North East Call to Action On Global Poverty

North East Call to Action On Global Poverty and Climate Change (NE-CAP) A review of the past year for the Annual General Meeting March 4 th 2012

Who are we? An association of people who continue to promote the aims of the national MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY campaign which formally disbanded in 2006. That is, to demand that our government, and indeed the governments of the world, should act to alleviate poverty for the world's poorer countries by: Trade justice Dropping the debt Providing more and better aid Curbing climate change Promoting Fairtrade (Plus. . . )

Remember, we are no longer called. . . .

But. .

North East Call to Action On Global Poverty and Climate Change NE-CAP (it is our first birthday)

Event highlights over the year

Fairtrade Fortnight 2011 Alex Cobham, Chief Policy Adviser, Christian Aid “Fair trade, tax paid? The next challenge to ensure trade fights poverty” The role of tax havens in international trade. Are multinational companies meeting their responsibilities in developing countries? Simple transparency measures can change things.

The Big Climate. . Reconnection Spring 2011 Coordinated by Stop Climate Chaos Coalition Public meetings, MP lobbies, petitions, letters, a teach-in and even a bike ride, more than 100 MPs across the country were lobbied. Contributed to the Government accepting the Committee on Climate Change's 4 th carbon budget recommendations, albeit with some concessions.

Tea time for change 9 th June 2011 Westminister lobby for international development. Over 1200 people from all over the UK made the clear point that we want to see action on global poverty. Almost a quarter of all MPs were lobbied. This initiative was supported by various national agencies including: Action Aid, Bond, CAFOD, Christian Aid, Oxfam, Save the Children and Tearfund. NE- CAP supporters were there

Tea time for change Keep up the good work on quantity and quality of aid. The UK government have committed to ring-fence spending on international aid and have set out a timetable to reach the target of 0. 7% of GNI by 2013. We wanted to thank them for this. Stop tax dodging and shine a light on the payments companies make to governments. To press for more corporate transparency through legislation to enable poor communities to free themselves from poverty by raising funds for development from their own resources. Champion innovative, effective and fair financing for development We want to see the UK government championing a Financial Transaction Tax.

Saturday September 17 th A gathering for GNR runners and campaigners to hear about the achievements and challenges of the poverty campaign. Keynote Speaker, Ben Simms, Director of the UK Consortium on AIDS: “HIV/AIDS: Remarkable Achievement – Immense Challenge”

September 20 th - Great North Run

Bearing Witness Manchester, Saturday 1 st October 2011 On the eve of the Conservative Party Conference, many people gathered to reflect on the government's achievements so far following their promise to be the 'greenest government ever, ' and call on them to live up to it by showing ambitious leadership internationally leading up to and during the UN climate talks in South Africa in December. The day culminated in a candlelit vigil around the venue of the Conservative Party Conference.

Fairtrade Christmas Market December 3 rd - various groups affiliated to NE-CAP had a stall at the annual Fairtrade Christmas Market in the Grainger market, Newcastle. This has become a popular annual event.

Present – Fairtrade Fortnight A quiz. . . Name a surprising recent addition of a fairtrade product that you can now buy Which supermarket chain is currently converting its entire sugar range to Fairtrade What is the most exciting product that will go fairtrade this spring?