Summer Campaign Street Stall Saturday 19th August
People's Assembly March Against Austerity “NOT ONE MORE DAY”
protest march Saturday 1st July
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A group of six Maidenhead CLP members went up to London on Saturday 1st July to attend the “Not One More Day’ protest march.
After getting the train to Paddington, we got a bus to Regents Park and walked down Portland Place to the BBC HQ, where the marchers assembled. We arrived just after 12:00 and the atmosphere was really great, there were already a few thousand people.
The march started around 1:15 and we marched down Regent Street, Haymarket, Cockspur Street into Trafalger Square, and down Whitehall, as we passed Downing Street a load boo could be heard from the marchers, there were a few groups sitting near the entrance of Downing Street shouting anti-Tory and anti-May slogans.
The whole march took about 1½ hours, and was very peaceful, and very noisy.
We arrived at Parliament Square to hear several people speak, including Len McCluskey, Frances O'Grady and other union leaders, along with people from various professions like teachers, nurses, etc, and other members of the Labour Party including John McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn.
It was an occasion to be a part of.
Ray Beale
After getting the train to Paddington, we got a bus to Regents Park and walked down Portland Place to the BBC HQ, where the marchers assembled. We arrived just after 12:00 and the atmosphere was really great, there were already a few thousand people.
The march started around 1:15 and we marched down Regent Street, Haymarket, Cockspur Street into Trafalger Square, and down Whitehall, as we passed Downing Street a load boo could be heard from the marchers, there were a few groups sitting near the entrance of Downing Street shouting anti-Tory and anti-May slogans.
The whole march took about 1½ hours, and was very peaceful, and very noisy.
We arrived at Parliament Square to hear several people speak, including Len McCluskey, Frances O'Grady and other union leaders, along with people from various professions like teachers, nurses, etc, and other members of the Labour Party including John McDonnell and Jeremy Corbyn.
It was an occasion to be a part of.
Ray Beale
April 27th General Meeting
With all normal business suspended for the duration of the election campaign this months meeting was changed to a campaign meeting. With the NHS high on the agenda a timely presentation from Cheryl Coppell of Healthwatch WAM on the changes underway in health and care services was well received by the members. Following the break Nigel Smith took us through the necessary processes for getting our campaign under way. Thanks for the excellent turnout and contributions made.
With all normal business suspended for the duration of the election campaign this months meeting was changed to a campaign meeting. With the NHS high on the agenda a timely presentation from Cheryl Coppell of Healthwatch WAM on the changes underway in health and care services was well received by the members. Following the break Nigel Smith took us through the necessary processes for getting our campaign under way. Thanks for the excellent turnout and contributions made.
March 23rd General Meeting
A very good turnout of local Party Members enjoyed an excellent presentation from Orla Gallaghar, CEO of Housing Solutions. She talked about her organisation and the issues it faced providing housing in the Royal Borough. |
Thanks to all those who braved the freezing temperatures on Thursday 26th January to hear an interesting presentation from Ann Black and contributed to the lively debate that followed. |
2016 AGM Thursday 26th November
Thanks to all who turned out for our AGM last Thursday. We heard from Dale, Maidenhead Labour's man in the Lords, on the current state of the Party and Parliament.
Following elections we welcome our new Chair Steven, Membership Secretary Ray, Youth co-ordinator Joe and Socials & Fundraising Kath.
The meeting thanked outgoing Chair Mark Wilson for his commitment to the Branch over the years.
Thanks to all who turned out for our AGM last Thursday. We heard from Dale, Maidenhead Labour's man in the Lords, on the current state of the Party and Parliament.
Following elections we welcome our new Chair Steven, Membership Secretary Ray, Youth co-ordinator Joe and Socials & Fundraising Kath.
The meeting thanked outgoing Chair Mark Wilson for his commitment to the Branch over the years.
General Meeting 29th September
Guest speaker, Alan White, Manager Maidenhead and Windsor Citizens Advice
The meeting welcomed guest speaker Alan White to talk about the work of Citizens Advice. Alan said each Citizens Advice is a local charity which helped people in this case in the RBWM area and was also part of a national body. It was staffed mainly by volunteers and provided help face to face, by adviceline phone, email and webchat. Maidenhead and Windsor Citizens Advice dealt with more than 3,000 clients with over 7,000 issues during the course of a year.
Alan ran through the main areas where people made enquiries seeking assistance:
Questions then followed on the funding of the Citizens Advice, the demand for services and whether this was increasing.
Alan was thanked for coming along and his informative talk about the work of the Citizens Advice.
Guest speaker, Alan White, Manager Maidenhead and Windsor Citizens Advice
The meeting welcomed guest speaker Alan White to talk about the work of Citizens Advice. Alan said each Citizens Advice is a local charity which helped people in this case in the RBWM area and was also part of a national body. It was staffed mainly by volunteers and provided help face to face, by adviceline phone, email and webchat. Maidenhead and Windsor Citizens Advice dealt with more than 3,000 clients with over 7,000 issues during the course of a year.
Alan ran through the main areas where people made enquiries seeking assistance:
- Benefits – welfare benefits, not least help filling in forms. He gave the example that the form for Attendance Allowance ran to 29 pages with 12 pages of notes.
- Disability Living Allowance and the switch to Personal Independence Payments
- Debt – mostly for Council Tax, but also issues regarding credit cards, store cards, payday loans. Help was often requested when the bailiffs were at the door. Bankruptcy and alternative options were also a major problem.
- Also many issues on employment where failure to pay wages was the biggest problem.
- Housing difficulties in a very expensive area with too much demand and very little suitable accommodation available.
Questions then followed on the funding of the Citizens Advice, the demand for services and whether this was increasing.
Alan was thanked for coming along and his informative talk about the work of the Citizens Advice.
April General Meeting with Lord Rosser on airport expansion in the South East
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Guest speaker, Lord Rosser, shadow spokesperson on transport issues in the House of Lords
The meeting welcomed guest speaker Lord (Richard) Rosser, the shadow spokesperson in the House of Lords on transport and home affairs. Richard began by saying a few words about the Lords and what it does. He said that it was now being held by many as the most effective opposition to the government due to the changes made to bills such as the trade union and housing and planning bills. Richard stressed that it was a revising chamber, suggesting amendments to bills that had come from the Commons. As he was also shadow spokesperson on Home office matters he dealt with the outcome of our local MP's proposals regularly, most recently on the immigration bill. On airport expansion in the south east he said the Coalition Government had set up the Davies Commission to look at the issues and make recommendations. This had reported in July 2015, after the General Election, and had come out in favour of a new third runway at Heathrow, but subject to environmental issues being satisfied. This had caused problems for the government, not least because David Cameron had pledged before the 2010 General Election that there would be no new runway at Heathrow "no ifs, no buts", and the Conservative candidate for Mayor of London was opposed to expansion. The Government had been due to make a decision by the end of 2015 which had now become "this summer". Richard said that the Labour Party had asked the government when "summer" would end, so far without reply. The suspicions were that an announcement would be made after Parliament had gone into recess. The Labour Party policy currently was to await the outcome of the detailed review on environmental issues being conducted. He recognised that it was not an easy issue for the Party as some Labour MP's had opposed expansion. It had been accepted that there is a need for additional runway capacity in the south east, with Heathrow full and Gatwick at 85% and with adverse impact already being felt with loss of flights to airports in Europe. Richard also said that benefits of expansion should not be just in the south east and investment cases were made by other cities airports such as Manchester. There followed a question and answer session covering points such as "Boris Island" proposal - rejected by the Davies commission, pollution problems and the use of public money by RBWM and other London Boroughs to campaign against the expansion of Heathrow. The meeting then thanked Lord Rosser for his detailed and interesting talk on this complex matter. |
Hustings
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Saturday 22nd March 2014 – a gathering of 50 members voted for the new Maidenhead Constituency Prospective Parliamentary Candidate (PPC) and chose CHARLES SMITH as a clear winner. These were exciting hustings when difficult questions were thrown at the three brilliant candidates, all keen to give us their experience and expertise in helping us fight the Conservative complacency in our area and raise Labour’s profile in the region.
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NHS Day of Action 4th March 2017 |
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The NHS has done a lot for us, and we thought that it was time we gave something back, if only a few hours out of our day.
So we decided to go to London and march through the streets, in support of all the wonderful, caring, dedicated, and supportive people, who work for the NHS, and of course for the institution that is the NHS. Where would we be without it? After all, how many of us already on the breadline or living on a low wage can afford private health care?
After setting off from Maidenhead station at 11.17, we finally arrived at the meeting point in Tavistock Square at 12.50. The London underground was a nightmare with part closures on the main route from Paddington.
We set off on the march at 1.00pm and walked through London to Parliament Square, at the front leading the way were John Mcdonnell, Len McCluskey, and a few other well known party members. We were in the middle of the march, we met lots of other people with the same views as us, wanting to give up their time to support the NHS.
About 2 hours later, we finally arrived at Parliament Square, where we heard some fantastic speeches, from various people including Jeremy Corbyn, Len McClusky, John McDonnell, and members of the NHS.
It was a very peaceful March but very noisy with lots of chanting, drumming, and air-horns. But it was a fantastic atmosphere, and we are so glad that we made the effort to go, and will definitely be up for going to any more.
Ray Beale
So we decided to go to London and march through the streets, in support of all the wonderful, caring, dedicated, and supportive people, who work for the NHS, and of course for the institution that is the NHS. Where would we be without it? After all, how many of us already on the breadline or living on a low wage can afford private health care?
After setting off from Maidenhead station at 11.17, we finally arrived at the meeting point in Tavistock Square at 12.50. The London underground was a nightmare with part closures on the main route from Paddington.
We set off on the march at 1.00pm and walked through London to Parliament Square, at the front leading the way were John Mcdonnell, Len McCluskey, and a few other well known party members. We were in the middle of the march, we met lots of other people with the same views as us, wanting to give up their time to support the NHS.
About 2 hours later, we finally arrived at Parliament Square, where we heard some fantastic speeches, from various people including Jeremy Corbyn, Len McClusky, John McDonnell, and members of the NHS.
It was a very peaceful March but very noisy with lots of chanting, drumming, and air-horns. But it was a fantastic atmosphere, and we are so glad that we made the effort to go, and will definitely be up for going to any more.
Ray Beale
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Education not Segregation
Saturday 1st October Labour Party stalwarts looking happy despite the rain. Big thanks to Jo, Nigel for bringing the stall, Tom, Pat and Fiona for supplying umbrellas. With constant rain and few punters the team abandoned the show not long after 1100 so apologies if anyone arrived later. I only turned up to take the photo :-) But missed the coffee! PS please can we only have future events scheduled for dry, warm and sunny days! |
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2016 EU Referendum
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National result Leave 51.9% and Remain 48.1%
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
Remain 53.9% Leave 46.1%
The excellent result for the Borough can be put down to local Remain campaign groups working together under the coordination of StrongerIn.
Labour joined the Greens, Conservatives and Libdems along with non party campaigners that formed StrongerIn to achieve this result.
Thanks to all those who contributed to the campaign.
Graham Lee
Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead
Remain 53.9% Leave 46.1%
The excellent result for the Borough can be put down to local Remain campaign groups working together under the coordination of StrongerIn.
Labour joined the Greens, Conservatives and Libdems along with non party campaigners that formed StrongerIn to achieve this result.
Thanks to all those who contributed to the campaign.
Graham Lee
Guest Speaker – Melissa Benn, Comprehensive Future - 17th March
A warm welcome was extended to Melissa Benn. She spoke about the debate about Grammar schools and the interest in what was happening in Windsor and Maidenhead.
Melissa made reference to the following key points:
Going back to post WW2 the 1944 Education Act there was discussion at the time for multilateral education but was decided in favour of grammar and secondary moderns. Fifteen counties in England now retained grammar schools. It was argued that grammar schools gave a chance to talented children from poor working class backgrounds, but all the evidence was that this was not true.
It had also been argued and publicised and publicised widely that comprehensive schools have failed, which again was not true. She said that Maidenhead was viewed as an affluent middle class area where the comprehensive schools are doing well. Melissa also talked about the situation with the grammar school in Kent and the challenges and events that had taken place. She also considered the situation in Buckinghamshire where grammar schools were retained and what the effects of this had been.
Melissa added that as the mother of two daughters she feels passionately that it is wrong to test children at age 10 or 11 and to tell the majority that they have failed.
A number of questions were then taken from the floor, covering a wide range of issues of concern and seeking help and advice.
After a lengthy session with much input and discussion from the members present Melissa was thanked for her attendance and appreciation showed in the normal way.
A warm welcome was extended to Melissa Benn. She spoke about the debate about Grammar schools and the interest in what was happening in Windsor and Maidenhead.
Melissa made reference to the following key points:
Going back to post WW2 the 1944 Education Act there was discussion at the time for multilateral education but was decided in favour of grammar and secondary moderns. Fifteen counties in England now retained grammar schools. It was argued that grammar schools gave a chance to talented children from poor working class backgrounds, but all the evidence was that this was not true.
It had also been argued and publicised and publicised widely that comprehensive schools have failed, which again was not true. She said that Maidenhead was viewed as an affluent middle class area where the comprehensive schools are doing well. Melissa also talked about the situation with the grammar school in Kent and the challenges and events that had taken place. She also considered the situation in Buckinghamshire where grammar schools were retained and what the effects of this had been.
Melissa added that as the mother of two daughters she feels passionately that it is wrong to test children at age 10 or 11 and to tell the majority that they have failed.
A number of questions were then taken from the floor, covering a wide range of issues of concern and seeking help and advice.
After a lengthy session with much input and discussion from the members present Melissa was thanked for her attendance and appreciation showed in the normal way.
Presentation on what Labour should do next
by Stuart Crainer from Thinkers 50
After Stuart introduced himself as a writer and long time Party member he talked about the six elements he believed were essential for an organisation to be successful. These being belief, leadership, organisation, cleverness, luck and change
In the case of the Labour Party these range from being clear about what we stand for to leaders encouraging our people to exceptional performance. To appeal more to voters could we organise differently or change the way we communicate? The importance of taking advantage of issues as they arise. How ready, willing and committed are we to embracing change?
Following questions from the floor the meeting thanked Stuart for his though provoking presentation.
by Stuart Crainer from Thinkers 50
After Stuart introduced himself as a writer and long time Party member he talked about the six elements he believed were essential for an organisation to be successful. These being belief, leadership, organisation, cleverness, luck and change
In the case of the Labour Party these range from being clear about what we stand for to leaders encouraging our people to exceptional performance. To appeal more to voters could we organise differently or change the way we communicate? The importance of taking advantage of issues as they arise. How ready, willing and committed are we to embracing change?
Following questions from the floor the meeting thanked Stuart for his though provoking presentation.
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Sue Brett from Foodshare talks about Homelessness in Maidenhead
Homelessness is a very worrying and brutal reality in Maidenhead, explains Sue Brett at our February meeting. Although the Council claims there are not any homeless people in the Borough reality is 30 homeless and 70 sofa surfers in Maidenhead alone. Shortage of Social Housing means single homeless are at the bottom of a very long list. Sue also talked about Foodshare, providing food parcels for families and hot meals for homeless and those who have simply run out of money and cannot afford to feed their families. There's so much more that needs to be done to assist those in need, and Sue is truly grateful for any help with that work, particularly in tackling homelessness, poverty, hunger and discrimination. see also |
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PAMELA JOAN KENNEDY - 1933-2012
One of our most cherished EC members and long time activist, Mrs Pam Kennedy (Social Secretary/Media Contact). Having been diagnosed with cancer, Pam passed away in her home in Maidenhead.
Pam was a very warm and witty person who worked tirelessly for what she believed in, and contributed greatly to our meetings and campaigns. She is survived by her husband Michael and two children. She will be sorely missed.
Pam was a very warm and witty person who worked tirelessly for what she believed in, and contributed greatly to our meetings and campaigns. She is survived by her husband Michael and two children. She will be sorely missed.