OXFAM Live! - Southampton

Today I went to a OXFAM conference in Southampton. It really is inspiring to see so many people coming together for the same cause and a great opportunity to meet people involved with and interested in OXFAM.

There were three presentations: Rekha Shenoy (below) inspired the crowd talking about about her work as a Project Manager in Gujarat, India, Graham MacKay talked about how OXFAM responds to emergencies and finally Katherine Heasman and Adam Askew brought everyone together to talk about local campaigning.

OXFAM do some fantastic work all around the world. To get involved please sign up to their 'I'm in!' campaign today.

Yes I'm In! I want to help

Famine in Africa ... yadda yadda... WAKE UP!!! 11 million people are dying!!!!!

If you are anything like me you'll have been watching the news lately and every now and again you'll have heard about yet another Africa Crisis. You may have ignored it. After all it's easy to get numb to these stories.

It's time to wake up.... Abre Los Ojos! Open your eyes.

The nightmare will soon begin.

Prevention is better than cure

11 Million People are about to start dying because the don't have any f**king food!

Yes 11 million! that's more than the population of London.

They need our help because they have no one else to help them. Yes maybe their government could do more. So what! Now is not the time for judgement or blame. There will be time for that later.

Is Africa doomed to drought? Hell no. It's all linked, think about it! If the climate starts to change because of man's influences then people will suffer and it won't just be Africa.

They need us.

I've just made a small donation... I can't really afford it as I have enough debts but I chucked another £10 on my credit card. After all what is £10 more in debt to me when we are talking about someones life!

This is OXFAM's largest fundraiser, that just says how important this is.

https://www.oxfam.org.uk/what_you_can_do/give_to_oxfam/donate/eastafrica_email1.htm?ito=2379&itc=0

My Birthday Rant!!

Back-door support by Un-Ethical Companies for Overseas Student Numbers

I've just sent this letter to my MP. A nice way to spend a University closure days and my Birthday :)

Have a great day everyone!


Gareth
__________________________________________


I have just read the following article on the BBC news website:
____________________________________________

OVERSEAS STUDENT PLANS UNVEILED

"Plans to attract a further 100,000 overseas students to the UK over the next five years are due to be unveiled by Prime Minister Tony Blair"

"Firms BP, BAE Systems, GlaxoSmithKline and Shell are to be "corporate champions" for the project, the prime minister will say."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/4917642.stm

____________________________________________

Working in the University sector I am only too aware of how important it is to attract overseas student numbers, however allowing un-ethical companies like some of those stated in this article, will ultimately lead to further resource plundering, pollution and poverty wars.

I attended a Student Union meeting a few weeks ago in which the Deputy Vice Chancellor and the Director of Finance at Southampton University presented the Institutions involvement with arms manufacturers. I am cautiously optimistic that the University will be reviewing it's involvement with these companies. I for one will be campaigning that they favour a more sustainable approach to their research as I genuinely our country should strive to become a world leader in ethical, sustainable 'green' research.

The proposed unethical "corporate champions" will only exasperate the dire condition of our planet.

Can I ask that you put in for an adjournment debate on this subject? I feel strongly that the government should be taken to task over this.


Best wishes



Gareth

New Articles on GenerationWhy!

It may interest some of you to know that I've had a few more articles published on OXFAM's Generation Why website:

Meet the MP
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/generationwhy/yoursay/articles/yoursay65.htm

My response to a piece on Feminism (see the bottom)
http://www.oxfam.org.uk/generationwhy/yoursay/articles/yoursay63.htm

Arghh!! Has my Charity Trek been cancelled??

It's not confirmed yet but I've heard through the grapevine that my Charity Trek through Nepal may be cancelled, as there are not enough people interested in going there. I can't imagine why! :)

Anyway plans are underway to limit the damages. ..

If cancellation is confirmed I'm hatching a backup plan which will probably involve trekking through the mud of the Mexican Jungle....

I'd love to hear peoples comments about this as an alternative (especially my sponsors) so if you have comments please send them in.

Here's the potential revised itinerary:

Mexican Jungle Challenge

Oh by the way I can't swim :)

Gareth

The key to world peace is simple....

People need to realise that control can be obtained through non violent means.

Use your voice.

To the left, left and beyond...
We have left-off...

Haven't had many proper blog submissions lately people have we? sorry about that.

I've been out of action for the past couple of months with a hamstring injury which means I haven't been able to train that much for my WaterAid trek. Suffice to say I am now on my way up again folks so don't panic. I'll be a picture of health soon :)


Political thought of the day:
Have you been watching the news lately it actually really interesting to observe what it going on around the world. France, Peru, Belarus, Ukraine, Venezuala, China....

The people are gaining control of their countries again. There will be some slip ups on the way, like China's crap disregard for the environment (learn from our mistakes folks!). But on the whole things are swinging in the right direction. Which is a bit of luck really because the right-wingers were starting to take a hold again.

Personally I'd like to see a forth party in the UK, someone that embraces the best parts of the 3 parties and is creative and bold enough to take tough measures on climate change, nationalising the energy utilities so they can work for the good of the environment, working with the farmers in this country so we can become more self sufficient. You could say the 'Prince Charles' life ethic needs come to light. Turns out he was right all along :)

If the Conservative party have any sense they will adapt to this not so new territory that British Politics really needs.

If the Labour party have any sense they will make New Labour, Old Labour. Ken where are you?

If the Liberal Democrats have any sense Menzies will go back to the Social Democrat Party.

The current system is dying and we all need to think about the future.


écoutez....