Diary – Page 6 – Notts Save Our Services

Jarrow March 2011 comes to Nottingham – Saturday 15th October 2011

At the start of October, Youth Fight for Jobs (YFJ) and other activists started a 330 mile march from Jarrow to London. “Why? Because we’ve had enough, and we know that it doesn’t have to be this way.” It is 75 years since the first Jarrow March/Crusade of October 1936, when mass unemployment and extreme poverty in the north-east of England drove 200 men to march in protest from Jarrow to London.

Notts Save Our Services will be welcoming the 2011 march on Saturday October 15th, on a day which is exactly 30 years since Norman Tebbit spoke his infamous words at a Tory party conference after the riots of 1981: “I grew up in the ’30s with an unemployed father. He didn’t riot. He got on his bike and looked for work, and he kept looking ’til he found it.” Seems like they haven’t learnt much as we have experienced both widespread riots AND major job cuts in 2011.

Notts SOS is to welcome the marchers on the Forest Recreation Ground, and march with them to Market Square, where there will be a joint demonstration against the cuts. The route of the March has been agreed and marchers will approach the Forest from Nottingham Road (Basford) for a brief meeting up on the Forest Recreation Ground, then the march will go down Mansfield Road into the city centre ending up in the Market Square.

This will be a major anti-cuts day for Nottingham and everyone is welcome to join the march and/or rally in the square against austerity, unemployment and education cuts. The march will also be welcomed in Mansfield the day before (see comment to this article for details).

The itinerary for October 15th is as follows:
10.00 Meet at Hucknall Ambulance Station on Annesley Road. Continue down Annesley Road to Hucknall Market Place.
10.15 Rally at Hucknall Market Place (for about 10 mins)
10.30 Leave Market Place and continue down High Street. High Street becomes Portland Street and then Nottingham Road.
11.00 Straight on at roundabout onto Hucknall Lane. Hucknall Lane becomes Main Street.
11.30 Turn left onto Bulwell Market Place for 20 min rally and 10 min break.
12.00 Leave Market place on Highbury Road. Continue as Highbury Road becomes Vernon Road.
12.30 Take left fork onto Nottingham Road. Continue as Nottingham Road becomes Sherwood Rise.
13.00 Cross Gregory Boulevard onto Forest Recreation Ground. Notts SOS demonstration assembles here – around 30 mins.
13.30 Leave Forest, turning right onto Mansfield Road. Right onto Upper Parliament Street. Left onto King Street. Continue on to Old Market Square.
14.30 Rally on Old Market Square.

Marchers will continue the march on Sunday 16th from Nottingham Trent Univ Clifton campus.

Sunday 16th October – Nottingham to Loughborough
10.30am Meet Clifton Lane (outside Nottingham Trent Uni)
10.40 Continue down Clifton Lane
11.00 Take first exit at roundabout and continue down Clifton Lane
12.15 Continue through Nottingham Road to Gotham
1.15 Nottingham Road becomes Leake Road.
Arriving 5.30pm in Loughborough with a Rally

All welcome – see you there!

Notts SOS planning meeting – Monday 12th September 2011 at the ICC

Notts Save Our Services will have its fortnightly meeting tonight – Monday 12th September – at the usual venue (YMCA International Community Centre on Mansfield Road), starting at 7.30pm and finishing around 9pm. We’ll be planning our forthcoming demonstration on October 15th, the same day that the Youth Fight For Jobs ‘Jarrow March 2011’ will complete its leg from Bulwell into Nottingham City Centre. We’ll also be discussing the next steps in the Save Our NHS Campaign (don’t forget the public meeting on the 22nd), proposals to address ‘welfare reform’ and reports from actions (Notts UnCut had their latest city centre event on Saturday). Meetings are open to all, and the agenda is formed on the day, so come and bring your ideas. We usually take the opportunity to go to a pub on Mansfield Road after the meeting.

Did you know? – you can get an email everytime a blog article is published on the Notts SOS website. Just scroll down and fill in the ‘Email Subscription’ form on the right. We also have a facebook page with notification of forthcoming events and a twitter feed.

March for the Alternative – Birmingham. Sunday 18 September
Notts Trades Council will be funding a coach to this TUC sponsored event which will leave depart from the following locations / times:

Mansfield Civic Centre – 8.30 am
Sutton Bus Station – 8.45 am
Kirkby Council Offices – 9.00 am
Hucknall Market Place – 9.15 am
Nottingham Royal Centre – 9.30 am

The coach is free to Trades Council delegates and families but travellers will be asked to make a donation. Please let Paul Martin know as soon as possible if you require seats on the coach and your preferred pick up point. The return coach is expected to leave Birmingham at around 4.00 pm. Paul Martin is on 07986 351 807.

SAVE OUR NHS protest in Nottingham on 6th Sept in advance of public meeting on 22nd + other meetings

SAVE OUR NHS Protest!
Old Market Square, Nottingham
From 5.30pm Tuesday 6th September 2011.

Download flyer: NHS Protest 6th & Meeting 22nd Sept 2011

This is the evening before the final reading of the Bill in the House of Commons. Despite their “listening” exercise, they are still determined to put profits before patients. Don’t be fooled by cosmetic changes. We must say “NO!”

Come along to help save our NHS. Tell people to attend. Bring banners, placards, flags, love and rage. Wear NHS uniforms.

Public Meeting
Thurs 22nd September, 7 – 9pm
Mechanics Institute,
3 North Sherwood St NG1 4EZ
Speakers:
Dr Wendy Savage, co-Chair Keep Our NHS Public
Barrie Brown, UNITE National Health Officer
Gill George, UNITE Health Sector
Organised by UNITE 713 Branch, with UNITE Heath (Nottm) & UNITE East Midlands Region
supported by Notts SOS & Nottingham Trades Council

Other meetings that may of interest/opportunities to make feelings known:

1. Sept 6th 6-8pm – High Point Health, the Clinical Commissioning Group for Mansfield & Ashfield, are holding a Big Health Forum at The Towers, Botany Avenue, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, NG18 5NG. (The event is open to anyone who is interested in health and having a say in the planning and commissioning of health care in Mansfield and Ashfield. It will be an opportunity for you to:

· find out about the work of High Point Health from the clinical lead

· get an update on proposed changes to the NHS

· meet members of local Patient Participation Groups

· contribute to the development of plans for involving local people

To register, please call 01623 673329 or email ppi@nottspct.nhs.uk

2. Sept 22nd 10.30am – AGM of NHS Nottinghamshire County at Birch House, Ransom Wood Business Park, nr Rainworth NG21 0HJ. To register communications.team@nottspct.nhs.uk

3. Sept 28th 1-3pm – AGM of NHS Nottingham City at Council House, Old Market Square. Info 0115 9123384

PATIENTS, NOT PROFITS!

Our National Health Service is under vicious attack from the Coalition Government. For decades people in Britain fought to establish a universal health care system, the NHS, which was born on 5th. July, 1948. Now Health Minister Andrew Lansley’s Health and Social Care Bill aims to destroy OUR NHS.

SPENDING CUTS: At the last General Election David Cameron said he would protect spending on the NHS from cuts. Now he wants £20 billion cut from the NHS budget by 2014.

PRIVATISATION: The Government want most NHS patient care provided by private, profit-making companies. This will not mean better care for patients but huge profits for owners of private firms.

STAFF CONDITIONS: Already the pay and conditions of medical staff are deteriorating as they are pushed out of NHS employment into private companies. The Government aims to carry further this attack on our medical carers.

KILL THE BILL!

For other Notts SOS activities see our website and get involved.

NOTTS SAVE OUR SERVICES
Website: www.nottssos.org.uk
Contact: nottssos@gmail.com
Twitter: @NottsSOS

Save our NHS: Kill Lansley’s ‘amended’ Bill – public meeting in Nottingham – 22nd Sept 2011

Public meeting hosted by UNITE the union with Keep Our NHS Public. Supported by Notts TUC and Notts SOS.

Save our NHS: Kill Lansley’s ‘amended’ Bill
7:00-9:00pm Thursday 22nd September – refreshments from 6:30pm
Nottm Mechanics Institute, 3 North Sherwood Street, NG1 4EZ (Near to Orange Tree pub)

Speakers: Wendy Savage : co-chair Keep our NHS Public
Barrie Brown : UNITE – Health National Officer
Gill George : UNITE NEC
Chair: Garry Guye UNITE Officer – East Midlands Health Section

Download flyer: UNITE KONP public meeting

Some useful reading matter:
For-profit companies will strip NHS assets under proposed reforms, British Medical Journal, BMJ 2011; 342:d3760, 15 June 2011.
Department of Health guidelines falsely inflate NHS costs, False Economy website.

Notts Uncut Diary Dates in August 2011

Notts Uncut have announced the following events relating to cuts to services amidst massive tax dodging by corporations like Vodafone, Boots and Arcadia group shops like Miss Selfridge, Dorothy Perkins and Topshop, plus the banks that have been bailed out and are still paying massive bonuses. For more details of the companies concerned and the direct action being taken, visit http://www.nottsuncut.co.uk/

Saturday 6th August. Notts Uncut does Barnsley. Notts Uncut are travelling to Barnsley to support their debut action. Meet at Nottingham Railway station between 9-9.15am
Saturday 13th August. ‘The Tour of Tax Avoiders’. Local action. Meet in the Arboretum Park, near the bandstand, at 12.30 to move onto secret target. If you are coming along later call 07856565214 and we’ll tell you where we are.
Monday 15th August. Notts Uncut are hosting a discussion on direct action following a screening of “Just Do It-A Tale of Modern Day Outlaws”. Broadway Cinema. Film starts at 7.45pm. Tickets £9. Concessions available.
Saturday 27th August. Notts Uncut planning meeting. Near the bandstand at the Arboretum. 2pm. All welcome.

Notts SOS fortnightly meeting – Monday 1st August 2011

Come to a Notts SOS meeting! Just turn up at the International Community Centre (YMCA, Mansfield Road)and look on noticeboard for the meeting room.
NEXT MEETING: 1st August 2011, ICC/YMCA, 7.30-9.00pm.

‘Save Our NHS’ week of action in Nottingham and Notts – 5th and 9th July 2011 [plus video of Colin Leys presentation to Notts SOS]

Please come yourself and urge all your contacts to participate in these Save Our NHS events that will take place in Nottingham and Notts on Tuesday 5th July and Saturday 9th July. The government’s Health and Social Care Bill aims to open up the NHS to ‘any willing provider’. If passed, this Bill will fundamentally change the way our healthcare is managed and paid for in England, and it will result in vast inequalities. Opposition to the bill is already strong. The British Medical Association (BMA) of doctors have called for the bill to be withdrawn despite recent amendments, saying it will not protect the NHS. As users of the NHS we must also make our opposition known.

NOTTS SOS planning meeting: July 4th (Monday): Nottingham. ICC/YMCA, 7.30-9.00pm. Come and get involved with planning these events, and other anti-cuts activity.

NHS ANNIVERSARY EVENT: July 5th (Tuesday): Nottingham. Protest against privatisation of the NHS from 4.00 pm to 7.00 pm at the London Road ‘BBC’ roundabout and help publicise the main city centre rally on Saturday. If some people could get there earlier at 3.15 pm this would be helpful as there are a lot of banners and placards to be erected.

NHS ANNIVERSARY EVENT: July 5th (Tuesday): North Notts. Come to the NHS’s 63rd Birthday Party on Tuesday 5th July at Bassetlaw Hospital, 11.00 am—2.30 pm. Meet near Blyth Road bus stop. Bring a balloon! Download flyer. See also Worksop Guardian coverage of local NHS listening event on May 27th.

SAVE OUR NHS MAIN RALLY: July 9th (Saturday): Nottingham. As part of the national day of action in defence of the NHS, Notts SOS will be rallying in the Market Square in Nottingham. We will rally at the Brian Clough Statue from 12 noon, followed by various activities around the city centre. Read press release. See Indymedia event for full details and list of supporters. Come and join this important event that will be happening across the country in many other towns and villages. Add your name to growing list of Facebook event participants.

NOTTS UNCUT SUPPORT ACTION: July 9th (Saturday): Nottingham. Notts Uncut are planning a very special action to support Notts SOS’s NHS day of action. We will be meeting outside Boots (Victoria Centre, Parliament St.) at 10am and then moving on to a secret target, however we need people to be around for this throughout the day. If you can turn up at 10am – brilliant, and the longer you can stay the better. If you aren’t available until later in the day please call us after 10am on 07856565214 and we’ll tell you where to meet us. Bring your nurses outfits, doctors coats, banners, placards and lots of energy! More info: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/1898.

Press Release: Campaigners celebrate NHS 63rd Birthday

Campaigners in Nottinghamshire will celebrate the 63rd birthday of the founding of the National Health Service (NHS) on Tuesday 5th July 2011, by holding protests warning of the threat it faces from the coalition government.

In Nottingham, Nottinghamshire Save Our Services (Notts SOS) will take over the London Road roundabout from 4pm-7pm. They plan to use the event to warn of the threat to the NHS and also to publicise a larger rally in Market Square at 12 noon on Saturday 9th July.

In the north of the county, campaigners from Bassetlaw Protecting our People and Services and Bassetlaw Save Our Services will hold a “birthday party” outside Bassetlaw Hospital from 11am-2pm.

The protests are an opportunity to celebrate the NHS and everything it has achieved, but are also an opportunity to warn people about the danger posed by the Health and Social Care Bill, currently going through Parliament.

Campaigners warn that despite the ‘listening exercise’ and government spin, the Bill still leaves the door open for private companies to take over the NHS.

Barry Donlan from Bassetlaw said, “Our NHS isn’t broken. So we don’t need to fix it. It has higher satisfaction levels and better outcomes than inefficient and unfair systems like the USA. At a time of supposed austerity, to spend £1.7 billion on restructuring the NHS and replacing it with an untried system seems the height of folly.”

Harry Powell from Notts SOS said, “The ‘pause’ to allow the government to listen’ has been followed by some changes and an extensive PR campaign. But we should not be fooled. The ‘reforms’ are still a very real threat to the NHS and there remains a pressing need to kill the Bill.”

Notes for editors
1.Notts SOS will also be holding a rally at Speakers’ Corner (the Clough Statue) in Nottingham from 12 noon on Saturday 9th July. This will be followed by various activities around the city centre. These protests form part of a “day of action to save our NHS”.

Previous action in May: Notts Rejects Plans For NHS and Emergency Operation. See also: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/groups/notts-save-our-services

Watch Colin Leys’ presentation to Notts SOS, author of ‘The Plot Against the NHS’
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/U27qpVHe-s8?version=3]

Nottingham anti-cuts diary dates in May and June 2011 – more being added so keep looking for updates!

Here are anti-cuts events coming up. Also take a look on the right for more details of Forthcoming Events, Comments and Twitter feed columns for more info, reports and comments. Join Notts SOS Facebook group at http://tinyurl.com/NottsSOS-FB or follow us on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/NottsSOS

Anti-cuts diary dates in May and June 2011

Monday 16th. Save Hayward House Daycare Campaign Meeting. Carlton Fire Station, 7pm. Details: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/events/1146

Opposing the NHS Reform Bill in Edwinstowe 17/05/2011

Tuesday, 17th May. NHS Healthcare Reform ‘listening’ event at Edwinstowe – 6pm to 8pm at South Forest Conference Centre, Edwinstowe, Mansfield, NG21 9JF. Details: http://www.mansfield.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=4114.

Wednesday 18th May. Notts SOS stall and leafleting picket outside the local NHS “Listening” event to raise concerns about the Health and Social Care Bill. Belgrave Rooms, Goldsmith Street, Nottingham Wednesday 18th May, 5.30pm. To go inside you’ll need to book a place in advance through Katie Ford, Personal Secretary Communications & Engagement (NHS Notts Primary Care Trust) Tel: 01623 673333. Internal: 43333. E-mail: Katie.Ford@nottspct.nhs.uk.

Saturday 21th May. Visit (and/or help with) Notts SOS health campaigning stall from 12-2pm in Market Square, Nottingham. There also will be an opportunity to sign a ‘Keep the NHS public’ petition.

Sunday 22nd May, Green Festival, Arboretum, Nottingham, 12 noon to 6 pm. Visit Notts SOS stall.

Monday 23rd May. Notts SOS Planning meeting. Regular fortnightly meeting at the International Community Centre, Mansfield Road, Nottingham. 7.30pm until 9pm.

Friday 27th May. ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) students are handing over their massive petition against hikes in their course fees to Lilian Greenwood MP this Friday at 3pm. Please go down and show your support. The fee increases mean that 84% of those currently learning English (including many refugees and asylum seekers) will not be able to carry on with classes from September. TIME AND PLACE – 3pm at Lilian Greenwood’s Office, 12 Regent Street, Nottingham, NG1 5BQ.

Saturday 28th May. This is a callout from UK Uncut for a national day of action, this time focussing on NHs reforms. Nottingham Uncut are Meeting outside Parliament Street Boots at 12 noon. Details: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/events/1771. See also Facebook event page: Notts Uncut Emergency Operation.

Tuesday 31st May. Spanish ‘Real Democracy’ meeting. Meet Victoria Centre Clock Tower to go to the meeting venue.

Saturday 4th June. Visit (and/or help with) Notts SOS health campaigning stall from 12-2pm in Market Square, Nottingham.

Monday 6th June. Notts SOS Planning meeting. Regular fortnightly meeting at the International Community Centre, Mansfield Road, Nottingham. 7.30pm until 9pm.

Tuesday 7th June. Rally at Gedling School to oppose the closure. Open invitation. 5.30-6.30pm. Details: https://nottssos.org.uk/2011/05/19/gedling-school-closure-protest-continues-open-invitation-to-a-rally-on-tuesday-7th-june/

Tuesday 14th June. The proposed closure of Hayward House daycare has now to be examined by the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee of Nottingham and Notts. The meeting at which HH will be on the agenda starts 10.15am in room LB41, Loxley House (Nottingham City Council, near side entrance of Nottingham station, Station Street). Written submissions (please make one) are needed by 23rd May. Details: http://www.savehaywarddaycare.org.uk/

Monday 20th June. Notts SOS Planning meeting. Regular fortnightly meeting at the International Community Centre, Mansfield Road, Nottingham. 7.30pm until 9pm.

Thursday 30th June – Coordinated strike action by NUT/UCU/ATL/PCS unions and support activities. March, Market Square demonstration and conference (Albert Hall), all in Nottingham. Coaches from Notts. Details forthcoming.

Notts Uncut ‘field trip’ report and forthcoming action on 28th May 2011

Nott Uncut Field trip report – Lincoln

See also Notts Uncut Newsletter no. 2, May/June 2011: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/zines/1766

On Saturday 7th May Notts Uncut jumped on the train to Lincoln to support a brand new Uncut group. We met to Lincoln contingent and a large welcoming committee formed by the Lincolnshire constabulary and their camera crew. Undeterred we made our way from the station to the first tax avoider on our list – BHS. We held a short information session there and talked to the staff and shoppers in BHS about Phillip Green’s generosity to his wife (who conveniently lives in the tax haven Monaco).

We then made our way through the streets of Lincoln carrying our youngest uncutter aloft with his own version of the Magna Carta – Tax Magna Carta & Bankers Bill – to emulate the historical event of the Magna Carta being carried through Lincoln many years ago. We visited many of our familiar favourites in Lincoln including Dorothy Perkins, NatWest, Lloyds TSB, Boots, Barclays and Vodafone, stopping on the way to say a huge hurrah and thank you to the wonderful Lush and their owner Mark Constantine for the support he has offered to the UK Uncut protesters arrested in Fortnum and Mason on March 26th.

Lincoln has the beginnings of a fantastic uncut movement with loads of imagination, ideas and creativity. Thanks for having us guys!!

Report previously posted on Nottingham Indymedia: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/other_medias/1764

The next action on 28th May is in planning stages. This is a callout from UK Uncut for a national day of action.

Meeting outside Parliament St Boots at 12 noon, 28th May 2011

Notts Uncut are answering UK Uncut’s call for a national day of action with a fantastic day of fun, frolics and street theatre!!

Boo the greedy bankers as they pocket more and more of the money which should be paying for our public services. Hiss Andrew Lansley as he takes apart the NHS piece by piece.

“The NHS will last as long as there are folk left to fight for it.” – Nye Bevan, founder of the NHS

“Andrew Lansley. Greedy Andrew Lansley. Tosser.” – MC NxtGen, Watch the Andrew Lansley Rap on YouTube.

This is an emergency. The welfare state is in peril. Under the guise of ‘efficiency’ and ‘reform’, this government is plotting to cut the NHS and sell off what’s left. Andrew Lansley has claimed the government is in a ‘listening exercise’ about the proposed NHS ‘reforms’. But despite widespread outcry from doctors, nurses and the public the government isn’t listening to anyone apart from private healthcare lobbyists.

Let’s make Lansley listen. We want to keep our healthy NHS and fix our broken banking system. Whilst the NHS is being dismantled, the banks that caused this crisis in the first place have been left untouched. Reckless gambling, obscene bonuses and a global financial crisis are symptoms of a disease that requires a drastic intervention.

The banks are due a check-up. On Saturday May 28th, join UK Uncut’s Emergency Operation and transform one of Nottingham’s high street banks into a hospital. Tell the government to leave our NHS alone; it’s the banks that are sick.

We may turn HSBC into a hospital or fill Natwest with nurses. We might have to get bandaged in Barclays or operate in RBS. Join Notts Uncut on the 28th and let’s do our best for OUR NHS.

Nottingham Indymedia event listing for May 28th action http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/events/1771.