Campaigns

This page describes the campaigns and projects that SSF folk are currently involved in, or would like to see happen. If you are working on the project and would like to update this page, please click the Edit tab above and follow the instructions (or see the SSFWiki:Help page). If you'd like to get involved in any of these projects please get in touch by emailing [mailto:shefsocialforum@riseup.net] or joining the discussion list from here any level of involvement is valuable, why not scan the things to do section and see if you can help out now.

=General Publicity= Kev's done a draft contact card, that he reckons is pretty cool :) View it here I think if we can agree to print this at the next meeting (18th Nov) then Kev will get that sorted for the following meeting and we distribute as and when. I'll bring some price lists.

=Sheffield Welfare Action Network= Raising the fact that Blair is targetting the disabled in an attempt to cut spending.

The first meeting went well and raised several areas of concern including: Present levels of benefit, reform of appeals system, attitudes to 'invisible' disability, support for carers.

The name of the group is (very) provisional, the next working group meeting is on Saturday 11th, Dec at Quaker Meeting House, 2-4pm.

More groups to be invited. Info on Bus routes to accompany publicity (although now it's central that should be ok)

Links to be made with PSC, (un)employment organisations, disability groups, Macmillan cancer care, Help the Aged.

A summary of the meeting is here/to go here: End The Silence.

=UK Local Social Forum Networking Meeting= The suggestion was for a weekend meeting, inviting people from across the UK to share experiences and get to know eachother, as well as bringing in folk from Sheffield, who maybe want to know more about the social forum lark.
 * Suggested dates: 4-5 December
 * Venue: Saturday - Sharrow Community Hall

Actions so far: Things to do:
 * Sharrow Community Hall booked for the Saturday (no cost); nowhere arranged for the Sunday yet as the hall isn't open.
 * UK SF lists spammed, response has been that some folk from Leicester and Manchester are definitely up for it. One other positive reply though not sure where they're coming from. (possibly me, a first-year student at UCL, London - Simon)
 * A suggested agenda is available here.
 * More list spamming,
 * Sort location for Sunday,
 * Sort accomodation for those coming from outside Sheffield (can anyone offer spare beds?),
 * Design, print and distribute publicity (with some changes we could reuse the non distributed one for the ESF),
 * Work out a cheap way of feeding everyone.

=Project Fallujah= The idea is to petition the council to twin Sheffield with Fallujah. Adam has cracked on with finding support for this idea within the council and seems to have had some success. More info needed.

=Spital Hill Local Voice= There's a page recently set up here They could use some support. We could use some more info on what's happening.

=Regeneration Meeting= Spurred by the discraceful goings on in Burngreave it was suggested that it would be good to have a fairly high profile meeting early in the next year, to learn about regeneration, how the processes are meant to work, and what possibilities there are for opposing the wholesale destruction of communities. Things to do:
 * everything, maybe find out who we can get as speakers.

=SSF2005 - An Annual Forum= This is a suggestion for sometime next year, possibly to coincide with the Sheffield G8 meeting. Find out more here:SSF2005. Things to do:
 * everything, maybe focus on visualising the thing for now, go to the SSF2005 page to add your thoughts.

=Debt and financial Exclusion=

Leaflet and poster for the next SSF meeting, which will discuss this issue, is available from the Resource-Debt page.

1st May protest - the Moor

Original flyer text (has been cut down a bit)

WANT a LOAN? Get HARD SELL smallprint and LIES!

Many people with a poor or no credit history are forced to borrow and buy from companies who only want massive profits. Companies who offer credit or loans at crippling rates of interest, meaning people often paying twice over. It is legal, but it is still wrong. You can make sure they don't get away with it.

WARNING! THESE COMPANIES CAN SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR POCKET

Provident Financial, (or the Provvy) have just launched a new credit card called VANQUIS. It has an Annual Percentage Rate (APR - the number you should always use to compare lending rates) of 64.9% and an annual charge of £19. This would be illegal in most countries in Europe but our Government allows big business to rip off the poor.

£100 LOAN YOU PAY at least £150

The Provident also offer doorstep loans where an agent for the company, sometimes a neighbour, knocks on the door and offers a loan. The APR can be up to 170%. These are the terms of loan sharks and should be made illegal.

THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES!

Credit Unions are good for your pocket and where you live

Credit Unions are local savings and loan co-op's who can lend even if you have no credit history. If you save some money each week in a credit union you will soon be able to take out a small loan. As it is a local group people can give each other support through financial ups and downs.

£100 LOAN YOU PAY only £106.50p

The members of a Credit Union elect who runs it so the people saving always have a final say. The day to day running of the Credit Union is the responsibility of local volunteers. To ensure financial security Credit Unions are regulated and have to operate within the law, unlike the loan sharks.

To find out your nearest Credit Union call 2812105

WARNING! THESE COMPANIES CAN SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR POCKET

Brighthouse sells reconditioned second hand goods as new with high rates of interest leaving people with years of repayments. Mandy had £1,645 added as insurance to the total charge for her items and only found out when she went to her local credit union,

"...[Brighthouse] never asked me if I had house insurance. I'd have still been paying that now if I hadn't have come and got some advice, I'd have been no wiser.  I'd have been just getting myself more and more into the arrears and things..."

FREEDOM from DEBT

If you already have problems with Debt you can phone DEBTLINE for free advice, ideas and contacts on free phone 0800 8002237 (part of the citizens advice bureau)

IMPACT is currently working on introducing an ETHICAL LOAN COMPANY to Sheffield. This will charge much lower rates of interest than the Provvy and other doorstep loan companies.

This demonstration has been brought together with the support of Sheffield Social Forum(www.sheffieldsocialforum.org.uk), Sheffield Green Party(www.sheffieldgreenparty.org.uk), Impact(www.impactsheffield.org.uk), Church action on Poverty(www.church-poverty.org.uk) and Sheffield Samba Band (www.sheffieldsamba.org.uk)

People in these organisations want to see better regulation of credit such as rate capping, more support for people on low incomes who are unable to get credit and to challenge shops or banks encouraging debt and careless spending.

A possible logo has been created and may be viewed here