Forthcoming Events
Democracy Cafes at the Blue Moon
Next: Tuesday 1st March, 6 - 8pm
Blue Moon Cafe, St. James' Row, S1
"Because when you put strangers, caffeine* and ideas in the same room, brilliant things can happen…"
(* or non-caffeinated beverage of your choice…)
We've all got a voice! We've all got something to say. From housing to hunting, from terrorism to tourism - come along to the Democracy Café at the Blue Moon. Share your ideas, and listen to others'.
Please bring ideas and issues with you - we'll be throwing them all into the conversation cooking-pot and seeing what happens.
If you don't have any specific issue, please come along and join in too!
Look forward to seeing you there...
For more info, write to shefsocialforum@riseup.net
P.s. The democracy café is an agenda-free space - please leave party politics and recruitment at the door. All you'll need to bring is an open mind.
Further details are available on our wiki website, here. (What is a Wiki?)
First and third Thursday of each month, 7.30
- 9.30pm.
Venues currently variable - see wiki link below or phone 07968 997861
Meetings are either focussed on specific events, or bring in speakers with expertise and experience in local issues. Past speakers have been from ASSIST, the Northern Refugee Centre, and Sheffield Credit Unions Development Agency.
Further information on specific dates and times, proposed agendas and minutes from past meetings are available on our wiki website, here. (What is a Wiki?)
Sheffield Calendar
An open diary of 'alternative' political and cultural events is available on protest.net via Sheffield Indymedia.
"Why Dont You?"
Thursday 17th February
An open mini forum to share ideas for 2005, plan action and eat some top nosh - see report back here.
Democracy Cafes at the Blue Moon
Tuesdays, 6 - 8pm
Blue Moon Cafe, St. James' Row, S1
"Because when you put strangers, caffeine* and ideas in the same room, brilliant things can happen…"
(* or non-caffeinated beverage of your choice…)
We've all got a voice! We've all got something to say...
The first series of three democracies cafes have been very succesful. Each week has been a good mix of regulars and newbies, all eager to discuss the political issues that are most important to them. See above for details of future Democracy Cafes.
Further details are available on our wiki website, here. (What is a Wiki?)
Local Social Forums Networking Weekend
Saturday 4th December, 11 - 5pm
Sharrow Community Hall, John Street, off Bramall Lane. (Map
here, we're by the orange dot marked 1.)
Sunday 5th December, from 11am
St Matthews Church rooms, Carver Street
(Map
here.)
A number of local social forums from around the UK will be coming to Sheffield to discuss ideas and plan action. Those with a general interest in social forums, who want to find out more will be warmly welcomed.
More info on the wiki website, here.
End the Silence, End the Disability
Cuts
Life for those on disability benefits in Sheffield and Beyond.
Saturday 27th November, 1.30 - 4pm
Please note change of venue, the meeting is now at:
Quaker Meeting House,
Church Street (next to the Cathderal)
from 1.30pm
"Reform of incapacity benefit is one of the key seven challenges facing us in the new term." Tony Blair
"Like many disable peopled I am terrified of these cuts, it is already a distressing experience claiming such benefits." A disability benefit recipient.
A meeting to discuss the coming changes/reforms in welfare benefits and to raise awareness of the difficulties, health issues and concerns of those, the disabled and chronically ill who receive these benefits and who have no real voice.
Main Speaker: Colin Hampton: Co-Ordiantor Chesterfield Unemployed Workers Centre.
More info on the wiki website, here.
(What is a Wiki?)
15th - 17th October
Venues across London.
The third ESF will be a gathering of up to 50,000 campaigners, activists and concerned citizens from across Europe who all believe that 'Another World is Possible'. The 'official' events, held at Alexandra Palace and in the Bloomsbury area of London, will comprise of dozens of conferences and hundreds of workshops discussing and debating issues of international importance such as war, poverty and the environment (see the themes in detail).
See the official ESF website, and find out more from the unofficial site.
In addition will be hundreds of 'autonomous' happenings, offering opportunities for networking, training, thinking and doing. (Note that some of these start earlier, or end later than ESF 2004.)
Click these links to find out more:
European Forum on Communication Rights,
Cheap coach tickets to London are availble, click here for details.
Hungry For Justice.
Power, sovereignty and people.
An inter-agency conference organised by WDM Sheffield, CAFOD, Christian Aid and Sheffield Social Forum.
Saturday 9th October 2004, 10am - 4.15pm
Quaker Meeting House, St. James' Street, S1
[map]
Great international speakers and a range of workshops made this event both truely inspiring and very informative.
Theo Sowa: The right to food: some African experiences
Patrick Mulvany: What is food sovereignty?
Julia Wright: Cuba’s sustainable food programme
Michael Hart: The global perspective for small farmers
Tickets are free but limited in number, please book early through Dan: dan <at> ethicalproperty.co.uk or 07968 997861.
Further details are available on our wiki website, here. (What is a Wiki?)
European Social Forum Info Day
Saturday 12th June 2004, 2pm - 5pm
Quaker Meeting House, St. James' Row
The ESF - a gathering of 50,000 like-minded campaigners for social justice in its many guises - is coming to London in October 2004. Discussions, debate and networking will occur on many issues, with the determination to prove that Another World is Possible! You can be involved at a number of levels. At our meeting international speakers will be on hand to inform, debate and listen, so come along to find out how you can make your mark on ESF 2004.
Further information on the ESF is available
from our links page.
You can download an A4 poster (PDF) from this
link. (492KB)
Brighthouse Debt Protest
Saturday 1st May 2004
Moorfoot
Our launch was partly intended to bring together like-minded people to create new local action. One direct result was a new campaign on debt in Sheffield. This involved a protest outside Brighthouse, a shop that offers expensive credit with notoriously deceptive credit agreements.
Further information on the campaign is available
on our wiki website, here.
(What is a Wiki?)
An in depth report is available on Sheffield
Indymedia.
You can download an informative A5 leaflet (PDF) about
the campaign from this link. (198KB)
Confidential advice on debt is available from Sheffield
Debtline, freephone: 0800 8002237.
Sharrow Lantern Carnival
Sunday 28th March 2004
Sharrow
The idea for a lantern carnival, linking up local communities in a festival of light and beauty, arose from early meetings of the Sheffield Social Forum. This led to the creation of the Creative Action Network, who organised this wonderful event.
Reports of the day, including many photographs are available on Sheffield Indymedia.
Saturday 27th March 2004
Sheffield Institute for the Blind, Mappin Street
The day was a huge success, many thanks to all those who made it happen. About 150 people passed through the building during the all day event, to take part in a wide range of workshops, each with knowledgable and experienced participants as well as those who wanted to find out more and get involve.
Further information will soon be available
in the form of a collaborative report on the day, work in progress can
be seen on our wiki website, here.
(What is a Wiki?)
Several reports are availble on Sheffield Indymedia: one,
two,
three.
To get some idea of what went on, and why, you might like to look at the
programme
for the day.
Roll your mouse over the logo for links.