Diary – Page 3 – Notts Save Our Services

Boycott Workfare – new day of action on 8th September 2012 – role of charities in forced work-for-benefits highlighted

Take part in the day of action against workfare on 8th September –
charities should know better!

Last time groups across the UK got together to tackle workfare, Holland &
Barrett – one of the biggest workfare offenders – announced that they
would be pulling out. A big shout out goes to SolFed who organised pickets of Holland and Barrett all over the country.

With workfare amongst corporate companies in retreat, we are turning our
attention in September to charities who are set to receive a huge influx
of workfare as the government roll out their Community Action Programme
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/jul/29/long-term-unemployed-unpaid-work.

We will be taking to the streets to remind charities that workfare is
never for ‘community benefit’ – as the government are trying to claim by
involving charities – and that they have a duty to stand up against such
punitive and exploitative schemes. Join an action on Saturday 8th
September on your local high street. Check the facebook group to find your
local action or arrange one on your high street. Also, keep your eyes
peeled for ’10 top reasons charities to oppose the involvement of
charities in workfare’ blog coming soon on the Boycott Workfare website.

UK wide day of action against charities’ involvement with workfare
http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?p=1544 and
http://www.facebook.com/events/488398427837296/

Actions against public organisations that are taking workfare will be
coming soon too and pressure on corporate companies will continue!

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Visit website for Boycott Workfare

London anti-austerity demo ‘A future that works’ 20th October 2012

‘A future that works’, anti-austerity march and rally in Hyde Park in London takes place on 20th October 2012.
Similar rallies are also planned take place in Glasgow (although with some opposition from the local council) and possibly also Belfast.

Details of the London one are here:
http://afuturethatworks.org/

Coaches from Nottingham and Notts:List of coaches: http://falseeconomy.org.uk/travel/east-midlands/all/t1

Build the resistance – Notts TUC public meeting, 18 July, New Mechanics Institute, Nottingham.

Build the resistance is a public meeting called by Notts Trades Union Council to take place on Wednesday 18 July, New Mechanics Institute, Nottingham, 7-9pm. The purpose of the meeting is to plan for the 20th October 2-2012 march against austerity in London. Speakers include: Jim Aspinal, Save Kirkby Hospital; Andreas Bieler, Prof Political Economy, University of Nottingham; speaker from Parents Against the Five Term Year (PA5TY).

Flyer for meeting: http://www.nottstuc.org/2012/07/build-resistance-notts-tuc-public.html
Details of the October march can be found here: http://www.coalitionofresistance.org.uk/2012/05/a-national-demonstration-against-austerity-20-october-2012/

Other recent TUC news:
On 14th July, Rally for our future: defend public services, took place in Sheffield.
Transport from Nottingham was organised by the NUT. See link:
http://www.teachers.org.uk/files/july-14-flyer-sheffield-a5—8224.pdf

Holland & Barrett pull out of workfare – Boycott Workfare week of action 7th-14th July 2012

Before it even starts, the Boycott Workfare ‘Week of Action’ has had a major success: Holland & Barrett who have been using workfare on a huge scale (1100 placements a year amongst a workforce of 3500) have said that “the 60 people currently undertaking the work experience scheme will be the last to complete the eight week placement. After this time Holland & Barrett will not participate further in that scheme.”
More info:
H&B pull out – http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?p=1265
Workfare facts – http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?page_id=663
Week of action 7th-14th July 2012: http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?p=1258
Companies involved with workfare: http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?p=1284. See also: http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?page_id=16

Notts Uncut ‘Street Party’ – Nottingham City Centre – Saturday 26th May 2012 [plus UK Uncut video]

Notts Uncut are holding a ‘Street Party’ in Nottingham City Centre on Saturday 26th May 2012. Everyone is invited.

Starts at 12 noon on Listergate outside Topshop. For more info find Notts Uncut on Facebook – Notts-Uncut Part-of UK-Uncut, Twitter @nottsuncut or look for event info on Nottingham Indymedia.

Download colourful flyer: Notts Uncut Street Party 26 May 2012

Visit Facebook event page for the Street Party: http://www.facebook.com/events/340821982647541/

Check out the UK Uncut video here: http://tiny.cc/e0jeew

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3r5oVk_CWoA]

Text of the Notts Uncut flyer as follows:

Let’s go on a journey back in time to the year 1948 …

Fast forward to 2012 and things feel rather different. The government is not playing fair: its spending cuts are the deepest for decades and it’s cheating ordinary people by forcing them to suffer for an economic crisis they didn’t cause.

The government is also lying: it actively enables big business to dodge tax and slashes tax rates for the wealthy. Right now, for us, for ordinary people in this country, the future’s not what it used to be.

So now is the time to party like it was 1948. Street parties are going to be all the rage for the Queen’s Jubilee. But let’s make ours have a twist.

On Saturday 26th May join UK Uncut’s Great British Street Party to demand that we keep our public services, our rights and our welfare system and to celebrate a new future that isn’t dictated to us by a handful of millionaires but decided by us all – together.

Join Notts Uncut at 12 noon on Listergate outside Topshop. For more info find us on Facebook – Notts-Uncut Part-of UK-Uncut, Twitter @nottsuncut or look for event info on Nottingham Indymedia.

Britain was emerging from a World War and had a huge national debt. Much bigger than the one we face today. Did we see painful cut backs and austerity measures?

No, quite the opposite. We saw the birth of our National Health Service and the Welfare State. The UK was the first country to make health care, social care and financial security accessible to all.

1948 saw the launch of ground-breaking new laws designed to protect and care for everybody in our society, including universal unemployment benefits, universal child benefits, disability benefits, rights to housing and the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

1948: a year when the Olympics were last in town; and the people of Britain were, at last, looking forward to the future.

Britain back then really was “all in it together”. The future looked better than the past. So, we partied in the streets and dreamt of what we could achieve as people and as a country.

Events tomorrow and during the month of May – including May Day and forthcoming strikes

Diary dates for May

Reminder: Notts SOS Meeting tonight, 30th April, Nottinghamshire YMCA (International Community Centre), 61b Mansfield Road NG1 3FN, 7.30-9pm.

Tuesday 1st May – MAY DAY MAY DAY Organising Against Austerity – meeting hosted by the Anarchist Federation at the New Mechanics Institute, 3 North Sherwood St. Nottingham, NG1 4EZ. 7.00-9.00pm. Details: http://nottsblackarrow.wordpress.com

Wednesday 2nd May – Notts-KONP (Keep Our NHS Public) Branch Meeting Friends Meeting House, 25 Clarendon Street Nottingham NG1 5JD, 7:30pm.

Thursday 3rd May – Notts Uncut planning meeting – http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/2545
The Stage, 7a Wollaton St, Nottingham, NG1 5FW, 7pm.

Saturday 5th May – Nottingham May Day march and rally organised by Nottingham and Mansfield Trades Council – 10am from Forest Recreation Ground to Nottingham Market Square for rally with speakers. Details: http://www.nottstuc.org/2012/04/notts-may-day-march-and-rally-with-mark.html

Monday 7th May – Chesterfield May Day march. Details: http://www.chesterfieldmayday.org.uk/

Thursday 10th May – PCS, UCU and Unite health are striking over pensions. PCS town committee are inviting speakers from associated groups to a strike rally. http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/campaigns/10-may–all-out/. For NHS Pensions Industrial Action Thursday May 10 assemble 10:30am QMC – Rally from 12:00pm Market Square, supporting members of UNITE Health, PCS and UCU who are striking in response to the attacks on the public sector pensions on Thursday. Look out for the NOTTS-KONP banner at the Queens Medical Centre Main Gate and join us – we will move to the Market Square for a rally from 12:00pm. See also, previous industrial action round=up from April: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2551.

Thursday 10th May – Nottingham Solidarity Network meeting, Sumac Centre, Nottingham, 7pm – Details: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/2514. Followed by Autonomous Nottingham meeting at 8pm.

Thursday 10th May – Mansfield Meeting on NHS Changes, hosted by Manfield SOS – A public meeting is to be held in Mansfield on the topic of the changes to the National Health Service and what can be done to protect it from new threats. Starts 7.30pm at the Quakers Friends Meeting House next to the Civic Centre car park entrance in Mansfield.

Saturday 12th May – Notts Uncut Skillshare Workshop, The Sumac Centre, 245 Gladstone Street, Forest Fields, Nottingham, NG7 6HX, 10am – Details: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/2515

Monday 14th May – Cancelled – Notts SOS regular forthnightly meeting will not take place today. The next meeting will be 28th May.

Thursday 24th May – Nottingham Solidarity Network meeting, Sumac Centre, 7pm – Details: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/2514.

Saturday 26th May – Notts Uncut Great British Street Party, Nottingham City Centre, venue to be confirmed. See Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/events/340821982647541/

Monday 28th May – Notts SOS regular forthnightly meeting, Nottinghamshire YMCA (International Community Centre), 61b Mansfield Road NG1 3FN, 7.30-9pm.

More events and meetings: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/

MAY DAY MAY DAY: Organising Against Austerity – meeting at the Mechanics – Tuesday 1st May 2012

MAY DAY MAY DAY: Organising Against Austerity

NOTTINGHAM NEW MECHANICS INSTITUTE
3 NORTH SHERWOOD STREET NG1 4EZ
TUESDAY 1ST MAY
7.00-9.00PM

A MAY DAY meeting for all those interested in organising against austerity outside of parliamentary avenues. Hosted by the Anarchist Federation.

Download: MAY DAY MAY DAY Leaflet or read same text below.

As the cuts sink in around us, neoliberalism is adapting rapidly to overcome public resistance. But new forms of collective, direct, and effective action against capitalism have bubbled up across the world at the same time. The work begins locally and spreads rapidly, but it can only happen here if we put our heads together, work with the resources we have, learn from our successes and setbacks, and mobilise. May Day seems like a great place to start!

Come one, come all, but leave anything you’re selling at home. The meeting will be facilitated and focused around main ideas presented before and perhaps during the event. A free literature table will be available and everyone’s encouraged to fill it up. Organisations are welcome but party-political speeches telling us what we already know are not.

Please come with ideas to share on the following sorts of topics or suggest your own via email or facebook

What remains of the anti-cuts/anti-capitalist movement in Nottingham? What is its focus and aims? How do the people involved see things progressing?

Have we lost the battle against the cuts? If not, where should we focus our activity? If so, what does organising against austerity now entail? What do we mean by ‘success’ in this context?

How is our class experiencing and responding to austerity? What will we settle for? How long before regular mass civil disturbances take off? What could they achieve?

How would a successful movement relate to permanent organisations such as trade unions and charities? And what is the role of existing, long-standing campaigns?

Email: nottingham [at] afed.org.uk or find the facebook event to find out more or suggest topics, questions or participants.

Also

Sunday 29th April, 2PM: Open House at the Sparrows’ Nest, St. Ann’s: Making plans and placards for Nottingham May Day on 5th May. Bring stuff and ideas. Phone or email The Sparrows’ Nest (details on website).
For more info on this year’s May Day March see facebook, http://www.nottstuc.org or http://nottsblackarrow.wordpress.com

Notts SOS meetings and events – week starting Monday 26th March 2012

This is the latest update from Nottinghamshire Save Our Services
(Notts SOS), including information on our meetings, Mansfield SOS and
the ongoing campaign against academies in the county, as well as the
usual list of upcoming events.

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NOTTS SOS MEETINGS
We meet every two weeks. The next meeting will be tomorrow (Monday 26th March).

Meetings start at 7.30pm and are held at the International Community
Centre, Mansfield Road. Meetings are usually finished before 9pm and
there’s often an opportunity to carry on any discussion informally in
the pub afterwards. Please do come along and get involved.

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MANSFIELD SOS
Our sister group Mansfield SOS will also be meeting tomorrow (Monday
26th March). Among the items they’ll be discussing are the NHS and May
Day.

They are meeting from 7.15pm at the Gas Sports and Social Club, Lime Tree Place.

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NO TO ACADEMIES

Hands Off Notts Schools is the new name for the Nottingham and Notts
Anti-Academies Alliance, they will be meeting on Tuesday 27th March at
7pm at Beeston Library, Foster Avenue, Beeston, hoping to build on the
back of the successful anti-academy campaign at Kimberley School.

More information: http://nottsantiacademies.org

South Wolds Community School is among the schools currently pursuing
academy status. They are currently consulting on the proposals.
Anybody wanting to respond has until 11.30am on Tuesday 27th March to
do so.

Details: http://www.southwolds.co.uk/index.phtml?d=148072
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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Monday 26th March, 7.15pm: Mansfield SOS meeting. Gas Sports and Social Club, Lime Tree Place.

Monday 26th March, 7.30pm: Notts SOS planning meeting. International Community Centre, Mansfield Road

Tuesday 27th March, 11.30am: Closing date of South Wolds academy consultation
http://www.southwolds.co.uk/index.phtml?d=148072

Tuesday 27th March, 7pm:xHands Off Notts Schools meeting. Beeston Library, Foster Avenue, Beeston. http://wp.me/p1FhWU-2G

Thursday 5th April. Occupy Nottingham court date: http://occupy-nottingham.org.ukSaturday 12th April, 2pm

Legal observer training organised by Nottingham Defence Campaign and run by Green and Black Cross. Held at the Sumac Centre: https://imc.li/2sgsx

Friday 27th April, 7.15pm-late. Notts Trades Council May Day social. The Polish Eagle Club. £5 on the door/concessions.

Saturday 5th May, 10am. May Day march from the Forest Recreation Ground for a rally in the
Market Square. Speakers to include Mark Serwotka from PCS.

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Nottinghamshire Save Our Services (Notts SOS)

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Nottinghamshire Save Our Services (Notts SOS)
Website: https://nottssos.org.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nottssos
OStatus: https://indy.im/nottssos
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/nottssosfb
Email list: http://goo.gl/uT89q
Nottingham Indymedia group page: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/groups/notts-save-our-services

Notts SOS update for week beginning 19th March 2012 and forthcoming events

This is the latest update from Nottinghamshire Save Our Services (Notts SOS).

While there isn’t as much happening in Notts over the next week as the last few, the struggle against the cuts continues. The government are
not relenting (indeed they’ve just announced plans to further attack public sector workers by abolishing national pay arrangements) and neither will we.

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NOTTS SOS MEETINGS
We meet every two weeks. The next meeting will be Monday 26th March.

Meetings start at 7.30pm and are held at the International Community Centre, Mansfield Road. Meetings are usually finished before 9pm and there’s often an opportunity to carry on any discussion informally in the pub afterwards. Please do come along and get involved.

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OCCUPY NOTTINGHAM
Occupy Nottingham was in court to challenge Nottingham City Council’s eviction order on Tuesday 13th. The case was adjourned to Friday 16th,
but on Thursday the occupiers were informed that the judge had granted them a 3 week adjournment until 5th April.

Press release: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2472
On Saturday 24th March there will be a benefit night for Occupy Nottingham at the Sumac Centre.

This will include Dub Reggae, Ragga Bashment, D+B, Dubstep & Jungle Bizness! All in aid of Occupy Nottingham!

Headliner: YT (SATIVA RECORDS) + DJ’s: Shrug Knight; Buda; Vinyljunkie; Remington; Spread; Jake5nake. £4 on the Door!!!

Food will be available at ‘Peoples Kitchen’ from 6.30pm, a great vegan meal for a small donation to Occupy Nottingham, it is hoped that there will be an open forum discussion before hand from 5pm.

Details: http://www.veggies.org.uk/event.php?ref=1079
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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Wednesday 21st MarchBudget Day

Saturday 24th March, 6.30pmOccupy Nottingham benefit night at the Sumac Centre

Monday 26th March, 7.30pmNotts SOS planning meeting. International Community Centre, Mansfield Road

Tuesday 27th March, 7pmHands Off Notts Schools meeting. Beeston Library, Foster Avenue, Beeston: http://wp.me/p1FhWU-2G

Wednesday 28th MarchPossible national strike action over pensions by PCS and NUT (and maybe other unions).

Thursday 5th AprilOccupy Nottingham court date: http://occupy-nottingham.org.uk

Saturday 12th April, 2pmLegal observer training organised by Nottingham Defence Campaign and run by Green and Black Cross. Held at the Sumac Centre: https://imc.li/2sgsx

Friday 27th April, 7.15pm-lateNotts Trades Council May Day social. The Polish Eagle Club. £5 on the door/concessions.

Saturday 5th May, 10amMay Day march from the Forest Recreation Ground for a rally in the Market Square. Speakers to include Mark Serwotka from PCS.

Notts SOS meeting Monday 12th March 2012 and forthcoming events

This is the latest update from Notts Save Our Services with information on our upcoming meetings, a report back from the city council budget meeting, news about the Market Square occupation and invites to an online security skillshare and a ramble in Sherwood Forest.

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NOTTS SOS MEETINGS

We meet every two weeks. Last week’s city council protest fell on what would have been our meeting dates, so we’ve slipped a week. This means that the next meeting is tomorrow (Monday 12th March). The next meeting will then be Monday 26th March.

Meetings start at 7.30pm and are held at the International Community Centre, Mansfield Road. Meetings are usually finished before 9pm and there’s often an opportunity to carry on any discussion informally in the pub afterwards. Please do come along and get involved.

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CITY COUNCIL CUTS

On Monday 5th March Nottingham City Council met to agree its 2012-13 budget, with £20m cuts, 195 job cuts and a 3.49% council tax hike. Notts SOS protested outside.

We’re disappointed – but not surprised – by the vote, but this is not the end of the campaign. This is the fourth year in a row the city council has cut its budget and they already expect to slash a further £24m by spring 2015

Press release: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2456

Nottingham Indymedia coverage: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2457

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OCCUPY NOTTINGHAM COURT DATE

After serving notice on Occupy Nottingham, a week earlier, Nottingham City Council served court paper on the camp on Tuesday 3rd March. The case is to be heard from 10am on Tuesday 13th March at Notttingham County Court, 60 Canal Street, Nottingham.

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ONLINE SECURITY SKILLSHARE

An increasing amount of activism takes place online, this can be very effective, but it also carries a number of risks and potentially leaves you vulnerable to surveillance.

On Saturday 17th March, Nottingham Indymedia are running a session at the Sumac Centre exploring how you can communicate securely online, defend your anonymity and evade state repression on the internet.

Communicating securely is everyone’s business. Even if your activism is super-fluffy, you can help make the internet safer for everyone by adopting good security practices. If only the people doing spiky things used these practices, they would attract attention just by doing so. Get into the habit of doing things securely before you really need to and you will be a thorn in the side of the surveillance state. There will also be a chance to look at how to use the Nottingham Indymedia site to publish your own stories from the streets.

The skillshare is at the Sumac Centre, 245 Gladstone Street, Nottingham NG7 6HX and begins at 2pm.

Details: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/2413

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RAMBLE IN THE WOODS

The Save Sherwood Forest campaign are organising a ramble on Sunday 18th March to celebrate World Forest Day and mark a year of campaigning to keep the Public Forest Estate in public ownership. They’re hoping for a good turn out to show that people are still passionate about keeping Sherwood Forest & Sherwood Pines in public ownership and that this is the best way to protect our forest heritage for the community and future generations.

They will be meeting by the big notice board mid-way between the car park and the Visitor Centre/Café at 10am for a 10.30am start. Sherwood Pines is off the B6030 near Old Clipstone, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire – the post code is NG21 9JL.

The walk will be accessible to all and will feature interludes by Dave Wood – the Nottinghamshire poet – and members of the Clarion Choir. It should be over by 12pm-12.30pm, just in time for Mother’s Day Lunch.

Details: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/2442

Save Sherwood Forest website: http://www.savesherwoodforest.org.uk

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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Monday 12th March, 7.30pm
Notts SOS planning meeting. International Community Centre, Mansfield Road.

Tuesday 13th March, 10am
Occupy Nottingham court hearing. Nottingham County Court, 60 Canal Street, Nottingham.

Wednesday 14th March
National student walkout over “reforms” to higher education: http://gu.com/p/35dqz

Thursday 15th March
Nottingham Solidarity Network meeting: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/2446

Saturday 17th March, 2pm
Nottingham Indymedia are organising an online security skillshare at
the Sumac Centre.This will include an introductory session on using Indymedia to post your own news about campaigns: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/2413

Sunday 18th March, 10am-12pm
Save Sherwood Forest ramble to celebrate World Forest Day and mark a year of campaigning to keep the Public Forest Estate in public ownership: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/2442

Wednesday 21st March
Budget Day

Monday 26th March, 7.30pm
Notts SOS planning meeting. International Community Centre, Mansfield Road.

Wednesday 28th March
Possible national strike action over pensions by PCS and NUT (and maybe other unions)

Saturday 12th April, 2pm
Legal observer training organised by Nottingham Defence Campaign and run by Green and Black Cross. Held at the Sumac Centre: https://imc.li/2sgsx

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Nottinghamshire Save Our Services (Notts SOS)

Website: https://nottssos.org.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nottssos
OStatus: https://indy.im/nottssos
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/nottssosfb
Email list: http://goo.gl/uT89q