From Newsletter #3 Spring 2011

Bristol SWAN

Report by Phill Wheatley

The Bristol group met on 10th January. Agenda items included a SWAN National update, SWAN Bristol regional update, Update on the Bristol protests alliance, the Farewell to public welfare (Bristol Festival of Ideas) event, and the Transformation agenda.

With regard to the Transformation agenda we discussed how can realistic is this Agenda with respect to Self Directed Support and Direct Payments when the cuts are going to run so wide and so deep.

The meeting also discussed the local protests alliance. It was noted that there is a build up of momentum, anger and intention to resist the cuts that are benchmarked to hit across all sections of society, hitting the poorest the hardest. The SWAN group will approach the Bristol & District Anti Cuts Alliance re joint work.

In terms of developing the SWAN Bristol regional group it was agreed to produce a SWAN Bristol leaflet for general distribution and set up a Bristol Regional Development Group.