Wednesday 14 December 2011

Research Fund - Fighting Disability Cuts


For months now, I have been working on vital research. There are only a few of us, all unpaid, all seriously unwell or disabled. 

We have no funding, we are not a charity or an NPO. We do what we do because we are desperate. Because it is our lives being decided in Westminster, our futures in the hands of remote politicians. 

We do it for the people who can't fight for themselves, for those who may not even know what is being done in their name. We do it for the people who have shared their stories of fear or desperation or hardship. 

We have given our time and what precious energy we have to presenting evidence and testimonial to politicians who have been all to often, unwilling to listen.  

Now, time is running out. We have just a few more weeks to present our research to MPs, Lords, the media and the public. We need to get our work to the printers, we need envelopes, we need stamps. We want to make sure that every parliamentarian has the evidence in front of them before they vote for the final time, before they pass the welfare reform bill. 

The vote will abolish the Disability Living Allowance, I must try to stop that. The voices of the sick and disabled have not been heard. I have to change that. People are suffering every day. 

Please, give what you can afford. Do NOT give more than you can afford. £1 will get us closer to our target. £3 will pay for 6 MPs or Peers to see our work. £20 will mean that 100 parliamentarians with the power to change the bill have all the evidence they need to make a balanced decision. 

I've never asked you for money before. I wouldn't be asking now if I didn't think this could make a real difference. 

Thank You. 

Click Here to Donate

Update : WOW! We have already raised nearly £600 in less than 3 hours!! Thank you all so very very much. I wanted to share some of the comments that people have left as they are so very touching. 

"I'm sorry I don't have the time or the spoons to campaign with you guys anymore. It hurts me that I can't, but I've been working since May (self-employed, choosing my own hours, not too much a week, pretty much a dream job for a spoonie) and it's been draining me far too much. So here, have some money, and please use it to keep fighting for the DLA that allowed me to start working in the first place."

"I thank you with all my heart for the work you do especially as you are so ill yourself. No words can express my appreciation. (Partially sighted, chronic cervical spondylosis and ESA time limit anxiety sufferer!)"

"Now we see the true Big Society in action. People who despite being ill and impoverished are helping each other. I can only give £5 but I feel it will help - not only financially but as a symbol of the strength we have when we support each other and work together. I am so proud to be a part of this and to see people's kindness and generosity. Thank you."

"Glad you finaly asked for help, lets us feel like we are also supporting even if we cant do as much as you!"

"I've followed your campaign everyday since the beginning. I don't have the energy to get involved so I am glad to have this opportunity to do a little bit to help with what you do."


41 comments:

  1. Please warn people not to click in the wrong place or they will get a video of an American voice telling them how to use PayPal even if they know full well how to use it! Good luck.

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  2. Only allows a minimum donation of £5.

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  3. Hermes - I only just realised that myself. If anyone is on benefits and struggling PLEASE don't worry. We are getting there very quickly - I'm amazed. It is enough that you read, RT and share.

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  4. What is this research and why is money needed?

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  5. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  6. Donated , nice to feel I'm actually doing something to help rather than just ranting at useless MPs and Peers

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  7. Do NOT give more than you can afford. £1 will get us closer to our target. £3 will pay for 6 MPs or Peers to see our work.

    GoFundMe won't let you send a donation of less than a fiver... :-(

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  8. Donated my DWP Christmas bonus. After all, it isn't going to buy me any seasonal joy and it feels nicely subversive.
    All of the emails and letters that I've sent to my MP, local press, Lords etc. have mostly been unanswered, I suspect because I'm just one voice whereas this will represent many, many more.

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  9. It's up two percentage points since I last checked! Maybe people who cannot afford a fiver could send stamps or a postal order (do they still do them?) or a cheque to a private address if you PM them.

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  10. Dear Sue,
    I've followed on and off your trials and tribulations and been very moved by some of your posts on this blog. I am not disabled but I care for someone with Asperger's. I had an idea for a more polemical blog that might cause a stir which you would have to face down to an extent but which would get you noticed more (I think).
    It annoys me that a cabinet packed with "Christians" thinks it's OK to punish the less well-off and that a PM can deliver such policies when his own experience should have educated him to the damage he will do. Therefore I am suggesting that you fix on a number to represent the people affected by the changes in your post and produce a dedicated blog to cover this change and call it, for example,
    "100,000 IVANS".
    The PM was gracious in accepting the condolences when his son died but now that's out of the way, then it's the shooting season on all those who are still alive.
    No doubt such a title will seem in poor taste but I know where I stand when the well-off beat up those who can't fight back.
    Anyway this is just a suggestion.
    Keep up the good work...

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  11. Thanks sue for all of this.20 quid just sent.
    SoliDarity indeed.....will send more if i can....

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  12. Anonymous (15:29) I don't trust my judgement on things like that as I'm pretty aggressive and totally intolerant due to my PTSD. However, I will say one thing. I frequent a blog for sexual abuse survivors where we were recently discussing how to deal with people who don't bother listening until you start shouting at them. Basically, people who have got used to you being a doormat and so just ignore you because they think it's safe to. We decided that because they are in the wrong, responding to that using any tactics you can to get them to listen doesn't necessarily make you a bad person. Some are healthier than others, certainly, but if someone refuses to listen, refuses to listen, refuses to listen despite being given a hundred chances, they cannot complain when your behaviour escalates. It's as much their fault as anyones.

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  13. Sue, you say press release will that be all daily's?.

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  14. anonymous 15.29

    I know exactly how you feel. You're probably right, it would certainly get a lot of reads. I wrote this for the Guardian last week http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/dec/08/conservative-compassion-disabled-sick?INTCMP=SRCH I'm not sure I dare go further? Maybe I will the day the bill goes through. :((

    Lisa - I know, I didn't realise when I posted. I'm not sure what to do about it. People can hardly send a cheque for a pound. anyone got any ideas? I always envisaged this total would be met by 2000 people giving a £.

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  15. Use paypal i think but it would need the account its payable to or send a Postal order.

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  16. Its over 56% now so i dont think raising 2,000 is going to be a problem..

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  17. Paypal doesn't require an account to pay in, actually. But yes, I think we'll hit the mark in no time

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  18. There aren't many people who I don't know that I would be willing to pass money to onine, but I have to you because I trust you, and I support what you are trying to do. I am also admiring of your ability to do what you do given everything else in your life. I have been unwell in the past and took advantage of the state safety net. Thank goodness I am currently well enough to work hard and lucky enough to earn plenty. I pay plenty of tax too and am grateful to be able to. If ever I am unwell again I despair there will be no safety net there. Thank you for what you're doing xxx

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  19. Sue, are you saying that the major dailys will be reporting this? and why are you so sure this will sway opinion?

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  20. Incredible. It just shows how strongly people feel about this.

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  21. Anon, the idea is to get the info to the Lords and MPs, and to anyone voting on DLA and WRB as it seems that they are all incredibly uninformed of what is happening and why. It would also help to maybe get some of the groups on board who claim that they also don't know much about the changes or issues to really bother backing us. It may not turn everything around, but these Powers That Be will no longer have ignorance as an excuse.

    We can also say we've literally tried everything before going to the next move, if needed.

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  22. I'm crying. Thank you for all the work you and others with you are doing for us all. I wish I could do more but life has been taking all my energy in survival atm. My ESA50 went in for 16th November, not heard anything yet...our lives all hang so precariously in the balance, not only from conditions we live with daily but the denial of our need to be helped. I am sending love x

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  23. united we stand comes to mind, maybe should have been done some months ago, but always the optimist

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  24. Anonymous - 18.00 It is standard to send a press release of these things to all major dailies - in fact in this instance the press release will be to almost 2,000 contacts.

    As for am I sure it will sway opinion - no of course not. Nothing has yet, but the government OUGHT to be very worried about it indeed. If there is ANY justice left of course.

    You see no-one DOES the reesearch. They certainly don't

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  25. Sent £20.00 through paypal. I feel happier now as at long last I can give a form of contribution to the campaign that you have all been so ably running.

    Please please save our DLA.

    only question is will the press print the press release or are they allunder the 'tory thumb' ?

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  26. DWP£10 bonus on its wayxxx rachel

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  27. Every time I press refresh and its gone up I do a little clap!

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  28. Have finally managed to make a payment.... it took me a long time and several tries to get the hang of it, but at long last I managed it. This needs to be done. This HAS to be done. Well done Sue and all those who work with you for doing it!

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  29. 88% could we get it all before midnight.....maybe not but i reckon by mid day tomorrow...

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  30. I wish I could help but they're taking away my benefits after the 23rd Dec(Final payment on my Birthday no less) went to an Atos assessment and like everyone else, was passed fit for work despite having an overwhelming amout of medical evidence in the system, recieved my you recieved 12 points letter, noting on where they give me points that they didn't give me any for 5 descriptors I have evidence to back up. Letter states they didn't contact my GP, or use any evidence to make their decision to fail me, needless to say like everyone else I'm waiting for my appeal date.

    When I'm successful and you're needing donations, I'll try and help, I'm in a crappy situation money wise at the moment thanks to Atos.

    Best of luck with your campaign

    - Matt

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  31. And these words shall then become
    Like Oppression’s thundered doom
    Ringing through each heart and brain,
    Heard again – again – again –

    “Rise like Lions after slumber
    In unvanquishable number –
    Shake your chains to earth like dew
    Which in sleep had fallen on you –
    Ye are many – they are few.”’

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  32. I do not happen to have a disability.I have no health concerns.I cannot pretend to know of that experience,all I know that I am becoming ashamed of my Country,on the basis of lies,distortions and misanthropy,they are (with a shameful lack of Labour opposition)ripping apart what I believed to be a commonly held consensus(innocent as I am) concurrent with a spiteful hatefilled bile which I cannot understand.

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  33. Adrian - That's lovely. I love a bit or Percy Bysshe.

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  34. Adrian - thanks for your support, we need more people like you - those who are not sick or disabled - to speak out! And you have done so eloquently and beautifully.

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  35. Donated! So pleased to be able to do something concrete to help. Thanks for all your efforts on our behalf. xxxx

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  36. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  37. Deleted my post as I just saw that you had posted about a problem with Pay Pal, I'll keep trying.

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  38. Sue, you are bloody *amazing*. I am in awe of you and your colleagues, and so, so grateful. When the stupid bastards at Oldham JCP finally hand over my damned money, I will put some of it this way, as much as I can manage.

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  39. Been trying to donate for a few days but it won't let me. Is there another way I can get the money to you?

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