beth

There is a volunteer centre in Southwark which has a huge database of volunteering opportunities in Southwark - they'll have a chat with you, and help find you a number of charities in the local area that need volunteers. I think if you go to http://www.volunteercentre.org.uk that should get you there. Or type in Volunteer Centre Southwark in your search engine. In terms of local organisations, I know that the Wildlife Garden Centre on Marsden Road always need volunteer gardeners. Most charities are desparate to recruit volunteers to their trustee boards - particularly treasurers - so if there is a cause or local charity you particularly would like to support, I'm sure they would welcome you with open arms if you'd like to be a trustee.

It's a really good way to check if a so-called charity is a legit charity or not. There are some small voluntary organisations and community groups that haven't registered as charities due to the paperwork involved but most organisations that have charitable puposes will have registered with the charity commission. Also, you can view any charities annual accounts and also, whether there have been any investigations into a charity because of complaints or questions about dodgy practices at the charity. The link is http://www.charitycommission.gov.uk

Oh, I might be back every now and again - not to join in these kind of debates though as I'm spending far too much time on the internet these days - have decided on a new regime to keep focused on my work which means no getting involved in internet forum debates!! Anyway, just came back from the park after a lovely outing with the gorgeous boy child and my lovely man - beautiful day and beautiful park - no signs of witchcraft this morning!

My last post on this thread ((I'm resigning from these email debates now) is simply that I don't buy into the libertarian arguement you put forth on diversity and equality - in the end libertarianism is flawed when it comes to recogising the differing needs of different groups in society. That's all. i.e. if men aren't accessing healthcare services (which they aren't), those health care services need to respond to the problem and address it. Oh - and that I actually agree with Hugo on something - that dogging is simply disappointing, not necessarily perverted. Farewell all and good luck!

Yes very good Mockney! Love it. By the way Hugo the pension situation has already changed. I won't be able to claim a pension at 60 and neither will most of my peers. Everyone under I think 50 (?) both men and women will only be able to claim at 65. If you read the end of Trinity's post, she asks the very question that you also raise as being important - she was merely answering a previous post in discussing the reasons for the difference in retirement ages. And I wasn't trying to make any accusation towards anyone in my post - just making a personal point about why I feel working against discriminatino is so important - because at the end of the day, it's not just an academic debate but affects real people and their lives. Anyway, this thread has gotton completely out of control - honestly, I mean it now, I'm not going to add to its unmanageableness by adding to it anymore.

OHHH... what about a small John Lewis???

Very true - I haven't ventured in that pool for a year due to it's horrible grottiness and terrible changing facilities. Can't wait for the re-opening of the Pulse on the 9th April - supposedly.

If it's a geninue charity, all charities need to have their charity registration number on all publicity materials and any information they produce. You can also go to the Charity commission website and look up by name or by charity number any geninue charity. There is also a problem with businesses set up to collect used goods and then selling them on who make out as if they are charitable organisations and put leaflets and plastic bags through our doors. This has really effected legit charities such as Great Oremond Street who do geniuely do collections in the local area. If you get any information about collections, please check the information carefully. If there is no charity registration number, it is not a charity that is taking your goods that you are donating.

How about Marks and Spencer instead of White Stuff? Or Carluccio's?

Hear! Hear! Your calm, measured and clear arguements are wonderful - fully referenced and solid. Discrimination against women has a long history - I grew up with a mother was a lifelong supporter of women's rights. She went to Radcliff College, which is now part of Harvard University in the early 50's. When she went to the careers officer in her final year, she was told that a best career for someone with her degree from Radcliff was to be an administrator in an art gallery! That turned her into a feminist there and then - she went on to do her MA and then Phd, then became a leader in her field, while being a mother to two children as well. Despite leaps and bounds that have happened discrimination against women still exists in many forms - we shouldn't even have to have these arguements in this day and age. There is still a pay gap, violence against women including domestic violence is still prevalent, etc. etc. The Fawcett Society is an important and valuable campaigning body around these issues that we all should support http://www.fawcettsociety.org.uk By the way, I also support organisations such as Men's Health who work to re-dress inequalities with so many men not accessing health care. That's an example of a men's organisation that works alongside women's groups such as Women's Health and makes their legit arguements without trying to have a go or not acknowledge discrimination against women.

There is no way you can claim tolerance or support diversity Domitianus, judging by your other posts in other threads. Also, dogging is not recogised as a legitatmate sexuality as is lesbian and gay sexuality is anyway.

AGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!

At Hampstead Heath, there is a men's only pond and a women's only pond as well as a mixed pond and they all seem quite popular, well used and I believe supported with public money! I loved the women's pond when I lived up north London - except for the saddo men who used to hide in the bushes around the edges for a glimpse of some flesh! Personally, if the solution to this issue is to give the men one hour and a half a week of men only time, I'm all for it!

Great arguements Louisiana - I lost the will and energy to keep replying to this thread but you are saying it all - and much more succiently then I would! Check out the site http://www.whywomen.org.uk as well.

Baby spit down the front, kids snot on our jeans - yup, that's me, sleepwalking down Lordship Lane! But every mother is a LOVELY mother! Ha, ha!

I had several fab take out meals from them - totally superior to other take aways I've had!

Whatever the imperfections of the Fairtrade system, it's better than support the multi-national chocolate companies who are extremely exploitative of the cocoa farmers and child labourers!

Actually the women-only sessions at the leisure centre are legally exempt of the sex discrimination act which recognises that there is a time and place for single sex services and activities. Ring the Equal Opportunities Commission to check this if you like! Plus, the Gender Duty Act is coming into force in April - which makes it a legal duty for public services to look at the differing needs of men and women and offer appropriate services accordingly.

Sorry it's Evan Davis and the link to his programme called the Price of Property is here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/priceofproperty/pip/0nh85/ I love him - he makes economic theory accessible to all!

I think Alan said he didn't mind when people who loved their jobs were priced out of the market and had to leave the area. Well, there are alot of people working in key services such as nurses, midwives and teachers who are already upping sticks and leaving London. I'm not being funny but London can't survive with just investment bankers and stockbrokers living in the city - we need people working in the service areas that will support us, our kids, our parents and ourselves when we get older!! Public services and charities need workers who are able to afford to live in the area. Shared ownership schemes aren't enough. Maybe Alan you don't care now - but when you or a loved one need access to a service at a hopital or through social services or through a charity and you can't get the service because of staff shortages, then maybe you will. Anyway, Euan Davies did an excellent three part documentary called the Homes we Live in (or something like that!) on Radio 4 recently where he expertly pointed to the danger of rising house prices - and he knows his economics!! I shall dig out the link on the Radio 4 website and post it so anyone can listen to it again!!

I'm copying a bit from Tim who left a message on a blog I visit about this issue of the use of child labour in the production of chocolate - I'm sure he won't mind. I work at the International Labor Rights Fund (www.laborrights.org) in the US and we work closely with Global Exchange on stopping child labor in the cocoa industry. In addition to buying fair trade chocolate, you can also send protest letters to big chocolate companies here to tell them to stop using child labor: http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/Nestle07. I would also recommend checking out a blog entry I wrote yesterday about the BBC report you refer to. It has a list of ways to take action (including an essay contest for kids!): http://laborrightsblog.typepad.com/ international_labor_right/2007/03/ child_labor_on_.html. Stop the Traffik in the EU is also doing some great cocoa campaigning.

I popped into Hope and Greenwood to buy some Fairtrade Easter Eggs after seeing a shocking segement on Newsnight on the use of child labours in the production of cocoa and was surprised they don't do Fairtrade products. East Dulwich Deli does though so if you are looking for Fairtrade easter eggs - pop in there or if others can say where you can buy them locally that would be great. I just feel uneasy giving my kid something that has been produced through the exploitation of other kids.

So the campaign against Cafe Nero continues - but is anyone going to campaign against Foxton's??? They were outed in a documentary as part of the Whistleblowers series on the beeb as having the most dodgy practices ever - they steamroll into areas and use unethical practices (even by the standards of estate agents). Do we need another Estate Agent on Lordship Lane? Surely planning should be consulted as yet another estate agent on Lordship Lane isn't going to add to the diversity of the area. But then again, as someone else mentioned in the forum, people seem quite happy with chains that could potentially make money for them - and prefer to concentrate their anger on chains which actually a wide cross-section of the population use.

I lived in SE5 for 3 years before moving to ED. Great Jazz on Fridays at the Crypt, Seymours and Tadim are great cafe's, Woolies is very useful and Camberwell Green has the most concentration of buses passing through than anywhere else in London which is fab for public transport users.

Plus what about the literary associations i.e. 'The Ballad of Peckham Rye'