There are so many injuries caused when riders in flimsy gear come off their motorcycle or scooter, which puts extra strain on our NHS and other Emergency Services.

Amazon describes itself as the world's largest online retailer, and any small changes it makes could have a substantial impact, for better or worse, on a significant scale. Although Amazon's packaging has long had a tendency to be wasteful, recently matters have become even worse when the company switched from using cardboard sleeves and packets that could be recycled relatively easily to using plastic envelopes and packets that are mostly impossible to recycle. These are harmful to our natural environment in many ways: first, the manufacture of plastic packaging causes toxic micro-plastics to be released into the environment, especially waterways where they can end up poisoning marine life and thus the entire food chain. Next, after use, in the rare cases where the end consumer is able to get the plastic packaging to the appropriate recycling facility, more micro-plastics are released into the environment by the recycling process. Failing that, the packaging ends up in landfill where it will take centuries to break down, or worse still, dumped in developing countries or in the growing toxic monstrosity of plastic choking our oceans. Amazon should listen to the desires of its customers and behave with responsibility towards current and future generations. By choosing packaging without plastic that can be recycled relatively easily, Amazon could make a meaningful difference while setting an excellent example for other online retailers. If Amazon continues to show such disregard for our natural environment, it will continue to do untold harm.

BAE Systems is a sponsor of the 2019 Festival of Making, ‘a family celebration of making and manufacturing’. But BAE Systems is not a family-friendly manufacturer. BAE is the world's fourth largest arms producer, selling fighter aircraft, warships, tanks, armoured vehicles, artillery, missiles and small arms to over 100 countries including repressive regimes. BAE has sold billions of pounds worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, and is currently finalising a deal to supply fighter jets despite Saudi-led airstrikes in Yemen, a conflict that is taking a particular toll on children. Thousands of children and civilians have died in the conflict, while millions more face famine and disease with the destruction of infrastructure. Save the Children say 12.3 million children in Yemen are in need of humanitarian assistance. A recent parlimentary report says that British arms sales to Saudi Arabia are causing ‘significant civilian casualties’ in Yemen and are probably illegal. Yet BAE Systems continues to sell weapons to the regime. Last year we forced BAE Systems to withdraw as a sponsor of the Great Exhibition of the North. We need to show that BAE Systems is not welcome at any family festivals until it stops arming repressive regimes. The 2019 Festival of Making must #dropBAE

Caged farming on land or water is innately cruel and severely damaging to our environment and the natural habitat of other species. Overcrowding leads to stress, disease and high mortality. Chemicals ineffectively used to treat disease and parasites such as sea lice, (which also transfer to wild fish populations) along with the large amounts of waste material (faeces) pollute the waters, destroy the seabed and biodiversity, wash up along the shore lines and beaches and give rise to health risks to humans and other animals. Dawnfresh Farming Ltd has announced £16 million plans to double their Scottish Trout production, but Rainbow Trout are not native to Scotland (they are larger than our native fish and when they escape their cages predate on the smaller fish). This proposed expansion at Ardentinny and into the Firth of Clyde would be at huge cost to the environment, the existing marine mammal population and human wellbeing and enjoyment of the beautiful coast lines of the West Coast of Scotland adversely affecting Tourism. The intensely populated cages would attract interest from predators such as seals and birds who can became entangled and die in nets and if deemed to be a persistent threat they are shot. An existing seal colony, established over many years and thriving at the proposed site at Ardentinny, Loch Long, would be at significant risk. Loch Long and the Firth of Clyde is one of the last thriving ecosystems for migratory salmonids in the west of Scotland, however Sir David Attenborough has recently accused fish farms of 'threatening the very survival' of wild salmon which is already in decline like everywhere else. The three proposed Firth of Clyde sites (Isle of Bute, Great and Little Cumbrae) at such a narrow point of the Firth means all fish coming from the Atlantic on their way to the river Leven and Loch Lomond are going to pick up sea lice. Loch Long and the Firth of Clyde has seen an increase in populations of porpoises, seals and even pods of dolphins and orcas at times seen far up into the Firth this would be thwarted by use of sonic deterrents at the above proposed sites to protect their stock. Please sign this petition and support me and other concerned parties in protecting our environment for future generations both human and non-human to enjoy safely.

Extinction Rebellion have shown how Waterloo Bridge could function as the people's Garden Bridge. Without traffic the bridge turned into a venue for cycling, walking, gathering, talking, singing and eating. Let's make it permanent.

Southampton airport wants to fell and reduce the height of trees at Marlhill Copse in order to allow shallower take off to the south. This will cause increased noise and nuisance to the whole of Southampton. In 2019 there was a High Court injunction protecting Marlhill Copse from any tree-works, but solicitors from both the airport and city council managed to overturn this on 2 July. The airport were due to submit a planning application to demolish around 20 large pines and hope it could be approved by a single Council officer with the minimum of formal public consultation. The planning panel has effectively agreed to a total of 219 trees having their height reduced - 93 trees by more than 10 metres. Marlhill Copse is a conservation area with Tree Preservation Orders. It is vital that any request for felling or crown-reduction is subject to the utmost scrutiny and that decision-making is absolutely transparent. There should be the fullest public consultation as it would be absurd to demolish the very carbon-capturing organisms that a Green City should be cherishing . The fate of Marlhill Copse is too important to be delegated to an officer or the planning panel. Marlhill Copse is a whole-city issue. It needs a whole-city response. If you can pledge to a fighting fund please email: [email protected] For updates please visit: https://sites.google.com/view/protect-marlhill-copse/home

Insect numbers have plummeted by 60% in the last 40 years. Biodiversity has reduced through poisoning with pesticides and the over-management of grassland areas. Kirklees owned land could become a haven for insects and other wildlife. Citizens could be made aware of the positive approach to biodiversity that has been adopted by the council and, as a bonus, it would save money by reducing the amount of times areas are mowed and ceasing the purchase of pesticides. There are other methods to control weeds where this is absolutely necessary, such as hot foam application and manual cutting. Hundreds of councils are already pesticide free, including Wadebridge, Lewes and Hammersmith so there is a precedent.

It is important to our Local community to have the access to leisure and exercise facilities within a 2 mile radius of our local area, which are inclusive and there for all ages enjoyment and public use without the fear of any exclusion. It is essential that these facilities are on a public transport route, with the bus stop within close proximity of the amenities as not all families and older people are privileged enough to own a vehicle to access the baths. This facility is there for the use of at least five villages and a town and must remain open to support and provide much needed recreation for ALL ages, in a place where there are very little amenities already to entertain and promote a Healthy Lifestyle. The Closure and subsequent relocation of the facilities to Campsmount Academy is unsuitable. It makes very little sense to install new facilities in an unsuitable location, when the funds could be spent on improving and modernising the existing facility.

Glyphosate-based herbicides such as Round Up and Touch down pose a real risk to the public, our environment and horticultural workers. Calderdale’s Wildflower areas have all been treated with glyphosate to prepare for new seeds. This is irresponsible towards our people and insects. Roundup kills beneficial insects, it has been proven to cause mortality of live beneficial species including bees, thrichgramma, predatory mites, lacewings, ladybugs, and predatory beetles. Glyphosate in soil takes 140 days to break down to half its toxicity and will continue to be taken up by plants from the soil for 2 years and longer. It’s toxic to earthworms and inhibits mycorrhizal fungi. Mycorrhizal fungi are essential for tree health, collecting nutrients and water to feed their host plant and protecting tree roots from harmful fungi and root rot diseases. Research on Cancer (IARC) concluded that it was “probably carcinogenic”. Recently a break through court case against Monsanto was won by a man who developed cancer after using Roundup. He was awarded $289 million in damages. We know that in Hebden Bridge, Calderdale Council have sprayed Glyphosate each year on the following sites: Calder Holmes Park - wildflowers lawn Stubbings wharf – Heptonstall Turning circle wildflowers microsite Oldgate – wildflowers lawns In 2016 Calderdale Council announced a plan to reduce the use of glyphosate by 15% year, however figures show that in 2017 the amount used increased. Other councils now use the eco-friendly alternatives such as non-toxic Foamstream.

The Events of Culloden and the events that followed not only changed the face of Scotland to this day they changed the lives of thousands of people living around the world who are descended from Scots fleeing the events of Culloden and the events that followed. Culloden is hugely significant not only was it the last battle fought on the British Isles. Its deep and lasting impact can be felt by thousands of people who may well have been Scots had their ancestors Not fled or were subject to persecution for sedition

Great Western Railway (GWR) has started the roll out of its new Intercity Express Trains servicing various routes including long distance ones such London to Penzance and London to South Wales. Despite GWR’s claims that the new trains provide passengers with ‘more space, more comfort’, its actions tell a different story. With a total disregard for the passenger experience, GWR has removed the buffet car from its new trains. On-train buffets provide passengers (who often travelling long journeys) with a proper catering service that has the option of hot meals and can be accessed at their convenience. When the trains were in design, the RMT consistently warned the Government and GWR that the removal of the buffet car would lead to a deterioration in the service for passengers. Despite this, GWR has ploughed ahead and replaced it with a trolley service, which of course can only provide passengers with a much more limited choice. Coupled with passenger concerns about the lack of comfort in the new trains , it is clear that GWR has chosen profit over the passenger experience. This is despite the fact that rail passengers in the UK pay the highest rail fares in Europe. The publically owned LNER franchise, which operates the East Coast mainline, is also introducing a new fleet of the same Intercity Express Trains – however, a key difference is that all of the new LNER trains retain the buffet car. This makes it clear that the lack of a buffet service in the GWR trains is purely down to a lack of will on the part of GWR. The dedicated GWR catering staff rightly recognise that their passengers deserve a proper catering service on the new trains and therefore the RMT is demanding that GWR reinstates the buffet car in all of its Intercity Express Trains without delay. Furthermore, to safeguard the provision of the buffet service on the Greater Western route, the Department for Transport (DfT) must ensure that future franchise contracts specify a requirement for the buffet car. Please sign this petition and share it widely as part of the campaign to #BringBackTheBuffet

The importance of Stoke Lodge to the local community is strongly-felt, widespread and enduring: ● Two applications for Town or Village Green status show the strength of feeling about this space. The Inspector at the first TVG concluded that all tests for TVG status were met apart from one (‘as of right’ access) which is not relevant to the test for LGS. ● Our community has raised substantial funds and committed significant time over a sustained period to maintain access as of right. ● Over 4,100 Bristolians signed a petition calling on the Council to protect open access. ● Stoke Lodge has not one but two supporters’ groups, with over 1,800 members in aggregate who devote significant amounts of time not just to campaigning but also to gardening and other voluntary projects to protect and improve this amazing space. Please revise your assessment of Stoke Lodge. It is the epicentre of a community and is unique and irreplaceable – it fulfils all the criteria for Local Green Space and we strongly believe it should be given the higher level of protection.