Welcome to MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY North East
We call upon people in the North East - from Tees to Tweed - to join us in demanding that our government, and indeed the governments of the world, should act to alleviate poverty for the world's poorer countries by:
- Trade justice
- Dropping the debt
- Providing more and better aid
- Curbing climate change
- Promoting Fairtrade
See review of 2009 relating to these five areas.
Note: September 2010 newsletter is now published.
Latest news, planned events and activities
The events listed below are organised by us, or by groups or individuals affiliated to us who have asked for their event to be included in this listing.
Up and coming events
WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 17th -19th
Support the United Nations Millennium Campaign
Celebrate the Great North Run & Salute the Runners!
This weekend is the weekend of action called by the United Nations Millennium Campaign (UNMC). It coincides this year with the Great North Run on Sunday 19th. So, we invite all to:
St Thomas' Church, Haymarket, Newcastle upon Tyne
Saturday 18th September, 4.30-5.15pm and 5.45-6.30pm
- 4.30-5.15pm - Hear about the Progress - and Call for More! With Nick Dearden, Director of Jubilee Debt Campaign, and others. (This part is not a meeting of religious worship)
- 5.15-5.45pm - interval with free refreshments
- 5.45-6.30pm - Service of Blessing for the Great North Run and the United Nations Millennium Campaign
More details of the event | Flyer for the event
GREAT NORTH RUN
And, of course, the Great North Run (19th September) would not be complete without the 50 or so runners who run under the banner (well, under the T-shirt) of MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY North East. See how the run went in 2009
This year, in his 70th year, David Golding, Development Co-ordinator for MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY North East is running for the first, (and last) time! You may wish to sponsor him.
Read about his appeal, and the reasons why to give. You can sponsor him by using this form or online at www.justgiving.com/david-golding.
MAJOR EVENTS
Two important global events are also taking place in the Autumn. MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY North East plans to encourage local people and local communities to take part. These are:
- Stand Up Against Poverty September 17th -19th. (See what we got up to with this campaign in 2008. We hope it will be even bigger this year.)
- Micah 2010 - a special campaign to focus on our promise to the poor, ten years after nations around the world committed to halve global poverty by 2015.
In particular, MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY North East invites all churches in the Region to support
- The United Nations Millennium Campaign on Sunday 19th September
- The 10.10.10 initiative of Micah Challenge on Sunday 10th October
AUTUMN ROADSHOW
We are currently planning our 2010 annual autumn roadshow. We are hoping to have events in locations throughout the North East. If you would like to be involved, please let us know.
(See what we got up to in our autumn roadshow in 2009 to give you an idea of what goes on and how you can become involved.)
LOBBY OF PARLIAMENT
Wednesday 20 October 2010, 11am-4pm
Organised by Christian Aid - Details and flyer here
The aim is to thank our Members of Parliament for protecting the Aid budget and urge them to put the fight against poverty at the heart of their plans for the future.
Book your train ticket now for cheaper fares, then register for the lobby online at www.christianaid.org.uk/campaigns
Great News About Vulture Funds
UK became the first country to ban 'Third World Debt' profiteering in final hours of Parliamentary session. A landmark bill to protect the poorest countries in the world from profiteering by so-called vulture funds became law after passing in the House of Lords during the 'wash-up' at the end of the Parliamentary session.
There was an outcry after the bill was blocked at third reading by an unidentified Conservative MP. But the Government made time for the Bill in the wash-up, after securing cross-party agreement with a sunset clause which will mean the law has to be reassessed to be made permanent in a year's time.
MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY North East campaigned with many other organisations against the vulture funds and we greatly welcome this news.
Click here for more information.
Click here for Newcastle University press release.
More Great News....
Cadbury's Dairy Milk went Fairtrade last summer (2009).
See news story here.
ALSO: amazingly, Nestle's Kit Kat went Fairtrade in December 2009. See news story here.
Hurrah!! Just shows what campaigning can do.
Up and coming Christian Aid events
Christian Aid have a number of events coming up soon in the North East. Details here.
Click here for a full list of current, future and past events.
Occasional papers / articles for thought and debate
Climate Change - Point & Counterpoint - added Dec 2009
A paper by David Golding
An abridged version is also available here.
Amnesty International Dignity Campaign - added July 2009
A paper by Peter Sagar
Environmentalism and spirituality - added April 2009
A paper by Peter Sagar
Carbon Fast - Carbon Diet - added March 2009
A paper by David Golding
Climate Change - A brief outline of the strength of the scientific consensus - added March 2009
A paper by David Golding
Is Environmental Concern 'A New Morality'? - added March 2009
A paper by David Golding
The Real Global Warming Swindle - added July 2007. This is a continuation from the article in the Climate Change Special Edition newsletter 2007. By David Golding
Carbon Offsetting - added May 2007
A paper by David Golding
I count - added May 2007
A personal look at his own carbon offsetting by David Golding
Is the Trade Justice Movement politically biased?
Written by Dr David Golding, November 2006.
Honorary Degrees Acceptance Speech by Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer
The speech that he made during the honorary degree ceremony of Newcastle University in January 2007 ends....
" I say to this great audience today, at this historic ceremony that we will remember for years to come: 'Have confidence and have faith. Hold fast to the belief that it can and will be said of our generation that we built a movement on ethical foundations that had the vision, had the courage and had the moral strength and the greatness to do the right thing; that we will continue to work unflinchingly and unfailingly to build justice in our time and indeed to Make Poverty History' ".
MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY North East in the press....
- Article in Northern Echo 29th June 2006
- Letter published in the Newcastle Journal, August 2006
- Article in Hartlepool Mail, 17 October 2006
- See here and here what the BBC said about the 'Stop Climate Chaos' rally on November 4th which was attended by a North East contingent affiliated to MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY North East.
- The sage event of 8th January 2007 was covered in the Newcastle Journal and the Newcastle Chronicle.
- Article in Local News Guardian 17th July 2008
regarding climate change.
- Content of article published in Local News Guardian in May 2009 entitled 'Pupils help promote climate change strategy'
- Content of letter published in Metro News 15th February 2010
regarding foreign aid.
- Content of letter published in Evangelicals Now (May edition 2010)
regarding climate change.
- Content of letter published in Idea, the magazine of the Evangelical Alliance (May/June edition 2010)
regarding climate change.
And a letter from Downing Street, July 2006. In this letter the prime minister encourages campaigners to "...keep up the pressure...". We agree as, although there has been progress, there is still plenty to achieve to Make Poverty History.
MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY North East has the following aims and objectives:
- To continue to promote the aims of the national MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY campaign of 2005, with its emphasis on 'Trade Justice, Drop the Debt and More and Better Aid', in accordance with the manifesto of MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY.
- To promote urgent action to curb climate change, given that "The impacts of climate change will fall disproportionately upon developing countries and the poor....within all countries". (Third report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).
- To promote Fairtrade, and support the wider work of relief and development NGOs (non-government organisations).
- To support all those in the Tees-to-Tweed region seeking to promote the above aims.
- To work with other organisations having similar aims, and network with groups in other areas.
- To encourage other areas in the country to set up local groups to promote economic justice.
The full constitution of MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY North East can be found here.
