These musicians are the future of our orchestras, pop band ensembles, film/tv soundtrack session musicians, pit players for ballet, opera and musical theatre shows and your childrens' future teachers and mentors. The great majority of classical musicians flourished from training orchestras such as these! Closing the orchestra down is ignorant and shameful. -- "EU has just cut every Euro of funding to the young musicians of the Orchestra (backdated to last October), without so much as an advance whisper? The consequences of this decision are incalculable: the destruction of one of the world’s greatest training orchestras, generations of young musicians denied unique opportunities, and the loss of 40 years of patient tradition, and one of the EU’s greatest arts organisations. This funding decision is simply the consequence of a change in the EU’s cultural funding policy. Two years ago it was decided by the EU that there was to be no more cultural funding for any single organisation. Instead, €1.45bn of cultural support over seven years (a 7% increase on the previous programme) was only allowed to be used on projects with a highly complicated partnership structure. The new Creative Europe programme has wonderful objectives. But it is project funding to encourage national organisations to get together to become more European, not core funding for what is the original pan-European organisation. This “one size fits all”-approach to cultural funding doesn’t work for an EU orchestra with members from 28 countries, and that we were being forced into the wrong funding box. “The European Union Youth Orchestra remains one of our most distinguished ambassadors … a potent symbol of our European Union.” (Jean-Claude Juncker, EU Commission President). “I was moved not simply by the beauty of the music they produced, but also by what they stand for: the EUYO perfectly embodies the power of being united in diversity,” (Juncker’s colleague Martin Schulz, European Parliament President). And here is Tibor Navracsics, EU Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport. “The EUYO is remarkable - both for the outstanding quality of its performances and for its exemplary function … it inspires us”. And finally, the EU’s number one foreign policy politician Federica Mogherini: “This is Europe at its best … In hard times like the ones we are living, the EUYO sends a powerful message to all the young people of our continent: your time is now.” " >source: http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/may/13/marshall-marcus-the-european-union-youth-orchestra-cannot-be-strangled See them perform: European Union Youth Orchestra - EUYO - Flashmob - Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam - 23.08.2014 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOs72u5FjCE EUYO Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 6, 'Pathétique', Movt I https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lft2isVp0kk SHOSTAKOVICH 4th Symphony mov-1 (part 1/3) Vladimir Ashkenazi (BBC Proms 2006) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YVGZy2nsWA ---- Email: [email protected] Or send a letter or postcard to: Tibor Navracsics, Commissioner, Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, European Commission, Rue de la Loi / Wetstraat 200, 1049 1049 Brussels, Belgium

Since the 1966 World Cup final, Bobby Moore has never been out of the football news. He was graceful on and off the pitch when he was alive, and his reputation has only been enhanced since his death. This is a special year, 50 years on from the 1966 Final plus the Queens 90th birthday - what a great year to award Bobby a posthumous Knighthood, and put a smile on British faces..... a lovely man, a great Captain of England, and a Knight of the realm!! Great.

So today as a family we were informed that our rent is increasing in line with current market value. Basically the estate agent's want to make more money and our landlord wants more return from his investment. We have no choice but to accept or we'll have no where to live and we've made this our home. We are not able to have a voice, we are at the mercy of powerful letting agents and landlords. Is this all really fair without any consultation? How do they expect families to find money when cost of living is constantly rising? Do you not think this is ludicrous considering we aren't well off enough to buy a house but our rent is more than a mortgage. Regulations need to be introduced to stop letting agents charging over the odds and pushing families further into poverty. I think it is really unfair and they need to be stopped. If he increases it further we just will not be able to afford to live here. This issue isn't just having an affect on us but on friends and family of ours who also rent and have been forced to submit to rent increases. We have no choice as we don't want to be out on the streets but is it fair to pray on the vulnerable for financial gain? There's a shortage of social housing as it is but more people will be in need of it is we're pushed out of rental properties as we can't meet the high rents. Please help me take this forward to prevent this happening to other families. We won't be able to fight our rent increase this time as we need a roof over our head, even if it means our quality of life is reduced but we will be out on the streets if this happens again. We want the government to: 1. Bring rents under control: Introduce rent controls that ensure rents are set at affordable levels, and that increases don't force tenants into poverty. Rents should be determined by the quality, size, location and facilities of the home. Rent controls are the norm in most of Europe and were used in the UK until the 1980's.

Kenny Bailey suffers from severe memory loss problems and is paralysed down one side of his body, he has suffered a stroke, the result of this meant that he lost the right side of his head, following a DWP fit for work assessment the DWP told him he is fit for work. His benefits have now been cut and he loses £156 per fortnight. DWP have told him he must now seek work, this guy can not work or play with his family, DWP failed him by stating that he can walk 200 yards unaided and is able to get up from the chair. For this guy to attend appointments he needs to write every appointment down or he would forget where and when his appoints are. Therefore the DWP should re-instate the full entitlement of benefits to Kenny Bailey and offer him a full apology following the misjudgement of a DWP medical.

The BBC, like the NHS, is loved by the British public, Following the new White Paper published on 12 May 2016, We need to be ensure that the BBC strategy is shaped by people who care about public service values, are trusted by the public and have a track record of champioing diversity and inclusivness. Sir Lenny Henry fits all of these criteria and should be invited to join the new Unitary Board.

The use of glyphosates has already been banned or restricted in 8 countries. It is not acceptable that ourselves, our children and the animals we share our community with are being routinely exposed to these chemicals whether we like it or not. This is a matter of great importance for those of us who care about each other's health and the health of our children, our cats, our dogs and all the flora and fauna of this city, of course including our beloved bees. If you don't live in this area, click here to start a campaign for your city: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/start-a-pesticide-campaign

At present, recycling facilities for such materials are very few and far between, and do not exist at all in many areas of the UK. Many people frequently receive parcels sent in padded envelopes, or containing bubblewrap. Such materials are then usually sent to landfill or incinerated, adding to greenhouse gas emissions.

The use of glyphosphates has already been banned or restricted in 8 countries. It is not acceptable that ourselves, our children the animals we share our community with, and natural habitats are being routinely exposed to these chemicals whether we like it or not. This is a matter of great importance for those of us who care about each other's health and the health of our children, our cats, our dogs, all the flora and fauna and aquatic life on and around the waterways, of course including our beloved bees. If you don't live in this area, click here to start a campaign for your city: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/start-a-pesticide-campaign

The UK government has failed to effectively aid the millions of people fleeing uncertain futures in war zones so Lincoln students need to take action. In the UK, whilst we do not enjoy free undergraduate education, we have a system in place to ensure we receive a world-class standard of education that is available to everyone. Around 30 British academic institutions already offer some form of free education or aid service to refugees, the University of Lincoln and its student union should continue to lead morally as well as academically. We have seen an unprecedented level of human movement from the Middle East and North Africa to Europe due to civil war and economic hardship. Many of these refugees are young people, many of them are educated to a high standard and all of them had to leave for fear of the own lives. Our universities societies, by their members own admissions, are already well funded and supported. We also enjoy hosting one of Lincoln's premier venues, The Engine Shed, and we will soon see a new multi-million pound technology building. The University and its SU are not short of money and you cannot put a price on human life or a good education. Sign this petition and ensure that a young person gets the future that we all deserve.

The use of glyphosates has already been banned or restricted in 8 countries. It is not acceptable that ourselves, our children and the animals we share our community with are being routinely exposed to these chemicals whether we like it or not. This is a matter of great importance for those of us who care about each other's health and the health of our children, our cats, our dogs and all the flora and fauna of this city, of course including our beloved bees. If you don't live in this area, click here to start a campaign for your city: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/start-a-pesticide-campaign

The use of glyphosates has already been banned or restricted in 8 countries. It is not acceptable that ourselves, our children and the animals we share our community with are being routinely exposed to these chemicals whether we like it or not. This is a matter of great importance for those of us who care about each other's health and the health of our children, our cats, our dogs and all the flora and fauna of this city, of course including our beloved bees. If you don't live in this area, click here to start a campaign for your city: https://secure.38degrees.org.uk/start-a-pesticide-campaign

All too often we hear stories about failing care systems. A lot of the time the workers have been blamed for inadequate care.... What you don't hear of, is how little support these workers have. Also, just how little investment goes into training! if any at all. These workers endure incredibly unsociable working hours. Providing high quality care is not easy under this pressure. Higher pay would enable these workers to "share the load". Having teams able to work more manageable hours and still be able to afford to live. Local authorities and care agencies MUST be made accountable for ensuring ALL staff are properly trained regularly. They make massive profits and don't seem to invest in the workforce. This will have a knock on effect to the quality of care people receive. Overworked staff cannot provide the best quality care. I myself am a working private personal assistant. 12 years experience. NVQ 3 qualified. I work within a team which is crumbling because people cannot cope with the unsociable hours or cannot get enough hours to make a decent amount of money. All the while this is going on, the care or a vulnerable, elderly and frail lady has to be maintained. Meaning I work throughout the day until 11pm and start again at 8am. Not easy 7 days a week and juggling a family too! There is a clear link between low pay of care workers and poor quality care. The simple answer to raise standards of care from my experience is to increase workers pay. It is a demanding job role and it should be recognised as such.