Get other oganisations involved?

[nickd]

Legal Aid cuts will effect some of the people in society who are most in need. Many of these people utilise the services of excellent organisations such as the mental health charity 'Rethink New Directions'. Equally there will be many other help and support organisations who come to see us in order to help their clients. I spoke to the Senior Activist Officer at Rethink today, Claire West and had a good chat about how this is going to hit us, they are very active in their campaign work. I've emailed Claire some of the work we've used and she's very quickly come back to me and said 'she's already made a start'. Rethink have made some fantastic contributions to National Consultations, Claire wasn't sure if they are in touch with Citizens Advice and is going to check it out. These are the kind of organisations who work to common aims in the same way we do, they are good campaigning partners, there must be others out there?

Check out the good work they are doing by using the following link:

www.rethink.org/how_we_can_help/campaigning_for_change/index.html

Let's get as many organisations joined into our campaign at both National and local level, it's dangerous to assume everyone knows, it's very clear to me that many people are simply unaware of these proposed reforms. Before long Government will be hurriedly re-writing the statute, we all know how consultations don't always get listened to and that is why it is vital that we do everything possible to join our campaign up with others.

Help spread the word, help raise the profile of this campaign!!!!

[nickd]

Well folks, I tried to get 'Rethink New Directions; involved, but a response back from their senior campaign officer tells us our campaign is 'not one of priority' to them. They've been very helpful and have come up with a few ideas and welcomed feedback, but crucially they have no plans to feed into the Ministry of Justice consultations.

The problem I guess is that Government is simply pushing through far too many consultations all at once. There are so many open consultations that organisations, of already limited resources, just can't feed into them all. It surprised me that Rethink had heard so little of the plans to cut Legal Aid for welfare benefits in particular. I say so, because I'm aware, as an organisation, of how reliant they are on our specialist services when helping their clients with appeals against unjust decisions.

[shazzamudge]

Think you hit the nail on the head there Nick, everyone is trying to take in so many changes at once it's hard to campaign against everything, The response I am generally getting is "Can't say I'm surprised" In an alarmingly apathetic manner, There has to be a way to make people get thier fighting spirit back