30 leaders from 12 institutions attended this year’s annual Leaders Forum at MK Academy on 24th November.  The aim of the evening was to share issues of concern arising from each institution’s listening to its people, then to prioritise the issues of common concern across our alliance according to importance and urgency.

In the process, four issues were identified as worthy of further research, based on a combination of support in the room and the volunteering of a leader to lead further research and development of a SMART campaign goal for presentation to Delegates Assembly on 9th February.  It was also shown that our existing Weaving Trust, Refugees Welcome and Living Wage campaigns have sufficient support to continue into next year.  Weaving Trust had overwhelming support.

For summary of the issues raised and how institutions supported them, click here:  Leaders Assembly 2015 results.

The four new issues identified for further research are:

• Affordable bus transport (research team lead is Daniella Ghansah)
• Homelessness (research team lead is Anna Kearns)
• Youth Space (research team lead is Mary Stone)
• Community Energy (research team lead is Marie Osborne).

A series of three meetings will be held between now and then for interested parties to come together to do this research.  The dates of these meetings are Tuesdays 4pm at Acorn House on 8th December, 12th January 2016 and 2nd February (details on our Events page).  If you would like to attend, please contact Tom.

The wheels are in motion!  The challenge now is for institutional leaders to organise turnout of 5 people from each institution to attend the Delegates Assembly on 9th February.  There we’ll decide which campaigns to work on in 2016-17.

The Refugees Welcome campaigning team, supported by Citizens:mk, met with local groups and individual citizens at a Call to Action event on Wednesday 11^th November, kindly hosted by the Church of Christ the Cornerstone in Central Milton Keynes.

The event had an impressive turnout – with representatives from numerous community groups, organisations and businesses across the town as well as a number of individual citizens, interested in getting involved in the campaign.

“The event showed Milton Keynes at its best – coming together to help those in need.”, said Jacqueline Eustace of the Campaign Organising Committee.

The purpose of the meeting was to present the Refugees Welcome Campaign Goals, illustrate the various ways for groups, businesses and individuals to support the campaign, and to build up the already existing Directory of people and services in Milton Keynes prepared to give practical help when refugee families arrive in the city.

A special part of the event was the emotional testimony from Ruth Desale, who gave an account of her horrendous and unforgettable experience as a refugee  – journey for a better life – from Eritrea to England.

The audience applauded Jeremy Beake’s statement, made on behalf of MK  Council, pledging to welcome and resettle at least 80 refugees. This follows a positive response from a number of estate letting agents and landlords who have been written to by the Campaign Organising Committee with a request to let their properties to Syrian refugees at affordable rates as part of this city-wide resettlement action.

John Cornwall, a Christian from Buckingham and a dedicated human rights activist, recalled an encouraging and personal example of how local communities in Buckinghamshire have in the past welcomed and helped to resettle a refugee family from Uganda, illustrating a joint effort from individual people, the churches and the local council that made this happen. This was back in 1972 when tens of thousands of Asian Ugandans were expelled from their country. “If we could do that then, you can do much more now”, said John.

The event’s structure created the opportunity for the attendees to interact with each other through 1-2-1 discussions and focus groups designed to explore and challenge each of the 9 goals of the campaign.

These have resulted with an overwhelming number of ideas, practical offers of help and contact details – for the Campaign Organising Committee to take forward. The call to action has shown very clearly that tangible actions can be taken across many different areas – from within own our families and communities, to schools, businesses and even workplaces.

Carmel Schmid, who is chairing the Refugees Welcome campaigning group said:

“For me it felt like an overwhelming wave of enthusiasm: at the start of the evening I had felt anxious – who would come and what might they expect? Would we be able to harness the energy? Would we find a way of empowering people to take action? But as soon as we had heard the moving testimony first from Ruth as a refugee and then from John who found a home for a refugee family, I felt a buzz of energy. It was as if everyone was talking in tongues and frankly that has not stopped. What is being achieved now is tremendous. A big thank you to all who participated and offered service for our directory. “

The Refugees Welcome Campaign team are now busy following up on ideas and contacts details shared at the event. If you were not able to join the meeting, but are keen to be part of the campaign, e-mail refugees@citizensmk.org.uk.

The team meets on the second Wednesday of each month at a CMK location – please follow updates on the Citizens MK website and on social media (#mkrefugees)

To register your interest in providing accommodation for refugees, and for advice on such matters, contact Positive Action in Housing.

On Saturday 31st October, MK Dons Sport & Education Trust received its Living Wage accreditation certificate in a pitch side presentation before MK Dons’ home game against Hull City.

The certificate was presented by Debbie Wilson, Citizens:mk’s Living Wage campaign leader.  ““Our campaign is going from strength to strength,” said Debbie.  “We now have 14 accredited Living Wage employers, including some of MK’s biggest employers.   As a big MK Dons fan myself, it’s great to have MK Dons SET on board.”

John Cove, CEO for MK Dons SET (pictured with Debbie), said:  “As soon as we knew that it was a viable option for the MK Dons SET, we worked towards becoming an accredited Living Wage employer.  We hope this goes a small way to showing our appreciation to everyone within our organisation.”

On the morning of Saturday 24th October, 10 parishioners from St. Mary Magdalene’s Catholic Church in Stony Stratford attended a 90-minute training session on ‘Organising for the Year of Mercy’.

“It was interesting and enjoyable,” said Anna Kearns.  “It wasn’t until near the end, when I saw the timeline for the Citizens:mk assemblies in February and April, that I realised how our local community organising will contribute to the power of the alliance.”

20 people representing 11 institutions, including non-members of Citizens:mk, met at the Civic Offices on the evening of Wednesday 21st October to discuss next steps in the campaign.   Also attending was Jeremy Beake, Corporate Equality & Diversity Officer for MK Council, who will be over-seeing the spend of central government funding to accommodate Syrian refugees in MK.

It was resolved for a sub-group to meet on 4th November to plan another large group meeting on 11th November, when it is expected that each I institution will pledge commitment to action to achieve a set of goals agreed by the group.

On Saturday 26 September, Rob Fletcher, Duty Manager at Lidl in Oldbrook, was pleasantly surprised by a group from Citizens:mk who came to present him with a ‘Thank You’ card for the Company declaring that it would be paying the Living Wage to its employees. In fact, Lidl has gone beyond this, since it will pay its staff more than £8 per hour, which is higher than the Living Wage of £7.85 (outside London). It is the first retailer in Milton Keynes to commit to the Living Wage.

Rob said that it was a no brainer for the Company as paying the Living Wage will lead to happier, motivated, and committed people. It is anticipated that Lidl will attend the Citizens:mk Business Breakfast planned for 5th November, to encourage other employers to follow their lead.