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Major Joint Agency Campaign on Food and Hunger
Regional Launch & Photo Call
9.15am Friday 25th January 2013
St Thomas’ Church, Haymarket, Newcastle upon Tyne
To include unfurling of giant campaign banner

Later this month, a major campaign on food and hunger will be launched by a coalition of over 50 of the UK’s leading agencies – including NE-CAP. We are coming together because, despite there being enough food in the world to feed everyone, nearly one billion people go to bed hungry every night and over two million children die from malnutrition annually. With action to address the root causes of hunger we can change this.

The campaign will be launched nationally on Wednesday 23rd January in London, Cardiff, Belfast and Glasgow, and subsequently there will be a series of regional launches across the country organised by Christian Aid. Our event will last no longer than 30-45 minutes and we are inviting the region’s MPs, MEPs, faith leaders, representatives of the supporting agencies and local celebrities.

Please join us if you can, to help make our launch the best supported anywhere! Poster to print out of the event is here.

Dates for your diary
Tuesday 23rd April at 5.30pm at Newcastle University
The inaugural ‘Newcastle Jubilee Development Lecture’, to be given by Baroness Glenys Kinnock of Holyhead
Sponsored by the Diocese of Newcastle, Newcastle University and Jubilee Debt Campaign

Monday 2nd September at 7.30pm, in Stockton Baptist Tabernacle
‘Justice for the poor, at home and abroad’
Speaker, the world-renowned Tony Campolo

Up and coming Christian Aid events
Christian Aid have a number of events coming up soon in the North East. Details here.

Previous events and activities

The following gives a flavour of some events and activities that have gone on in the North East over the last year or so - in order of the most recent.

2012

Hexham's giant 'Jubilee for Justice' paper chain taken to Parliament - November 2012
A giant paper chain was taken to Parliament on Wednesday 7 November by Canon Graham Usher and Pat Griffiths from Hexham Abbey, Guy Opperman, MP for Hexham, Tim Jones from Jubilee Debt Campaign and Dr David Golding CBE from North-East Call to Action Against Poverty. Canon Usher and Pat Griffiths also handed in a letter to the Prime Minister at Number 10 Downing Street.

Photos:

www.flickr.com/photos/26672475@N08/8164479443/
www.flickr.com/photos/26672475@N08/8164483141/
www.flickr.com/photos/26672475@N08/8164509686/

The paper chain was part of a nationwide petition to the Prime Minister organised by Jubilee Debt Campaign. The chain measured over 130 metres long, and was joined with other chains from across the country. Signatories joined in the call for the debt of the most indebted countries to be cancelled, and for tax justice and controls on lending to prevent high debts in the future. A letter to the Prime Minister was also handed-in by Canon Graham Usher and Pat Griffiths from Hexham Abbey.

Click here for more details and comment on this day from Canon Graham Usher, Guy Opperman, Tim Jones and David Golding.

NE-CAPs Autumn 2012 Roadshow Events
Friday 12th October 2012 at 7pm.
Ouston Community Centre
With Dr. David Golding CBE and guest speaker Right Honourable Kevan Jones M.P. - North West Durham
Poster and details here

Sunday evening, 21st October
Churches Together in Hartlepool, speaker, David Golding.

Saturday evening, 27th October
Concert Roadshow event, Whitley Bay Baptist Church.

All aboard the Tax Bus - autumn 2012
What was this about?...Christian Aid's tax justice campaign has highlighted how developing countries lose $160bn every year - one-and-a-half-times what they receive in international aid - thanks to loopholes in the global financial system. This money which could be raised from fair taxation could provide vital services like schools and hospitals, but is being pocketed by unscrupulous tax dodging companies.

People were invited to come aboard the ‘Tax Justice Bus’ in the NE, sponsored by Christian Aid, Church Action against Poverty and NE-CAP
Saturday 6th until Monday 8th October:

Saturday 6th until Monday 8th October:

- Saturday evening, Hexham
- Sunday lunchtime, St Nicholas' Cathedral Newcastle
- Sunday afternoon and evening, Durham Cathedral
- Monday breakfast time, Traidcraft, Gateshead
- Monday lunch time, Sunderland Minster
- Monday evening, Redcar

More details on the tax bus here.

Great North Run 16th Sept 2012
Yet again, we had many people running for NE-CAP and affiliated charities.

On the day before the run we had our annual campaign event. A crowd of nearly 100 people attended the campaign event, which was co-sponsored by Cafod, Christian Aid, Traidcraft & Tearfund. The event was honoured by the presence of Mrs Olivia Grant OBE, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Tyne & Wear, and Councillor Margaret Wood, Sheriff of Newcastle (Deputy Lord Mayor). Other 'Special Guests' included Richard Dale, Executive Director of Finance at Newcastle University; Revd Christopher Dalliston, Dean of St. Nicholas's Cathedral; Revd Stuart Earl, Methodist Church; Revd Rowena Francis, United Reformed Church; Fiona Hall, Liberal Democrat MEP for the North East of England; Fr Peter Leighton, Dean of St Mary's Cathedral; and Chi Onwurah, Labour MP for Newcastle Central. Apologies for absence were received for several other council, church and community leaders. A couple of photos of the event...

Jubilee for Justice - at Hexham
On Saturday, 15th September, supporters of the 'Drop the Debt' campaign in Hexham paraded a paper chain with 1,300 links outside the Abbey. Most of the links had been signed - each by a different person - by members of the Abbey congregation, or visitors over the summer. Other churches also contributed signed links. Details and pictures of the day here.

Sleep Walking into Global Famine
Wednesday 5th September at Emmanuel Church Hall, Saltburn TS12 1LE

Benny Dembitzer, author, internationally renowned economist, commentator and a member of the team that won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985 talked about the ideas in his new book:
Why there is a global food crisis arising
Why it is unstoppable
Why many more millions of people will die every year
What are some possible ways out of the crisis

Click here for a poster of this event.

We asked our MPs to support the Rio-UK Declaration
From 16th-22nd June, 20 years since the groundbreaking Rio Earth Summit of 1992, leaders from around the world met in Rio again, for the ‘Rio+20’ Summit. We asked people to ask their MP to show their support by signing the Rio-UK Declaration.
See: www.stopclimatechaos.org/rio-action

‘Rio+20’ Film Event
Thursday 21st June 2012, Bamburgh Room, King’s Road Centre, Newcastle University

5.00-6.30pm – ‘Age of Stupid’ Climate blockbuster stars Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite living alone in the devastated world of 2055, watching ‘archive’ footage and asking: “Why didn’t we stop climate change while we had the chance?”

7.00-8.15pm – ‘Climate Change Medley’ A series of short films, including:

• SCC’s ‘Rio Connection – Reasons to be cheerful’
• 'Rio 1992 Earth Summit’, featuring the amazingly eloquent 12 year-old Severn Suzuki;
• Films by Cafod, Christian Aid, Oxfam and Tearfund’;
• ‘Anjali Appadurai’, the youth delegate at the climate talks in Durban, who shamed the bigwigs with her devastating, “You have been negotiating all my life!”, denunciation.

LibDems confronted by 'Skeletons in Government's Cupboard' in good-natured protest

Delegates to the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference on Saturday 10th March 2012 were surprised to be confronted, not with a demand for a change in policy, but with 'Drop the Debt' campaigners dressed as skeletons urging them to implement the policies they have already decided upon! Dr David Golding CBE, who arranged the protest on behalf of the regional global poverty grouping, North East CALL TO ACTION (NE-CAP), says, "Many of the delegates may have welcomed our presence, because we were NOT there to protest about the NHS!" All this under the somewhat bemused gaze of a competent but tactful police presence.

The action was mounted to support campaigners in Egypt, for example, whose position is that "Egypt's debt is Mubarak's debt. It is not the Egyptian people's. We never had any say in the dictator's policies, let alone borrowing to buy arms". Business Secretary, Vince Cable, has admitted that some of Egypt's £100 million debts to the UK comes from military sales to Mubarak, and much the same applies to debts owed by many other countries - these are the 'skeletons in the government's cupboard'!

95% of the debt owed to the UK by developing countries - whose peoples are suffering the most by far from the fall-out of the global financial crisis - is owed to UK Export Finance, a government agency for which Vince Cable, is responsible.

David Golding states that, "I reminded delegates that they have always been great supporters of Jubilee Debt Campaign and that their official policy couldn't be better if I had written it myself! This should have been music to their ears, but will have aroused fears in some that they could finish up as being seen to have broken yet another promise. To expect poor countries to repay debts when we can't even say clearly how and why those debts were incurred is as absurd rationally as it is unacceptable morally."

Note:

It is official Liberal Democrat policy to "conduct our own audit of all UK government debts, ruling invalid any past lending that was recklessly given to dictators known not be committed to spend the loans on development". Jubilee Debt Campaign and NE-CAP are asking for just that - in other words, for an open and impartial audit of these old debts. Many of them may well turn out to be all right, but some are probably anything but.

More photos of the event:

pic5   pic6   pic7   pic8   pic9   pic10   pic11   pic12   pic13   pic14   pic14a   pic15   pic16

Our Annual General Meeting
Monday 5th March 2012
St Thomas' Church, Haymarket, Newcastle
Included a short presentation of events and activities over the last year.

2011

Catalyst
Tearfund’s Catalyst came to Newcastle
Saturday 19th November
Holy Trinity Church, Churchill Gardens, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 2HB
Pictures and details here

5th Regional Campaign ‘ROAD-SHOW’
Came to Wallsend
Friday 25th November, 7.00-8.00pm
Details and poster here

Bearing Witness
Manchester, Saturday 1st October 2011
On the eve of the Conservative Party Conference, many people gathered in Manchester to reflect on the government's achievements so far following their promise to be the 'greenest government ever,' and call on them to live up to it by showing ambitious leadership internationally leading up to and during the UN climate talks in South Africa this December. The day culminated in a candlelit vigil around the venue of the Conservative Party Conference.
NE-CAP supporters took part.
Further details from the main agencies who co-ordinated this event:
Cafod or Christian Aid or Tearfund

Christian Aid’s Tax campaign
Alvin Mosioma of TAX JUSTICE NETWORK AFRICA spoke about Christian Aid’s Tax campaign at:
Newcastle Central Library, NE99 1DY
Monday 3 October 2011

September 18th - Great North Run
Yet again we had a large number of people who ran for various organisations affiliated to NE-CAP.
A few pictures just before the run with a selection of the runners: pic1a   pic1   pic2   pic3   pic4

A picture of wellwishers at the start of the race: David Golding of NE-CAP; Diana Hudson, Board member of Jubilee Debt Campaign; Professor Ella Ritchie, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Newcastle University; and Ben Simms, Director of the UK Consortium on AIDS and International Development

Some pictures at the end of the course with some tired but jubilant runners:
pic5   pic6   pic7   pic8   pic9   pic10   pic11   pic12   pic13   pic14   pic14a   pic15   pic16   pic17   pic18   pic19   pic20   pic21   pic22

On the previous day, Saturday 17th September, we had a special event to SUPPORT the Global Poverty Campaign, and to CELEBRATE the Great North Run.
Venue was at: St Thomas's Church, Haymarket, Newcastle upon Tyne
Guest of Honour was: the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Councillor Geoffrey O'Brien
Keynote Speaker was: Ben Simms, Director of the UK Consortium on AIDS.
Details and poster here
Photo of the event below.....for higher res click here.

Tea time for change
A Westminister lobby for international development was held on 9 June 2011 at Central Hall, Westminister, London
Over 1200 people from all over the UK made the point loud and clear that we want to see action on global poverty, and together almost a quarter of all MPs were lobbied. This initiative was supported by various well known groups and agencies including: Action Aid, Bond, CAFOD, Christian Aid, Oxfam, Save the Children and Tearfund.

NE-CAP was strongly behind this national initiative. Some NE-CAP supporters travelled down to London to meet and lobby their MPs.

See some pictures of North East Supporters lobbying their MPs at the event

See the letter from Catherine McKinnell - MP Newcastle North - to her constituents following the event.

See the follow up letter to Alan Campbell MP after the event.

Also, see the main website of Tea Time for Change.
And, another picture of a couple of North East campaigners lobbying their MP (Catherine McKinnell - Newcastle North) at the event.
And, if you watch a short video of the event, of the many people there, a North East Campaigner from Hexham (Rosmary Theobalds) is one of the people interviewed and features at 3mins 15 secs into the video!

The Big Climate... Reconnection
Spring 2011
"We've just (17th May) won another important battle, with the decision by David Cameron to accept expert advice on the 4th carbon budget, and cut carbon emissions by 50% by 2025 - another world first! As a result, "We've got carbon emissions targets we can still be proud of" (Greenpeace).

But we need to press on with the campaign - see:
Updated letter to North East supporters about this initiative
A briefing for North East MPs
The main website of Stop Climate Chaos.

Great News About Vulture Funds
UK became the first country to ban 'Third World Debt' profiteering in final hours of Parliamentary session. A landmark bill to protect the poorest countries in the world from profiteering by so-called vulture funds became law after passing in the House of Lords during the 'wash-up' at the end of the Parliamentary session. There was an outcry after the bill was blocked at third reading by an unidentified Conservative MP. But the Government made time for the Bill in the wash-up, after securing cross-party agreement with a sunset clause which will mean the law has to be reassessed to be made permanent in a year's time.
***This is now permanent*** - see here here
NE-CAP campaigned with many other organisations against the vulture funds and we greatly welcome this news.
Click here for more information.
Click here for Newcastle University press release.

Fairtrade Fortnight
Date: 28 February - 13 March 2011
See the national Fairtrade Foundation website for general information.
One local initiative.....

Public lecture leading up to Fairtrade Fortnight
Speaker: Alex Cobham, Chief Policy Adviser, Christian Aid
"Fair trade, tax paid? The next challenge to ensure trade fights poverty"
Venue: Curtis Auditorium, Herschel Building, Newcastle University
Full details....here.

Annual general meeting
Date: Monday February 7th 2011
See the review of activities of NE-CAP over the the past year, presented at the AGM
Also, the review of 2010 relating to poverty campaigning in general presented at the AGM
Also, David Goldings concluding comments at the meeting.

2010

Autumn Campaign Roadshow 2010
Our 4th Regional Campaign Roadshow has been our best ever by far, with twelve events across the North East - from Alnwick to Redcar and Saltburn, and from Hexham to Hartlepool and Sunderland - with Newcastle, Durham, Birtley and Wallsend bringing up the centre!

MPs have attended and spoken at seven of these events, and we have also welcomed a Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress, a City Council Leader and a University Vice-Chancellor! [See reports on individual events for further details.] Guest presenters included Nick Dearden, Director of Jubilee Debt Campaign; Laura Selman of Tearfund (from Teddington, Middlesex); Paul Bannen, Christian Aid's Head of Advocacy, who is based in London; Serena Tramonti, a staff member at Oxfam; Andy Welford of WDM; and John McBride, a Cafod Volunteer. Other presentations have been given by Kevin Haigh, Vice-Chair of NE-CAP, and David Golding, Development Coordinator.
For an overview of the roadshow click here.
And for details of the individual events.....

September 18th - Newcastle - Details | Press release/review

October 17th - Hartlepool - Details | Press release/review

November 5th - Alnwick - Details | Press release/review

November 5th - Wallsend - Press release/review

November 6th - Hexham - Details | Press release/review

November 12th - Sunderland - Details | Press release/review

November 16th - Birtley - Details | Press release/review

November 19th - Durham - Details | Press release/review

November 26th - Saltburn - Details | Press release/review

November 26th - Redcar - Details. | Press release/review

December 1st - Durham Student Radio - Press release/review

December 1st - Newcastle - Details | Press release/review

Fairtrade Market
Saturday December 4th - all day at Grainger Market, Newcastle
Details here.

Lobby of Parliament
Wednesday 20 October 2010, 11am-4pm
Organised by Christian Aid - Details and flyer here
The aim was to thank our Members of Parliament for protecting the Aid budget and urge them to put the fight against poverty at the heart of their plans for the future.

Weekend of September 17th -19th
This weekend was the weekend of action called by the United Nations Millennium Campaign (UNMC). It coincided this year with the Great North Run on Sunday 19th. So, we had a bit of a bash this year!
More details of the event | Flyer for the event
Photo of the event below.....for higher res click here.

September 19th - Great North Run
And yet another year, over 40 competitors ran for various organisations affiliated to NE-CAP. The weather was not quite as good as previous years. but it was warm enough and not too bad most of the time!
A few pictures just before the run with a selection of the runners: pic1a   pic1   pic2   pic3   pic4
Some pictures at the end of the course with some tired but jubilant runners:
pic5   pic6   pic7   pic8   pic9   pic10   pic11   pic12   pic13   pic14   pic14a   pic15   pic16   pic17   pic18   pic19   pic20   pic21   pic22   pic23   pic24

1.4 Billion Reasons
The 1.4 Billion Reasons Summer Tour came to Newcastle - a tour of 15 cities across the UK aimed at catalysing the movement to end extreme poverty. Flyer here.

Local Hustings for the General Election - April / May
Various of our supporters put poverty related questions to prospective MP candidates at various hustings in the area. For example: Tynemouth | Jarrow | Newcastle | Wallsend

See a review of the Tynemouth hustings with some pictures and comment.

Annual general meeting
Date: Monday February 1st 2010
See the review of the past year, presented at the AGM here.

2009

Vote with your feet to stop climate chaos
London, 5th December 2009 - 'The Wave'
Organised by the Stop Climate Chaos Coalition
This was a massive event. Many people from the North East travelled down to join in.

Autumn Roadshow
For a full listing of these events see here.
Premier Regional Events included in the roadshows included:

"Climate Justice"
With the Bolivian Ambassador, a speaker from Equity Bangladesh, and Nick Dearden, Director of Jubilee Debt Campaign.
Newcastle, Monday 16th November, 6.00-7.30pm, Curtis Auditorium, Newcastle University
Poster and details here.

"Countdown to Copenhagen"
With Paul Brannen, Head of Campaigns at Christian Aid; Mark Dowd, Operation Noah; Gemma Bone, UK Youth Delegate to Climate Conference; and Revd Dr David Wilkinson, Principal St John's College.
Durham, Wednesday 18th November, 7.30pm, St John's College, 3 South Bailey, Durham
Poster and details here.

Other events....

A showing of the Climate Change film ‘The Age of Stupid’ at the Customs House in South Shields on Monday 16 November at 1.30pm and 7.00pm. Details here.

Poverty of Justice - A film about poverty from Amnesty International - Star and Shadow Cinema - 7.30 p.m. Wednesday 25th November. Details here.

Stand Up Against Poverty
Friday 16th - Sunday 18th October
A big thanks to all those in the North East who contributed to the record-breaking Stand Up action this year! And if you couldn't manage it this year, why not make a note to participate in 2010, a crucial year for the Millennium Development Campaign? This year, more than 173 Million People Gathered at "Stand Up, Take Action, End Poverty Now!" events, setting new world record for largest mobilization in history. Full details here.

September 20th - Great North Run
And for yet another year, the run was on a glorious, sunny, still and warm day - not bad for September. Over 40 competitors ran for various organisations affiliated to NE-CAP.
A picture just before the run with a selection of the runners.
Some pictures at the end of the course with some tired but jubilant runners:
pic1   pic2   pic3   pic4   pic5   pic6   pic7   pic8   pic9   pic10   pic11   pic12   pic13   pic14   pic15   pic16   pic17   pic18   pic19   pic20   pic21   pic22   pic23   pic24

Meet your MEPs for a climate change Q+A
Friday 10th July, 11.00-12.30
St Thomas' Church, Haymarket, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Fiona Hall and Stephen Hughes agreed to come and meet their constituents, to exchange ideas about climate change in the run up to the UN Copenhagen Talks in December 2009. Organised by Christian Aid Campaigns Group.

***NEWS RELEASE 29th June 2009***
Cross-Party Support for NE Campaigners' Stance on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and New Coal. Martin Callanan MEP (Conservative), Fiona Hall MEP (Liberal Democrat) and Stephen Hughes MEP (Labour) have indicated their broad support for the position adopted by Make Poverty History North East on CCS and new coal-fired power stations. Power stations such as that at Blyth would "fly in the face of reason" - without 100% CCS, they're "killers", says local MEP Fiona Hall. See here for details

As from March 2009....
North Tyneside is officially a 'Fairtrade borough'. Several of our strong supporters were on the Steering Group, including John Fleet, the North Tyneside's Town Centre Manager; Alastair Menzies, a Director with Divine Chocolate; and David Golding, development co-ordinator of MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY North East.
See details here.

Wind Farms in North Northumberland
On 27th May, Dr David Golding CBE, Development Coordinator of NE-CAP, and Chair of PANiC Stations, gave evidence at the Public Enquiry into the application to build a number of wind farms in North Northumberland. Read it here.

Age of Stupid
This film was shown twice on Saturday afternoon May 30 at the Tyneside Cinema in Newcastle. This is the acclaimed film with Pete Postlethwaite as a man living alone in the devastated world of 2055, looking at old footage from 2008 and asking: ‘Why didn’t we stop climate change when we had the chance?’
Website: www.ageofstupid.net.

'Just Say No'
To 'Factories of Death'
Bank Holiday Monday 4th May
2.30pm - 4pm, St Andrew's Church Hall, Cambois, near Blyth

Cambois has a position of great symbolical and practical importance in the fight against climate chaos. Although the power station planned to be built at Cambois would probably be the second to be built if the go-ahead is given, it would be a absolute monster – half as big again as the first, at Kingsnorth in Kent, and would belch out 20 million tonnes of CO2 each year! MPH-NE is determined to work with PANiC Stations to block it and to promote practical, sustainable alternatives – by peaceful, law abiding actions of course! Please come along.
More details of the event that was held on 4th May here.
See also what the Newcastle Journal said about the day.

Put People First
We supported the initiative of the national coalition 'Put People First'.

On Saturday 28 March 2009 thousands of people marched through London as part of a global campaign to challenge the G20 to put people first. See here for details. Representatives from the North East joined the march.

Hope for Planet Earth - details here

Annual General Meeting 2009
The AGM:
Was held on: Monday 2nd February 2009
Click here for a copy of the annual review - ie what we did in the North East
Click here for a review of the year (2008) globally - ie what happened generally about:

• Trade justice
• Dropping the debt
• Providing more and better aid
• Curbing climate change
• Promoting Fairtrade.

2008

Major Climate Meeting
Saturday 6th December 2008, 9.15am - 1.15pm
Durham County Hall
Main speakers, Tom Wright, Bishop of Durham, and Isabel Carter, Director of Amberlinks (and Co-Founder of Jubilee 2000); plus workshops.
Please book in advance: (0191) 536 2300; secretary@archdeacon.eu
Details and flyer here

Stand Up Against Poverty - Fri 17th-Sun 19th October

NEWCASTLE - Events that included a 'Stand Up'

• Public Lecture by Paul Vallely - Friday 17th October
  Details here - and photo.
• Prayer Breakfast - Friday 17th October
  Details here
  Pictures of some guests and speakers - here
• Lunchtime rally and Stand Up moment
  Outside Students Union, Newcastle University.
  pic 1 - pic 2.

HARTLEPOOL - Events that included a 'Stand Up'

• 18th October, coffee morning in St George's UR Church Hall
• 19th October, a One World Week United Church Service
• 19th October, morning worship at St George's United Reformed Church
• 19th October, St Luke's Anglican Church, morning service

October 5th - Great North Run
Yet again, the run was on a glorious, sunny, still and warm autumn day. Over 40 competitors ran for various organisations affiliated to NE-CAP.
Some pictures just before the run with a 'non-runner' or two including Jonathan Edwards, one of our patrons, and Professor Chris Brink, the Vice Chancellor of Newcastle University:
picA   picB   picC   picD
Some pictures at the end of the course with some tired but jubilant runners:
pic1   pic2   pic3   pic4   pic5   pic6   pic7   pic8   pic9   pic10   pic11   pic12   pic13   pic14   pic15   pic16   pic17   pic18   pic19   pic20   pic21   pic22

GCAP - General Call for Action Against Poverty
Their International Development Campaigning Forum day July 17th
Kevin Haigh, a member of our committee, attended this day. See his report here

Stephen Byers MP - talk in Wallsend
July 4th
Stephen Byers gave a talk in his capacity as Co-Chair of the International Climate Change Task Force (ICCTF). See a resume and report of his talk here

Journey to Justice (Breaking the Chains of Global Debt)
Sunday 18th May


Photo credit - Joanna Brown

What a great day it was.....
Details of what the event was.... here.
Picture of North East Supporters at the start fo their journey to Birmingham here.
Picture of North East Supporters in the square outside the venue here.
Pictures inside the venue here and here.

And details and analysis of the event from the Jubilee Debt Campaign's website here.

Drop the Debt Fast
Saturday 12 April - Sunday 18 May
A 36 day rolling fast to demand debt cancellation for 36 poor countries. The fast began as the World Bank and IMF held their spring meetings and ended on 18th May to mark the 10th anniversary of the Birmingham G8 human chain.

Here in the NE, we had our own rolling programme to cover all 36 countries, and suggested that supporters in each Parliamentary constituency took one (or two) examples, details here.

Roadshow - winter or 2007/08
See a short report about the roadshow that we organised this past autumn/winter.

Inconvenient Truth Film Shown - February 13th
On Wednesday evening, 13th February, over a hundred people gathered in the Baptist Church, in Park Avenue, Whitley Bay, to see a screening of Al Gore's Oscar-winning documentary, 'An Inconvenient Truth', about global warming. This was followed by a lively session of discussion, chaired by Revd Paul Newman, with questions being put to Dr David Golding CBE, the Development Coordinator of Make Poverty History North East. More....

Annual general meeting - February 4th 2008
A lively meeting included a review of the previous year's events and activities. See a copy here.

CBE honour - January 2008
Dr David Golding, Development Coordinator of Make Poverty History North East, was honoured with a CBE in the 2008 New Year's Honours List. The award is to be given for "services to the world poverty campaign." Commenting on the honour, David said: "When I took up the cudgels for debt relief in 1997, first as a voluntary spokesperson for Tearfund and then on behalf of the wider Jubilee coalition, I was convinced nobody would listen to a word we said, despite the manifest justice of our case. 'It's us against the World Bank, the IMF, the US Treasury, etc.', I thought. 'What sort of contest is that?' Nevertheless, I knew I would not be able to live with myself unless I did everything in my power to support the campaign. More....

2007

Global Economic Justice Forum Meeting - December 11th Members of the committee attended the meeting in London. Details here

Fairtrade Festival - December 1st - at Grainger Market
Various people and organisations affilated to NE-CAP had stalls at this years Christmas market. Details here.

Road show October and November 2007
See a short report about the roadshow. Events that took place included:

2nd November - Auckland. Poster with details here
3rd November - Hartlepool. Poster with details here
3rd November - Cramlington. Poster with details here
24th November - Hexham. Poster with details here
26th November - Jarrow. Poster with details here
27th November - Birtley. Poster with details here

Global Debt Week - 14-21 October 2007
We joined with Jubilee campaigns in over 30 countries to take part in this week. Details of what we were up to can be found in the October newsletter.

Wed 17th Oct - Stand up and Speak out Against Poverty
Groups in Tyneside joined with over 38 million people in 110 countries to Stand up and Speak out Against Poverty. This international event was organised by the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP).

Stand Ups on Tyneside varied from gatherings of many students at Newcastle University and on the Millennium Bridge, to a group of seven in a beauty salon and a Baptist church home group at which five people 'prayed out' for the MDGs.

A Stand Up event at Newcastle University was organised by the Students' Union. Katy Whitehouse acted as MC and Nicola Martin led the crowd in 'speaking out' for each of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in turn.

The new Vice-Chancellor, Professor Chris Brink, attended the event and expressed his personal and the university's support and appreciation. He recounted the proverb, "No one can sleep soundly when his neighbour is hungry", because he is vulnerable to his neighbour's anger. He then developed the idea by saying that "No one SHOULD sleep soundly when his neighbour is hungry", because he has a moral responsibility to relieve the situation if he can.

Dr David Golding addressed the crowd at the university - a copy of his speech is here.

After the Stand up event at the university, students joined with others at the millenium bridge. Nearly 200 joined in at the university and 143 at the bridge.

Some pictures from the university Stand Up event:
Pic 1 | Pic 2 | Pic 3 | Pic 4 | Pic 5 | Pic 6
Some pictures from the Millenium bridge Stand Up event:
Pic 1 | Pic 2 | Pic 3 | Pic 4 | Pic 5 | Pic 6

September 30th - Great North Run
On a lovely, sunny, still and warm September day, over 40 competitors of the Great North Run ran for various organisations affiliated to NE-CAP.
Some pictures just before the run with a 'non-runner' or two including Jonathan Edwards, one of our patrons:
picA   picB   picC   picD   picE   picF   picG   picH   picI
Some pictures at the end of the course with some tired but jubilant runners:
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August - Cut the Carbon March was in North East
This was an exciting event organised by Christian Aid. It was the longest ever protest march in UK history. Campaigners marched 1000 miles from Belfast to London to take the 'cut the carbon' message to companies and MPs.

The march passed through the North East in early August with various events in different parts of the North East attended by our supporters.
See how the marchers got on here. They finished in London on October 2nd.

8th June - Tony Campolo
Tony Campolo, a speaker of international renown, gave a special lunchtime address at Newcastle university. Details here. His talk was entitled "What in the world are you doing?" See a couple of photos of the event here and here and here.

2nd June - Your voice against poverty
Campaigners from the North East joined an estimated 10,000 others from all over the UK, from various organisations, at a gathering in London - prior to the annual G8 meeting.
See www.yourvoiceagainstpoverty.org.uk for details of this event.
See what the BBC had to say about it.
And see some photos of the event (of course, focussing on the North East bunch in the crowds!)
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And a photo of one supporter who did the return journey from Newcastle by bike!

19th April - Day of action on EPAs
See here how people from the North East contributed to this day of action when many events took place throughtout the country.

Saturday 24th March - Set all Free
Act to end slavery. Today 12 million people live in modern forms of slavery. This event coincided with the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade. It was a regional service in Durham Cathedral and was attended by several hundred people. Many of our supporters attended. Poster with details here.

January 12th - Visit of Hilary Benn to Newcastle
Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for International Development, was a guest of the University. Part of his visit was to attend an open meeting about Trade Justice issues. This meeting was attended by several hundred people. It was introduced by David Golding who gave a short resume of the issues. This was followed by Hilary Benn who gave a speech and then answered questions. An account of the event can be found here and here.

January 8th - Sage event - What a day!!!
Gordon Brown; Bob Geldof; H.E. Benjamin Mkapa (the former President of Tanzania); and other leading figures in the Make Poverty History campaign received honorary degrees from Newcastle University and took part in a debate on poverty issues. This was all in the magnificent setting of the vast Sage concert hall. The event was attended by over 1,200 people.
Read a review of the day here.
Read another review of the day here.
Read some press cuttings of the day here and here.
See the transcript of Gordon Brown's speech on the day here.
See pictures of the day:
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2006

November 4th - Stop Climate Chaos Rally
Campaigners from the North East travelled to the I Count Rally in London to join about 25,000 others in Trafalgar Square. See what the BBC said about the rally here and here. And see some pictures of the event taken by some of us from the North East here:
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September and October - Road Show
The Month of Action, 14th Sept – 17th Oct, organised by the international Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) was supported by us. During this month there was a ‘Road Show’ with events at Alnwick, Cramlington, Hexham, Newton Aycliffe, Hartlepool, Dunston, Wallsend, and Newcastle. For example, see a report of the Alnwick meeting here. The month of action was brought to a dramatic close by the 'Stand Up Moment - World Record Attempt' which was a great success. Read all about it

October 1st - Great North Run
It really is an annual event! Over 50 competitors of the Great North Run ran for various organisations affiliated to NE-CAP.
Some pictures of a photo shoot the day before:
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Some pictures just before the run with a 'non-runner' or two:
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Some pictures at the end of the course with some tired but jubilant runners:
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And a sight to spur on the runners at about 9 miles:
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And read a report of the day and the experience of one of our runners!

July 8th - 'Drumming the Beat for Trade Justice'
This was an event organised by organised by Christian Aid and supported by us.
Find out more... and see some pictures of the event.

July 1st - Debt Freedom Day
One year on from the Edinburgh rally. A celebration of 18 countries receiving 100% cancellation of debt owed to the World Bank. Read more and see pictures...

January - Durham Cathedral
More than 1100 people attended a service of thanksgiving and recommitment.
Read more and see pictures...

2005

December - White Band Day III
Campaigners gathered at the Haymarket in Newcastle and walked through the city centre stopping off at various points to demonstrate their support for the third annual white band day. See flyer... and see pictures of the event

November - Mass Lobby at Parliament
On Wednesday 2nd November, over 8,000 campaigners from around the UK joined the lobby with a demand that the UK Government and its European Union (EU) partners stop pushing poor countries to open their markets in approaching world trade talks. It was the largest mass lobby in the history of modern British democracy with trade justice campaigners lobbying 375 MPs in a single day. A coach of campaigners from the North East travelled to London for the day. They successfully met with, and lobbied, several North East MPs. Click here for more details of the day. See some photos of some of the North East contingent...photo 1 ¦ photo 2

September - Great North Run
It is becoming an annual event! Over 50 competitors of the Great North Run under our banner. See a photo of some of the runners.

July - Edinburgh
Saturday 2nd July 2005 - what a day to remember! Over 225,000 people took to the streets of Edinburgh to call on world leaders to act at the G8 summit. 28 coaches were organised by our committee which took over 1000 people from all over the North East to Edinburgh for the day. And many other people from the North East made their own way there. The national MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY website has a full overview of the day. The North East contingent were led on the rally by DrumDin - a North East band. See photo...

June - a rickshaw gets involved in the campaign
A rickshaw and flotilla of accompanying bikes goes to Edinburgh!! Find out more...

May - World Debt Day
World Debt Day started life as a North East proposal way back in 2002. By 2005 it was being observed by campaigners in many countries across the world. On World Debt Day, 16th May, some of our supporters decided to put POVERTY where it belongs - into the (history) museum!
Find out more...

April - Global Week of Action on Trade
From 10-16 April 2005, more than 10 million people in 80 countries took part in the Global Week of Action on Trade. All were united in saying 'trade justice not free trade'.

Campaigners from the North East mounted what was probably the only real week of campaigning in the country, with a Vigil and Action at the Monument and St Thomas' Church in central Newcastle, from eight till eight, Sunday to Saturday inclusive (in rain, wind and a bit of shine!). Members of the public were encouraged to send postcards to the government to show their support for Trade Justice and over 3,000 were signed and sent off during the week!
See photos of the event...photo 1 ¦ photo 2 ¦ photo 3 ¦ photo 4

Other notable features included a rally at the Angel of the North attended by about 400 people, and another at the Monument addressed by Jonathan Edwards, the Olympic Gold Medalist, both on Sunday 10th. Read his speech here. Some North East supporters travelled to London on Friday 16th for an all-night vigil in Whitehall.

March - Launch
Launch meeting of the 2005 MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY campaign in the North East. About 500 people attended a meeting in the Curtis Auditorium, University of Newcastle. The meeting was addressed by Sir Colin Lucas, formerly Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, and Chris Bain, Director of the relief and development agency CAFOD. See a photo.

2004

December - Meeting with Tony Blair
On Friday 10th December, a group of North East debt and trade campaigners met with the Prime Minister in his constituency in Trimdon, Co. Durham. Read more...

September - Great North Run
Nearly 60 competitors of the Great North Run ran for organisations affiliated to MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY. Between them they raised sponsorship money of nearly £12,000, most of it for aid agencies of their choice, for the prevention of HIV and the care of AIDS sufferers and orphans.
See some pictures...

The above are North East activities. See also what the national Jubilee Debt Campaign, what the national Trade Justice Movement, what the Fairtrade Foundation, and what BOND are up to! And the many organisations that were affiliated to the national MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY campaing of 2005 continue to work, act, and campaign!