Evesham is a lovely town with much potential! The Evesham area has a population of over 52,000 with over 23,000 living in Evesham town itself. We need more good, popular shops in our town centre to keep our town alive!! We all know what lovely scenery and historical buildings are here for townsfolk and tourists to enjoy but we need to offer more selection in the town centre itself. If you care about our town and would like to be able to do your shopping in your town, please show your support for the above companies to open shops here!

It's not important it is essential - families have to work together; from teaching right and wrong, to learning life skills - so that you raise a child, not an android in society. There are enough pressures on children from an early age and yet the Government is trying to impose more. I feel as a working Mum of three, that one very important point has been missed from all conversations - that of Child Welfare. This is at the heart of my campaign, and is supported by unicef's Convention of the Rights of the Child: "Children have the right to relax and play, and to join in a wide range of cultural, artistic and other recreational activities." Article 31 (Leisure, Play & Culture) "Governments should respect the rights and responsibilities of families to direct and guide their children so that, as they grow, they learn to use their rights properly. Helping children to understand their rights does not mean pushing them to make choices with consequences that they are too young to handle." Article 5 (Parental Guidance) Also, longer hours will not ensure better standards. OECD data shows that English pupils already spend more time in compulsory education between the ages of 7 and 14 than in Finland, Korea and Japan - countries that have very high education standards. In fact "when it comes to learning, it’s the quality of teaching at school and students’ attitude towards learning that count most, not the number of hours students spend studying.” ~ Pisa In Focus. By signing this petition it shows Government that parents do not support the idea of longer school hours. References: http://www.localschoolsnetwork.org.uk/2013/04/gove-misleads-spectator-conference-about-longer-school-days-and-shorter-holidays-in-the-far-east/ http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf

The closure of respite care and transfers for after care from hospital to Winifred Kettle home in Westhoughton is very important to our community Many people have used the facilities of this wonderful care home over many years. The services of dedicated staff from cleaners, domestics, carers and managers is exemplary. We all may need the services in the future. The elderly population is increasing, but more homes are closing. Many carers are elderly themselves and circumstances do not allow them to look after loved ones. We must rally round together to put pressure on Bolton councillors to change their minds.

This is a very important facility which at present serves 7 Schools, 4 Day Centres, 6 Care Homes and about 135 individuals each week. The people using the Pool are aged from 6 months to 80+ and cover a very wide variety of disabilities and injuries. It has 2 Physiotherapists who do one to one sessions, some Aqua fit classes and of course the straightforward sessions for people unable to exercise in a normal swimming pool or on dry land. This facility keeps people mobile, in less pain, helps them recover from surgery, eases spasms and so many more wonderful benefits. It is the only facility fit for purpose in the Peterborough and surrounding area. We need you to keep funding it until an alternative is in place. Feel free to check out St George's Community Hydrotherapy Pool on http://www.sgchp.btck.co.uk/

We feel this is an important step to ensure optimum safety while crossing what can be a busy road. It is en route to shops and schools, and more recently a Post Office. From personal experience it can be a tricky road to cross at school run times and I believe having a crossing would make it significantly safer and easier to cross, particularly for children who are able to walk to school by themselves. Although it is a 20mph road, I have seen many motorists exceeding the limit and think a crossing would help slow traffic down. I have spoken to a few parents who agree it would work well. My husband tells me there used to be a crossing lady at this point when he was a child. A pedestrian crossing was installed on Beacon Street where the Post Office used to be so I think a crossing on Wheel Lane would be well used by customers of the Post Office and shops also.

The Virgin Active East Dorset club has been a really important part of the Corfe Mullen community. Many people, young and old, depend on it for not only keeping fit, but as a place to meet, talk and laugh with friends. Without transport and extra funds, many would find it hard (if not impossible) to travel to another club. We desperately need to keep this facility as an asset for our community.

Over 30 years 1,800 young people have participated in workshops, performances, international tours. We provide apprentices, work experience and employment. Many of those young people credit the youth theatre for changing their lives, helping them to develop their careers - not just through skill training in the arts but also through confidence building, increased self esteem and team work. These young people are ambassadors for our city, they can help to build it's future. Wolverhampton needs creative talent in these dark days.

My Mum who has rapidly progressing Alzheimer’s disease uses the centre. It is a local lifeline for many local residents, as a caring unit which understands her condition and provides a friendly and stimulating environment, and for the carers such as myself to get some much needed respite. The proposal is to move the Patey clients to the Royal Albert Day Centre in the centre of Portsmouth which would be extremely detrimental for the majority of them. They are a close knit group of individuals who thrive on the familiarity and security of both their number and setting. The skilled carers provide stimulating activities which maintain their clients' skills, helping them to feel valued and promoting independence. The move to the much larger Royal Albert Centre and much longer journey would be frightening and hasten the progress of their disease as the unfamiliarity will cause confusion. Portsmouth City Council's own Dementia Action Plan 2013/14 states: “Objective one of the Portsmouth Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy is to enhance the quality of life for people with dementia” “2142 residents will have some form of dementia · 55% (1178) will be mild, 32%(685) will be moderate, 13% (279) will be severe” “Portsmouth aspires to be a dementia friendly city where people with dementia will be treated with respect and feel included in our local communities.” “There will need to be a shift away from acute care towards primary and community based service provision, including rehabilitation and reablement.” “Support for carers is key” By closing the Patey Centre there will be just 60 spaces for the 2142 sufferers of alzheimers and dementia in the whole of Portsmouth. Portsmouth NEEDS more spaces not less. The Council claim this is a cost cutting measure however this is only true in the short term. Longer term there will be: growing costs of caring for increasing numbers of isolated dementia sufferers in their homes for whom there are no day care spaces; an increased need for residential care as overwhelmed carers without specialist day care respite will reach breaking point faster; and additional costs transporting people to the Royal Albert. The Council's intention is to sell the land the Patey Centre is on to help fund a residential home for people with alzheimers in the north of the city, why doesn't this incorporate the Patey Centre? The 2142 sufferers of alzheimers and dementia in Portsmouth are vulnerable people, many with carers such as myself who are stretched to breaking point. Their needs are being ignored and their excellent day centre is being lost. Please don't close the Patey Centre in Cosham, without providing alternative specialist day care for people with alzheimers and dementia in the north of Portsmouth, put the needs of the people of Portsmouth first.

Dear Minister, Maria Eagle stated in The House of Commons Debate on Food Poverty on Wednesday 18th December 2013 that, "there is a very straightforward way for Ministers to clear up any doubt about the reasons for the increase in reliance on food aid: they can finally publish the official report into the growth of food banks, which was delivered to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in June. That report has now been sat on by Ministers for six months, longer than it took to produce. In April, the then Minister of State at DEFRA, the hon. Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr Heath), said: “The conclusions of this work will be available in the summer and published on the Government's website.”—[Official Report, 23 April 2013; Vol. 561, c. 821W.] Now Ministers say the report is still being subjected to “an appropriate review and quality assurance process.”—[Official Report, House of Lords, 26 November 2013; Vol. 749, c. 1293.]" I demand that The Department of Work and Pensions and DEFRA release this report so that we can all see if the Government's report agrees with, or disputes claims from Voluntary Organizations and Churches; that one third of people referred to Food Banks are due to Social Security delays and cuts. I would also like to remind you that people, working and unemployed, who are referred to Food Banks, can usually only be referred to them three times within a twelve month period, after that there is no help! I would like to know from you, why this report has been subject to "review and quality assurance" for so long and when will it be released?

On the 4th December, 2013, the government announced that children who were in foster care would be allowed and supported to remain with their foster carers until they were 21 years of age. There was much celebration amongst campaigners when the announcement was made. However, those celebrations did not extend to children and young people in children’s homes. Children in residential care are not included in this change even though arguably the residential sector cares for possibly the most vulnerable and disadvantaged young people who may be unable, or indeed choose not to be fostered. ECLCM is a campaign group, without funding or political affiliations with any other group, formed to stop Government discrimination against children in residential care who want support to 21, the same as those in foster care. One young 15 year old in residential care said: Just because foster children are settled in a family environment does not mean that young people in residential are not. I would love to live here until I am 21.' Children in children’s homes will still face being discharged from care at 18 (or even younger) and facing the savage disadvantages that life can bring. We know from the feedback we received that these young people were not celebrating last week. It is our view that increasing the care leaving age for fostered children and not those in other residential settings will have unintended consequences. It will: • create a ‘two tier’ care system, in which children in foster care receive longer aftercare support than those residential settings; • create an ‘underclass’ of children in care who have to leave care at 18; • reduce real choice for children as they will be compelled to accept family care in order to gain better aftercare; • create serious issues for social workers when family placements are breaking down. Instead of considering a residential care option, they may repeat family placements in an effort to protect aftercare; • have an impact on the self-image and confidence of children in residential settings other than foster care, who may feel undervalued and discriminated against by a change which excludes them through no fault of their own. We welcome the change in leaving age for fostered children to 21 years of age. We congratulate the campaigners who achieved this and acknowledge work that took place over several years. However, we feel that to accept this change whilst excluding other children in care is discriminatory and not sufficient. We ask that the government support all children and young people in care to 21 years of age. We ask all those who share our view to support our campaign for equality. It is the least we can do for our children. Petitioners: BEN ASHCROFT @AshcroftBen IAN DICKSON @IDickson258 ROSIE CANNING @RosieCanning1 ED NIXON @EdNixon2 LISA CHERRY @_LisaCherry PAOLO HEWITT @PaoloHewitt1 ALEX WHEATLE MBE @brixtonbard DR JOSIE PEARSE @angelstrand DR GORDON MILSON @gordonmilson HELEN WILLIAMS @coralhels MARY CAMPBELL-WHARAM @insight_mary RAYNE O'BRIEN @rayne_obrien DANIELLE McLAUGHLIN @Dmamclaughlin ROSE DEVEREUX @RoseDevereux1 PHILOMENA HARRISON IVOR FRANK, LLB, Barrister-at law

Its is so important that Seaham's new secondary school is replaced, like for like, and that it includes a swimming pool. Past generations of Seaham learnt to swim in a makeshift outdoor swimming pool, colloquially known as the pit pond, which was in fact water storage for Dawdon Colliery, however following the demise of the mining industry, and the closure of the three pits which were in the town, the pit pond was lost to the following generations. Swimming is such a vital life skill and even more so for the children of Seaham who live on the North Sea coast to have access to a decent sized learning pool. We believe the whole community would benefit from the replacement of the pool. This is not about profit, this is about saving lives. Surely one pool is worth more than several lives which have been lost in the past few years in our seas.

Our traditional customs are an important part of our National Heritage and in danger of being lost because organisers cannot afford the costs associated with compliance with Health and Safety legislation, insurance costs, security costs and similar placed on them by local authorities. These local authorities should be providing the means for the traditional customs to continue not placing obstacles in the way. E.g. The Bacup Coconut dance (which has been happening in Lancashire for over 150 years) is under threat because they cannot afford to pay for road closures. The Sussex Bonfire tradition is under threat because of increasing legislation and escalating insurance costs from 'ambulance chasers'. Other European nations have protected their customs by listing them with UNESCO, placing an international obligation on local authorities to assist rather than hinder their continuation for future generations. There is no question of compromising public safety but the means to make our customs possible without stretching the resources of the people who carry them out must be found. Nobody questions the resources used for the protection of World Heritage Sites and this is no different. It is good for tourism and for local economies to keep our customs alive.