Amnesty International have launched a blog on our Demand Dignity campaign. The blog’s latest post is on maternal mortality in Sierra Leone. Find out more at http://demanddignity.amnesty.org/en/voice/mission1-en
I can confirm that Tim Hancock, Amnesty International UK’s Campaign Director will be speaking at the West Midlands Amnesty International Regional Conference. He will be feeding back from the International Council Meeting which took place in August. He will update us on the main priorities for the international movement and update us on the key decisions taken there.
The 2009 Greetings Card Campaign begins on 1 November and you can order this year’s printed materials online now at www.amnesty.org.uk/gcc .
The annual Greetings Card Campaign brings people across the world in touch with each other in a simple way – sending a card with a friendly greeting or message of solidarity to someone who is in danger or unjustly imprisoned.
If you are running a public event where people can sign Greetings Cards then please send me details at westmidsamnesty@gmail.com and i’ll advertise them on the blog.
Get your friends and community together to drink tea and raise money for human rights. Sounds a lovely simple idea that local groups can do. When combined with cake and sending a card to a prisoner of conscience or human rights defender for our Greetings Card Campaign it almost becomes irresistable. Its probably enough to encourage me to bake one of my carrot cakes…
In the meantime if you want to check out the new AmnesTea initiative have a look at the www.amnesty.org.uk/tea webpage and order your AmnesTea kit. AmnesTea, so obvious it should have been thought of years ago…
Please keep me updated with news and photos of your events and i’ll get them on here. Email westmidsamnesty@gmail.com
The West Midlands Amnesty International Regional Conference will be held on Saturday 10th October between 10am and 4.15pm at the Library Theatre in Birmingham. The main speakers will be looking at Amnesty’s work on Individuals at Risk, what happened at the International Council Meeting and our guest speaker, David Nicholl will be focussing on campaigning to prevent torture. For full details see the Regional Conference 2009 Agenda and to book your place email me on westmidsamnesty@gmail.com – you must book in advance by Monday 5th October at the latest.
As Regional Rep I have got permission for Amnesty to have a stall at the TUC’s Women Chainmakers Festival at the Black Country Living Museum (in Dudley) on Saturday 12th September (yes a few days time). I have two passes for volunteers for the stall. I’ll be one of them as i’m also giving a talk but i’d like someone to help me out. The event despite its title is a family event for local trade unionists and its title comes from a historical struggle over pay and conditions for women chainmakers. The incentive is that for helping me out for a few hours on the stall, handing out leaflets and asking people to sign postcards that you get free entry (normal adult price £12.95) to the whole of the living museum which is a fabulous place to spend the day – see www.bclm.co.uk – and its not a normal museum but a traditional Black Country village brought to life with costumed actors. If you might be able help please email me at westmidsamnesty@gmail.com .
