GMB North West and Irish Region Connect Magazine February 2020 | Page 12

news
news
Campaigns for Justice
Conference 2019
Michael Tarraga,
Meat Rack Boy Michael
is a child abuse survivor and this is taken from
Amazon - ‘’As a baby Michael Tarraga never left
the hospital in the arms of his mother. She left
him there the day he was born, with his twin
brother. She also abandoned their two year old
sister. This is a story of what happened next and
how a child without a family can be exploited,
abused and sold. Michael was continually anally
raped for half a crown, sold out by Bob and
Ivy Woods who he had to call Mum and Dad.
Michael is now 70 years old and dying from
COPD. Keen for his story to be told before he
leaves this world - so that he and others can one
day get peace and justice, but more importantly
that this kind of horrific sexual abuse, happens
to no other child. “I don’t want money, I want my
story to be told. I need my story to be told before
I die. “ Michael Tarraga. All the proceeds of the
book will be spent on helping other survivors like
Michael, finally have a chance to tell their story
and get it heard.’’
Richard Burgon, Labour MP for Leeds East
‘’Straight after university, I returned home to Leeds and became a
trade union lawyer. For more than a decade I helped care workers,
nurses, dinner ladies, bin men and other working people in East Leeds
who face redundancy, discrimination, pay cuts they simply can’t
afford or other problems at work through no fault of their own.’’
He recently won damages in his libel case against the Sun over a
claim that a heavy metal band he performed with delighted in Nazi
imagery.
Ken Loach,
British Director of television and independent films.
Ken Loach first joined the Labour Party from the early 1960s and
been associated with the Socialist Labour League. 2015, he endorsed
Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour leadership campaign and produced a one-
hour documentary In Conversation with Jeremy Corbyn. He directed
an election broadcast featuring a profile of Jeremy Corbyn for the
Labour Party’s general election campaign. He also directed I, Daniel
Blake. Daniel Blake (Dave Johns) is a 59-year-old widowed carpenter
who must rely on welfare after a recent heart attack leaves him unable
to work. Despite his doctor’s diagnosis, British authorities deny
Blake’s benefits and tell him to return to his job. As Daniel navigates
his way through an agonizing appeal process, he begins to develop
a strong bond with a destitute, single mother (Hayley Squires) who’s
struggling to take care of her two children.
Sam Taylor, Sussex Stalking Support
“In our recent report, 88% of victims of stalking
met the criteria for Post-Traumatic Stress
Disorder (PTSD) and would have benefited from
referral or treatment. PTSD is responsive to
treatment and we are perpetuating isolation and
the social restriction caused by the problem if we
do not standardly provide effective intervention.”
Established in 2019, Sussex Stalking Support
aims to bring people together to reduce the
impact of stalking. Through group work and
one-to-one support, we aim to fill the significant
gap in services designed for individuals who are
affected by the relentless and isolating nature
of stalking. Serving Brighton and Sussex, we
sensitively address the broad and complex
issues entailed in these experiences.
Alan Kelly,
Vauxhall Community Law Centre
Vauxhall Community Law and Information Centre provides a free
advice service in respect of all Welfare Benefits, particularly those
benefits for sick, disabled and older people.
They also provide advice and support such as representation at
Tribunals. Also advice and support in relation to fuel, housing and
debt issues.
The Centre is open for 4 Days a week from Monday to Thursday
between the hours of 9 and 4.00pm.
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