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<div><div class="gmail_quote"><div><div class="gmail_quote"><div><div><div><div><span style="color:rgb(231,40,34);font-family:Times;font-size:21px;font-weight:bold">WDM IN SHEFFIELD ENEWS: MAR / APR 2013</span></div>
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<div><font face="Times"><b><br></b></font>Hi everyone,</div><div>We have big changes planned with our meetings, so that we are more central, everyone is there at one time and there is less duplication, see below for details<br>
</div><div class="im"><div><font color="#a2c75f" face="Times"><span style="font-size:21px"><b>ALL CHANGE! – MEETINGS AND VENUES</b></span></font><b style="font-family:Times"> </b></div>
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</font></span></div></div><div class="im"><div><font face="Times"><b>From April, the <font color="#ff2600">campaigning meetings</font> are moving from CURC to <font color="#ff2600">Quaker Meeting House</font>, but still usually on the first Thursday of the month, 7–9pm.. </b></font></div>
<div><font face="Times"><b></b></font> </div></div><div><font face="Times"><b>The <font color="#ff2600">pub meetings </font>will no longer be at the Red Deer on a Monday. Instead we plan to go to the <font color="#ff2600">Church House pub</font>, next door to Quaker Meeting House after the Thursday campaign meeting at <font color="#ff2600">approx. 9.15–10.15pm.</font> If you plan to come only to the pub then make sure you <font color="#ff2600">contact us so we can meet you, </font>(phone 07800 666553 or leave a message at the QMH) occasionally if people are very tired we might not make it to the pub and don't want people to end up sitting there on their own.</b></font></div>
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<div><b></b> </div><b><span style="font-family:Times">For details of particular meetings,</span><span style="font-family:Times"> see the Meetings section below. </span></b></div></div><div><font face="Times"><b>
</b></font></div><div><div class="im"><div><font color="#a2c75f" face="Times"><span style="font-size:21px"><b>WDM</b></span></font></div><div><font face="Times"><b></b></font> </div>
<div><font face="Times"><b>As most of you know, WDM (World Development Movement) is a campaigning organisation for justice for the world's poor and people before profit, and you can find out more about us on the website below. </b></font><b style="font-family:Times">If you would like to be a bit more involved or re-involved this year, whether this is helping out on a stall once, sharing a few ideas or a bit more, then let us know. </b><b style="font-family:Times">Hope to see you somewhere soon.</b></div>
<div><b style="font-family:Times">Website: <a href="http://www.wdm.org.uk/sheffield" target="_blank">www.wdm.org.uk/sheffield</a></b></div><div><font face="Times"><b>Phone: 07800 666553 </b></font></div>
</div><div><div><br></div><div><font face="Times" size="6" style="font-family:Times;font-size:21px"><b><font color="#a2c75f">WDM EVENTS</font></b></font></div><div><div><div style="display:inline!important">
<b style="font-family:Times"><font color="#ff2600"> </font></b></div><br><div class="im"><font color="#ff2600"><strong><font face="Times">Thurs. 4th Apr.<span style="font-family:Times;font-weight:bold">,</span></font> </strong></font><span style="font-family:Times"><u><strong><font color="#000000">Campaigning meeting:</font></strong></u></span></div>
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<font color="#000000"><div class="im"><div><span><strong>Follow-up meeting on Food Sovereignty, all welcome: </strong>free refreshments at 6.30pm. for a 7pm. start, till 9pm, </span>Quaker Meeting House, <span style="font-family:Times">St. James' Street, Sheffield</span></div>
</div><span style="font-family:Times"><div>This is in response to the huge interest in Food Sovereignty shown in the impressive turn-outs to the two showings of the Growing Change film, about the encouraging developments in Venezuela. <span style="font-family:Times">The aim is to get down to discussing what campaigning actions we can develop, both to further raise public awareness of this human-rights and social-justice approach to hunger and poverty wherever it occurs in the world, and to get <font>elements of this approach</font> put into practice. </span>We will identify a number of themes at the start of the meeting and split into groups to discuss these, suggestions so far include getting the concept of food sovereignty into the "IF" campaign supported by Oxfam and Christian Aid, Sheffield food policy, can we help developing countries follow a different path on food. Other suggestions will also be appreciated. <span style="font-family:Times">We are hoping very much that as many of the local campaigning and growers' groups</span><span style="font-family:Times"> as possible, represented in the audiences for the film showings, will be able to come and contribute their ideas and perspectives.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family:Times"></span> </div><div><span style="font-family:Times">Very likely to be followed by a </span><b style="font-family:Times"><a href="http://wp.me/PPV0V-2Z" target="_blank">Pub Meeting</a> </b><span style="font-family:Times">at the </span><span style="font-family:Times"><font color="#ff2600" style="font-weight:bold">Church House pub</font><font>, next door to QMH, approx. 9.15–10.15pm.: to be confirmed at the main meeting that evening, so catch us at the end of that meeting if you can't come earlier – and then we definitely will have one!</font></span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family:Times"></span><span style="font-family:Times"></span>TBC Thurs. 6th June</div></font><div class="im"><div><span style="font-family:Times;font-weight:bold">AGM (</span><span style="font-family:Times">7pm.)</span><span style="font-family:Times;font-weight:bold">, followed by public meeting with guest speaker, (</span><span style="font-family:Times">7.45–9pm.), [Quaker Meeting House]: <b>date and venue to be confirmed.</b></span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family:Times"><b></b></span></div><font color="#ff2600" style="font-family:Times;font-weight:bold">Sat. 8th June</font><span style="font-family:Times;font-weight:bold">, Peace in the Park stall, </span><span style="font-family:Times">approx. 12.00–6.00pm. (to be confirmed). Stall helpers needed! Please volunteer! <b><i>Contact Oliver on 0114-265 5896 or at <font color="#0433ff"><u><a href="mailto:o.blensdorf@virgin.net" target="_blank">o.blensdorf@virgin.net</a></u></font>.</i></b></span><div>
</div><font color="#ff2600" style="font-family:Times;font-weight:bold">Sat. 13th July</font><span style="font-family:Times;font-weight:bold">, Green Fair stall, </span><span style="font-family:Times">approx. 10–5pm.</span><span style="font-family:Times"> (to be confirmed). Stall helpers needed! Please volunteer! </span><b style="font-family:Times"><i>Contact Oliver on 0114-265 5896 or at <font color="#0433ff"><u><a href="mailto:o.blensdorf@virgin.net" target="_blank">o.blensdorf@virgin.net</a></u></font>.</i></b></div>
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</b></font></div><div><font color="#a2c75f" face="Times" size="6" style="color:rgb(162,199,95);font-family:Times;font-size:21px"><b>WDM MEETINGS</b></font></div><font color="#ff2600"><div> </div></font><div><b style="font-family:Times"><font color="#ff2600">Thurs. 2nd May</font>, </b><u style="font-family:Times"><b>Campaigning meeting</b></u><b style="font-family:Times">,</b><span style="font-family:Times"><b style="color:rgb(255,38,0)"> </b>7–9pm., </span><b style="font-family:Times"><font color="#ff2600">Quaker Meeting House</font></b><span style="font-family:Times">, St. James' Street, Sheffield. Including any further work on Food Sovereignty, finalising arrangements for the AGM in June and planning our summer stalls.</span></div>
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<div><span style="font-family:Times"></span> </div><div><span style="font-family:Times"></span><font color="#ff2600" style="font-family:Times;font-weight:bold">Sat. 15th June</font><span style="font-family:Times;font-weight:bold">, national AGM, and conference entitled "Not the G8: a real agenda for global justice".</span><span style="font-family:Times"> In <b><font color="#ff2600">Leeds</font></b> this year, so a good chance for Sheffield members to attend: please get in touch about travelling together and/or looking out for each other there.</span></div>
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<font face="Times"></font></div><div> </div><div><div><b style="font-family:Times"><font color="#ff2600">Thurs. 4th July</font>, </b><u style="font-family:Times"><b>Campaigning meeting</b></u><b style="font-family:Times">,</b><span style="font-family:Times"><b style="color:rgb(255,38,0)"> </b>7–9pm., </span><b style="font-family:Times"><font color="#ff2600">Quaker Meeting House</font></b><span style="font-family:Times">, St. James' Street, Sheffield. Focus still to be decided.</span></div>
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</div><div class="gmail_quote"><div><span style="font-family:Times"></span></div><div><b style="font-family:Times;font-size:21px"><font color="#a2c75f">EVENTS ORGANISED BY OTHER GROUPS</font></b><span style="font-family:Times"> </span><span style="font-family:Times"> </span></div>
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<div class="gmail_quote"><div><div class="im"><div><div><span style="font-family:Times"></span></div><div><b style="font-family:Times"><font color="#ff2600">Thurs. 14th Mar.</font>, "Fixing our Broken Economy", </b><span style="font-family:Times">a talk on Positive Money by Peter Verity, 7.30pm, </span><span style="font-family:Times">Quaker Meeting House, St. James' Street, S1 2EW. Free, but donations invited towards costs. Refreshments available from 7.15pm.</span><span style="font-family:Times"><b> </b></span><span style="font-family:Times">For further</span><span style="font-family:Times"> details</span><span style="font-family:Times"> about the group</span><span style="font-family:Times">, see:</span><font face="Times"> <u><font color="#0433ff"><a href="http://positivemoneysheffield.pbworks.com/" target="_blank">http://positivemoneysheffield.pbworks.com/</a> </font></u> </font><span style="text-align:left;font-family:tahoma,arial,helvetica,sans-serif;font-size:10pt"><br>
</span></div><div><span style="text-align:left"><font face="Times"><i>"We have 2.5 million unemployed, and we have empty factories, offices and shops – everything we need in fact to produce the goods and services society needs. Yet the economy seems to be unable to produce enough real wealth for lack of money. Where does money come from? Who creates it? And what is the link between banking and our failing economy?</i></font></span></div>
<div><p style="text-align:left"><font face="Times"><i>"This talk looks at how our debt-based money system is the root cause of many of our economic problems, and explains the Positive Money proposals to reform and democratise our money supply". </i><span style="font-size:14px"> </span></font><span style="font-family:Times"> </span></p>
<p style="text-align:left"><b style="font-family:Times"><font color="#ff2600">Sat. 16th Mar.</font>, "The Fight Against the Cuts", </b><span style="font-family:Times">Unite the Resistance regional conference:</span><b style="font-family:Times"> </b><span style="font-family:Times">11am–5</span><font face="Times">pm, Novotel Hotel, 50 Arundel Gate, Sheffield S1 2PR. <i>"For every one – trade unionists, unorganised workers, students, campaigners, pensioners, anti-fascists – every one. Come along to discuss how we can move forward". </i></font></p>
<p style="text-align:left"><font face="Times">For full details, including speakers: Web: <u><font color="#0433ff"><a href="http://uniterersistance.org" target="_blank">uniteresist.org</a></font></u> Twitter: <u><font color="#0433ff">@resistunite</font></u> Email: <font color="#0433ff"><u><a href="mailto:UtR.southyorks@gmail.com" target="_blank">UtR.southyorks@gmail.com</a></u> </font>Entry £5. <u>Book by phone:</u> 07810-824 223 or 07582-676 242. <u>Or send a cheque</u> payable to <i>Sheffield NUT</i> to: UtR, c/o Pipworth Primary School</font><span style="font-family:Times">, Pipworth Road, Sheffield S2 1AA.</span></p>
<div><b style="font-family:Times"><font color="#ff2600">Mon. 18th Mar.</font>,</b><font face="Times"> <b>Occupy Sheffield, </b></font><font face="Times">6.30pm, Quaker Meeting House, St. James' Street, Sheffield</font><font face="Times">:<b> </b>General Assembly, followed by the first meetings of a choice of Working Groups</font><b style="font-family:Times"> </b><span style="font-family:Times">that came out of the recent highly successful</span><span style="font-family:Times"> Forum on Debt. </span><span style="font-family:Times">For further</span><span style="font-family:Times"> details</span><span style="font-family:Times"> about the group, see: </span><u style="font-family:Times"><font color="#0433ff"><a href="https://occupysheffield.org" target="_blank">https://occupysheffield.org</a></font></u><b style="color:rgb(162,199,95);font-family:Times;font-size:21px"><br>
</b></div></div><p style="margin:0px 0px 12px"><b style="color:rgb(162,199,95);font-family:Times;font-size:21px">ACTIONS </b></p></div></div><div><div class="im"><div style="margin:0px"><p style="margin:0px 0px 13px;display:inline!important">
</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="display:inline!important"><font face="Times"><font color="#ff2600" style="font-weight:bold">Food Speculation: targeting George Osborne: </font><font> if you haven't already done so, </font>please go to: </font></p>
<font face="Times"><u style="color:rgb(4,51,255)"><a href="http://www.wdm.org.uk/action/food-speculation-petition" target="_blank">http://www.wdm.org.uk/action/food-speculation-petition</a></u>, watch and pass on the video, and sign the petition, to keep up the pressure on the UK government (see "Campaign and events feedback" below).</font><font face="Times"><br>
</font></div></div><div style="margin:0px"><div class="im"><div style="font:inherit;margin:0px;padding:0px 0px 12px;border:0px currentColor;vertical-align:baseline;font-size-adjust:inherit;font-stretch:inherit"><font face="Times"><b><font color="#ff2600">Aid – </font></b></font><font face="Times"><b style="color:rgb(255,38,0)">Help us stop big business cashing in on aid: </b>please go to: </font><u style="color:rgb(4,51,255);font-family:Times"><a href="http://www.wdm.org.uk/action/mp-aid-inquiry" target="_blank">http://www.wdm.org.uk/action/mp-aid-inquiry</a></u><span style="font-family:Times"> and send the customised template letter – slig</span><font face="Times">htly different according to which MP it goes to – to your own MP and help us stop big business cashing in on aid.</font></div>
<div><div style="margin:0px"><font face="Times" style="line-height:16px"><b>Over the past decade, the UK government has increasingly put the interests of <span style="font:inherit;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px currentColor;vertical-align:baseline;font-size-adjust:inherit;font-stretch:inherit">big </span><span style="font:inherit;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px currentColor;vertical-align:baseline;font-size-adjust:inherit;font-stretch:inherit">business</span> at the heart of its aid policy.</b> The result is that the power structures that <span style="font:inherit;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px currentColor;vertical-align:baseline;font-size-adjust:inherit;font-stretch:inherit">keep people in poverty</span> are now even stronger. </font><span style="line-height:16px;font-family:Times">While aid is vital (and the government must not go back on its commitments to</span><span style="line-height:16px;font-family:Times"> </span><span style="line-height:16px;font-family:Times">fund it) to be really effective it must be used to bring about social justice and</span><span style="line-height:16px;font-family:Times"> </span><span style="line-height:16px;font-family:Times">equity for the poorest people.</span></div>
</div><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div style="font:inherit;margin:0px 0px 0pt;padding:0px 0px 12px;border:0px currentColor;vertical-align:baseline;font-size-adjust:inherit;font-stretch:inherit"><span style="font:inherit;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px currentColor;vertical-align:baseline;font-size-adjust:inherit;font-stretch:inherit"><font face="Times">Aid is not, and should never be, a business opportunity. </font></span><span style="font-family:Times"><b>An independent parliamentary inquiry into this worrying trend is urgently needed</b> - should the Kelvin coal power plant in South Africa really be benefiting from UK aid funding, for example? </span><span style="font-family:Times">Please write to your MP now, </span><span style="font-family:Times">if you haven't already done so</span><span style="font-family:Times">.</span></div>
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<span style="color:rgb(162,199,95);font-family:Times;font-size:21px;font-weight:bold">CAMPAIGN & EVENTS FEEDBACK</span></div><div style="font:inherit;margin:0px 0px 0pt;padding:0px 0px 12px;border:0px currentColor;vertical-align:baseline;font-size-adjust:inherit;font-stretch:inherit">
<div style="line-height:inherit;font-family:Times;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;display:inline!important"><font color="#ff2600"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Helvetica;font-weight:bold"><font face="Times">"Growing Change: a </font></span><b>journey inside Venezuela’s food revolution":</b></font><b style="color:rgb(77,77,79)"> </b>after getting a full house of almost 40 at our first showing of this inspiring film in November, we still had people wishing they had seen it, so we were expecting a much more modest turn-out when we gave it a second showing on Wednesday 20th February. This time, the turn-out was getting on for 80 people! </div>
</div><div style="font:inherit;margin:0px 0px 0pt;padding:0px 0px 12px;border:0px currentColor;vertical-align:baseline;font-size-adjust:inherit;font-stretch:inherit"><span style="line-height:inherit;font-family:Times;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit">We were also delighted that, as well as the many local campaign and growers' groups being represented again, some members of Venezuela Solidarity Campaign were able to attend, and in particular Wendy Emmett who gave an excellent succinct and listenable mini-talk on her personal knowledge of similar developments in Cuba as well as Venezuela and the links between the two.</span></div>
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The interest and enthusiasm was just as great as last time, and this time we added a concluding plenary to focus on how some of this energy and commitment to the principles of Food Sovereignty could be taken forward in practical campaigning and other follow-up. </div>
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<b><i>Please come to the follow-up meeting on Thursday 4th April: see "WDM Meetings" above. </i></b></div>
<div style="line-height:inherit;font-family:inherit;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit;display:inline!important"><font face="Times">For more info. on the film see </font></div><font face="Times" style="line-height:inherit;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit"><a href="http://www.simoncunich.com.au/" target="_blank">http://www.simoncunich.com.au/</a></font></div>
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Fairtrade fortnight: Many members were actively involved in promoting fairtrade over the last few weeks, including visiting shops in Burngreave, a stall on 9th March in Burngreave, fairtrade coffee mornings at the QMH and supporting SHIFT events.</div>
</span><div style="margin:0px 0px 0pt;padding:0px 0px 12px;border:0px currentColor;font-family:inherit;vertical-align:baseline"><span style="line-height:inherit;font-family:Times;font-style:inherit;font-variant:inherit">From Oliver and Ruth</span></div>
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