LEE WEBSTER issues an invite to all women living and working in Croydon to an important meeting later this month
Women use public services more than men, according to the Fawcett Society, since they have maternity needs, are more likely to be lone parents and primary carers, more likely to experience domestic abuse, are on average poorer than men, and live longer, often living their final years alone.
Guest speaker: London Assembly Member Fiona Twycross
So women have a vested interest in ensuring that local services – from the NHS, to education, housing and policing, meet their needs. Yet decisions about those services are largely made by councillors who are more often than not male – even at Croydon Town Hall, where 42 per cent of Labour councillors are women, it remains that only 26 of the borough’s total of 70 councillors are women.
An important meeting this month will give women in Croydon – all women, from any party or no party, from a local organisations or as individuals – to discuss the issues that matter to them locally, which will feed into Croydon Labour’s manifesto for the 2014 local elections. From more police on the streets, to better housing, to protecting our libraries, it will be an open space for women to share, and to influence.
Speakers include local activist Hamida Ali, Councillor Alison Butler, London Assembly Member Fiona Twycross, and Euro election candidate Ivana Bartoletti.
This meeting is not just about hearing from women campaigners, it is about giving all women a voice, and a chance to make sure that if the Labour party takes back Croydon Council, it will deliver for Croydon women.
All women are welcome – Saturday May 25, 2pm-5pm, at the Zakia Centre, 166 St James’ Road, CR0 2UZ. Nearest station West Croydon.
For more information, to register, or to discuss childcare or access needs, email women@croydonlabour.org.uk.
- Inside Croydon: For comment and analysis about Croydon, from inside Croydon – 267,670 page views (Nov 2012-Apr 2013)
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