much valued feature for many stoma patients, unfortunately it is also well documented - even amongst Government approved stoma support charities - that these filters can regularly fail, sometimes within a matter of hours which then will allow not just offensive odour to seep through but in many instances even actual faeces which for these patients means having now to endure nothing short of a continual living nightmare.  Of course, when asked about this, the manufacturers of such products will simply advise changing the bag more frequently but as a disabled person who has to either allow up to an hour (plus) to perform this task or rely on the help of carers, this is not always practical.  This is before you take into account the extra financial cost to the NHS this approach places upon an already over burdened NHS. To better illustrate this point, prior to the stoma pouch I had successfully used for the better part of 30 years was discontinued, I was able to enjoy at least four days continual wear with no adverse effects. This came at a unit cost to the NHS of £3.17.  The replacement (now with in built filter) which, due to the odour and faeces regularly seeping through, affords me one days' wear has a unit cost to the NHS of £5.14 I calculate this alone equates to an increased cost to the NHS of some 548% over a four day period. As the NHS is already spending approximately 400 million pounds per annum on stoma supplies, is it really unreasonable to ask the Government to stop mollycoddling and increasing the profit margins of these manufacturers giving them carte blanche to force a medical product upon individuals which for a great many of us is simply not fit for purpose and instead direct that saved money back into the NHS where all users of the NHS (those with a stoma and those without a stoma) can reap the rewards? To further highlight this issue, a recent Parliamentary Report (Hansard 17 May 2023) stated that when it comes to stoma supplies a 'one size fits all" approach should not be adopted as this can impact greatly on a users quality of life yet until the Government steps in and forces stoma supply manufacturers to allow British stoma patients to be able to choose the stoma product suitable for their own individual medical needs in exactly the same way as American stoma patients are able to do, isn't this exactly what is happening?? At the end of the day, nobody ever asked to undergo stoma surgery which, by the very nature of the procedure means being dependent on what is essentially a thin plastic bag glued to the outside of your abdomen to collect your bodily faeces -  which in many cases such as my own, can be for the remainder of your life -  is challenging enough but now being denied the correct medical appliance to make our quality of life just that little bit better is nothing short of abhorrent.   Surely, even an animal has the right to basic human dignity😕 May I thank you in advance from the bottom of my heart for adding your name to the signature list and by doing so hopefully, make the Government act upon this issue.

After five long years, the battle against COVID-19 feels never-ending, especially for those of us who are immunovunerable. Living with Blood Cancer + Hypogammaglobulinemia, I find myself still shielding from a virus that has ceased to be a common threat to the general population thanks to the use of vaccines. For in excess of 500,000 reality is starkly different; the existing vaccines don't provide us with the immunity they do for others.    There is hope with Sipavibart, (Kavigale) made by Astra Zeneca a promising treatment that could offer us protection. The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have already recognized this by granting emergency use approval.    I urge the MHRA to act swiftly and decisively. This drug's approval would not only represent progress in the fight against COVID-19 but also symbolize that our needs are not forgotten. Please join me in advocating for those who are most at risk and in need of protection. Sign this petition to call on the MHRA to approve Sipavibart for Emergency use. Thus allowing us access to the protection we rightfully deserve and granting us the ability to regain some normality in our lives!  

There seems to be a few that do not want children to benefit from a play area that is usable throughout the year, in all weathers, for children to play and do sports. Ecclesall Primary school has a field that due to clay does not drain well. With rainfall this area is unusable. If it is played on, when wet or damp, it turns to a mud bath! School has a plan to change this area into a Multi Use Games Area. The Sheffield City Council Planning Team and Councillors have even granted permission!  This would benefit the children at the school with more sports, better health, increased fitness and more game play. Please sign if you believe children deserve to have a space that they can play on most of the year.  Thank you! 

I’m 17 years old. I look around the streets where I live and junk food is always in the spotlight. When I walk to school, get on the bus, wait at a station, or just spend time in the town centre, I am surrounded by adverts. It’s become the cultural wall paper, and it’s endangering the health of a generation. 1 in 3 children are leaving primary school at future risk of food related health problems, because of food that is being manufactured and heavily marketed by giant companies like McDonald’s. Later this month, the people in charge of McDonald's have their big once a year meeting. The Chief Executive and other bosses have to answer questions from the people that own the company, and I’m going to be there too - David taking on Goliath!  I will look them in the eye and ask them to stop advertising their junk food to children. Can I say I've got your backing too? We know holding big companies to account at these kinds of meetings can change how they do things - together we can force McDonald's to put their marketing might behind their healthy options instead. -- References: [1] New research has revealed companies are ramping up their marketing spend, increasing how much money they spend promoting their products by a staggering £426 million in the last year. See: www.theguardian.com/society/2025/apr/12/big-brands-send-out-barrage-of-junk-food-ads-before-obesity-rules-bite [2] More billboards: field research in 4 local authority areas found McDonald’s was the most frequent advertiser representing 31% of all food and drink adverts. See: https://cdn.bitebackmedia.com/media/documents/Bite_Back_Report_Fuel_Us_Dont_Fool_Us_Advertising.pdf [3] Targeting deprived areas: McDonald’s adverts were more likely to be found in the most deprived areas in each location – on average, across the four locations, the rate of McDonald’s adverts captured per km cycled was 9 times greater in the most deprived areas, compared to the least (1.08 ads/km to 0.12 ads/km). See: https://cdn.bitebackmedia.com/media/documents/Bite_Back_Report_Fuel_Us_Dont_Fool_Us_Advertising.pdf [4] See for example: https://www.phc.ox.ac.uk/news/junk-food-ads-flood-children2019s-social-media-feeds-new-study-finds

From tooth decay to type-2 diabetes, excessive sugar is fuelling preventable diseases with a multi-billion-pound price tag to our NHS.  Voluntary action to try and encourage the food industry cut the dose has failed. So, we need mandatory policies that force them to do the right thing. To reformulate their food, to remove misleading claims in their ads and on their packaging, to stop them peddling junk food to infants in the face of government guidance.   The very same strategies that have been applied to tobacco need to be brought to bear on sugar. This isn’t about adding to the cost of living: It’s forcing the hand of Big Food.

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 white paper 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.

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

• Five years after the start of the Covid pandemic, thousands remain severely ill - Many housebound or often bedbound, unable to attend school, work, or take part in daily life.  Disabled, discharged, and hidden from view. • Covid has left millions chronically ill, including over 100,000 children in England and Scotland (ONS data 2024). • Long Covid is not a historic issue - new infections and reinfections continue to increase the number of people developing chronic illness. • Long Covid can cause systemic damage, affecting organs, the immune system, and even the brain. • Half of Long Covid patients meet the criteria for M.E, a condition that, at its most severe, leaves people confined to darkened rooms, unable to sit up, eat or speak. • Instead of investing in care and research, the government is shutting down Long Covid clinics in England, leaving thousands without support. • As knowledge has advanced, NO additional funding has been allocated for Long Covid research—despite the increasing likelihood that further research could lead to effective treatments. A fraction of the additional £26 billion in NHS funding announced for the next two years could change this by:  • Helping children and adults with Long Covid return to their daily lives, education, and work. Providing crucial support for young people transitioning into adulthood and meaningful employment.   • Preventing families and households from falling into financial crisis, allowing parents, caregivers, and those with Long Covid to stay in work while ensuring access to the care they desperately need PLEASE SIGN AND SHARE ✅ #FundOurFuture ✅ #LCandME ✅ #FundThePlan “"I used to be healthy and go to school like everyone else. I used to ride horses and swim and play tennis and play with my friends. Now I spend my life in bed and I'm too sick to move. I have no friends anymore, I can't do my hobbies and I can't do any school. No doctor knows how to help me and for most of the time, none have even tried. Some of them even didn't believe me and said I was just lazy. I am abandoned and I've given up, honestly. I'm not the only one. I don't understand why no one will help us."” 12-year-old living with Long Covid since 2020. ““My teenager has had Long Covid since he was 9. He desperately misses school and football. For a while, he managed 20 minutes of school a day, but he has progressed to severe M.E. and has been unable to walk or tolerate light, screens, or even conversation. I gave up work to care for him. Our family is still stuck in 'lockdown'. Please, please, please help him by funding treatment research.”” Parent of 13-year-old living with Long Covid since 2022

NHS dental fees are about to increase. If you’re lucky enough to have an NHS dentist, you’ll soon pay more for everything from a check-up to fillings. And not a penny of it will actually be put into our cash-strapped NHS dental services. The hike, which typically happens each year, is scheduled for April. That’s unless enough of us come together to stop it this time - and call for a proper plan to save NHS dentistry. We all know that NHS dentistry is broken, with millions of people still struggling to get the dental care they need - and we need a plan to fix it. Instead of hiking NHS fees, it’s time for the Government to come up with a proper plan to fund NHS dentistry for all.

They are not opening the Triangle Wood bar this year, it is not due to a licence. I have been informed this is not a issue, it is down to the solicitors dealing with the will. This us not just a bar it is a community hub, for people to catch up, meet new friends and have somewhere they can go and not feel alone. Please sign this petition and help us to get the bar reopened.

"Established in 1994, Safeline is a specialist charity that works to prevent sexual abuse and support those affected to cope and recover. Our Vision is that everyone affected by or at risk of sexual abuse should feel supported and empowered. We empower survivors to make choices about the lives they want" www.safeline.org.uk Safeline has two helplines. The National Male Survivor Helpline is telephone support dealing with sexual abuse or sexual violence to males. Without the £250,000 the helpline will close. The helpline will give meaningful support to thousands of males. It is a gateway to other services such as counselling and therapeutic services thus empowering people in a non judgemental and believing environment. 

Whitehill Bordon is a regeneration town, designated an Eco Town around 2010 and also home to the MOD Bordon Garrison REME which announced its departure in 2013.  It sits in the North-East ‘corner’ of Hampshire, bordering Surrey & West Sussex.   The Chase Community Hospital (opened 1991) is a purpose-built healthcare facility standing in its own grounds with a car park, originally provided many healthcare services to Whitehill & Bordon and surrounding villages, with community beds for respite, care and rehabilitation, physiotherapy, x-ray department, a number of different clinics. In 2013 an NHS Charter declared a commitment ensuring a long-term sustainable future providing health services the people want to the Chase Hospital.   During years 2013 - 2018 we watched as services were withdrawn on a widely-acknowledged deliberate basis, (to date it is reported operating at only 25% of its original capacity) when we learnt that East Hampshire District Council responsible for the massive multimillion-pound regeneration of Whitehill & Bordon, including the Health Hub, announced the future closure of the Chase Community Hospital, causing real concern for us residents.  A 22,000/30,000 population is anticipated by 2030, to be supported by one existing GP practice only (Forest Surgery), to operate the new Health Hub.  The Chase Hospital would then close.   The 2013 NHS Charter had been reneged upon.  And we are told by EHDC we will have a “one-stop shop for local people’s primary health care needs…[just]… 0.7 miles away from Chase Community Hospital & Forest Surgery…”   There has been a long-standing distrust of the NHS Commissioning Care Group’s principles of care for the developing and growing community of the Whitehill & Bordon settlement since 2013, concern over the construction of the Health Hub in the new town centre and a growing scepticism over who is ultimately likely to benefit. The community also has severe doubts that our Integrated Care Board’s future-proofing of expansion space of 153 sq. m. can be correct.  In 2020 East Hampshire District Council predicted the area’s population is set to rise by 8,000 to 22,000 (likely to be conservative estimate), all needing access to health services - the majority registering with Forest Surgery in the new town centre’s Health Hub.   The proposed Health Hub planning application (19/06/24) states future-proofing to a “certain extent” to take into account a population increase in 4/5 years from it being operational, allowing current Forest Surgery patient numbers ONLY to increase from c.8,250 – 15/16,000, which would then move into the Health Hub. We do not believe the major changes by the Government to The National Planning Policy Framework (12/12/24) has been taken into account by the ICB in any of their plans in their most recent report, when concern over the Health Hub’s ability to provide adequate care to an increasing population already existed! Whitehill & Bordon is also a fairly isolated area cut off by a lack of an adequate transport system.  When in need of healthcare services no longer provided locally, it is very time-consuming, expensive and extremely difficult for carless and/or vulnerable residents to access alternative facilities without transport; they are locked in their immediate locality.  We ask the Secretary of State to intervene on the basis that facilities and infrastructure MUST come with additional housing and review whether retaining Chase Community Hospital is in the best interests of the residents of Whitehill & Bordon and surrounding area. The Chase Hospital is already there with space plus room for further expansion, ready and waiting! The Health Hub building of 2 floors contained under five and a half floors of flats and half a floor of roof garden above, along with flats and retail outlets each side. Health Hub area:  The 2-floor Health Hub total area is to be 2,922 sq.m. made up by an NHS-funded area 1,754 sq.m., we assume the 1,168 sq.m. difference is for private profit-making healthcare businesses. Chase Hospital area:  approximately 2,667 sq. m. plus Forest Surgery and its pharmacy 605 sq. m. totalling 3,272 sq. m.  (Sadly only 25% fully utilized!)  What a deplorable waste of money, healthcare facility and services by the NHS, ICB, Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust and NHS Property Services! We are now in 2025, some 10 years on from the Master Plan, and the Health Hub still isn’t built with no date in sight. The local Integrated Care Board is totally focused on the Health Hub and despite our ongoing Campaign including some of your own Government’s visions, it seems reluctant to listen to local people and is not using accurate data regarding patient numbers. Where is the logic or common sense in closing a desperately needed health facility when nearby towns that will be half the intended size of Whitehill & Bordon currently have thriving and/or expanding community hospitals that members of our community are referred to? It seems ironic that when the Chase first opened its doors the local population of Whitehill & Bordon was 4,661.  Now it is looking set to rise to circa 30,000 and authorities want to close it…! To support our Campaign further you can also go to our Facebook page entitled: -  YOU KNOW THE CHASE HOSPITAL MAKES SENSE