28th September 2010, 6:00pm – 8:30pm, Trades and Labour Club, 19 South Mall, Frenchgate Centre. To register for this event please click here.
Join us for the latest NDC / DCDT community debate brought to you by the Community Engagement Task Group. Latest government announcements indicating that a range of benefits will be cut has come as a shock to some but as a welcome surprise to others. What impact will these benefit cuts have on Doncaster and on you and your family? This debate will offer the views of a panel of individuals and organisations all sharing thoughts in favour as well as in opposition to the proposed benefit cuts. This debate is open to all to attend and encourages you to ask a question, make a suggestion and agree with or challenge the speakers.
The panel are:
John Giddins – Chair of the NDC debating panel
“I am heavily involved in helping organise and promote the NDC Community Debates as it provides an opportunity for residents to get out and get involved in lively discussion and debate about issues that affect them and their families.”
John has lived in Doncaster for almost 40 years coming here in 1971 from Lancashire to Teacher Training College at High Melton. After finishing training he taught History in a Comprehensive School in Barnsley (the one where Kes was filmed). After five years in school he took up a lecturing post at Doncaster Metropolitan Institute of Higher Education – later to become Doncaster College where he taught General Studies, Sociology, History and Politics during his 18 years there. He was also Branch Secretary of the Lecturers union NATFHE.
For the past ten years he has worked as the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Organiser first of all for NATFHE and now for UCU ( University and College Union) after a merger with the Association Of University Teachers. During this period he has also been actively involved with New Deal for Communities and Nether Hall Community Interest Company and is currently Chairman of both organisations. He has lived in the Nether Hall area for 23 years. He is married with two grown up sons.
Sophie Brodie – Former Doncaster Conservative Parliamentary Candidate
“I am most definitely in favour of axing the winter fuel allowances and child tax credits for millionaires, as well as encouraging people to return to work and staggering benefit withdrawal as they do.”
Sophie was recently the Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Doncaster North. After six years in business journalism, she changed career and now works for a fund manager. Having grown up in a former mining village in Scotland, Sophie is very aware of the sorts of issues these communities face. She is therefore passionate about encouraging big companies and private enterprise to create thousands of skilled jobs in areas such as Doncaster. Since the election, she has continued to promote Doncaster to business leaders and the Coalition government, particularly as part of a wider South Yorkshire “Silicon Valley” for energy technology and hi-tech manufacturing.
Mick Bailey – Project Manager. Doncaster West Development Trust
“Benefit cuts are going to have a devastating impact on the most vulnerable people in our communities – they will suffer the most. Are we going to see a return to the 1980s?”
Mick has lived in Doncaster all of his life and hails from Stainforth. Upon leaving school with no qualifications in the 1980’s he spent 2 years being unemployed and getting on his bike looking for work. As a teenager his parents were declared bankrupt, lost not only the family home but the family unit. He spent the last 10 years working across many communities in Doncaster. He now works for Doncaster West Development Trust where he manages the financial inclusion project. He supports people that are living difficult lives because of their finances and empowers them to take control of their money.
Jim Board – Unison
“We are vastly underestimating the impact that these cuts will have in our community. Not only will those on benefits be effected but those who will be made redundant imminently – there will be more people than ever before made vulnerable by bad choices of the government.”
Jim has a background in residential social work and youth work up to 1996. He then returned to college to train as a social worker. He came to work in Doncaster in 1998 – firstly as an Education Welfare Officer and then, up to 2006 as a Reintegration Officer for Excluded Pupils. He has been a Unison member from his very first day, and a steward since 2000 and elected as a Convenor in 2005. He is a regular campaigner and is well known as a speaker on the NDC debating panel.
Nick Pickles – Communications expert and entrepreneur
“The status quo can’t continue – the country is bankrupt, public services are under incredible strain and benefits have become an alternative to work for too many. The handout culture of the past decade has stifled economic growth, innovation and freedom and I look forward to debating how Britain can move forward and overcome these challenges.”
A law graduate and former students union President, 26-year old Nick now works in communications and runs a photography business. At the last general election he took on then Work and Pensions secretary Yvette Cooper, achieving a 12.5% swing to the Conservatives – one of the highest in the country. Growing up in Normanton, West Yorkshire, Nick is an energetic campaigner currently focusing on how technology and the internet can transform public services, in addition to addressing the challenge of opening up public sector procurement to small businesses.
If you would like to ask a question or submit an opinion please write to us at debates@doncasterndc.org.
To register for this event please click here.
