At last year’s AGM the focus was on the next stage of developing our campaign to fight for access to justice for our communities across Greater Manchester. We celebrated the progress that the Law Centre had made and looked forward to expanding our work.
The general election provided opportunities to expand access to justice and to reverse the cuts to legal aid and we highlighted that we had secured funding to develop our advice offer and looked to expand these across Greater Manchester in partnership with others.
The COVID19 crisis broke and everything changed.
Even at the height of the lockdown we continued to deliver advice service to those in need. Whilst we have not been able to offer face to face advice we have worked flat out to support individuals in need and to campaign both for resources and changes to the law to support our communities through the pandemic.
We published our first COVID19 Survival Guide in early April and distributed copies across GM.
We have continued fighting for Welfare Rights and a fairer Benefit System
We have continued fighting for Housing Rights and to stop Homelessness
We have continued to fight for Employment Rights
COVID19 has had a devastating effect upon the poorest communities in GM – it has exposed the longstanding wealth and health inequalities in our society.
But there is hope – The crisis has also shown the ability of communities to organise, the power of collective action and how we can change Government policy through campaigning. We celebrate that one of the most powerful critics of current the government’s anti-poverty policy is a young footballer from Wythenshawe.
We know the challenges faced by our communities are increasing as Government support reduces and the impact of Covid is felt more deeply.
We are facing mass job losses, a tsunami of evictions, wide scale destitution as short-term financial support is withdrawn, and an increasingly hostile environment for asylum seekers. The disgrace of unsafe housing post-Grenfell continues and the victims of the Windrush scandal are still awaiting justice.
We have plans (and funding!!) to expand our services. Come and hear what we are doing and how you can our work over the coming months.
The Annual General Meeting, which will take place via Zoom given the current restrictions, is on Tuesday 24th November 2020, from 6.00 pm.
Formally we will receive the Annual Report and Financial Statement and we will be electing “Directors” to become members of the Management Committee. Only members can vote.
Supporters are welcome to attend. Anyone wishing to become a full “member” of the law centre is invited to fill in the form on the website.
For more infomation and the Zoom details, please email [email protected]