Why take action this Saturday? Because its personal! – Fawcett
Why march in defence of Women’s Rights! Fawcett Society Day Of Action: Saturday 19th November!
Dawn’s story
“I am a lone parent based in North Manchester and my son Ethan had a place at Sure Start Belthorne Children’s Centre nursery. To be able to walk into the Centres and see other friendly and happy people has been a life line for me. The staff always have so much time for you and you can tell they are really passionate about what they do … This helped me over come isolation as a new parent with post-natal depression and I made new friends too. Ethan has developed really well. His interaction with other children at play groups has been beneficial to us both. I really fear for the future of families in my situation with the proposed funding cuts and changes.”
SCOOP Aid in Sheffield
“We’ve been supporting lone parents – helping them get work, go into education and most of all pick up the pieces and move on with their lives – in Sheffield for over 36 years. We are a grass roots charity, run by a small team of passionate staff and volunteers and led by a Board of local lone parents.
Over the last 3 years we have supported over 1,500 parents to improve their lives. We have helped to sort out money problems, encouraged parents to get to college, to gain jobs. Sadly, as a result of cut-backs in public spending, SCOOP Aid may have to close next year. We may be small but we know how we change people’s lives – we just want the opportunity to carry on doing so.”
Over recent months Fawcett has been working hard to raise awareness of the disproportionate impact of the government’s cuts on women. And evidence is now showing that our fears are coming true:
• Record levels of female unemployment, with twice as many women as men losing their jobs in the public sector
• Half of low income working mothers forced to consider stopping work or significantly reducing their working hours due to cuts to childcare support and soaring childcare costs
• Specialist services for women, such as violence against women services and those for single mothers, threatened by local authority funding cuts.
And this is just a selection of the many stats and facts we have amassed that reveal the true impact of the cuts on women. But behind these headlines lie the real life stories of the cost of the cuts – on both individual women and the groups providing vital support to women.
Fight back!
Whether you are being personally affected by the cuts, or want simply to to stand in solidarity with those who are, take action this SATURDAY – help us tell David Cameron #dontturnbacktime on women’s equality.
Join us in London at our #dontturnbacktime march and rally – speakers include comedian Josie Long and journalist Tanya Gold.
Take part in regional actions planned across the country – Oxford, Brighton, Nuneaton and more are all hosting regional #dontturnbacktime events.
