Wednesday, February 23, 2005


On Monday 14th March Poly Coffee the University of Wolverhampton Students Union coffee shop on City Campus will be hosting a fair-trade event starting at 12pm when they will be serving fair-trade coffee and have speakers from a range of organisations speaking on the issues around fair-trade.

Richard Stanforth from Oxfam who spoke at LDYS Conference at weekend has already confirmed that he will be attending the event as one of our invited speakers.
Kim Carvey (telford.su@wolvesunion.org) the Telford & Business Development Officer at UWSU is organising event as part of Fair-trade fortnight. If you want learn more about the event or want to get involved please email Kim on telford.su@wolvesunion.org

Monday, February 21, 2005

First Graders and proverbs
A first grade teacher collected well known proverbs. She presented each child in her class the first half of a proverb and asked them to come up with the remainder of the proverb. It's hard to believe these were actually done by first graders.
1. Strike while the .................... bug is close.
2. It's always darkest before .......... Daylight Saving Time.
3. Never underestimate the power of ... termites.
4. You can lead a horse to water but .. how?
5. Don't bite the hand that ............ looks dirty.
6. No news ............................ impossible.
7. A miss is as good as a .............. Mr.
8. You can't teach an old dog new ...... math.
9. If you lie down with dogs, you'll ... stink in the morning.
10. Love all, trust .................... me.
11. The pen is mightier than the ....... pigs.
12. An idle mind is .................... the best way to relax.
13. Where there's smoke there's ........ pollution.
14. Happy the bride who ................ gets all the presents.
15. A cent saved is .................... not much.
16. Two's company, three's ............. the Musketeers.
17. Don't put off till tomorrow what ... you put on to go to bed.
18. Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and ... you have to blow your nose.
19. There are none so blind as ......... Stevie Wonder.
20. Children should be seen and not .... spanked or grounded.
21. If at first you don't succeed ...... get new batteries.
22.You get out of something only what you ... see in the picture on the TV.
23. When the blind lead the blind ...... get out of the way.
And the WINNER and last one -
24. Better late than ....................... pregnant.

Thursday, February 17, 2005

On Tuesday 8th February LDYS held its annual Westminster Day event, which saw over 1500 young people descend on the Royal Festival Hall to debate with politicians from all political parties.
The morning saw introductory speeches from Anne Campbell MP, Simon Hughes MP and David Cameron MP. After the speakers had finished making their speeches the audience had the opportunity to question the speakers. Unfortunately I didn’t get the chance to listen to any of the speeches as the event organiser I was busy making sure everything else was going well.
The afternoon started off with the launch of Hansard Society’s ‘Y Vote’ campaign and its extremely useful school mock election packs. This was followed by debates on education, human rights, the environment, young people in politics and women in politics. Despite some invitees being called away by an important commons debate on Belmarsh prison, speakers at these debates included David Rendel MP, Tim Collins MP, John Gummer MP, Norman Baker MP and Shami Chakrabarti of Liberty.
All three parties youth wings had recruitment stands at the event, along with the Electoral Commission, Local Government Association and Y Care International.
The clear message from the day was that young people are very interested in politics; it’s just the political parties they find less easy to engage with.

Friday, February 04, 2005

'While poverty exists, there is no true freedom'


Nelson Mandela addressed a crowd of thousands in London's Trafalgar Square today at the first mass rally of the Make Poverty History campaign. This is the full text of his speech


Mr Mandela said


“I am privileged to be here today at the invitation of the campaign to Make Poverty History.


As you know, I recently formally announced my retirement from public life and should really not be here.


However, as long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persist in our world, none of us can truly rest.


Moreover, the Global Campaign for Action Against Poverty represents such a noble cause that we could not decline the invitation. Massive poverty and obscene inequality are such terrible scourges of our times - times in which the world boasts breathtaking advances in science, technology, industry and wealth accumulation - that they have to rank alongside slavery and apartheid as social evils.


The Global Campaign for Action Against Poverty can take its place as a public movement alongside the movement to abolish slavery and the international solidarity against apartheid.


And I can never thank the people of Britain enough for their support through those days of the struggle against apartheid. Many stood in solidarity with us, just a few yards from this spot.


Through your will and passion, you assisted in consigning that evil system forever to history. But in this new century, millions of people in the world's poorest countries remain imprisoned, enslaved, and in chains.


They are trapped in the prison of poverty. It is time to set them free.


Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings.


And overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life.


While poverty persists, there is no true freedom.


The steps that are needed from the developed nations are clear.


The first is ensuring trade justice. I have said before that trade justice is a truly meaningful way for the developed countries to show commitment to bringing about an end to global poverty.


The second is an end to the debt crisis for the poorest countries.


The third is to deliver much more aid and make sure it is of the highest quality. In 2005, there is a unique opportunity for making an impact.


In September, world leaders will gather in New York to measure progress since they made the Millennium Declaration in the year 2000. That declaration promised to halve extreme poverty.


But at the moment, the promise is falling tragically behind. Those leaders must now honour their promises to the world's poorest citizens. Tomorrow, here in London, the G7 finance ministers can make a significant beginning. I am happy to have been invited to meet with them.


The G8 leaders, when they meet in Scotland in July, have already promised to focus on the issue of poverty, especially in Africa.


I say to all those leaders: do not look the other way; do not hesitate. Recognise that the world is hungry for action, not words. Act with courage and vision. I am proud to wear the symbol of this global call to action in 2005. This white band is from my country.


In a moment, I want to give this band to you - young people of Britain - and ask you to take it forward along with millions of others to the G8 summit in July. I entrust it to you. I will be watching with anticipation.


We thank you for coming here today. Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom. Of course the task will not be easy. But not to do this would be a crime against humanity, against which I ask all humanity now to rise up.


Make Poverty History in 2005. Make History in 2005. Then we can all stand with our heads held high."

Wednesday, February 02, 2005


I didn’t realise its been so long since my last post. I have been busy with organising Westminster Day 2005, which is on Tuesday 8th February 2005 at the Royal Festival Hall, London.

I have been commuting from Birmingham to London on a daily basis this week and so have not had much time at home which allowed me to blog however have a couple of spare minutes sitting here in the office so I thought a little post would be well worth it.

Speakers at Westminster Day 2005 include Simon Hughes MP, David Cameron MP, Tim Collins MP, John Gummer MP, Ivan Lewis MP, Michael Meacher MP, David Rendel MP, Norman Baker MP, Shami Chakrabarti (Liberty), Mark Oaten MP, Peter Kellner (YouGov UK), Paul Bristow, Eleanor Laing MP, Chris Lomax, Sandra Gidley MP and Daniel Wood and we are still awaiting replies from Hillary Armstrong MP, Malcolm Moss MP, John Denham MP, Luciana Berger and Patricia Hewitt MP.
Tickets are still available for the event, to book visit our website http://www.westminsterday.org.uk
and just a remainder to those interested Charles Kennedy will launch the LDYS Student Campaign Pack at LSE, Central London tomorrow. All members are welcome to attend. If you wish to come meet us in the Student Union building (glass front) just off Houghton Street at 9.45am. Plus Nelson Mandela will be coming to London at the invitation of MakePovertyHistory. He will be endorsing MakePovertyHistory. You can be there . He will be addressing a crowd of thousands in Trafalgar Square in London to put pressure on world leaders to ensure more and better aid, drop the debt and deliver trade justice. He will also as well as calling on the public to get involved and take action. 12 noon, Thursday 3rd February Trafalgar Square, London.