Cost of Living – help available

As prices go up and wages stay stagnant, below I have collated some notes on things that might help. Handsworth Foodbank You need to get a voucher - Citizens Advice, housing support officers, children’s centres, health visitors, social services and some local charities can provide this. Your GP might also be able to provide a …

Challenges in Handsworth

Yesterday (6th April) was a great day meeting Carla Denyer, co-leader of the Green Party as we supported our friend Siobhan Harper-Nunes' campaign in Gravelly Hill. Siobhan has been working with residents for over a year to solve problems like fly-tipping, potholes, drug dealing, empty houses, pedestrian safety and planning permission. Those are the same …

Urgent Community Action – an idea for us all

A household is in poverty if it earns less than 60% of the UK median wage. In April of last year, according to ONS figures, that means if your household income is less than £19,063, you live in poverty. The dramatic increases in fuel costs, inflation above 6% and rising on top of high(er) rents, …

Local elections 5th May

One of my favourite quotes is from Eisenhower: Decisions are made by those who turn up. You've got to be part of the thing that needs changing. Every day in my neighbourhood I see things that need changing, fixing, improving. Dirty streets. Uncollected waste. Closed shops. Potholes. Substandard and overcrowded housing. Traffic. Queues outside the …

#MHNursesDay 2022

February 21st is Mental Health Nurses Day, an initiative that I was proud to help start, and one that every year sees me tied to Twitter retweeting and sharing and commenting (and correcting the hashtag...) from about 7am to 9 at night. It's a day to celebrate, describe and promote the profession of mental health …

All change?

The transition from a year of hell and misery to a 2021 full of potential and recovery is an illusion. The arbitrary measurement of time in years, seasons, months and days is not something recognised by illness, economics or climate. The former three are the ever present and extreme challenges that need constant addressing. We …

Moving on

The end of a wretched 2020 sees the end of my term as Chair of the RCN Mental Health Forum, a position I've held formally for four years having been on the committee for a total of six. In that time there have been some great wins, some losses but more than anything I've had …

Statement following RCN General Meeting

At today’s RCN General Meeting, a resolution was passed by an overwhelming majority for RCN Council to initiate a comprehensive review of governance. This vote gives Council the mandate to address the issues that led to a failed Presidential election this year, and as authors of the petition that called this meeting we are delighted …

RCN Petitioners’ Working Group – open meeting

https://youtu.be/tdJOfIERnsY On Friday 20th November 2020, the Petitioners' Working Group (comprising myself, Stuart McKenzie, Andrea Spyropoulos, Michael Brown, Linda Bailey and Craig Davidson) hosted an open meeting to discuss issues around the RCN Presidential elections, the calling of the General Meeting and subsequent shennanigans. Questions were submitted by attendees in writing and asked in person. …

Statement from the RCN Petitioners’ Working Group

RCN Council vote against convening planned General Meeting On Thursday 12th November, RCN Council met and voted against convening the general meeting, citing Covid19, an inability to find an online AGM platform and “safety of staff” as reasons. The RCN had already emailed all members giving notice of the meeting, and asking members to register …