NEW IMPETUS FOR HANDSWORTH AGAINST THE CUTS
Organised protest against proposed cuts to library and leisure services helped to ensure that these facilities were retained in some form in Handsworth. Now Handsworth Against the Cuts is gearing itself up for another round of activity and is organising a half day event on Saturday 9th April to provide information about proposed future cuts, and to have a debate about what should happen next.
HANDSWORTH AGAINST THE CUTS HOW CAN WE SAVE OUR LOCAL PUBLIC SERVICES?
PUBLIC MEETING
SATURDAY 9TH APRIL
10.30am: registration and refreshments and meeting runs from 11am-1.30pm
OAKLANDS YOUNG PEOPLE’S CENTRE, OAKLAND ROAD, HANDSWORTH, B21 0NA
Speakers
Professor Black
Handsworth Cultural Worker
Dr. Louise Irvine
GP and Chair of Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign
Caroline Johnson
Unison Birmingham Branch Secretary
Join us to hear the impact that the new £250 million cuts to our local public services will have on our communities, especially the young, the disabled and the elderly. Participate in discussions and help plan how best we can all come together to resist the attacks on our services.
FURTHER INFORMATION EMAIL: nocutshandsworth@btinternet.com
Speakers’ details
Professor Black – Handsworth Cultural Worker
pic credit: Andrew Cowen; Handsworth Creative
Professor Black has lived in Handsworth for 54 years. He started out as a magician performing magic on New Faces, but also made and played steel pans. Professor Blacks’ original vocation was as a tailor and it is that skill which now lends itself to the development and creation of the biggest carnival costume workshop in the Midlands.http://www.voice-online.co.uk/article/hard-times-wont-stop-carnival
Dr. Louise Irvine – GP and chair of the ‘Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign’
pic credit: national health action party
Louise Irvine is a GP and chair of the Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign. This was a hugely successful mass community campaign in the London borough of Lewisham which, in 2013, saved the local hospital from closure. Highlights were a demonstration of 25,000 people in Lewisham and a successful judicial review in the courts which found that Jeremy Hunt had acted unlawfully in proposing the closure of the hospital.
Louise is also a member of Keep Our NHS Public and the National Health Action Party. She is an elected member of the BMA National Council (the main doctors’ union), and is also a member of Doctors in Unite.
She believes it’s vitally important to build broad based united campaigns to defend our vital public services and has a long track record of campaigning on the NHS against cuts and privatisation. She stood against Jeremy Hunt for the National Health Action Party in the 2015 general election.
Caroline Johnson – UNISON Birmingham Branch Secretary
pic credit; B’ham unison
Caroline has been a member of the UNISON branch for over 20 years. Her council post is as a Grade 3 Day Centre Officer working with service users with learning disabilities in the Adults and Communities part of the People Directorate.
Caroline has helped to build the People’s Stewards Committee into the most active and strongest within the branch. She has led the branch’s campaigning work against the new contracts, pension cuts, workplace closures and many other key issues. She has represented hundreds of members in disciplinaries and grievances. She recently assisted hundreds of members in securing unpaid allowances worth many thousands of pounds per member.
Caroline’s union election statement said;
“Ultimately a union is individuals standing together, as standing together we are more powerful. Our united voices are needed now…now is the time to take a stand. We face a huge challenge – who will pay for the greed and excesses of the bankers, speculators and tax dodgers? We need an organised branch prepared to take action and I am committed to leading that fight.”
Caroline is a resident of Handsworth.
Text and pictures (except first para. and first 2 pictures) supplied by Handsworth Against the Cuts
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