Who we are and what we do

Bath Against Cuts is a group of campaigners working to fight the destruction the welfare state, in and around Bath since 2010.

BAC’s hold meetings, on every first Tuesday of the Month. The Ram, in Widcombe is a great venue &  Mick, the Landlord, welcomes us every time. If you come along before 8pm, you’ll have time to get a pint/drink/coffee in before the meeting starts. If you like to add to the meetings agenda, whether it be about a local issue, or about something happening Nationally, you’ll get to put it on the list before the meeting starts. (this can also be done by e-mail, prior to Tuesday’s meetings).

Parking can be a problem but you’ll always find somewhere in & around St Mark’s Road/Lyncombe Hill. We are @5 minutes walk from Bath Spa Station & Bus station.

Although we aren’t affiliated to any political party, Bath Against Cuts has links to most local campaign groups.

Bath Trades Council,Unite Community,Bath’s Stop the War/CND, 38 Degrees Bath/Protect our NHS Bath, Bath Students Against Fees & Cuts, Bath’s Green Party, Bath Labour Party are all are involved with BAC’s but if you check out the Social Media, Blogs & other relevant link (on the right of this page), you’ll see others. (*This list will get updated regularly).

Most of us have been on many different campaigns in Bath &/or Nationally, over the past 30/40 years. To give you an idea, we supported the Miners’ Strike in ’85, supported the Print Unions (Wapping) in the same year & protested against the Poll Tax in 1990. More recently, we have supported the Bath Students with their campaign to get a living wage paid to staff, at Bath Uni. We supported the Midwives & Nurses when they came out on Strike (RUH both times), we helped the local 38 Degrees Bath Group/Protect our NHS with their Hustings. We greeted David Cameron when he came to Bath, (someone threw an egg but no one saw that happen…). Bath Against Cuts have also been out to see Films (We are Many), Plays (United We Stand, about the Shrewsbury Pickets), a musical fundraising evening for Bristol Stop the War, a tribute to Woody Guthrie evening & The Liberty Tree (a rebellious, feel-good, jukebox musical) at Bath Spa Uni.

On the 30th Anniversary of the Miners’ Strike, Bath Trades Council (BAC’s John Bampfylde & Dr Michael Carley) put on a special showing of Still the Enemy Within. (with fundraising for the Orgreave Fund) Dr Selina Todd, historian & Author (The Rise & Fall of the Working Class), Mike McColgan (the Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign) & John Bampfylde talked, followed by a Q & A session afterwards. If you haven’t seen the film, i’m sure we will get it shown again. Up at Bath University, BSAFAC’s put on a showing of  Still The Enemy Within & Pride (A fantastic film about two seemingly alien communities (The Miners & The LGBT) who form a surprising and ultimately triumphant partnership). If you have a local community, that would be interested in seeing the films, please put in a request to John & Michael.

For more information about the Orgreave Campaign http://otjc.org.uk/

We will be going to Tolpuddle Festival, in July, so you can see we do all sorts of things (& not just sitting around, having a moan about the Government & drinking ale, although we do that as well…)

If you haven’t been able to get involved in anything before, come along to a meeting. We don’t expect anything from anyone but love to give everyone a voice. If you have a look through the photos, that will give you an idea of what we have been up recently (not all campaigns are photographed though).

As activists, we are all passionate about fairness & equality. As people, we are a friendly bunch, with time for each other. Come along to a meeting & enjoy the passion, humour & perhaps even have a beer as well.

You can just come along to The Ram, on the 1st Tuesday of the month or if you want more information, you can send us a comment below or e-mail me at zarriaphillips@gmail.com  We can put you on the mailing list & you’ll receive the monthly minutes (& see what we’ve done/we’re doing.) Alternatively, you can go to the Social Media link & join us on Twitter & Facebook.

If you have a local campaign that you would like some support with, do come to The Ram & tell us about it. If you can’t get to the meeting ,drop us an e-mail & we’ll get back to you.

Check out our photos  &  see what we have been up to recently.

 

---