After another few days at the #Occupy LSX St. Paul's Camp, Dave is back in Hebden, gradually thawing out...
Since the middle of October i've been spending about a quarter of my time in London, camping out on the pavement ('public highway') at St. Paul's. My better half, Em, is on site more-or-less full-time, while i keep hearth & home & LEDs afloat in Yorkshire. We are both highly committed to equality & fair-shares so the Occupy protest has made a real impression on us.
Initially i was drawn into helping set-up the solar panels and batteries to power the LEDfantastic lights that Em took with her to light the camp. As things have progressed i find myself working in the information tent, washing-up, helping to develop environmental statements and soon to be spreading the message into schools. Later in the year we hope to be helping Occupy go out on tour when we take LEDfantastic & Weirdigans out on the summer festival circuit.
The 'Movement' has focused the nation's (& World's) attention on the many iniquities that have been lurking below the surface of our modern existence for quite some time... the abuse of power and money that increases the hardship experienced by 99% of the population while the top 1% enjoy unimaginable wealth & privelege. Pay rises of 49% and un-earned bonuses for those at the top... pay-cuts, job-losses, slashed services & support for all the rest.
You may have heard about the protests but not be aware of the issues... if you'd care to learn more good places to start would be The Occupied Times; Occupy London website; The Occupy E-newspaper and The Guardian's Occupy page.
Otherwise you can read about the reality of the protest on Em's blog and occasionally find words of 'wisdom' on my @DaveWeirdigan Twitter feed...
#1 Loz Pycock, #4 Beth PH, #5 Lewis K Bush. Apologies to uncredited copyright holders - contact us for credit / removal.