Save Gedling School campaign lit up Wollaton Avenue on 25th November 2010 The Gedling school protest went ahead as planned on Thursday. The campaign began when Nottinghamshire council officers indicated they were minded to recommend the closure of Gedling School, with a decision to be taken by the council’s cabinet members on December 15.
Campaign organisers wrote,
“Well We Lit Up Wollaton Ave Last Night not just with Light but with Spirit. WE WILL CARRY ON FIGHTING”
March between Portland Building and Trent Building on University of Nottingham campus on 24th November 2010Today (November 24th) in Nottingham saw at least three events that will help us fight the hike in student tuition fees;
At 4.00pm there was a ‘Teach In’ inside the Portland Building, where 40 students, staff and other NottsSOS members met to work towards future activities: Watch this space!
And all day the Tory Party HQ in Nottingham was closed because they thought it would be attacked again. It’s good that they have had to acknowledge the strength of feeling against them, and nice of them to save us the trouble of demonstrating there by closing down anyway!
Let us know if we have missed any events you were involved in.
We want to encourage more students – at school, college and uni – to take action and work together. Nottingham has never been especially radical in terms of student politics. However, direct action has been taken at University of Nottingham several times on various issues. When the war in Iraq began hundreds of school children walked out of class to join a massive city centre demo. So we can do it!
If we could get a massive reaction in Nottingham against the introduction of higher tuition fees and threats to Educational Maintenance Allowance for younger students, that would be proof that this current unrest is no flash in the pan but indicative of a desire for real social change. Young people will take what they are entitled to if the ConDems won’t listen, and their teachers and Notts SOS will support them.
24 November: National Walkout against Student Fees and Cuts. In our region, so far there are walkouts being advertised in Leicester, Lincoln and Loughborough and Nottingham. University of Nottingham action confirmed for Wed 24th is as follows: Rally at 2pm on Portland Building steps [view campus map – PDF]. Download Teach-in Leaflet. Then meeting at University of Nottingham, 4PM, ROOM D138 PORTLAND BUILDING, NOTTINGHAM UNI to join students and staff in open discussion. Speakers from University and College Union (UCU), Notts Save Our Services + Many more TBC. Info: 07849392842.
25 November: WE ARE ONE ‘Night of Light’ demonstration in Gedling to protest at the government closure of Gedling School – meet 5:30pm in the Phoenix pub car park [directions here]. Bring Glo sticks, torches … anything bright. Call Dale Vizzard for details: 07833762387. All welcome. Support from NUT: http://www.nottsnut.co.uk/index.html
Save Gedling School campaign on the Notts SOS march in Nottingham, 20th November 2010
SAVE GEDLING SCHOOL
The campaign to save Gedling School and Specialist Science College from possible closure is organising a ‘night of lights’ evening demonstration this week. The event will demonstrate the widespread community support for the school.
The campaign began when Nottinghamshire council officers indicated they were minded to recommend the closure of Gedling School, with a decision to be taken by the council’s cabinet members on December 15.
Gedling is a popular and friendly school that excels in many areas – in 2009 it achieved the best science results in the whole of Nottinghamshire. Since the possibility of closure has been publicised there has been an upsurge of support for the school across community and party lines. In a meeting on Monday afternoon both Conservative and Labour Gedling District councillors told Nottinghamshire officials that their plans were based on incorrect statistics and muddled thinking.
The event will begin on Thursday November 25 at 5.30pm. Supporters are asked to assemble at the Phoenix Pub (on Wollaton Avenue. Nottingham NG4 4HU), before marching down Wollaton Avenue to a campaign rally that will take place within the grounds of the school. Bring torches,
glo sticks….anything bright!
Chair of the campaign committee, and parent governor, Caroline Diss, said:
“Any possible withdrawal of our local school, with its specialism and outstanding results in science, and which is at the heart of the local community, would represent a blow to any notion of parental choice.
There are no places in neighbouring schools that perform well in the area leaving the only alternative option for Gedling parents a school that is in special measures.
“We know that no member of the cabinet would want that for their children. They have the power to stop this nightmare scenario happening to ours We implore them to reject the local authority’s recommendation to consult on closure of Gedling School”
Terry Chambers, Head of Year 9, said: “We feel it was important to show the strength of feeling, not only from the pupils but also the parents, the staff, ex-pupils and the whole community against the closure of our school. Any closure would have a devastating effect on the whole community. It seems crucial decisions of this kind are based on spurious data and statistics when the reality is that they will be
destroying the future of so many people.”
Events this week include Gedling school protest march on Thursday and student fees actions on Wednesday.
Also this week: Thursday 25th November. Sumac Debates: Cutting up our Communities
Venue: The Sumac Centre, 245 Gladstone Street, Forest Fields, Nottingham, NG7 6HX. 7.30pm. This is one of an ongoing new series of open discussions at the Sumac Centre with an anti-capitalist theme. Come to listen or talk or both.
On Saturday 20th November 2010 the lively demonstration and march called by Notts Save Our Services assembled on the Forest Recreation Ground. Well over one thousand residents, workers, service users, pension and welfare recipients, parents, teachers, university and school students from all over Nottingham and Notts brought themselves along on a misty morning, and carried placards and banners against cuts. We marched to Nottingham city centre down Mansfield Road and many more people clapped from the pavement or hooted horns as we passed. At Speakers’ Corner a rally was held with many speakers explaining the effect of the cuts and encouraging more people to get involved with Notts SOS. Queens Street had to be closed to accommodate everyone.
Watch a video of the march as it left the Forest (links to photos are further below) and an edited video of some of the speeches on the podium and singing before and on the march.
Well done to all that marched. We hope this will inspire more people to get involved with Notts SOS. In January we will hold a conference in Nottingham to work out a wider strategy as we know there are many and diverse ways the government cuts will affect our lives. In the meantime we hope that more anti-cuts groups will form whether around a specific campaign like Save Gedling School or with a general ‘save our services’ aim. Notts SOS planning meetings are held on Mondays in the International Community Centre. Details of these meetings and other planned events can be found on our website.
To find out just some of what’s happening in Nottingham and Notts, read our Newsletter –
Notts SOS Newsletter No. 1: [Word version] [PDF version]
22 November: Regular Notts SOS Campaign organising/committee meeting – 7:30pm, International Community Centre, Mansfield Road, Nottingham. Venue details here: https://nottssos.org.uk/contact/
24 November: National Walkout against Student Fees In our region, so far there are walkouts being advertised in Leicester, Lincoln and Loughborough and Nottingham.
25 November: WE ARE ONE ‘Night of Light’ demonstration in Gedling to protest at the government closure of Gedling School – meet 5:30pm at the Phoenix pub [directions here]. Brign Glo sticks, torches … anything bright. Call Dale Vizzard for details: 07833762387.
29 November: Notts SOS Campaign organising/committee meeting – 7:30pm, International Community Centre, Mansfield Road, Nottingham.
4 December: Protest against corporate tax evasion – 1pm outside Vodafone on Clumber Street, Nottingham with march onto Boots on Wheeler gate. Part of a nationwide protest against Vodafone and Boots who evade billions of pounds in tax.
6 December: Notts SOS Campaign organising/committee meeting – 7:30pm, International Community Centre, Mansfield Road, Nottingham.
Following the huge and lively students’ and education workers’ demonstration on 10th November a National walkout against student fees has been called for Wednesday 24th November 2010.
LATEST NEWS 22/11/2010:http://soasoccupation2010.wordpress.com/The School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, has just occupied the Brunei Gallery in protest at rising education fees and swingeing cuts. The occupation was proposed and decided on at an emergency general meeting of the Student’s Union last week. Please send messages of solidarity to: soasoccupation2010 [at] gmail.com
UPDATE: First message of solidarity was from Kathmandu! Thanks Aksel Lydersen – typical SOAS
Nottingham Unity Committee and Notts Stop the BNP will be holding a public meeting on 20th January 2011 to highlight how the right-wing may seek to take advantage of the climate of austerity to further a racist and nationalist agenda. Please put the date in your diary (if you’ve got a 2011 one yet!) and come to the meeting. Venue: New Mechanics Institute, 3 North Sherwood Street, Nottingham NG1 4EZ. Time: 7.30pm
Download leaflet: nottingham_unity_ctte_cuts_racism_leaflet.pdf
Saturday 20th November is when we must make the City and County authorities in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire aware of the strength of feeling that is growing against cuts to services, jobs, welfare and education. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a locally or centrally controlled budget, we can’t allow these cuts to go ahead without a fight.
To find out just some of what’s happening in Nottingham and Notts, read our Newsletter –
Notts SOS Newsletter No. 1: [Word version] [PDF version]
We will be assembling at the Forest Recreation Ground from 11.30am and marching at 12.30pm to the Market Square in Nottingham City Centre for a rally. The event is ‘Demonstration Against the Cuts ‘ and we say “There is an alternative. Make the rich pay for the crisis.” Bring your banners and placards (otherwise some will be available from Notts SOS). Let’s make it as big & noisy as possible!
Unless we refuse to accept them, all these cuts will go ahead while the well off people who govern us remain unaffected. If services and welfare are taken away, many people with illnesses and disability will suffer. If education is cut children and students of all ages will suffer. Facilities will close or get reduced and many more people will suffer. Is this the kind of society we want to live in?
All this,
while the banks remain bailed out with billions of pounds.
while vast city bonuses are still being given to individuals.
while private interests are being allowed to take over every aspect of life.
while huge corporate tax bills, like those of Vodafone or Boots, are avoided by sleight of hand.
while inequality of earnings is greater than ever.
while food and fuel prices are rising.
while billions of pounds are spent on weapons.
while billions of the world’s poor remain poor or are exploited for financial gain.
while the environment is ignored in the relentless search for profit and growth.
while the cause of the financial crisis remains virtually unchanged.
There must be a better way.
We won’t change the world in a day, but we have to take a stand against austerity.
Let’s remind the politicians who the Big Society really is.
We call on all workers, benefits and pension recipients, community groups, arts organisations, charities, school and college students, to unite and show opposition to the cuts in our region. Campaigners from nearby areas are welcome to join.
