Getting your voice heard

Forgive me if I'm about to tell you a whole load of stuff that you know already but it strikes me that now, more than ever, it's important that people know all the different ways to make their voice heard. Many people default to writing to their MP, particularly using those standard texts that charities send out to their supporters, and then complain that they get a standard response. Or no response at all.

But there are other levers you can pull.

It's also worth looking at the democratic processes you have locally. This will vary depending on where you live. You might live in a borough, a metropolitan area, a parish, or all of the above.

At Lambeth's Full Council last week we heard from three deputations. Residents addressed us on these topics: traffic and disruption in Lynette & Klea Avenues, the future sustainability of the Lambeth Nursery Schools Federation, and delivering a net zero Lambeth. Each topic was represented by a group of residents who had five minutes to talk to us which were then responded to by the relevant Cabinet Member. It's always an engaging part of the proceedings and strikes me as a powerful way for campaigners to get their issues heard by all the local representatives present and responded to in person.

There are other actions you can take such as petitions to the council and, of course, writing to your ward councillor or Cabinet member. Here's a link to the relevant info for Lambeth but I'm sure wherever you live there will be something similar. Always happy to chat to anyone about how local council decision-making works - or doesn't!

It is a disgrace that in the sixth richest economy on the planet, so many people are going hungry and having to turn to food banks. I was interested to see this story about Iceland supermarket's new Food Club pilot which aims to help spread the cost of food and enabling customers to do a better value weekly shop.

When one of our store’s sales fall off, in the absence of new local competition, we know that we are more than likely losing customers to food banks or, worse still, to hunger.

I was also quite entertained to read all this stuff about previous owners of Iceland. All out there on their web site in a section called The Dark Ages 👹

Interesting and useful links 🖇️

Sadly, the Black feminist writer and teacher, bell hooks, died in December. Here's a link to nine recommended texts.

"Belonging takes time and tenacity" I loved this sad, yet hopeful, essay by Josie George.

The launch event for Ten Years' Time's report Racial Justice and Social Transformation: How Funders Can Act is on February 3.

Expect to hear from some of the incredible and inspiring changemakers of colour who are doing the work as they and the Ten Years' Time team lead you through a series of provocations to get us reflecting on and plotting the bold, urgent and ambitious change we need to make a racial justice a reality in the immediate future.

Day of the Week 📆

This week was Holocaust Memorial Day.

What am I reading? 📚

With all this talk of Russia in the news, I've just started reading The Gulag Archipelago.

What am I watching? 👀

A friend of mine alerted me to The Nilsen Files, a new series of documentaries about the serial killer, Denis Nilsen. The series attempts to shine more light on the young men he killed, and the effect that the murder had on the gay community at the time. It is tragic to learn about the homophobia within the Met Police, and disregard for these young men. Particularly as lessons don't seem to have been learned, as we saw in the Port murders.

What am I listening to?👂

I thought this was a good podcast sharing the complex experiences of people of colour with albinism

Joy-giving things 😍

I didn't film this but I was reading about starlings and their amazing murmurations and, well, what a wonderful world we live in.

This web site links to starling roosts. You might be lucky enough to see them swirling about in the sky. Oh, and it's the Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend too. Go and count the starlings!

Have a lovely weekend

Lucy

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