Why does Comic Relief need to raise money for food banks?
Last week I watched the Comic Relief programme where four female celebrities trek deep into the artic circle. The show was enjoyable until a segment mentioned some of the money raised would be going to support food banks.
Food banks are a political failure. They hardly existed in this country before 2012 and yet now they are completely normalised. How is it acceptable that Comic Relief needs your donations to keep the food bank going? Surely the Government of the world’s fifth richest economy should look after its people with fair pay and a benefits system which doesn’t leave anyone behind.
Sadly, many charities only exist because of government failure. Other developed countries do not hold events like Comic Relief or Children In Need, not because their citizens do not care, rather their governments actually govern.
Cheltenham Race Week
Many will be breathing a sigh of relief that race week has been and gone.
I have long called for the council to commission an independent study which looks at the overall impact race week has on the town. The benefits and consequences should be regularly reviewed. The last report was carried out using 2015 numbers and was too narrow in its approach.
We know that over 250,000 visitors descend on Cheltenham and that roughly 6,000 people will be directly employed by the festival. Bars, restaurants and hotels see a huge rise in sales. Some reports claim the week generates over £100m to the local economy. We also know that the week generates a lot of publicity, with national broadcasters basing themselves here and Cheltenham dominating the front and back pages.
But we also know that the levels of litter, crime and misogynistic behaviour dramatically increase during race week. Many say the town becomes a place akin to a stag party town, where men can do as they please. The atmosphere certainly changes, and I would say not for the better.
Elsewhere shopkeepers claim they lose out as residents avoid coming into Cheltenham. This is in part due to the additional levels of congestion on our already creaking road infrastructure and not helped as the train station becomes a no parking zone.
Whatever your view, it should be heard. I think a full and independent assessment is overdue to ensure future festivals are as positive an experience as they can be for the whole of the town.
If you have any questions about this article or want to raise any issues with me as your Green Parliamentary Candidate for Cheltenham, you can contact me at directly at daniel.wilson@cheltenham.greenparty.org.uk