Welcome to the latest newsletter. The next meeting  is on Thursday 12th September 7.30pm  at Moordown Community Centre. On the agenda  –  planning for speaker (see below) and general campaign updates. Any queries arising from this newsletter – please email:- admin at amnestyat50 dot co dot uk

Shrinking Spaces for Human Rights in Europe We are delighted to announce we have booked Ulrike Schmidt for a talk on a topic that is too often overlooked, human rights infringements in Europe. Ulrike is the Amnesty county coordinator for Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Poland and Romania. Ulrike is a teacher and a human rights activist based in London. Originally from Germany, she has worked with Amnesty International for many years on various local and international campaigns. Ulrike will draw examples mainly from Poland, Hungary and Italy. She will report on the harassment of Polish judges who are still standing up for human and civil rights, often in defiance of the government, as well as the rolling back of women’s and LGBTI rights. Ulrike will describe similar threats to the independence of the judiciary in Hungary and the criminalisation of human rights defenders in countries such as Hungary and Italy. Finally, she will discuss discrimination, demonisation and persecution of Roma people in several countries, particularly Italy under Salvini. Saturday September 21st  at  Branksome Liberal Club, 1 Salisbury Road, Poole   BH14 0DP This is a free talk followed by a simple buffet lunch (suggested donation: £3). Doors open 12 for 12.30 start. This is the first speaker we’ve had for some time. Please help us organise by booking your ticket asap – and letting us know if you will be staying on for lunch. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shrinking-spaces-for-human-rights-in-europe-tickets-70470748907

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We had another successful Bourne Free in Bournemouth Gardens and on the Parade. We had 96 cards signed to continue our campaign for justice for Marielle Franco. Many people posed with our “Love is a Human Right” selfie frame – most taken on their own phone – with a few others below.

Marielle Franco was murdered in a drive-by shooting in March 2018. Her killers and those behind the plot to assassinate her have still not been brought to justice, over a year later. Marielle dedicated her life to speaking out for LGBTI, black and women’s rights in Brazil. She paid the ultimate price for defending human rights. Demand a full, independent investigation into her murder by signing our petition to the Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro:-

https://www.amnesty.org.uk/actions/marielle-franco-murdered-brazil-lgbt-black-rights-activists

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Thanks to those who turned out yesterday, and again thanks to the kind folk of Wareham. Despite a cold wind and what seemed a quieter town, we still collected over £90.  Not a huge amount – with the cheapest overseas postage now starting at £1.35 – but with just 4 collectors in 2 hours, not bad. As reported before, returns from street collections in Bournemouth and Christchurch have been dire. As a group we don’t have as many income generating events, so every little helps.

Thanks to everyone who turned out for last nights quiz at the Brunswick Hotel, Charminster. Over 40 people battled it out and the winning team triumphed by just 1/2 a point!

Thanks to David Rogers for setting the questions, Lucy Freeman for running the raffle and Sally Hawksworth for being Master (or mistress?) of ceremonies on the night. Thanks again to the Brunswick for providing us with an excellent function room.

We raised £250. With overseas postage now starting at £1.25 this is a great boost to our funds. And much more fun than doing a street collection. If you missed out, below are five of the more challenging questions to have a go at. Answers in the next newsletter.

“The Silent Child” won an Oscar this year for best Short Film. It was written and directed by actors from which UK TV soap? 

Singer Aretha Franklin died in August. She only had one film role where she played a character called Mrs Murphy and wore pink fuzzy slippers. Name the film (or its sequel)?  

Born in Cardiff in 1948, singer Michael Barratt, the UKs biggest selling singles artist of the 1980’s, is better known as who? He’s appearing at Bournemouth Pavilion next March.  

Which is the only country in the world where cars drive on the right, but virtually every vehicle has right hand steering?

The film “the Lost World” (adapted from a Arthur Conan Doyle novel of the same name), was released in 1925 and got its place in history for what? Was it? (1) First X rated film (2) First colour film on public release (3) First film used as in flight entertainment on a plane?      

All the quiz questions are here

questions with answers are here

Welcome to the latest newsletter. We don’t meet in August, our next meeting  is on Thursday 13th September 2018, 7.30pm  at Moordown Community Centre. This is to update you on a few things that have happened – or about to happen….

Photo Exhibition Revisited It seems ages ago (it was April)  but our Photographic Exhibition is a distant memory. Sadly, whilst not hitting the front pages, the plight of refugees continues. Throughout the exhibition we had a video loop, compiled by Tom Wilson. This had several short videos highlighting some of the issues and reasons Amnesty International exists. We’ve put two of the most powerful, by Save the Children, on our blog. Do watch them and share – at 90 seconds and 2 minutes they won’t take long, but you won’t forget what it must be like for a refugee child… https://amnestyat50.co.uk/refugee-week-and-photographic-exhibition

New Forest Amnesty International Group Saturday 1st September The Lymington Centre (Robert Hole Room), New St, Lymington, SO41 9BQ ~ FILM at 2pm – Excerpts from AI WEI WEI’s HUMAN FLOW – a documentary on the worldwide refugee crisis ~~~ Short AGM at 3pm ~~~ LIGHT LUNCH FROM 1PM ALL WELCOME ~ FREE ENTRY

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