We must reduce the amount this chemical is used because of the wildlife and nature impact. The bees are unable to live around this chemical and the plants it's used on. Bees are in serious decline and need our support. Tests support it is carcinogenic to humans too, can be linked to cancer, liver and kidney damage, diabetes. There are many other means available online to give ideas for how to replace this chemical and rid the streets from weeds. We managed before this came along and we have a moral duty to manage now, for the bees and insects, and human wellbeing.

In the UK the average family throws away 22% of their weekly shop, which is worth £700 per year. Food waste is really, really bad for the environment. It takes a land mass larger than China to grow the food each year that is ultimately never eaten – all to produce food that we then just throw away. In addition, food that is never eaten accounts for 25% of all fresh water consumption globally. Not only are all of the resources that went into creating the uneaten food wasted (land, water, labour, energy, manufacturing, packaging, etc), but when food waste goes to landfill, which is where the vast majority of it ends up, it decomposes without access to oxygen and creates methane, which is 23x more deadly than carbon dioxide. Every which way you look at it food waste is a major culprit in destroying our planet, and in fact if food waste were a country, it would be the third largest emitter of greenhouse gases after China and the USA. So, the bad news is we are half the problem. But the good news is….. this means we can be half the solution! Ref: https://olioex.com/food-waste/the-problem-of-food-waste/

Forty one years ago Michael Sobell had a vision. A vision of a hospice where people would be able to spend the last few days of their life with all the staff and facilities that were needed to hand, in an environment that was as pleasant as possible. An environment with beautiful plants growing indoors as well as in the peaceful, tranquil gardens, a calming aquarium, and an aviary where colourful, birds flit from branch to branch and sing. An environment far removed from the usual, purely functional, antiseptic hospital ward, and a level of 24 hour care far more effective than that which could ever be provided at home. In 1977 Michael Sobell was moved enough to donate £1 million of his own money so that his vision could be achieved. A building was erected which provided an environment that was as homely as possible, friendly, and even inspirational, but a building with an expected life span of only 20 years. It has been tended and cared for by a dedicated team of staff and volunteers for 41 years. But now here we are and the inevitable day has finally arrived and the building needs to be demolished, and yet there is no plan in place to allow this much appreciated facility to continue. “Care in the community” undoubtedly has its benefits, but the phrase often seems to be used in a cynical way to slash costs and justify closing facilities. But it is totally inappropriate and unacceptable for end-of-life care. We are in danger of letting down not only Michael Sobell, the inpatients, and their families, but also the trustees, staff, and volunteers who have tended and cared for the hospice all these years - not to mention all those who have sacrificed their time, and risen to many a challenge, to raise funds in support. We must not lose sight of Michael Sobell's vision; the NHS needs to demonstrate that it still has a heart and soul. Otherwise we will just end up where we started 41 years ago. We cannot allow hospices to be closed up and down the country. We must not short-change all those people for whom the cards of life played out badly. This issue should be of NATIONWIDE CONCEN, we cannot stand by and allow the humanity to be taken out of decisions that effect us all, no matter what the financial pressures might be. Now is the time to mobilise public opinion while the powers that control the NHS contemplate how best to use their £20bn “birthday present.” We need to petition East and North Herts NHS Trust and make our feelings known before a decision is made that wipes the Michael Sobell Hospice off the face of the earth for ever. The NHS would then lose the ability to provide the sort of care for end-of-life patients that the community works so hard to support. It stands to lose the services of the dedicated people that tend the gardens, and look after the aviary and aquarium, and all the people that strive to raise funds to provide all manner of small comforts for the inpatients. The NHS stands on the brink of losing the additional funding generated by the Charity that supports the hospice which allows its limited resources to go that little bit further. But most importantly we need to show the NHS the strength of public opinion before it makes an irreversible decision that will deny many of our loved-ones access to the final demonstration of our community’s love and compassion that is offered by our hospices. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxoOXs6i9gI ANY VIEWS EXPRESSED HERE ARE MY OWN AND OTHER PARTIES MAY WISH TO EXPRESS DIFFERENT VIEWS! The Board of Trustees of the Michael Sobell Hospice Charity have announced that they have set up an Advisory working group as part of their “listening and engagement” exercise. In order to help them in their desire to “spread a wide net to capture not only local views but also consider the national picture for palliative and end of life care’”, we have compiled a short survey. To complete it copy and paste the following link into your browser. https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/2VX8ZMJ You are also able to find the SURVEY on the newly created Save My Safe Haven website: www.savemsh.co.uk where we will be posting the results. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE try and complete the SURVEY in time for the meeting the Michael Sobell House Charity has planned for later on in August. Any questions please email us at [email protected]

Our GP services are on their knees Our roads are gridlocked due to sheer number of cars, limited roads out of Midlothian and poor public transport for many areas Our schools are bursting at the seams with children being shipped out of catchment schools due to lack of space Lack of investment into community resources - there are few services for our elderly, teenagers and young children. Our green belt is disappearing - with a significant impact on our health and the environment Private housing is not a priority - we need to prioritise council and housing association accommodation

Since 2013, the price of a Young Person's Travel Pass in Kent has risen by 480%. A family with two children at secondary school are looking at spending £580 per year and many more families are struggling to meet this cost. We call on Kent County Council to introduce more flexible payment opportunities to help students and parents budget around these price rises. We are also asking Kent County Council to review the cost of travel for those students in full-time education between the ages of 16 and 19. The cost of travel can put many off furthering their studies and we call on KCC to review all travel pass costs for those in education in the county.

It is common decency against a lurid, obscene practises that should be outlawed.

The EU Copyright Directive is a proposed new law that could destroy the internet as we know it, allowing big companies to control what we see and do online. It would mean that every website would have to introduce “upload filters” that automatically block material it thinks has been illegally copied. The filters are meant to block copyrighted music, films or text, but filters struggle to tell what legal uses really are. Online commentary, reviews, art, and internet memes could all be censored automatically. This would stifle freedom of expression and speech online - everyones content would be targeted from individuals posting on facebook or writing on their own blog, to small charities speaking out against big businesses and graphic designers creating art. It is far too high a cost for enforcing copyright. We have a chance to stop this in its track. Sign the petition and add your voice to the growing wave of UK and EU residents opposing this threat to free speech online.

North Lanarkshire Council intend to close the plant nursery in September 2018. This would be a great loss for the whole of North Lanarkshire, and would mean putting plant containers, bedding and floral displays out to tender to the private sector. Also, this would put an end to job placements and horticulture in this area, as well as the loss of visitors in Coatbridge. The nursery has over 100 years of service within this authority, and is used by several vulnerable groups, who would no longer have access to the support they get here. We recommend the council steps in to stop this closure and keeps the complex open to the public and available to the community. More than 1300 people have already supported our campaign by signing the petition available in the cafe at Drumpellier Country Park, please sign this petition to show the strength of support in the community for retaining this service.

If your dream was to live in another country, what would you hope that country would say if you asked to stay? How would you hope to be treated by that country’s laws, when you applied to remain there? You might reply “With respect, fairness and dignity. I’d like to be given a fair chance of success”. Well, this is the dream of many foreign nationals, who apply for U.K.: - Work Permits and Visas, - Asylum or Refuge Status, - Residency and - Citizenship. Do we treat these people as we’d hope to be treated? Our Goverment can Recreate a UK Immigration Policy which our grandchildren will not look upon with shame, but with pride, as they live within the consequences of our choices.

Highland Council Pension Fund currently holds £5.4 million of shares in US arms company, General Dynamics, manufacturer and supplier of the MK-82 1000-lb and MK-84 2000-lb bombs that were used with such devastating effect by Israel against the people of Gaza during ‘Operation Protective Edge’ in 2014. Because of their ‘wide area effect’, the use of these weapons was condemned by the UN Human Rights Council as violating ‘the prohibition of indiscriminate attacks’; more thn 2,000 people, including at least 500 children, were killed as a consequence of the bombing of one of the world’s most densely populated areas. Highland Council Pensions Fund acquisitions are subject to explicit 'social, environmental and ethical considerations'. It is the duty of public institutions to uphold international law and human rights norms, and it is completely unacceptable that, through its pension fund, Highland Council should finance their ongoing violation! It’s time for Highland Council to examine its conscience, put its principles into practice and follow its own guidelines on ethical investment by divesting itself of its shares in General Dynamics.

School Librarians are a critical part of any school’s professional staff. Their skills are needed now more than ever. With vast online resources there is no shortage of sources of information. However, the more important skill is now understanding and evaluating these sources. Pupils need to learn how to sort out fact from fake. This decision will prevent pupils from reaching their full potential. Librarians have professional skills that support children of all abilities to learn. Replacing essential staff with the unpaid labour of pupils is an absolute disgrace. Scottish Borders Council should hang their heads in shame. Follow the story: Pressure grows on education officials over school library plans http://www.bordertelegraph.com/news/16272089.Pressure_grows_on_education_officials_over_school_library_plans/ Scottish Borders Council slammed for using pupils as library staff says it will teach them leadership http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/16271266.Scots_council_slammed_for_using_pupils_as_library_staff_says_it_will_teach_them_leadership/ Playground pressure mounts on council to reverse school library cuts https://www.peeblesshirenews.com/news/17233450.playground-pressure-mounts-on-council-to-reverse-school-library-cuts/

The EU withdrawal Bill is returning to the Houses of Commons after the Government suffered 15 amendment defeats by the House of Lords. Lords spent 20 days debating the EU withdrawal bill and the government has just announced that Parliament will only be given 12 hours on the 12th June to debate the full bill and its numerous amendments. Brexit represents the most significant and complex process seen before parliament since world war 2 and the government is denying MPs sufficient time to debate the bill and its amendments by only allowing one day for debate voting. Why sign this petition? * Whether you are voted leave or remain it is in the best interests of the public to have a full, open and robust debate in parliament on the EU withdrawal bill * The House of Lords was permitted 20 days to debate this bill. Why is the Commons not allowed the same opportunity to debate a bill so vital to the future of the country? * MPs and commentators from across the political spectrum, including senior and back bench Tory MPs are highly critical of the governments decision to allow such a short time to debate this bill * This timetable only allows for 40 minutes to debate each amendment all of which will have a significant impact on the prosperity and political future of the UK * Parliament is being denied it’s sovereignty as one day is simply not enough time for a full and proper debate and this move has been described as reckless, unprecedented and showing contempt for parliament Please sign this bill to help protect the sovereignty of parliament and democracy in the UK