Maggie 65 Report post Posted February 27, 2013 Meetings, meetings more bloody meetings.... Read this. http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/shortcuts/2012/feb/28/warning-meetings-iq Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gardner 10 Report post Posted February 28, 2013 Hello I don't attend many meetings, but here are some home truths: People are suffering! They find it difficult to pay for fuel to heat their homes, food prices are going up as is transport (that's road, rail and bus), young adults cannot afford an education, people cannot afford to purchase a home or even rent one, council services are being cut more and more and elderly people cannot afford good care. That is the reality of living in 2013. If you don't do anything to help, you're in danger of looking laughable. As a start I would like to see some form of community hub that researches and purchases fuel for the area at its lowest cost. I would also like to see a Community Bank (it doesn't mean purchasing a large imposing building - just a small team of experts meeting, talking and lending). Take a look at David Fishwick in the "Bank of Dave", tonight at 10pm on Channel 4. He's a little star. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Maggie 65 Report post Posted February 28, 2013 Well said that man/woman! Also people need food, increasing numbers going hungry... Huge increase in take up at Oswestry Food Bank. We need a credit union (chase Wonga from our streets) and think of ways to address our 'rural' poverty. (everything costs much more if you live in the countryside). Rowntree Trust recently estimated that cost of living was 20% higher in rural areas than urban, and when you then add on the much lower average wages in rural areas, well it is obvious something has to give, and that is people's ability to adequately feed clothe and heat their families. Think of the costs of transport, which you need to access anything (schools, banks, food, etc etc) Last week I was amazed that the bus in Manchester from the railway station was all free. One problem is that rural poverty is often statistically hidden because of its close geographical proximity to wealth. In lots of ways it is better not to have ghettos but means it that the problem isn't recognized. I know when I had no money and was living on 'hedgerow clippings' I was too ashamed to say anything to anyone, so again this problem is well hidden by people not wanting to admit that they are struggling...somehow we think it is our fault, not the rotten bankers who got us into this in the first place! http://www.jrf.org.uk/media-centre/minimum-income-rural-households We have the opportunity with this Big Local money to make lasting improvements... Lets come up with things that will help, not just fritter the money away with grandious schemes which don't get to the roots of our problems. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
