Occupy Stroud call 'Move Your Money'

Barclays protest last year in Stroud

I mentioned the campaign on this blog, Move Your Money. The website is now up: www.moveyourmoney.org.uk and Occupy Stroud who held the first public event last Saturday have adopted the campaign as part of their actions. See SNJ report of the event here. The campaign has 4 suggestions:

1) Signing up to the PLEDGE to move your money at
www.moveyourmoney.org.uk and bank on something better.
2) Join the mailing list
3) Follow us on Twitter,
4) 'Like' us on Facebook

March 2012 is being billed as 'Move Your Money Month', when all will act together by moving money and holding awareness raising events to build a banking system that works for people, small business and wider society. Occupy Stroud is meeting on Sat 3rd of March (top of High St. 1pm) to share publicity materials and ideas for Move Your Money month, and on Sat 17th March (same time and place) for a Move Your Money themed day of discussion and action.

One Occupy supporter writes: "In terms of places to move your money, locally we have a Nationwide building society branch offering pretty much all the services a high street bank does, the Coventry building society, a smaller society with a smaller range of services but arguably a better record, and the Stroud Valleys Credit Union, which could all be used for borrowing and saving. There are also often options to invest in local businesses, so there's really no excuse to have your loans or savings hanging around in the big banks. There's lots of information about the different options nationally and on how to move your money on the website www.moveyourmoney.org.uk which is well worth a look."

See YouTube 'Better Bailouts' at Barclays.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arjaTqNBmWE&feature=youtu.be.

Josie Cowgill writes before last Saturday: "We're fully aware of how lucky we are in Stroud – local food, independent retailers, a lively arts scene and an active and engaged community. But we are also part of a larger system, one that is cutting public services, allowing large businesses to dodge their taxes and widening the gap between rich and poor. The aim of the meeting on the 18th is to explore what can be done to challenge a system that promotes economic growth at all costs. We warmly invite all 100% to take part in this conversation by joining us on Saturday the 18th of February. Dust off your idealism and bring your sense of humour – we intend the event to be peaceful and inspiring with a focus on what we can actually DO here in Stroud."

While here was my quote to the press: "Occupy is about many things, but the key slogan "We are the 99%" refers to the vast wealth concentrated in 1% of income earners. Economic inequality in the UK is the highest ever and we’re now one of the most unequal countries in the developed world. Everyone can see that the system is deeply unjust and careening out of control. We haven't learnt from the previous financial catastrophe. We are governed by politicians that have all promoted the current neo-liberal system with it's "light touch regulation". Occupy is about non-violence and exploring socially just and ecologically sustainable alternatives to that system that currently serves the interests of the City of London's 1%. It is great Stroud is joining this debate. We can and must find a better way of bringing people closer together and building a better society."