Global Justice Now Reading

Gambling on Food Futures

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With Christine Haigh WDM food campaigner

Big investment banks like Barclays, are betting on the price of staple foods, like wheat, maize and soya.  This is causing food prices to rise and making people go hungry. Large corporations like Unilever, GlaxoSmith Kline and Syngenta are also involved.   Find out what WDM is doing both at EU and UK level.
Wednesday 17 october 7.30pm RISC 35-39 London St,  Reading RG1 4PS  WA
free but donations welcome
Contact: Bente; o118 958 6692  or bente@risc.org.uk

Upcoming meetings and activities

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Reading WDM’s meetings are held on the third Monday of the month at RISC at 7.30pm.  The date of our next meeting Monday 25th February.

We will be showing the film ‘Growing Change’ which charts the growth of food sovereignty in Venezuela. This shows how it is possible to make positive change towards food sovereignty.   This fits in well with our campaign against gambling on food, especially during this period of crop failures which are also increasing the cost of food staples.
This date will be the 10th anniversary of the “Stop EPA’s campaign” – the unfair  trade negotiations between the EU and 76 African, Caribbean and Pacific countries – which if fully implemented will cause  further poverty.  WDM and other organisations have campaigned hard against the signing of these agreements – which were supposed to be completed in 2007 – so campaigning does do some good!  We look forward to see you at the meeting.

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We have decided to take up WDM’s food speculation campaign.

For more information about their food speculation campaign you can follow the link : http://tiny.cc/0aj8gw

Food Speculation “Casino” Stall in Broad Street

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Members of Reading WDM group accompanied by casino character, ‘Lady Luck’ and a banker who couldn’t see past the dollar signs over his eyes, came to Broad Street on Saturday.  Shoppers were invited to roll a dice to gamble for sweets and think about the way that bankers are gambling on the prices of staple foods like wheat and maize.  Most of them signed cards urging the Treasury to support action that would curb the banks from speculating on food prices.
Jackie Oversby said, ‘Food is a basic human right. We need strict rules to prevent banks like Barclays pushing its price beyond the reach of millions of people.’
For more information about WDM’s food speculation campaign visit http://www.wdm.org.uk/food-speculation

Successful film night at RISC

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On 26 March we held a successful film night at RISC. We watched two short films: ‘Crises of Capitalism’ and ‘A Natural System and Agricultural Philosophy and then had some really good discussions about economic justice, food sovereignty and campaigning locally in Reading. There was a lot of energy for getting a new WDM group going in Reading and people had lots of ideas about upcoming events that we could organise a stall at, other local groups to get in touch with, and ways of making WDM’s campaigns relevant to people in Reading.

We’re having our next meeting on Monday 23 April at 7.30pm at RISC.

Come along and find out more about getting more involved with the new group.

Get involved with a new Reading WDM group

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Join a new World Development Movement group in Reading!

On Monday 26 March we will be launching a new World Development Movement group in Reading. Join us for an evening of short films and discussions and an introduction to WDM’s campaigns.

When: Monday 26 March: 7.30pm
Where: Reading International Solidarity Centre conference room
35-39 London Street, Reading RG1 4PS

Katharine Talbot and Sarah Reader from WDM will introduce WDM’s campaigns, alongside two short films:

Crisis of capitalism by David Harvey followed by an economic justice discussion

A Natural system and an agricultural philosophy followed by discussion around WDM’s food speculation campaign, and how we can take action locally.

There are many ways you can help build a WDM group in Reading – including helping to run the website, designing and planning local actions and events and producing publicity materials. Whatever your skills and interests, there will be something to get involved with.

If you’re keen to campaign on global justice issues in Reading and you’d like to know more – come along!

Contact Katharine at katharine@wdm.org.uk or 020 7820 4900 for more information.

A group of people hold a banner in front of a Barclays bank that reads 'Stop Barclays Betting on Hunger'.
WDM supporters target Barclays in Reading