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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman">Public meeting
on housing struggles in East London – Saturday 24th May<BR>Organised by:
Feminist Fightback, Hackney DIGS, Plan C London<BR>3-5pm, at the Common House,
Unit 5E, 5 Pundersons Gardens, Bethnal Green, E2 9QG</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial><FONT size=3 face="Times New Roman"><BR>ALL
WELCOME, childcare provided.<BR>Activities for children will start at 2pm with a
banner making session for big and small people…<BR>Want to help with leafleting
for this? Email </FONT><A href=""><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">feminist.fightback@gmail.com</FONT></A><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">.<BR><BR></FONT><A href=""><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">https://www.facebook.com/events/254266098090271/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming</FONT></A><BR><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman">The Focus E15 campaign started with a group of
women who live at a mother and baby unit in a hostel for young people in
Stratford; all of the women are under 25 and either have very young children or
are soon to give birth.<BR><BR>In September 2013 it was announced that the unit
will close down as it was no longer being funded by Newham council. The resident
mothers have beeen served with eviction notices.<BR><BR>They had been told that
they would be rehoused in private accommodation. That would leave them
vulnerable to the whims of private landlords.<BR><BR>These landlords (if they
accept benefit claimaints at all) can raise rents whenever they like, on
property where living conditions can be appaling and unsafe for
children.<BR><BR>Because rents in London now often exceed the benefits' cap, the
women have been told they could be re-housed outside London — in Hastings,
Manchester, and Birmingham. Yet most of these women have grown up in Stratford,
this is where they have friends, family, and support networks.<BR><BR>Now other
residents of the hostel (which is specifically for young people) have been
threatened with eviction. The campaign has widened and it needs our
solidarity.<BR><BR>The campaign wants to stop the evictions and the right for
all residents to stay in Stratford.<BR><BR>This meeting is for everyone who
wants to show their support. For everyone who is campaigning on similar issues
and wants to link up with others. For everyone who has had enough of the
government's austerity policies on housing and benefits which, put through by
local councils, are destroying so many projects like this and pushing people
into desperate poverty and insecurity.<BR><BR>As one campaigner put it: “You're
not tearing us apart from our families....we are fighters.”<BR><BR>Together
let's fight to win safe and secure housing and stop them breaking up our
communities!</FONT><BR></DIV></FONT></BODY></HTML>