Happy New Year from Notts SOS – January 2012 meetings and events

Happy new year from Notts SOS. With the festive break behind us, things are now getting started again. We’ll first be meeting this evening (Monday 9th January) then two weeks after that. There will also be another Notts Uncut demo on Saturday and a meeting about the policing of protest in Nottingham. Keep an eye on our website for updates.

NOTTS SOS MEETINGS

We meet every two weeks which means that the next meetings are Monday 9th January and Monday 23rd January.

As ever, we meet at 7.30pm at the YMCA 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.

OCCUPY NOTTINGHAM

The occupation in the Market Square has now been in situ for almost 3 months, an astonishing success. However, the city council is now making noises about trying to evict the occupiers by the end of the month. Details are vague at the moment, but keep an eye on the occupations’ Twitter/Facebook pages for more news.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/occupynotts
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/occupy.nottingham

NOTTS UNCUT

Notts Uncut will be out and about again in 2012, visiting tax dodging companies in Nottingham on Saturday 14th January. They’re keen to build on the success of 2011 and show that they are not intimidated by the heavy-handed policing which they experienced during their “Christmas Special” protest in December.

Notts Uncut will be meeting outside Boots, Upper Parliament Street at 12 noon.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nottssos
Website: http://www.nottsuncut.co.uk
Email: nottsuncutaction [at] gmail.com

RIGHT TO PROTEST MEETING

Following the arrests at the Notts Uncut “Christmas Special” and in light of the continuing prosecution of the “Atos Two” there is a need for people in Nottingham to get together to work out how we can effectively resist political policing.

To this end the Nottingham Defence Campaign are inviting people to an open meeting at the Sumac Centre, 245 Gladstone St, NG7 6HX, at 2pm on Saturday 14th January to discuss we want to respond. The meeting will be relatively informal and the agenda can be shaped by the specific concerns of attendees, but likely points of discussion include legal observing and support, court solidarity, further protests and wider publicity.

Event details: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/2298

Please come along or, if you can’t make it, spread the word.

Website: https://network23.org/
Indy.im: https://indy.im/nottsdefence
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nottsdefence


Notts Save Our Services
Web: http://www.nottssos.org.uk
Twitter: @nottssos

NOTTS SOS meetings in January 2012

Regular Notts SOS meetings resume in 2012 on Mondays 9th and 23rd January. These take place fortnighly at the YMCA International Community Centre on Mansfield Road and start at 7.30 finishing around 9.00pm.

Come along and get involved or if you can’t make it, contact us and tell us about your anti-cuts activities.

What cuts? In our News section we have covered the cuts in City and Council budgets:

Another round of cuts is due in 2012 and we must be ready to take action again.

Other ways to keep informed of Notts SOS activities are as follows.

Keep up to date by subscribing to this blog (scroll down and add your email address on the right of this page to receive a message whenever there is a new blog post. You can also join the Notts SOS facebook page or follow us on Notts SOS twitter.

Look out for our occasional newsletters: https://nottssos.org.uk/2011/11/16/notts-sos-newsletter-no-7-november-2011/

Message about the Atos Two from Notts Defence Campaign – Trial dates & protests in February 2012

Hello,

You may already be aware of the case against the ‘Atos Two’ (for links to Indymedia coverage please see below).

Following a protest at Atos “Healthcare” in Nottingham on September 30th a retired paediatric nurse and a wheelchair user were arrested and charged with aggravated trespass.

Since the arrest there have been amazing acts of solidarity by many people who e.g. send messages, signed a statement of support, spread the word, came to a solidarity demo outside the court etc.

Massive thanks to everyone!

After pleading not guilty on November 25th, the trial has been set for February 27th and 28th 2012 at Nottingham Magistrates Court.

There will be a solidarity demonstration outside Nottingham Magistrates Court on Monday February 27th from 9am. http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/2247

There will be a demonstration in Nottingham against Atos, the attacks on the welfare system and the criminalisation of protests on Friday February 3rd 12.30pm. Meet at the crossroads Carlton Street; Broad Street; Stoney Street (near Ice Nine). The demo route will be fully accessible though slightly hilly (this is Nottingham after all). The route will be less than one kilometre. http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/2247

We are also planning a meeting/workshops to be held in Nottingham on the weekend before the trial (Saturday February 25th) to discuss political policing as well as attacks on benefit claimants. Further details to be announced asap.

We are looking for persons who would like to participate in planning this event. If you are interested in planning/attending/participating please contact nottsdefence@riseup.net

People are of course welcome to stay over for the trial!

We are also looking into possibilities for expert witnesses (e.g. campaigners, health workers) giving evidence at the trial itself. If you know persons who might be willing to give evidence regarding Atos in court, please contact nottsdefence@riseup.net If someone would be up for this please get in touch soon as the solicitor needs to know asap (essentially before X-Mas).

Further information/updates to be announced asap. Please circulate this message widely.

Thanks a lot.

Best wishes Notts Defence ———- Follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/nottsdefence

Indymedia coverage re ‘Atos Two’

Re original protest and the charges http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2168 Re events at the Magistrates Court http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2207 The statement of support (to sign please email nottsdefence@riseup.net) http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2195

Related articles

NOTTINGHAM CITY COUNCIL BUDGET CAMPAIGN MEETING – Monday 19th December 2011 at 7.30pm

As agreed at the last Notts SOS meeting, people who are interested in carrying forward and actively participating in the campaign against Nottingham City Council passing another cuts budget are planning further action. We will meet at 19.30 on Monday, 19th. December at The Peacock pub on Mansfield Road. Please indicate that you are attending by sending an email to our usual address: nottssos [at] gmail.com

Hope to see you there.

Notts Uncut Christmas Special – Saturday 17th December 2011

Notts Uncut’s next action is this Saturday (17th December) and will be meeting at 1pm outside Parliament St. Boots and moving onto their target, which will be decided by UK Uncut’s facebook poll.

Come along and bring your anti-cuts Christmas carol songsheets and Santa hats.

Notts Uncut website: http://www.nottsuncut.co.uk/

Link to Facebook poll: http://www.ukuncut.org.uk/actions/782

A Notts SOS article from 2010 to get you in a festive mood: https://nottssos.org.uk/2010/12/20/christmas-carols-subverted-into-anti-cuts-protests-with-12-days-of-cripmas-video/

N30 DAY OF ACTION FOR PENSION JUSTICE – support the action, demonstation and rally on 30th November 2011

On Wednesday November 30th, up to 3 million workers are expected to take strike action in defence of pensions, in what is going to be an historic day for UK trade unions. Notts SOS will be supporting the local action. Many of us will be on strike.

As well as the picket lines at workplaces across the region including offices, schools and universities, everyone is invited to come and demonstrate against the cuts on Wednesday 30 November, supporting the public sector strikers. Download: Nottingham pensions flyer 30th November 2011

Nottingham demonstration and rally

Gather 10.30 at Forest Recreation Ground and marching to Albert Hall at 11.30am. Bring banners and placards and anything else to make this a noisy demonstration. The march will start at 11.30am, proceeding along Mansfield rd, Upper Parliament St, Market Sq, Derby Rd and back through College St to get to the Albert Hall. The rally at Albert Hall will start around 12.30pm – 1pm (tickets from local trade unions). Speakers (locally and nationally via video links), music and contribution from 1pm to 3pm – and beyond!

There will also be a Notts SOS stall at the rally. Sign the Notts SOS petition against council cuts that we will present in the New Year.

If you are not based in Nottingham, have a look at the Midlands TUC website, where information about local protests and rallies will be regularly updated: http://midlandstucmedia.blogspot.com/p/pensions-justice-30th-november-march.html

On November 19th, Trade Union stalls will be run across the city and county – if you would like to help please email the following

  • Nottingham Market Square, 12 noon, contact nottstc [at] gmail.com
  • Beeston 12 noon, contact Thomas.unterrainer [at] talk21.com
  • Sutton in Ashfield town centre, 12 noon, contact Mick at mansfieldcentralbranch [at] googlemail.com
  • Mansfield town centre, 12 noon contact Danny on maggiekind [at] btinternet.com
  • West Bridgford, Outside Oxfam Shop contact Martin Sleath on martin.sleath [at] nottscc.gov.uk
  • Sherwood Nottingham, 12 noon, contact Richard Buckwell, richardbuckwell [at] hotmail.com

Meeting about Nottingham City Council’s Budget for 2012/13 on Thursday 17th November

Information about an important meeting taking place on Thursday:

You are invited to a learning network briefing on
Nottingham City Council’s Budget for 2012/13
Thursday, 17 November 2011
12:15 to 1:15 pm
Room LB41 at Loxley House

This briefing has been specifically arranged for voluntary sector partners to attend.

The speakers will be:
Councillor Jon Collins, Leader of Nottingham City Council
Councillor Graham Chapman, Deputy Leader of Nottingham City Council and
Councillor David Mellen, the Chair of One Nottingham and the Portfolio Holder for Children and Families in Nottingham City Council

If you would like to attend this event, please RSVP to:
general@onenottingham.org.uk with your name, role, organisation and email address.

Light refreshments will be available and feel free to bring your lunch to munch!
I look forward to seeing on 17 November.

Regards
Nigel

Nigel Cooke
One Nottingham
4th Floor
Loxley House
Station Street
Nottingham
NG2 3NG

Telephone (0115) 8764997 or (0115) 8765000

Notts SOS stall on 19th November plus pensions leaflet and pamphlet

There will be a Notts SOS campaigning stall from 11.00 to 13.00 in Old Market Square on Saturday, 19th November. The main theme will be pensions with an emphasis on the Public Sector Strike on 30th November in defence of pensions. A leaflet on pensions will be distributed and the David Cameron dummy with the label ‘Pinching Our Pensions’ will be on display.

Volunteers are needed to run the stall so if you can help, please get in touch or come down on the day.

Download: NottsSOS Pensions Leaflet November 2011

Download: Fair Pensions for All – informative joint trade union pamphlet.

Latest news from Notts SOS, Notts Uncut, Occupy Nottingham, plus forthcoming events

A lot has been happening in Nottingham over the last couple of weeks and especially since the weekend … here are some highlights:

Occupy Nottingham! The occupation of the Old Market Square, starting on the same day of the October 15th ‘Jarrow march 2011’ demonstration against youth unemployment, is still ongoing after 5 nights. This was part of a global day of action against austerity and many occupations are continuing elsewhere. Details on Indymedia: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2100. Although there was a slight drop-off of people after the initial surge over the weekend, numbers now seem to be growing. On day 5 there are now around 15 tents, a gazebo and a marquee. Join the occupation in the market square at anytime. Check out the link for the wishlist of things needed by the current occupiers.
Photos of day 6: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/2105

Notts Uncut took action on the 15th October against the corporate tax avoiders on our high street: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2090

Action against benefit harassment: The two participants arrested after the day of action against ATOS Healthcare which saw people going inside the private examination centre on Stoney Street have been bailed again after appearing at the Bridewell, to allow time for “further investigations”. All bail conditions (restricting them from parts of the town centre) have been dropped. Details: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2087

Universities and Colleges industrial action – UCU members started their first phase of its industrial action on 10th October with ‘Work to Contract’. “By working to contract, staff will refuse to undertake extra duties or work outside their contracted hours.”

Forthcoming events

The Hardest Hit are holding a rally this Saturday 22nd October at 12.30 in Market Square to defend benefits and services used by disabled people. Notts Uncut are planning an action to support this and are meeting outside Parliament St. Boots at 11am. Come along and support the rally.

The next Notts SOS meeting is on Monday 26th October 2011 at the usual venue, the YMCA International Community Centre on Mansfield Rd, starting 7.30pm and finishing around 9pm. Then fortnightly thereafter – all welcome.

A public Meeting, ‘Our NHS is in Mortal Danger’ organised by Bassetlaw SOS with Unison and Unite trade unions will take place on 4th November, at Worksop Town Hall, starting at 7 pm. Go and find out about the Government’s plans for the NHS. Find out what is proposed, how this will affect you and what you can do to make your voice heard. Full venuw address is The Ceres Suite, Worksop Town Hall, Potter Street, Worksop, S80 2AH. A Save Our NHS meeting was held in Nottingham last month.

Nottingham Students Against Fees and Cuts are preparing for a huge demonstration in London on 9th November: http://nsafc.wordpress.com/2011/10/14/students-to-march-on-the-city-london-nov-9th/

A national day of industrial action will take place on Wednesday 30th November with millions of public sector and education workers going on strike over attacks on pensions. The government will be facing the “biggest trade union mobilisation for a generation” after the Trades Union Congress (TUC) called the day of action. There will be transport from Nottingham.

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