Thursday 14 June 2012

WHAT NEXT FOR FAC?

Groups prepare for the march to Winter Gardens, Blackpool
AND THEN THERE WERE TWO.....
It is sad that only two persons attended the June planning meeting but it would seem that people are 'voting with their feet' to demonstrate their level of commitment for the campaign.


The Pensioners' Parliament is being held in Blackpool next week and, this year, Barrow and Furness Pensioners' Association has attracted a group of thirty to travel to this seaside town.  Whether most of them will actually attend the parliament remains to be seen.  And what is taken on board by those who do attend will be revealed in the months that follow (will they respond to the calls of the leadership of the National Pensioners' Convention for a broad campaign or will they simply carry on as normal - chat, cup of tea, raffle, then go home until next month?)


It is certainly time to place responsibility in the hands of those sections of the community who wish to be represented at any street gathering or presentation.  Indeed, this move is now long overdue.  So, from now on, a stall will only be made available if at least one group actually requests it and can guarantee the presence of at least two persons to attend.  This means showing up at a planning meeting and formally requesting the stall be set up on a specific date and for a specific start time and finish time.


In the meantime, it is reported that more people are beginning to suffer the consequences of the government's austerity measures - but clearly not suffering enough to persuade them it's time they did something about it.