Protecting cyclist will encourage more people to take to 2 or 3 wheels; in turn, this will deliver better air quality, improve health and make our towns and cities safer for both cyclists and motorists. 'Pink Bobbies' (armadillos) are car friendly as they are designed to nudge oncoming vehicles without damaging tyres and rims, at the same time provide a safe haven for cyclists within dedicated cycle lanes. ‘Pink Bobbies’ are also made from recycled car tires, providing an environmentally sustainable solution to tire disposal.

Citizens Advice Chief Executive, Gillian Guy, said: “Universal Credit is already failing too many people, pushing them into debt and leaving them without the means to make ends meet. “Citizens Advice supports the principles of Universal Credit, but pushing ahead with roll out while the system remains beset with problems will put thousands more families at financial risk. “The current flaws with the system also undermine the very reasons Universal Credit was introduced: to simplify the benefits system and make sure every hour of work pays. As things stand, too many people are finding Universal Credit very complicated, and problems such as long wait for payments or difficulties getting help with an application mean they are less able to focus on getting into work or increasing their hours. “The government needs to pause plans to accelerate the roll out of full service Universal Credit this Autumn and devote the time and resource needed to tackle the key problems which mean the system is not working.” Based on data from a representative survey of people seeking advice in universal credit full service areas as of May 2017, Citizens Advice highlights that - more than one in three people are waiting in excess of 6 weeks to receive any income, and 11 per cent are waiting more than 10 weeks;. 30 per cent of people have made 10 or more calls to the helpline to sort out their claim at a cost of up to 55p per minute, and often have to wait over 30 minutes to get through; 40 per cent reported they were not aware they could get an advance payment to help with the initial waiting period for their first payment, and more than half borrowed money whilst waiting; and clients on universal credit are nearly one and a half times as likely to seek advice on debt issues compared to those on other benefits. Solving problems in the practical operation of universal credit must be an 'urgent priority' in the new Parliament, the Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee Frank Field has said. Mr Field highlights that, while many respondents supported in principle the objectives of universal credit, there was a near unanimous set of concerns about its implementation, including - claimants waiting 12 weeks or more for their first payment, resulting in hardship and distress; vulnerable claimants struggling to adapt to receiving universal credit as a single monthly payment; the seven waiting days at the start of a claim, for which claimants receive no benefit, adding to claimants' financial difficulty; rent arrears amongst universal credit claimants rising; poor communications between landlords, support organisations and the Department where universal credit ‘full service’ is operating; and universal credit inadequately supporting claimants in emergency temporary accommodation. Referrals to food banks have increased by more than 16 per cent in universal credit full service areas, according to a new report from the Trussell Trust. the Trussell Trust highlights that, between 1 April 2016 and 31 March 2017, it provided 1,183,954 three-day emergency food supplies to people in crisis, of which 436,938 went to children. Other key findings include - foodbanks in areas of full universal credit rollout to single people, couples and families, have seen a 16.85 per cent average increase in referrals for emergency food, more than double the national average of 6.64 per cent; the effect of a 6+ week waiting period for a first universal credit payment can be serious, leading to foodbank referrals, debt, mental health issues, rent arrears and eviction, and these effects can last even after people receive their universal credit payments, as bills and debts pile up; people in insecure or seasonal work are particularly affected, suggesting the work incentives in universal credit are not yet helping everyone; and navigating the online system can be difficult for people struggling with computers or unable to afford telephone helplines - in some cases, the system does not register people’s claims correctly, invalidating it.

The Adult Care Centres are vital for the frail,elderly and disabled. They provide specialist bathing and other facilities as well as trained staff to make life bearable for many elderly and disabled people as well provide a few hours of much needed respite for their carers and families ( often elderly and frail themselves). What are these people going to do if these centres close?

They need to show compassion to genuinely disabled and sick people

It is not glamorous and can sometimes be unpleasant but we do it because no-one else will. Community Furniture Aid (CFA) is a fine example of what can be done, on a local level, to help the poorest in society as it recycles unwanted furniture and household items, donated by the public. It works with over thirty agencies including SSAFA, Womensaid, Homeless charities and the local council so as to furnish homes for the poorest in society who have lost everything and cannot afford to buy new or even second hand. With over a million people using Foodbanks, in the last year in the UK, and millions more living below the poverty line, we are now seeing the need for help, not just with food, but with the general household items that many of us take for granted. Hidden poverty is not truly accepted in our society but this charity deals with it on a regular basis. In the 21st century we are still finding children sleeping on concrete floors, houses being flooded but the clients too poor to afford insurance, beds being re-possessed from finance companies and people running away from abuse and having to start afresh. In the last three years this tiny charity has fully furnished 275 houses which were all referred by agencies and saved over 150 tonnes from going to landfill. All this has been done by gathering up items that the local community were going to dispose of. Whether they changed their bed or ordered a new sofa, emptied a house of someone departed or just had a general clear-out, all the items were gathered and put into packs. In a throw-away society, by taking a moment to think “Could this be of use to someone else”, we could help end hidden poverty and reduce the amount of waste contaminating the country. One of the latest deliveries found us making up a bed and a five year old saying "what you doing mister?" I explained that I was putting feet on the bed so that it was not on the floor and the child dashed downstairs to tell his mum that he did not have to sleep on the floor anymore. Then we furnished a house for a lady who had suffered terrible abuse and it had taken two years for her to gain the confidence to live on her own again. Arriving with just a bin bag full of clothes, she looked at the bare walls of the empty property and started crying as she did not know how she could furnish the whole house. However, after we delivered all the essential items such as a bed and bedding, storage units, sofa table and chairs, curtains, pictures and kitchen items plus some extras, she was crying for a different reason. She could not believe that people would be so generous and she could start her life again. Another situation arose when an elderly lady had been discharged from hospital, after a long stay, only to find that her furnished flat had been re-let and she was moved into a totally empty property. On arrival we found the lady sitting on a chair, with her zimmer frame, in distressed state as there was no carpet or even light bulbs in the empty flat. Although a care plan should have been in place, for this lady, she had slipped through the cracks and we were there to help at the crisis point. And finally, SSAFA referred a gentleman who had been discharged from the army with PTSD. Shut down and not knowing what he needed, the charity provided everything that makes a house a home, so that he could start his rehabilitation, without the worry of having to source everything himself. In the current economic climate and the increase in the use of Foodbanks, a network of dedicated storehouses for household items would help ease the burden of the poorest in our society from suffering in silence.

The services they provide is very important to the people of thurrock, and closing Orsett will put even more pressure on Basildon Hospital which is under immense pressure already not helped by the proposed closure of the A&E at Southend Hospital. With thousands of new homes planned for the borough, it would be better to save Orsett Hospital and expand some other services, to help cope with a rise in demand in the area.

The fox family currently live on a large derelict site, which has been vacant for years, consequently growing into a beautiful wildlife haven. The two adults made their den under a hedge and the wildflower meadow that has grown on the re-wildered garden has become the cub’s playground. Many local people have watched and admired this beautiful fox family from afar over the years. It has been a thrill to observe wildlife on our doorstep. There are now plans to completely destroy their well established home and build an 11 storey block of 36 flats with underground parking. Building is imminent. Overnight, this fox family of three (a bonded pair with their six month old cub) will lose their safe haven with nowhere to go. The “best” case scenario will be that the fox family will bolt and try to find a new territory, but this will not be easy as the few nearby gardens are most likely the territory of other urban foxes that will fiercely fight to protect their space. Also, not many humans welcome foxes into their garden and there have been cases of humans attempting to poison foxes. The worst case scenario is that some or all of these foxes could be hurt or killed by the demolition or could be classified as “vermin” and killed by “pest” controllers. Foxes are a native species and play and important part of our ecologic system. They do not harm us and it is humans who take more and more of their habitat away, actively persecuting them as if we had a right to own every inch of Planet Earth. Foxes have as much a right to live here as we do and as compassionate human beings it is our duty to protect them and all other wildlife. All they want is to be allowed to live their short lives in peace. They cannot speak up for themselves. Please be the voice for these beautiful, intelligent and sociable animals, so they will not be killed and are given time to find a new home. Thank you for speaking up for these beautiful animals.

On the 22nd of June 2017 the High Court found the governments benefit cap to be illegal. That's because we took them to court to say that as four women in single parent families the cap will have severe and disproportionate impact on us. The Judge agreed, ruling the cap illegal and saying “Most lone parents with children under two are not the sort of households the cap was intended to cover... Real misery is being caused to no good purpose." We were being pushed further and further into poverty due to the benefit cap, which was making our lives unmanageable and unaffordable. Two of us fled from domestic abuse, to find that we were financially penalised by the Government’s benefit cap for doing so. We’ve started this petition because, we know that we are not alone in this struggle. We have been shocked to learn through our involvement in this Court case that tens of thousands of children under two years old have been affected by the cap. Single parents have real difficulties finding work they can combine with caring for children single-handedly. As a result, they can’t easily escape the cap. We hope the public will support this petition and join us in calling on the Government to provide the financial security that one parent families affected by this cap need. This campaign is supported by: https://files.38degrees.org.uk/items/files/000/000/741/original/logos.gif

Tenant's living in rented housing in the UK shouldn't need to set up protest sites to have their voice heard. This type of site is not effective and serious concerns can be missed, as often the message will never be seen by the intended recipient. Tragedies like Grenfell Tower might have been avoided had the residents had a direct line of communication, that delivered their concerns directly to the desk of the relevant housing team. The majority of housing staff are doing everything they can to make a difference, however, reduced budgets, staffing and available resources are having a significant impact. A system needs to be deployed immediately to provide 360 degree protection. The system needs to free up valuable staff time, whilst providing protection to all sides and a complete record of all communication between connected parties (provider and tenant). Every event and communication (on both sides) throughout the tenancy must be logged, date stamped and digitally signed. This will ensure, in the event of a dispute, or worse, ALL the facts and supporting information is available...signed, dated and in complete chronological order.

“This puts lives at risk unnecessarily. As lifeboat crew members, we are happy to give our time voluntarily; all we ask for is the right equipment for the job.” - Volunteer RNLI crewman Huw. To give you some background, the RNLI has decided to downgrade New Quay Lifeboat Station to an Inshore Lifeboat when the service life of its current All-Weather Lifeboat expires in 2020. The proposed new lifeboat will not be able to launch in bad weather (over force 7 in daylight or force 6 at night) whereas the current lifeboat can launch in any weather. This doesn't just affect New Quay: The All-Weather Lifeboat also covers Cardigan, Aberporth, Tresaith, Llangrannog, Aberaeron, Llanon, and Aberystwyth. After 2020, there will be no All-Weather Lifeboats in the whole of Ceredigion, leaving a gap of 70 miles between the All-Weather stations of Barmouth and Fishguard. What this means is that the nearest All-Weather Lifeboat, even travelling at 25 knots, will take an hour and a quarter to reach some parts of Cardigan Bay. We, the undersigned, call on the RNLI to retain the All-Weather Lifeboat capability of New Quay Lifeboat Station. (Photo credit: Emyr Rhys Williams)

Barry is the 5th largest town in Wales (after Cardiff, Swansea, Newport, Wrexham and Merthyr) and could easily support an Aldi store. This would give local people access to the two budget supermarkets and widen the choices available to the people in Barry. Using Facebook as my measure, I believe that there is a significant majority of people in Barry that would welcome the addition of an Aldi store and that the Vale's planning department should respect the wishes of the people in Barry

DWP are allowing companies that are assessing disabled people for PIP to classing the ability to push ones self in a wheelchair or the ability to control a powered wheelchair the same as being able to walk more than 20 meters. They are doing this to stop disabled people from getting the High Rate Mobility PIP This means disabled people are losing their Motability cars and scooters-powerchairs, taking away their interdependence and leaving them housebound. Over 60% of assessments are overturned on Appeal, but the Appeals can take up to 1 year to be heard. DWP are saying they are doing this to save money, When in fact they are spending more money on dealing with Appeals. Disabled people have the rights to be treated with respect and dignity and not like 3rd class citizens. Disabled people rely on their cars and powerchairs to have the ability to lead a normal life as much as they possibly can. Many have had to give up work and go back on benefits because of it. I am asking David Gauke MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to do the right thing and put a stop to this barbaric act of injustice against disabled people..