the following is the Countryside Alliance news letter forwarded to me by a member with their comments on the organization. I am not a member but I would use anyones expertise if I was running a campaign against the government. I leave it with you to do as you will. Sue nb Nackered Navvy
I have forwarded the Countryside Alliance's weekly newsletter to you, they are certainly a rural campaign forum and not just focused on fox hunting. They wouldn't have achieved the following and respect on Government circles if they were! You should hopefully find the links enabling you to subscribe to the grass eroute and links to their hme page too and then onwards. >From: Countryside Alliance <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: Countryside Alliance <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Subject: Change in the air at the Party Conferences >Date: Thu, 05 Oct 2006 17:01:53 GMT >1. Change in the air at Party Conferences > >2. Campaign for your community > >3. Cheltenham Countryside Race Day > >4. Christmas catalogue now available >1. Change in the air at Party Conferences > >The Conservative Party Conference at Bournemouth closed yesterday bringing >to an end another political conference season. The Alliance was present at >all the major party conferences promoting our vision for the countryside, >the rural jigsaw, and asking whether each of the parties really loves the >countryside. > >At the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Brighton many delegates and MPs >were keen to tell our team on the Alliance stand that half of Liberal >Democrat MPs represent rural constituencies. With this in mind it still >seemed that rural issues played a low profile in proceedings, pushed down >the pecking order by climate change. Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell >did, however, visit our stand to express his support for our work. > >New DEFRA Secretary David Miliband kept a high profile at the Labour Party >Conference in Manchester last week, speaking at meetings hosted by the NFU >and the Commission for Rural Communities amongst many others, and marking a >DEFRA-Secretary-first by visiting the Alliances stand, something his >predecessor Margaret Beckett never did (see below picture - l to r: Chief >Executive Simon Hart, DEFRA Secretary David Miliband MP, Head of Policy >Sarah Lee, Campaigns Director Robert Gray). Cherie Blair also visited the >Alliance stand and was slack-jawed to see her old friend David Seymour, ex >political editor of the Mirror, standing with Alliance staff. On asking him >what he was doing on the Countryside Alliance stand Mrs Blair was even more >amazed to hear the reply Im on the Alliance board now. Davids new role >had New Labour buzzing all week. > >The Conservative conference started with an unambiguous restatement of the >partys policy to allow a free vote on the repeal of the Hunting Act. In an >interview with the Sunday Telegraph David Cameron said: "I'm in favour of >the freedom to hunt, I think the law was a great mistake. We should give >the Commons the chance to think again in government time. People said the >law would look a complete imbecile and it does." However, at the Alliance >fringe media commentator Amanda Platell expressed her fear that a new >division was opening up in the Conservative ranks between the 'metrophiles' >and the 'green welly brigade'. She sent out a message to the new >Conservative leader: Youve hugged your hoodies, you've hugged your >huskies, now hug a haystack'. Responding, Shadow spokesman for Agriculture >and Rural Affairs, Jim Paice, said there had never been a time when the >countryside was so desperate for a change of government as it was now. > >The overriding theme of the conferences, and the whole of British politics >at the moment, is change. This time next year we will have a new Prime >Minister and for the first time for nearly a decade a Labour majority at >the next election is not a foregone conclusion. This makes our job more >challenging, but also raises the possibility of righting past wrongs and >influencing future policy. Now more than ever it is crucial that we >maintain a relationship with politicians of all parties and retain our >impeccable rural credentials. > >Simon Hart > >2. Campaign for your community > >The Countryside Alliance is supporting the campaign for a new Sustainable >Communities Bill to save the countryside from community decline. The >proposed legislation will empower people to make their own decisions on how >to reverse the ongoing decline. So far the campaign has cross-party support >and continues to build support from individuals and organisations, >including the Countryside Alliance. > >If made law central government will be required to provide for the >implementation of local sustainability strategies that local communities >will be asked (but not told) to draw up. > >These sustainability strategies will state ways in which appropriate >authorities will promote local communities and sustainability. Politics >will be turned upside down as local communities are given the power to >reverse Ghost Town Britain and decide how the places where they live are >developed or conserved. > >If this campaign is to be successful then your support is needed. It will >take a massive grass roots campaign to persuade government and MPs to make >this Bill law, so your support and help are crucial. > >To find out more and how you can get involved click here. > >3. Cheltenham Countryside Race Day > >Cheltenham Countryside Race Day, which will be held on Friday 10th >November, spearheads the three-day Open Meeting of racing and entertainment >based around countryside activities. > >The Countryside Raceday will feature displays of dressage and hounds in the >parade ring, 80 trade stands in the tented village, the rural tournament - >new to 2006 - and a parade of huntsmen on the course. Top billing for the >six races is the Sporting Index Cross Country Steeplechase over hedges, >banks and timber. > >To order advance tickets for the Countryside Race Day (or other days of the >Open) at £18 (normal price, £20), please call 01242 226226, or see >www.cheltenham.co.uk before Saturday 4th November. Read more about the Race >Day here > >4. Christmas catalogue now available > >From diaries to dog collars, cartridge belts to Christmas cards and hampers >to handwarmers, this years Countryside Alliance Autumn/Winter catalogue >has it all and is bigger and better than ever before. Additions to this >year's catalogue include the new Alliance pocket diary and also a food >hamper from Weeton's of Harrogate, winner of the 2005 Best Rural Retailer >competition. > >Also for the first time this year, you can order Christmas cards over >printed with your own personal message. Simply visit >www.charitychristmascards.com/countryside to order your personalised cards >and get a £5 discount. > >Either shop online at www.c-ashop.co.uk or call our order hotline 0871 919 >9177 and ask for a copy of our new catalogue. And dont forget that all >orders of £10 and over placed via our Online Shop between now and Christmas >will receive a free pack of Christmas or Greetings cards, while stocks >last. > >In the News - the Alliance website brings you regularly updated topical and >relevant news stories. > >Internet Service Providers can on occasion mistake the grass e-route for >spam. If this has ever happened to you, and to ensure that it doesn't >happen again, add the email address [EMAIL PROTECTED] to your >contacts book. The grass e-route will then be recognised by your account. > >Visit >http://www.workwithus.org/campaignhelper/templates/CountrysideAlliance/RecipientDetails.aspx?id=wp2mNamdqSC3kBGZhUVKlA%3d%3d > >to alter your details or if you no-longer wish to receive this >eCommunication. > >This email has been sent via CampaignHelper and contains an embedded >read-receipt mechanism. If you wish to prevent further receipts, please >disable the automatic display of images or use the link above. If you >believe you have received this message in error, please forward it to >[EMAIL PROTECTED] or contact Countryside Alliance, The Old Town >Hall, 367 Kennington Road, London SE11 4PT. Tel: 02078409200. > Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/canals-list/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/canals-list/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
