Whitehills Primary is a well-established and vital part of our rural community. The proposed changes would increase travel times for young children, disrupt settled friendships, and place unnecessary strain on families. No alternative school has been clearly identified, and no adequate consultation has taken place with affected parents and guardians. We call on Aberdeenshire Council to immediately halt any rezoning plans and commit to a meaningful consultation with the community. Protect rural education. Keep our children at Whitehills Primary School.

Birdham Road is a vital route connecting Chichester to the villages of Birdham, West Wittering, and East Wittering. However, it currently lacks safe infrastructure for cyclists and pedestrians. With the recent and proposed housing developments, the need for improved active travel infrastructure has become critical. Key Developments Increasing Local Traffic and Population: • Gladman Developments has received outline planning permission for up to 150 dwellings on land off Main Road, Birdham, including 30% affordable housing, a community park, and public open space . • Redrow’s Beechwood Manor offers a collection of 3, 4, and 5-bedroom homes in Birdham, contributing to the area’s residential growth . • Bell Lane Development proposes 73 new dwellings, a retail unit, and an employment building, further adding to the local population and traffic . • Whitestone Farm has outline planning consent for residential development on approximately 21.6 acres, indicating more housing on the horizon . These developments will significantly increase the number of residents and vehicles in the area, exacerbating existing traffic congestion and safety concerns on Birdham Road. Benefits of a Dedicated Cycle Lane: • Enhanced Safety: Protect cyclists and pedestrians from vehicular traffic, reducing accidents and fatalities. • Encourage Active Travel: Promote cycling and walking as viable, healthy alternatives to driving. • Reduce Traffic Congestion: Alleviate pressure on roads by providing alternative transportation options. • Environmental Impact: Lower carbon emissions by encouraging non-motorized transport. • Community Connectivity: Improve access to schools, shops, and community facilities for all residents. We urge West Sussex Highways and West Sussex County Council to act now by installing a safe, dedicated cycle lane on Birdham Road. This infrastructure is essential to accommodate the growing population and to promote a safer, healthier, and more sustainable community. Sign this petition to support the installation of a cycle lane on Birdham Road. Let’s make our roads safer for everyone.

Birmingham City Council is in financial meltdown – but instead of fixing its mistakes, it’s trying to balance the books on the backs of bin workers. These are the people who kept the city running when no one else would. And now the council wants to cut their pay by thousands of pounds a year? It's outrageous. The council claims it’s not that bad – but workers on the ground, backed by their union, know the truth. They’re striking because they’ve been pushed to the edge, and they’re not going down quietly. Now, we need to support them – before the damage to our streets, our public health, and our values gets any worse. Sign the petition and demand Birmingham City Council respect its workers and protect essential services.

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.

Started by Clare Norcott – Parent, Advocate, and Member of The Disability Union My granddaughter Lily is autistic and non-verbal, and I know how hard it is to find support that truly understands our children. That’s why I’m devastated that Hampshire County Council is planning to shut down The Aviary Nursery in Eastleigh – the only nursery in our area with a dedicated SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) hub. The Aviary is more than a nursery. It’s a place where children with complex needs are not just accepted – they are celebrated. It’s where skilled staff provide tailored care, where parents feel seen and supported, and where children like mine have the chance to thrive. If the closure goes ahead, families will be forced to travel as far as Winchester to access equivalent services. That’s miles away – completely unmanageable for many families, especially those already stretched emotionally and financially. We’ve come too far to lose a place like this. Every child deserves access to the right care, close to home. Don’t let our children become casualties of cuts and convenience. Please sign and share this petition. Together, we can save The Aviary.

Brighton and Hove Council have a responsibility to ensure the safety of children along the Brighton seafront. The sea can be an unsuitable environment for children, even in the summer months, and as such, providing a way for children to interact with the water safely is essential.  The Kings Road paddling pools allow children to play with water safely, without needing to enter the sea.  Brighton & Hove Council have taken the decision to close the pool due to repairs needed and a lack of funding. The decision will see the pool closed for the whole of summer 2025. This decision will see more children entering the sea. 

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 is important for the following reasons, and we undersigned ask the government to consider the following areas:  * Recognize that a State Visit would be inappropriate and potentially damaging to the UK's interests, given the following:    * Legal Convictions: Donald Trump's recent conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records undermines the dignity and respect expected of a head of state during a formal State Visit.   * International Relations and Canadian Concerns: The King's role as head of state of Canada, and Donald Trump's antagonistic rhetoric towards Canada, including threats of annexation and trade disputes, create a significant potential for diplomatic friction. A State Visit risks damaging the UK's relationship with a key ally. * Economic Harm: The imposition of US tariffs on British steel and other goods, including the 25% tariff on steel imports and the proposed tariffs on British goods and cars, poses a direct threat to the UK's manufacturing sector and economy, already strained post-Brexit. A State Visit would send a conflicting message about the UK's commitment to protecting its economic interests. * Erosion of Alliances: Donald Trump's demonstrated disregard for established alliances and international norms raises serious concerns about the potential for further instability and economic disruption.    * Respect for the Monarchy: A State Visit should be reserved for leaders who uphold the highest standards of integrity and respect for international relations. Inviting Donald Trump in this capacity risks embarrassing His Majesty the King and diminishing the prestige of the UK. * Personal economic concerns: The current market volatility caused by the above mentioned tarrifs has a direct negative effect on UK citizens personal pension funds. We believe that a State Visit for Donald Trump would be detrimental to the UK's reputation, economy, and international relations. We urge the government to prioritize the national interest and maintain the integrity of our diplomatic protocols.

Until a couple of years ago, stunning and secluded Mwnt was the only beach in Ceredigion (Wales) that was fully accessible to people with electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS). (See: https://phiremedical.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/PHIRE-EHS-Fast-Facts-Leaflet-Final.pdf.) EHS has been recognised as a disability under the Equality Act 2010 (and is also referred to as electromagnetic radiation syndrome (EMRS)). Protected by cliffs on three sides, Mwnt was subject to little in the way of man-made electromagnetic fields (EMFs) from wireless networks and mobile phone masts. Then, in 2022, Ceredigion County Council collaborated with Openreach and the National Trust to provide Wi-Fi on the beach. Since then, bombarded with wireless radiation from close-range transmitters located on the roof of the Caban Mwnt café, the beach has been inaccessible for people with EHS/EMRS.  Sadly, all the other beaches in Ceredigion are also subject to radiation from nearby mobile phone masts, TV transmitters (Blaenplwyf), and/or military installations (Aberporth). Mwnt was the exception. With 3-5% of the population affected by EHS, many people are currently being deprived of safe beach access in Ceredigion.  There’s no issue with the full-fibre in Caban Mwnt, which ensures fast internet access in the café and indicates when the defibrillator has been tampered with; the problem is the irradiation of the beach below. Even those who don’t suffer from EHS/EMRS might well appreciate a beach that offers the chance to disconnect from the devices that are increasingly widely acknowledged to be having negative impacts on mental health, especially that of children and young people. An unpolluted beach where you can get away from it all and enjoy something of a digital detox might be just what some people are looking for, particularly in this part of rural Wales. Making Mwnt accessible again to people with EHS/EMRS couldn’t be simpler or cheaper: it will only take the flick of a switch to restore the beach to a healthy and inclusive environment. (And switching off the Wi-Fi would also be beneficial for wildlife in the area – see: https://www.wildlifeandwireless.org/.)

Many of the locals can't afford the new prices. This will mean that many of the elderly and disabled people of Heacham who can't walk far will no longer be able to use the beach at all, as it's a long walk for the majority of the village. The beach is crucial to some for mental health reasons. I feel that this is discrimination against the elderly and disabled. We already have a problem with beach traffic parking illegally and irresponsibly, this will only get worse  with more people not being able to use the carpark and will have a negative effect on those living closer to the beach. Stopping villagers from accessing the beach is a line that the council must not cross.

From hospitality to retail, from finance to the Post Office, contracts that silence workers from speaking out about discrimination, harassment, and abuse in the workplace are everywhere.  These agreements silence victims forever from talking about the abuse they face - but we have a chance to finally stop these abusive contracts that gag workers.  The Employment Rights Bill is making its way through Parliament. This bill is about fairness, equality and wellbeing of all workers. That’s why I, together with Can't Buy My Silence, am fighting for an amendment to the Bill to outlaw abusive non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) once and for all. Please join me and sign the petition. I’ve heard from a woman who was raped and unable to talk to doctors. Employees blacklisted from the industry because they couldn’t share their side of the story, and people still suffering years after the abuse because of the toll of staying quiet. It’s the time to stop this abuse of the law. We now have a law that bans NDAs in universities - but this only protects workers in higher education. It’s time for every worker to be protected. Let’s stop the law silencing staff who face abuse.

Hundreds of thousands of people were already living with the chronic post-viral illness ME/CFS before the covid pandemic. COVID turned out to be highly effective at producing chronic post-acute illness: about half of the estimated two million people now living with Long Covid in the UK have all the symptoms of ME/CFS. Three quarters of sufferers are too ill to work or to be in formal education or training. A quarter are housebound or even bedbound and heavily dependent on care.  The burden on the economy of having so many people unable to work or train, some reliant on the care of others, will be measured in billions. The cost of ring-fencing funds for an effective research programme would be measured only in millions.   Living with ME/CFS is utterly miserable. Government investment in research could transform the lives of huge numbers of its citizens, enabling them to return to being active members of society and contributing billions to the economy. It makes sense on both the human and the economic level; to allow the present situation, in which ME/CFS research is massively underfunded compared to less common and less disabling conditions like multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons and rheumatoid arthritis make no sense at all.  Thanks to the psychologisation of the disease in the 20th century, there is still enormous prejudice in the medical and research communities: People with ME/CFS are “either depressed or mad” according to one senior medical researcher at Cambridge, based not on evidence but on institutional prejudice. This appalling reality is the reason that next to no research gets funded, and very few researchers are willing to risk their careers and reputations by getting involved.  This will only change if the government commits to ring-fencing research funding until the illness is understood, and effective treatments are found.