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kenyagami · 6 years

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Welcome to the first chapter of my new fanfiction, Agents of Beacon.

This story takes place in a Modern AU, to explain, in this version of Remnant the Grimm are still around, but Aura, Semblances, and Huntsmen are not. Well, they are, but that's for the story to tell you.

If this specific type of Modern AU (that being with all the fantasy elements being hidden to the general public and all the tech is equivalent to ours) isn't a thing then I'd like to call it the "Agents AU" but I'm not sure if I can get away with that.

I hope you enjoy

- Ken

Agents of Beacon

Chapter 1

Roman Torchwick sat alone in the office of one his many warehouses through the city of Vale. In front of him was mountains of paperwork all of which containing information from the most expendable grunts to the locations of his safehouses, to the route he'd take to said safehouses. The master criminal had to sift through each and every one, checking for any and all mistakes, approving or denying any transfer requests, and making sure everyone was paid. Running a crime syndicate was just as complicated as running any other business. Torchwick absolutely despised this part of the job. He thrived off the thrill of his crimes, the sadistic pleasure of abusing the weak, but at the end of each day, he had to force himself into his office to becoming a sodding paper pusher. Normally he'd bitch and moan to his direct subordinate, but she was out doing god-knows-what.

Actually, Roman couldn't remember the last time he saw Neopolitan, his sexy mute assassin. He had sent her off to deal with some officer who was getting a little too close to locating him, but that was weeks ago, she should've been back by now.

"Eh, she'll show up eventually. The girl is durable as hell, probably just off with some new plaything." The gentleman thief thought aloud. He was a crime lord, he wouldn't allow himself to worry about anyone but himself. That was dangerous in this line of work. Speaking of work, the man dressed in his signature white overcoat and black slacks returned to the paperwork in front of him. It was an employee evaluation sheet for some newbie. His place of employment read "Tony's Pizzeria." Some shitty Italian restaurant he owned to clean his money, couldn't put "professional criminal" on anything official obviously. A sudden knock on his door brought his attention back up.

Roman had spent so long looking at sheets of white and black that he had forgotten the layout to his own office. The room wasn't anything too special, it was your standard drab office you'd find anywhere else, with two not too comfortable wooden chairs in front of his similarly made desk, and a black leather couch beside a low coffee table being the only furniture in site. The far door had a plain glass window with the word "Office" printed on it, allowing him to see who dared bother him at eleven p.m.

On the other side of the door was a young girl in red, her hair was jet black with red tips, and her eyes were a strange, dull silver. Her face displayed her trepidation of being a defenseless child in a crime lords main base of operations in the shady part of the city, and in her arms was a beaten and bruised Neopolitan. Roman jumped out of his chair and rushed towards the door, cane in hand, ready to kill the one who dared to hurt Neo. The completely calm and not concerned at all master thief slammed his office door open, shattering the glass and scaring the crimsonette even more.

"What. Happened." He stated more than asked, the girl holding Neo looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "I-I was being harassed by some guys in white and she j-j-jumped in and s-s-s-saved me. After she beat them up, some guy in black and a white mask came and completely beat her." Her explanation was short and full of fear and stutters but Roman understood. However, he was just as confused. Neo saved her? Why? And guys in white and one in black? What the hell was the girl talking about? Now that Roman looked at her, she couldn't have been older than seventeen, what was she even doing here?

"What's your name?" Roman continued.

The girl sniffled and whipped her tears, eyes regaining life.

"Ruby Rose."

Three years later

Ruby Rose stood in front of the full-length mirror in her room, going over her outfit for the day. Her style hadn't changed much from her early days, sticking to goth and punk inspirations. Deciding that everything was in order, the red and black-clad girl grabbed her signature red cloak and headed downstairs. Walking into the living room, she spotted her father, Taiyang, in the kitchen. The nearing fifty, still ridiculously in shape, security guard was setting down a full plate of breakfast food for him and his daughter on the dining room table when notice Ruby.

"Heya there, Rubbes, got time to eat before you head out?" The old man had a youthful voice like he never aged past his prime. His looks supported this line of thinking, his blonde hair still full and vibrant, blue eyes still held that childlike wonder. He sat down, ready to devour his delicious creation, Ruby joined him, her empty stomach her only motivation at the moment.

"I'm sure I do, but if not, whatever. Jaune and them will understand. It's my first day off in months!" The twenty-year-old stated before engorging herself with the food.

"Well, be sure to tell them if you think you'll be late." Her father reminded her. He wasn't one for rudeness, and he instilled that into his daughters. The two ceased conversation to finish their food, both of them eating quickly, without either of Ruby's mothers around they lacked any and all manners. After they ate, the two placed their dishes in the sink and walked together to their vehicles. Ruby sent her longtime friend, Nora, a quick text instructing her to inform the others that she would be late.

"Oh, Dad, while it is my day off, I have to head to the office to pick up something I left, I'll be late getting back. Don't worry about cooking for me I'll pick something up for myself." The brunette informed Taiyang.

"Alright, Rubbes, guess I'll see you tonight then." With a nod to show he truly understood her, Taiyang got into his truck and headed off to work. Once he was out of sight, Ruby got into her car and looked over the message she received earlier once more.

"Red, I need you in today, after all, got to meet someone and I'd like both my girls there."

"Damn it, Roman. What the fuck." Ruby complained out loud. Torchwick already keeps her busy with the paperwork and sparring with Neo left her sore all over. She was truly looking forward to her day off, and now she'd have to cut it short. The throbbing return to her head, and with an exaggerated groan, she collected the aspirin from her glove box, took 3 and headed to the meeting place to find her friends. What the hell could be so important that Torchwick would call her in? Was this individual he was meeting that dangerous? Or did he just want to dump more work on her? She had no way of knowing until she got there, so with a resolute sigh, she turned on her Bluetooth to clear her mind.

After about twenty-five minutes of driving from her suburban neighborhood into the metropolis known as Vale, she reached her destination. Ruby grabbed her phone, locked her car, and entered the building with a sign that read "Junior's Grill." The familiar restaurant had a modern aesthetic and a black and white color scheme with splashes of red. Junior, the owner, originally wanted a homey wood cabin look, but his daughters took complete control of designing the place and made it what it is today. Speaking of the two, the girls in red and white were the first to greet Ruby as she entered.

"Hey, Ruby!"

"Hi, Cutie." Melanie and Miltia called out simultaneously.

"Oh, hey, Melanie, Miltiades!" Ruby called out excitedly.

"Ugh, Ruby, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Miltia?" Miltiades responded indignantly.

"Sorry, Love, how've you two been?"

"Better now that we've seen you, you haven't been to Daddy's club in months," Melanie answered this time, wrapping her arm around the red tipped girl's waist. Miltia was not far behind her twin, allowing Ruby to place an arm around each other as they walked further into the store.

"Again, sorry, my boss has been working me to death. Your dad's lucky. I haven't seen him around in weeks." Ruby openly complained as she noticed Junior whipping down an empty table not too far off. She and the man had an odd dynamic from an outsiders point of view. The crimsonette would often poke the older bearded man, and he treated her like a third daughter, the oddity being that she was a seemingly normal girl who had no business dealing with a bar owner and information broker. The relationship was started by Ruby's lovely older sister, Yang Xiao Long, whom often went to the man to help locate her bounties.

"Grass is certainly looking greener over here."Junior laughed, the man was normally quite busy managing his legitimate restaurant, nightclub, and information so it was nice to not be bothered by Roman.

"Yeah, well, I'm gonna still with my friends for a bit girls, I'll see you when I can." Ruby dismissed the Malachite twins and turned the corner of the large establishment. More tables, some filled, greeted her. The table furthest back and against a large windowed wall seated her multicolored companions. The one in pink was the first to notice the brunettes approach.

"RUBY!" Nora called out, jumping up and tackling the young girl. With an "oof" the air left Ruby's lungs as she landed on her ass. The other 3 were quick to stand and help the two redheads up.

"Hello to you too, Nora." Ruby weezed out. Nora giggled as she cuddled deeper into the crook out Ruby's neck.

"Sorry, bout that Ruby," Ren, a tall black-haired man of Asian descent in green, apologized for Nora, "It's just been so long." Ruby simply laughed it off, finally sitting down next to Pyrrha.

"It's no biggie, used to it by now," Ruby answered with a wide smile. "Actually kinda missed it."

"Well, we have certainly missed you." Pyrrha, the unofficial mother of the group clad in gold and red, injected.

"Yeah, what's been keeping you so busy?" Jaune, a blonde meek boy sporting a black hoodie and jeans, leaned forward, curiosity clear in his voice.

"Oh, just work, so much paperwork!"

"Really? What could possibly be so demanding?" A concerned Pyrrha asked, the crimsonette obviously couldn't just respond "Oh, y'know, running a crime syndicate." but she hated the thought of lying to her friends. The five of them had been together since early high school.

"Nothing too bad. C'mon, I don't wanna think about work right now, what have you guys been up to?"

While the concern didn't any of their faces, they knew they wouldn't get anything from the crimsonette. Three years ago, maybe, but ever since she got her new job, Ruby had changed. Before Ruby was quiet, shy, and genuine, now she was loud, confident, and deceptive. She had somehow gotten much stronger, though none of them ever seen her go to any gym, and she learned how to fight somewhere along the line. Ruby became quick, no one could touch her if she didn't want them to, and any opponent, no matter the size, would lay at her feet if they challenged her. The four of them tried, again and again, to find out what had changed in her life to cause this but she'd never answer them. The only thing that kept them from forcing the answer out of her was the fact that she was seemingly fine, better even, and that she never once lied to them.

There were plenty of times where Ruby would simply change the topic, or leave if pressed too hard. Quickly, her friends learned to stop asking, although it eventually came back up. After agreeing to let it go for the hundredth time, the conversation moved to much more pleasant things. They talked about Pyrrha's modeling career, and how she was steadily becoming more popular outside of Vale. Ren mentioned that he had finally gotten his therapy license, and Nora got a job at her favorite gym as a personal trainer. With the both of them working they were able to afford their own place and had not so recently moved out of Jaune's home. The aforementioned blonde still worked at the same bookstore with their other friends, Sun and Neptune, who Ruby was told were also doing fine. After talking for about an hour, laughing at Nora's antics, and sharing books to read with Jaune, the fivesome was approached by Junior.

"Hey, Ruby, I gotta talk to you real fast," Junior announced.

"What's up?" Ruby responded.

"Uhh, you sure it's fine? Right here?" Junior asked, gesturing to the others at the table. The crimsonette gave them each a quick glance before turning back to Junior, inquiring on what the topic of discussion was.

"Something our shared boss wants you informed on, nothing too sensitive," Junior answered her.

"Alright, spill," Ruby demanded, suddenly seeming superior to the older man.

"Yes, Ma'am!" Junior replied, shocking everyone in the restaurant, "Shits been gettin' rough out lately," He lowered his voice in embarrassment as he continued, "People are reporting sighting Grimm around lately."

"Grimm!?" The fivesome whispered in horror. The Creatures of Grimm were a plague. Their predatory nature against humanity as a whole earned them notoriety among the everyman. They took on many shapes and sizes but shared just as many traits. From their soulless, blood-red eyes, to the boney white plates that covered each species. They used to be a commonplace disaster, but far from recent advancements in technologies and Dust have kept them far from any city. They were still routinely hunted by each kingdom's military, however, since the longer a single Grimm lived, the stronger and more intelligent it became.

"Yeah," Junior continued, "In the city. They just appear, kill, and then vanish. People report them mainly in the shitter parts like where homeless gather and the police don't take them seriously."

Jaune breathed a sigh of relief at this, "So, its just crazy talk. if the police aren't worried, we shouldn't be either right?"

Nora and Pyrrha regained some of their lost color at this, but Ruby quickly dashed all hope in them with a firm "We aren't police." Ren didn't let the comment slide.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean we shouldn't shove this off as a drug addict's ramblings, Junior, finish." Ruby was curt. Her demeanor had changed as soon as Junior began, she seemed tense, ready for a fight. Junior didn't let anyone ask her why.

"Last thing is that some people are stating that others are 'superhuman.'" No one interrupted this time, "They say that they take bullets like nothing, glowing when shot, and healing super fast. Heard they move faster than a normal person, stronger too. No explanation on that."

Ruby moved her gaze to the floor thoughtfully, and Ren seemed to recognize what Junior was talking about.

"Glowing? Is it a shared color?" Ren leaned forward, tense after hearing what Junior had to say.

"No, each one reports a different person having a different color. If it helps, only two people have been seen in total, and their colors are white and green."

"I have to go," Ruby announced suddenly, surprising everyone.

"What, why?" Both Nora and Pyrrha asked.

"Work." That was all Ruby said before she was gone.

Vale, the capital of the Kingdom and named after said kingdom, was fairly large. The upper district was where the city officials and rich resided, it was full of large buildings, skyscrapers, and banks. Fancy restaurants and opera houses added to the pretentious and snobby vibe one got by being in the general area. Most people living there were of the one percent, being bankers or aforementioned city official. They lived in expensive mansions, drove expensive cars, and wore expensive clothes. They lived their lives thriving off of gossip and using money to solve any problem, completely ignorant to the needs and worries of the middle and lower districts. The middle district was exactly that, middle. Everyone lived in middle-class homes, drove middle-class cars, you get the picture. It was what people thought of when they heard the word "city." Full of schools, movie theaters, clubs, and suburban neighborhoods. It was the perfectly normal life, who could ask for more?

Blake Belladonna could. She currently lived in the lower district of Vale, and she hated it. The streets were dirty, full of waste and homeless people. Only every other building was even livable, the standard being filled with holes and crumbling to dust. Luckily, it wasn't her permanent home, that being Menagerie, another, smaller kingdom. So, what was she doing in Vale? Simple, White Fang business. Adam Taurus, a red-headed bull Faunus, and she came here to take over the Valeian faction and get them back in order. Adam quickly gained a loyal following here and took the title of Faction Leader no problem. What bothered Blake was what came afterward. In their three year tenure here in Vale, Adam had changed. Not abruptly, but steadily, like a poison. Slowly he became more angry, violent, and ruthless. The orders he gave were more harsh and deadly. Even now, Blake sat alone on a tall office building, scouting out the routine of a senator she was meant to assassinate.

The thought alone disgusted her. The White Fang Blake knew and loved was a peaceful organization. They only wanted equal rights for Faunus, a race of humans with animal traits. The girl in black and white was a cat Faunus herself, sporting two black cat ears under her signature bow. Every day, in every kingdom to various degrees, Faunus were discriminated, segregated, and abused only because they were different. The White Fang was made to fight against this, in a peaceful manner. With protest and demonstrations, they actually began to make progress towards equality. Then Adam stepped in, while he was only a leader to the Faction in Vale, other like-minded individuals were popping up all over Remnant. His mercilessness was already spreading with the organization, Blake's current mission was proof of that. Speaking of, some movement down below brought Blake out of her trance.

On street level was Senator Isaac Black, he was the swing vote on a bill that discreetly allowed Faunus to be forced to work overtime without compensation. It was obvious to anyone that actually read the damn thing, but who bothered with that? It didn't affect the general populace, so it truly didn't matter. The Faunus didn't know what killing him would accomplish, would it send a message? Of course, but was it a message the White Fang wanted? No, it couldn't be, this wouldn't help the Faunus whatsoever. This event would fully mark them as a terrorist group, which would certainly do them no favors.

Blake watched her target enter his car and drive away, harboring no intention to pursue him. She sat down on the edge of her perch and looked at her hand, a light purple glow emanating from it. It was her Aura, an outward manifestation of her soul, or so Blake was told. It made her stronger, allowed her to move faster, protected her from damage, and gave her access to her semblance, Shadow. This was supposed to be the White Fang's secret weapon, Blake only saw it as a tool for war. Only Adam and her possessed Aura, but it gave every member of the White Fang in Vale the confidence to attack their oppressors. That, and the new uniform and masks that Blake refused to wear. With the masks, the guilt of their new terrorist actions didn't weight on the once normal citizens that made up the White Fang. Blake had a front row seat to the White Fang's painful transformation, and it angered her to no end.

"Hey there, Kitty Cat." Which is why she contacted this old drunkard.

"I kindly ask that you never call me that ever again." Blake deadpanned. The old man just laughed at her and took a seat next to the black Faunus giving her a chance to look him over.

His hair was black and unkempt, eyes red, both in color and bloodshot, and his chin was decorated in scruff. Blake could tell he was muscular, but his black business suit covered it well. His white undershirt was unbuttoned at the top, only being held in place by a blood red tie. The Faunus had a feeling that he didn't choose this style on his own, mainly because he looked extremely uncomfortable in it. However, it still made her feel underdressed. Her white sleeveless shirt, black vest, and white shorts suddenly felt inadequate. With a large sigh the feeling left, she requested to meet him again for a reason.

"So, can you really help me, Mr. Branwen?" Blake asked as the man reached for a flask in his inner pocket. Though, he paused once he registered what she said.

"Alright, listen, I won't call you anything cat related if you don't call me 'mister,' deal?"

"Deal. Qrow it is."

"Great, so, to answer your question," he paused to sip his flask, "Yeah, I can help you, but you're gonna hafta help me first."

Blake gave a nod of approval, not wanting to interrupt the man. "This isn't from Beacon, this is from me. I got a niece that lives here in Vale. Real sweet little monster. Haven't seen her in a long time, and I heard she's gotten into some real shit."

Another pause, another sip.

"Her dad and friends are all worried to no end, and I'm a busy guy, I can't just drop in and check on her. That's what I need you for." Qrow looked over to Blake seeing if she understood what he meant.

"So…" Blake began, confused, "You want me to… follow her?"

"Close. I want you to be her friend."

Blake gave the old drunkard a blank stare, slowly processing what he said.

"What?"

End of Chapter 1

Well, that's chapter 1. I honestly can't wait to hear what you have to say, and to finish chapter 2.

Next time, we see what Yang is up to, and follow team JNPR as they worry over Ruby

-Ken

#rwby #rwby fanfiction #fanfic #ff.net #rwby ladybug

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labourpress · 7 years

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Jeremy Corbyn speech to Labour Party Conference

Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the Labour Party, speaking at the Labour Party Conference in Brighton today, said:

***CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY***

Conference, thank you for that. We meet here this week as a united Party, advancing in every part of Britain, winning the confidence of millions of our fellow citizens, setting out our ideas and plans for our country’s future, that have already inspired people of all ages and backgrounds.

And it’s a privilege to be speaking in Brighton. A city that not only has a long history of hosting Labour conferences, but also of inspirational Labour activists.

It was over a century ago, here in Brighton, that a teenage shop worker had had enough of the terrible conditions facing her and her workmates. She risked the sack to join the Shop Workers’ Union, after learning about it in a newspaper used to wrap up fish and chips, and was so effective at standing up for women shop workers, she became assistant general secretary before the age of 30.

In that role she seconded the historic resolution at the Trades Union Congress of 1899 to set up the Labour Representation Committee so that working people would finally have representation in Parliament.

That became the Labour Party and it was this woman, Margaret Bondfield who later become a Labour MP. And in 1929, the first ever woman to join the British cabinet’

From a Brighton drapery to Downing Street. Margaret Bondfield’s story is a reminder of the decisive role women have played in the Labour Party from its foundation, and that Labour has always been about making change by working together and standing up for others.

Conference, against all predictions in June we won the largest increase in the Labour vote since 1945 and achieved Labour’s best vote for a generation. It’s a result which has put the Tories on notice and Labour on the threshold of power.

Yes, we didn’t do quite well enough and we remain in opposition for now, but we have become a Government-in-waiting. Our outstanding shadow cabinet team here today. And our message to the country could not be clearer - Labour is ready.

Ready to tackle inequality , ready to rebuild our NHS, ready to give opportunity to young people, dignity and security to older people, ready to invest in our economy and meet the challenges of climate change and automation, ready to put peace and justice at the heart of foreign policy. And ready to build a new and progressive relationship with Europe.

We are ready and the Tories are clearly not. They’re certainly not strong and they’re definitely not stable. They’re not remotely united. And they’re hanging on by their fingertips.

But this Tory Government does have one thing that we lack. They have tracked down the Magic Money Tree when it was needed to keep Theresa May in Downing Street. It was given a good old shake - and lo and behold – now we know the price of power – it’s about £100m for each Democratic Unionist MP.

During the election campaign, Theresa May told voters they faced the threat of a “coalition of chaos . Remember that? Well, now they’re showing us exactly how that works. And I don’t just mean the Prime Minister’s desperate deal with the DUP. She’s got a “coalition of chaos” around her own cabinet table - Phillip Hammond and Liam Fox, Boris Johnson and David Davis.

At each other’s throats, squabbling and plotting, manoeuvring to bundle the Prime Minister out of Number Ten and take her place at the first opportunity Instead of getting to grips with the momentous issues facing our country.

But this coalition of chaos is no joke. Just look at their record since the Conservatives have been in office;

The longest fall in people’s pay since record began

Homelessness doubled

NHS waiting lists lengthening

School class sizes growing and teachers leaving

Over 4 million children now in poverty

20,000 police officers … and 11,000 firefighters cut

More people in work and in poverty … than ever before

Condemned by the United Nations for violating the rights of disabled people.

That’s not strong and stable. It’s callous and calculating. Because the Tories calculated that making life worse for millions in the name of austerity would pay for hefty tax handouts to the rich and powerful.

Conference, your efforts in the election campaign stopped the Tories in their tracks. The election result has already delivered one Tory U-turn after another over some of their most damaging policies. The cruel dementia tax was scrapped within three days of being announced. Plans to bring back grammar schools have been ditched . The threat to the pensions’ triple lock abandoned. Withdrawal of Winter Fuel payments dumped. The pledge to bring back fox hunting dropped. And their plan to end free school meals in primary schools has been binned.

The reality is that barely three months since the election this coalition of Conservative chaos is tearing up its Manifesto and tearing itself apart. They are bereft of ideas and energy. Indeed, they seem to be cherry-picking Labour policies instead, including on Brexit.

I say to the Prime Minister: “You’re welcome . But go the whole hog end austerity, abolish tuition fees, scrap the public sector pay cap. I think we can find a Commons majority for all of that. This is a weak and divided Government with no purpose beyond clinging to power.

It is Labour that is now setting the agenda and winning the arguments for a new common sense about the direction our country should take.

Conference, there were two stars of our election campaign. The first was our Manifesto that drew on the ideas of our members and trade unionists and the hopes and aspirations of their communities and workplaces. And we were clear about how we would pay for it by asking the richest and the largest corporations to start paying their fair share.

Not simply to redistribute within a system that isn’t delivering for most people but to transform that system. So we set out not only how we would protect public services but how we would rebuild and invest in our economy, with a publicly-owned engine of sustainable growth, driven by national and regional investment banks, to generate good jobs and prosperity in every region and nation.

Our Manifesto is the programme of a modern, progressive socialist party that has rediscovered its roots and its purpose, bucking the trend across Europe.

And Conference, the other star of that campaign was YOU. Our members, our supporters in the trade unions, our doorstep and social media campaigners. Young people sharing messages and stories on social media, hundreds of thousands organising online and on the ground to outplay the Tories’ big money machine.

Is it any wonder that here today in Brighton you represent the largest political party in western Europe, with nearly 600,000 members, alongside three million affiliated trade unionists, brimming with enthusiasm and confidence in the potential of our people. You are the future. And let me say straight away. I’m awed and humbled by everything you have done, along with hundreds of thousands of others across the country, to take us to where we are today.

I have never been more proud to be your elected leader. Our election campaign gave people strength. It brought millions on to the electoral register and inspired millions to go to vote for the first time.

And Labour was the Party of unity, bringing generations and communities together, rather than pitting young and old against each other, as the Tories did. We will never seek to squeeze one generation to support another. Under Labour, people will win together.

The result of our campaign confounded every expert and sceptic. I see John McDonnell said the ‘grey beards’ had got it all wrong. I’m not sure that’s entirely fair, John? We wiped out the Tory majority, winning support in every social and age group and gaining seats in every region and nation of the country.

So please, Theresa May take another walking holiday and make another impetuous decision. The Labour campaign machine is primed and ready to roll.

Of course, there were some who didn’t come out of the election too well. I’m thinking of some of our more traditional media friends. They ran the campaign they always do under orders from their tax exile owners to trash Labour at every turn. The day before the election one paper devoted fourteen pages to attacking the Labour Party. And our vote went up nearly 10%.

Never have so many trees died in vain. The British people saw right through it. So this is a message to the Daily Mail’s editor- next time, please could you make it 28 pages?

But there’s a serious message too, the campaign by the Tories and their loyal media was nasty and personal. It fuelled abuse online and no one was the target of that more than Diane Abbott. She has a decades-long record of campaigning for social justice and has suffered intolerable misogynistic and racist abuse. Faced with such an overwhelmingly hostile press and an army of social media trolls,it’s even more important that we stand.

Yes we will disagree, but there can never be any excuse for any abuse of anybody. We settle our differences with democratic votes and unite around those decision.

That is the Labour Party, here this week, and out in the communities EVERY week -diverse, welcoming, democratic and ready to serve our country.

There is no bigger test in politics right now than Brexit, an incredibly important and complex process, that cannot be reduced to repeating fairy stories from the side of a bus or waiting 15 months to state the obvious. As democratic socialists, we accept and respect the referendum result, but respect for a democratic decision does not mean giving a green light to a recklesss Tory Brexit agenda that would plunge Britain into a Trump-style race-to-the-bottom in rights and corporate taxes.

We are not going to be passive spectators to a hopelessly inept negotiating team putting at risk people’s jobs, rights and living standards. A team more interested in posturing for personal advantage than in getting the best deal for our country. To be fair, Theresa May’s speech in Florence last week did unite the cabinet. for a few hours at least. Her plane had barely touched down at Heathrow before the divisions broke out again.

Never has the national interest been so ill-served on such a vital issue, If there were no other reason for the Tories to go their self-interested Brexit bungling would be reason enough. So I have a simple message to the cabinet for Britain’s sake pull yourself together or make way.

One thing needs to be made clear straight away. The three million EU citizens currently living and working in Britain are welcome here. They have been left under a cloud of insecurity by this government when their future could have been settled months ago. So Theresa May, give them the full guarantees they deserve today. If you don’t, we will.

Since the referendum result our Brexit team has focused above all on our economic future. That future is now under real threat. A powerful faction in the Conservative leadership sees Brexit as their chance to create a tax haven on the shores of Europe a low-wage, low tax deregulated playground for the hedge funds and speculators. A few at the top would do very nicely, no question. But manufacturing industries would go to the wall taking skilled jobs with them our tax base would crumble our public services would be slashed still further.

We are now less than 18 months away from leaving the European Union. And so far, the Tory trio leading the talks have got nowhere and agreed next to nothing. This rag-tag Cabinet spends more time negotiating with each other than they do with the EU. A cliff-edge Brexit is at risk of becoming a reality. That is why Labour has made clear that Britain should stay within the basic terms of the single market and a customs union for a limited transition period. It is welcome at least that Theresa May has belatedly accepted that.

But beyond that transition, our task is a different one. It is to unite everyone in our country around a progressive vision of what Britain could be, but with a government that stands for the many not the few.

Labour is the only party that can bring together those who voted leave and those who backed remain and unite the country for a future beyond Brexi. What matters in the Brexit negotiations is to achieve a settlement that delivers jobs, rights and decent living standards.

Conference, the real divide over Brexit could not be . A shambolic Tory Brexit driving down standards .Or a Labour Brexit that puts jobs first a Brexit for the many, one that guarantees unimpeded access to the single market and establishes a new co-operative relationship with the EU.

A Brexit that uses powers returned from Brussels to support a new industrial strategy to upgrade our economy in every region and nation. One that puts our economy first not fake immigration targets that fan the flames of fear. We will never follow the Tories into the gutter of blaming migrants for the ills of society. It isn’t migrants who drive down wages and conditions but the worst bosses in collusion with a Conservative government that never misses a chance to attack trade unions and weaken people’s rights at work.

Labour will take action to stop employers driving down pay and conditions not pander to scapegoating or racism. How Britain leaves the European Union is too important to be left to the Conservatives and their internal battles and identity crises.

Labour will hold Theresa May’s squabbling ministers to account every step of the way in these talks. And, with our Brexit team of Keir Starmer, Emily Thornberry and Barry Gardiner we stand ready to take over whenever this government fails. to negotiate a new relationship with Europe that works for us all reaching outto help create a Europe for the many for the future.

The truth is …. That under the Tories Britain’s future is at risk whatever the outcome of the Brexit process. Our economy no longer delivers secure housing secure well-paid jobs or rising living standards. There is a new common sense emerging about how the country should be run. That’s what we fought for in the election and that’s what’s needed to replace the broken model forged by Margaret Thatcher many years ago.

And Ten years after the global financial crash the Tories still believe in the same dogmatic mantra – Deregulate, privatise ,cut taxes for the wealthy, weaken rights at work, delivering profits for a few, and debt for the many. Nothing has changed. It’s as if we’re stuck in a political and economic time-warp.

As the Financial Times put it last month our “financial system still looks a lot like the pre-crisis one” and the capitalist system still faces a “crisis of legitimacy”, stemming from the crash.

Now is the time that government took a more active role in restructuring our economy. Now is the time that corporate boardrooms were held accountable for their actions, And now is the time that we developed a new model of economic management to replace the failed dogmas of neo-liberalism … That is why Labour is looking not just to repair the damage done by austerity but to transform our economy with a new and dynamic role for the public sector particularly where the private sector has evidently failed.

Take the water industry. Of the nine water companies in England six are now owned by private equity or foreign sovereign wealth funds. Their profits are handed out in dividends to shareholders while the infrastructure crumbles the companies pay little or nothing in tax and executive pay has soared as the service deteriorates.

That is why we are committed to take back our utilities into public ownership to put them at the service of our people and our economy and stop the public being ripped off.

Of course there is much more that needs to be done. Our National Investment Bank… and the Transformation Fund will be harnessed to mobilise public investment to create wealth and good jobs. When I’ve met business groups I’ve been frank we will invest in the education and skills of the workforce and we will invest in better infrastructure from energy to digital but we are going to ask big business to pay a bit more tax.

The Tory approach to the economy isn’t entrepreneurial It’s extractive. They’re not focused on long-term investment and wealth creation. When you look at what they do rather than what they say it’s all about driving down wages, services and standards … to make as much money as quickly as possible with government not as the servant of the people but of global corporations. And their disregard for rampant inequality the hollowing out of our public services, the disdain for the powerless and the poorhave made our society more brutal and less caring.

Now that degraded regime has a tragic monument the chilling wreckage of Grenfell Tower. A horrifying fire in which dozens perished an entirely avoidable human disaster. One which is an indictment not just of decades of failed housing policies and privatisation and the yawning inequality in one of the wealthiest boroughs and cities in the world, it is also a damning indictment of a whole outlook which values council tax refunds for the wealthy above decent provision for all and which has contempt for working class communities.

Before the fire, a tenants’ group of Grenfell residents had warned … and I quote words that should haunt all politicians “the Grenfell Action Group firmly believesthat only a catastrophic event will expose the ineptitude and incompetence of our landlord”. Grenfell is not just the result of bad political decisions It stands for a failed and broken system which Labour must and will replace.

The poet Ben Okri recently wrote in his poem “Grenfell Tower”:

Those who were living now are dead

Those who were breathing are from the living earth fled

If you want to see how the poor die, come see Grenfell Tower.

See the tower, and let a world changing dream flower.

We have a duty as a country to learn the lessons from this calamity and ensure that a changed world flowers . I hope that the public inquiry will assist. But a decent home is a right for everyone whatever their income or background. And houses should be homes for the many not speculative investments for a few. Look at the Conservative housing record and you understand why Grenfell residents are sceptical about their Conservative council and this Conservative government.

Since 2010: homelessness has doubled, 120,000 children don’t have a home to call their own, home ownership has fallen, thousands are living in homes unfit for human habitation. This is why alongside our Shadow Housing minister John Healey we’re launching a review of social housing policy - its building, planning, regulation and management.

We will listen to tenants across the country and propose a radical programme of action to next year’s conference. But some things are already clear tenants are not being listened to.

We will insist that every home is fit for human habitation, a proposal this Tory government voted down. And we will control rents - when the younger generation’s housing costs are three times more than those of their grandparents, that is not sustainable.

Rent controls exist in many cities across the world and I want our cities to have those powers too and tenants to have those protections. We also need to tax undeveloped land held by developers and have the power to compulsorily purchase. As Ed Miliband said, "Use it or lose it". Families need homes.

After Grenfell we must think again about what are called regeneration schemes.

Regeneration is a much abused word.

Too often what it really means is forced gentrification and social cleansing, as private developers move in and tenants and leaseholders are moved out. We are very clear: we will stop the cuts to social security.

But we need to go further, as conference decided yesterday.

So when councils come forward with proposals for regeneration, we will put down two markers based on one simple principle:

Regeneration under a Labour government will be for the benefit of the local people, not private developers, not property speculators. First, people who live on an estate that’s redeveloped must get a home on the same site and the same terms as before.

No social cleansing, no jacking up rents, no exorbitant ground rents. And second councils will have to win a ballot of existing tenants and leaseholders before any redevelopment scheme can take place.

Real regeneration, yes, but for the many not the few.

That’s not all that has to change.

All parties unite in paying tribute to our public sector workers:

The firefighters who ran into Grenfell Tower to save lives; the health service workers caring for the maimed in the Manchester terrorist outrage; the brave police officers who confronted the attackers at London Bridge; and PC Keith Palmer who gave his life when terrorists attack our democracy.

Our public servants make the difference every day, between a decent and a threadbare society.

Everyone praises them. But it is Labour that values them and is prepared to give them the pay rise they deserve and protect the services they provide.

Year after year the Tories have cut budgets and squeezed public sector pay, while cutting taxes for the highest earners and the big corporations.

You can’t care for the nation’s health when doctors and nurses are being asked to accept falling living standards year after year.

You can’t educate our children properly in ever larger class sizes with more teachers than ever leaving the profession.

You can’t protect the public on the cheap.

The police and security services must get the resources they need, not 20,000 police cuts.

Scrapping the public sector pay squeeze isn’t an act of charity - it is a necessity to keep our public services fully staffed and strong.

Not everything worthwhile costs money though.

Like many people, I have been moved by the Daily Mirror's campaign to change the organ donation law.

There are more than 5,000 people on organ transplant waiting lists, but a shortage of donors means that in recent years only 3,500 of them get the life-saving treatments they need.

So that everybody whose life could be saved by an organ transplant can have the gift of life - from one human being to another.

The law has already been changed in Wales under Carwyn Jones’s leadership, and today I make the commitment a Labour government will do the same for England.

In the last couple of days John McDonnell and Rebecca Long-Bailey have set out how we are going to develop the economic plans in our manifesto to ensure that sustainable growth and good jobs reach ALL parts of the country.

So that no community or region is held back.

To establish regional development banks,. to invest in an industrial strategy for every region.

But the challenges of the future go beyond the need to turn our backs on an economic model that has failed to invest and upgrade our economy.

We need urgently to face the challenge of automation - robotics that could make so much of contemporary work redundant.

That is a threat in the hands of the greedy, but it’s a huge opportunity if it’s managed in the interests of society as a whole.

We won’t reap the full rewards of these great technological advances if they’re monopolised to pile up profits for a few.

But if they’re publicly managed - to share the benefits - they can be the gateway for a new settlement between work and leisure. A springboard for expanded creativity and culture.

The tide of automation and technological change means re-training and management of the workforce must be centre-stage in the coming years.

So Labour will build an education and training system from the cradle to the grave that empowers people.

Not one that shackles them with debt.

That’s why we will establish a National Education Service which will include at its core free tuition for all college courses, technical and vocational training so that no one is held back by costs and everyone has the chance to learn.

That will give millions a fair chance.

Lifelong learning for all is essential in the economy of the future.

The huge shift of employment that will take place under the impact of automation must be planned and managed.

It demands the reskilling of millions of people. Only Labour will deliver that.

As Angela Rayner said yesterday, our National Education Service will be run on clear principles: universal, free and empowering.

This is central to our socialism for the 21st century, for the many not the few.

During the election I visited Derwentside College in the constituency of our new MP Laura Pidcock - one of dozens of great new MPs breathing life and energy into Parliament.

They offer adult courses in everything from IT to beauty therapy, from engineering to childcare.

I met apprentice construction workers. They stand to benefit from Labour’s £250 billion National Transformation Fund, building the homes people need and the new transport, energy and digital infrastructure our country needs.

But changing our economy to make it work for the whole country can’t take place in isolation from changing how our country is run.

For people to take control of their own lives, our democracy needs to break out of Westminster into all parts of our society and economy where power is unaccountable.

All around the world democracy is facing twin threats:

One is the emergence of an authoritarian nationalism that is intolerant and belligerent.

The second is apparently more benign, but equally insidious.

It is that the big decisions should be left to the elite.

That political choices can only be marginal and that people are consumers first, and only citizens a distant second.

Democracy has to mean much more than that.

It must mean listening to people outside of election time. Not just the rich and powerful who are used to calling the shots, but to those at the sharp end who really know what’s going on.

Like the Greater Manchester police officer who warned Theresa May two years ago that cuts to neighbourhood policing were risking people’s lives and security.

His concerns were dismissed as “crying wolf”.

Like the care workers sacked when they blow the whistle on abuse of the elderly..

Or the teachers intimidated when they speak out about the lack of funding for our children’s schools.

Or the doctors who are ignored when they warn that the NHS crumbling before our eyes, or blow the whistle on patient safety.

Labour is fighting for a society not only where rewards are more fairly spread, but where people are listened to more as well by government, their local council, their employer.

Some of the most shocking cases of people not being listened to must surely be the recent revelations of widespread child sex abuse.

Young people - and most often young working class women - have been subjected to the most repugnant abuse.

The response lies in making sure that everybody’s voice must be heard no matter who they are or what their background.

The kind of democracy that we should be aiming for is one where people have a continuing say in how society is run, how their workplace is run, how their local schools or hospitals are run.

That means increasing the public accountability and democratization of local services that Andrew Gwynne was talking about on Monday.

It means democratically accountable public ownership for the natural monopolies, with new participatory forms of management, as Rebecca Long-Bailey has been setting out.

It means employees given their voice at work, with unions able to represent them properly, freed of undemocratic fetters on their right to organize.

I promised you two years ago that we would do politics differently.

It’s not always been easy.

There’s quite a few who prefer politics the old way.

But let me say it again. We will do politics differently.

And the vital word there is “we”.

Not just leaders saying things are different, but everyone having the chance to shape our democracy.

Our rights as citizens are as important as our rights as consumers.

Power devolved to the community, not monopolised in Westminster and Whitehall.

Now let’s take it a stage further - make public services accountable to communities.

Business accountable to the public, and politicians truly accountable to those we serve.

Let the next Labour government will transform Britain by genuinely putting power in the hands of the people, the creative, compassionate and committed people of our country.

Both at home and abroad, what underpins our politics is our compassion and our solidarity with people.

Including those now recovering from hurricane damage in the Caribbean, floods in South Asia and Texas. and earthquakes in Mexico.

Our interdependence as a planet could not be more obvious.

The environmental crisis in particular demands a common global response.

That is why President Trump’s threats to withdraw from the Paris Climate Change Treaty are so alarming.

There is no contradiction between meeting our climate change commitments and investing to build a strong economy based on high skill industries.

In fact the opposite is the case.

Action on climate change is a powerful spur to investment in the green industries and jobs of the future. So long as it is managed as part of a sustainable transition.

We know, tragically, that terrorism also recognises no boundaries.

We have had five shocking examples in Britain this year alone.

Two during the course of the General Election campaign and one in my own constituency.

Both Andy Burnham and Sadiq Khan - the mayors of Manchester and London - played a crucial role in bringing people together in the aftermath of those brutal attacks.

The targeting of our democracy, of teenage girls at a pop concert, of people enjoying a night out, worshippers outside a mosque, commuters going to work - all of these are horrific crimes.

And we all unite in both condemning the perpetrators and in our support for the emergency and security services, working to keep us safe.

But we also know that terrorism is thriving in a world our governments have helped to shape, with its failed states, military interventions and occupations where millions are forced to flee conflict or hunger.

We have to do better and swap the knee-jerk response of another bombing campaign for long-term help to solve conflicts rather than fuel them.

And we must put our values at the heart of our foreign policy.

Democracy and human rights are not an optional extra to be deployed selectively.

So we cannot be silent at the cruel Saudi war in Yemen, while continuing to supply arms to Saudi Arabia, or the crushing of democracy in Egypt or Bahrain, or the tragic loss of life in Congo.

And I say this today to Aung San Suu Kyi - a champion of democracy and human rights - : end the violence now against the Rohingya in Myanmar and allow the UN and international aid agencies in to Rakhine state.

The Rohingya have suffered for too long!

We should stand firm for peaceful solutions to international crises.

Let’s tone down the rhetoric, and back dialogue and negotiations to wind down the deeply dangerous confrontation over the Korean Peninsula.

And I appeal to the UN secretary general, Antonio Guterres to use the authority of his office and go to Washington and Pyongyang to kick start that essential process of dialogue.

And let’s give real support to end the oppression of the Palestinian people, the 50-year occupation and illegal settlement expansion and move to a genuine two-state solution of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

Britain’s voice needs to be heard independently in the world.

We must be a candid friend to the United States, now more than ever.

The values we share are not served by building walls, banning immigrants on the basis of religion, polluting the planet, or pandering to racism.

And let me say frankly - the speech made by the US President to the United Nations last week was deeply disturbing.

It threatened war and talked of tearing up international agreements.

Devoid of concern for human rights or universal values, it was not the speech of a world leader.

Our government has a responsibility. It cannot meekly go along with this dangerous course.

If the special relationship means anything, it must mean that we can say to Washington: that way is the wrong way.

That’s clearly what’s needed in the case of Bombardier where thousands of jobs are now at stake.

A Prime Minister betting our economic future on a deregulated trade deal with the US might want to explain how 220% tariffs are going to boost our exports.

So let Britain’s voice be heard loud and clear for peace, justice and cooperation.

Conference, it is often said that elections can only be won from the centre ground.

And in a way that’s not wrong - so long as it’s clear that the political centre of gravity isn’t fixed or unmovable, nor is it where the establishment pundits like to think it is.

It shifts as people’s expectations and experiences change and political space is opened up.

Today’s centre ground is certainly not where it was twenty or thirty years ago.

A new consensus is emerging from the great economic crash and the years of austerity, when people started to find political voice for their hopes for something different and better.

2017 may be the year when politics finally caught up with the crash of 2008 - because we offered people a clear choice.

We need to build a still broader consensus around the priorities we set in the election, making the case for both compassion and collective aspiration.

This is the real centre of gravity of British politics.

We are now the political mainstream.

Our manifesto and our policies are popular because that is what most people in our country actually want, not what they’re told they should want.

And that is why Labour is on the way back in Scotland becoming once again the champion of social justice.

Thank you Kezia. And whoever next leads Scottish Labour - our unifying socialist message will continue to inspire both south and north of the border.

That is why our party now has around twice the membership of all the other parties put together.

Conference, we have left the status quo behind, but we must make the change we seek credible and effective.

We have left our own divisions behind. But we must make our unity practical. We know we are campaign-ready.

We must be government-ready too. Our aspirations matched by our competence.

During the election campaign I met and listened to people in every part of the country.

Struggling single parents, young people held back by lack of opportunity.

Pensioners anxious about health and social care, public servants trying to keep services together.

Low and middle earners, self-employed and employed, facing insecurity and squeezed living standards.

But hopeful that things could change, and that Labour could make a difference.

Many hadn’t voted before, or not for years past.

But they put their faith in our party.

We offered an antidote to apathy and despair.

Let everyone understand - We will not let you down.

Because we listen to you, because we believe in you.

Labour can and will deliver a Britain for the many not just the few.

Thank you.

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recentanimenews · 3 years

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Bookshelf Briefs 6/2/21

Beauty and the Feast, Vol. 1 | By Satomi U | Square Enix Manga – I was worried this would turn romantic, and it still may, but for the moment my fears are unfounded, as this is mostly sweet and devoted to food. A young widow who loved to cook for her late husband rediscovers its joys by cooking for her neighbor, a baseball-playing teen with a bottomless stomach. He’s earnest and doesn’t talk much, she’s earnest and a bit older-sister type… the manga would risk being dull except we also have his childhood friend, who’s clearly in love with him and upset that he has not realized this at all. (His lack of drive is a plot point; the coach sees it too.) The food also looks very tasty, and makes me curious about those really huge rice cookers. Sweet. – Sean Gaffney

I Think Our Son Is Gay, Vol. 1 | By Okura | Square Enix Manga – Having enjoyed That Blue Sky Feeling, I was happy to have the chance to read another work by Okura. The first volume of I Think Our Son Is Gay is an absolute delight. The story unfolds in a series of short, largely humorous vignettes told from the perspective of a loving mother who has some very good reasons to believe her oldest son is gay. Hiroki hasn’t explicitly said as much, but he’s very easy to read and becomes adorably flustered, so the fact that he likes boys becomes obvious to both his mother and younger brother. However his father, who isn’t home much, unfortunately hasn’t come to realize it yet—his unthinking expression of casual homophobia is unintentionally hurtful. I Think Our Son Is Gay doesn’t ignore this sort of tension and pain, but as a whole the work comes across as overwhelmingly supportive and accepting of the endearing Hiroki. – Ash Brown

In/Spectre, Vol. 13 | By Kyo Shirodaira and Chashiba Katase | Kodansha Comics – In/Spectre tends to work best when it invests the reader in the solution to the mystery, so I can see why some people might be annoyed with the resolution of the plot from the previous volume, which is very much “I asked my ghost friends, and they said the character you’ve totally forgotten about did it.” That said, this is more of a “whodinnadunnit” and how to avoid getting framed. After that we get a one-shot whose point is “other yokai find Kuro terrifying” (the previous story touched on that as well), and then the start of a new arc, which looks fascinating as Kotoko is forced to have Rikka as her Watson rather than Kuro. So, good volume, but I want to read fourteen more. – Sean Gaffney

Our Teachers Are Dating!, Vol. 3 | By Pikachi Ohi | Seven Seas – If you think that good stories rely on conflict and discord, you probably didn’t even bother to try reading this in the first place, but it’s definitely time to get off the train now. This series is built on “aaawwwwwww,” and it’s not letting up. Hayama and Terano are still hideously in love, to the point where they can barely stand to be apart from each other—so why not move in together? There’s a skiing holiday (oh no, we are trapped in the lodge and must make love!), bathing together (as the cover demonstrates)… heck, the series even manages to make a quickie in the back of a car seem adorable. It will never be deep, but it does what its readers want very well. – Sean Gaffney

Sex Ed 120%, Vol. 1 | By Kikiki Tataki and Hotomura | Yen Press – The title and concept don’t really inspire confidence, but this turned out to be really good. Part of it is a sex ed manual of sorts—if you don’t know what a dental dam is, you will by the end of this book—but it’s also the story of a very curious teacher who wants her students to be informed and the students themselves who take in her lessons. One is into BL, one is seemingly asexual but very much loves animals (non-sexually), and the third is a lesbian trying to hide her relationship, though everyone knows by the end of the volume. It’s also an all-girls’ school, so a lot of plots I was worried about don’t apply here. I also like the other teacher, aka the Voice of Reason, a lot. Give this a try, you’ll be surprised. – Sean Gaffney

Species Domain, Vol. 9 | By Shunsuke Noro | Seven Seas – In this volume, we see the growth of Kazamori’s character in many ways, showing off her maturity and the fact that she’s now a major part of the school—it’s no surprise she joins the new Big Four. Ohki is more of a surprise, especially as he has to be added as a secret “fifth” member. He’s always been difficult to get a handle on, and Kazamori almost seems to have stopped bothering, but her disinterest in his latest inventions seems to be hitting him a lot harder than we’d expect. Meanwhile, Tanaka is still trying to get himself to appreciate Dowa’s full beard, trying to start small and work his way up. It’s dorkily awkward. I’m far behind on this series, so expect my review of volume ten a little sooner. – Sean Gaffney

We’re New at This, Vol. 6 | By Ren Kawahara | Kodansha Comics (digital only) – This is not quite the cishet version of Our Teachers Are Dating!, but it comes close, as this newlywed couple continue to run on sweet schmoopy moments and bouts of really good sex. Even discussing a friend who’s getting a divorce, Sumika ends up turning it into a romantic moment for the two of them. Here we see more of their childhood, where it’s clear the two have loved each other since elementary school, and also get more insight into Sumika’s father, who thankfully is less abusive than I feared, and more “communicates badly with his communication-challenged daughter.” There is SOME conflict here, but it’s easily resolved, and there’s less of the dumb humor we saw in Ao-chan Can’t Study. Fun. – Sean Gaffney

By: Ash Brown

#Anime #News #Manga Bookshelf

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alanrangerphotography · 7 years

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Help-Portrait-Coventry Report

Background

Just over a year ago, whilst thinking about new year resolutions and things I wanted to do in 2017, I came across the Help-portrait movement.

Help-Portrait is a global movement of photographers, hairstylists and makeup artists using their time, tools and expertise to give back to those in need.

Help-Portrait is about GIVING the pictures, not taking them. These portraits aren’t for a portfolio, website, or sale. It’s about giving people who otherwise couldn’t afford photography, a chance to capture a moment, a memory…and a whole lot more.

Photography has always been something that is an expression of individual perspective, values and interpretation for me. Images that don't convey a narrative or have a reason for personal connection simply don't resonate or hold my attention. I wanted to connect what I do for a living, in the community I live in with people I encounter and feel compassion for.

The idea was simple if I cannot go and photograph refugees or victims of famine, war and other injustices then I should at least start at home and use my skills to raise awareness, inform and give photography back to those who could not afford it. In the process, I aimed to give people, volunteers and recipients, some dignity, respect and sense of how a photograph can make a difference on many levels.

I proposed the idea to my Facebook Client Group (Alan Ranger Photography) and was delighted that there were a number of people who wanted to support the idea.

What followed over the next six-nine months were many meetings and sometimes resistance to my insistence to plan methodically and set the bar high on execution. I'm pleased to say that despite my initial fears about who, how, when, why were largely academic. However, I am also confident in saying that the team, collectively, through my nagging and pushing did rise to the challenges I set and have produced the most wonderful outcome for the people we aimed to reach and support.

Through my association with Xposure International Photography Festival, we managed to secure sponsorship that meant equipment and consumables were financed. Their support financially and ethically is so appreciated and we cannot thank them enough for everything they have provided that has ensured that a great idea didn't get beached due to financial resources to provide what we needed.

Who to support?

After the initial idea was hatched about photographers and others providing their skills, expertise and time to provide people in need with a special day, we had the task of identifying a group of people.

Having previously worked with Crisis Skylight in Coventry on Christmas Day to provide homeless people a special day, it occurred to me that whilst my time on the day was helpful, my skills and experience were not really utilised by serving cups of squash and dinners. Don't get me wrong, I was and am happy to do whatever is needed to provide vulnerable people with what is needed. However, I felt that more could be done and I could be put to even better use.

So Crisis Skylight in Coventry became our target group of people to provide a professional portrait print and whatever other services we could combine to make it a special day.

Crisis Skylight Coventry

Crisis Skylight Coventry and Warwickshire is an outreach service that works with homeless individuals and those at risk of homelessness.Based in the city centre, they deliver their services throughout Coventry in various venues including those provided by partners. Crisis Skylight come into contact with over 600 people a year in Coventry.

Homelessness in all its guises is sad. Not everyone is a rough sleeper and many people find themselves with no fixed abode for many reasons:

Individual Reasons:

Leaving an institution

Relationship breakdown

Substance misuse

Physical or mental health problems

Escaping a violent/abusive relationship

Structural Reasons:

Welfare reform and benefit cuts

A low pay weakened job market

Reduced access to affordable housing market

Photographs - Document, Inform, Educate and Express

It makes me really sad that anyone in this century ends up with such insecurity, judgement and resulting low self-esteem due to circumstances, government policy and the lack of support.

My view may be simplistic, we are born equal as human beings and deserve to be given opportunities and most importantly self-respect whatever our personal circumstances and upbringing, but clearly today's society has become polarised between the haves and have-nots.

Be it mental health, relationship issues/consequences, education, welfare state cuts and access to the support that each individual needs to make a better life, we all live in the same community, share the same streets, shops and services but most importantly all want an improved standard of living and life. I feel that it benefits society as a whole if everyone in it feels they are part of it and is contributing in any way they can and gets the support they need to progress themselves and their communities further.

My thoughts were idealistic maybe but also heartfelt and I know those that supported the event shared the same feelings of outrage, compassion and wanting to do something that gave vulnerable people who had fallen on bad times some hope dignity and self-worth again through the power of a photograph.

Quote from Crisis Team on the event

Help-Portrait was one of our highest attended activities in the 4 and a half years we have been running in Coventry & Warwickshire. We managed to engage the most entrenched and hard to reach homeless people in the region and our team were amazed and overjoyed at the turnout.

The event

Saturday 2nd December - Help-Portrait, organised by Alan Ranger Photography, sponsored by Xposure and partnered by Crisis Skylight and The Salvation Army.

The Stats:

30 Volunteers - made up of 10 Photographers, 3 Hair Stylists, 2 Make-up Artists, and 15 friends/supporters gave their time and skills to provide.

35 homeless people had haircuts/hair styling

23 homeless people had make-overs and makeup

58 homeless people with a professional portrait print and a digital version for download

Homeless gender mix 22 Women (38%), 36 (62%) Men from the Coventry and Warwickshire area

Services provided on the day:

Sandwiches, soup, drinks and cakes

Hairstyling and makeover

Professional portrait print + digital download

Clothes and gifts to take away (donated by team and public)

Crisis registration/contact for further support

A venue (Salvation Army) to host the event and provide homeless people a day to remember.

A friendly reception, compassionate attitude and respect to their situation and needs.

Feedback from Crisis

The care, attention and dignity that Alan and his team of volunteers showed the guests was truly inspiring and the transformation and boost in their confidence is something we will never forget.

The atmosphere throughout the day was electric and our members were so proud of their portraits that they can now go on to give as gifts, help them to find work or just keep with them as a memory of such a wonderful day.

The feedback from the guests has demonstrated an increase in confidence, trust and relationships with others. These are some of the things that we work on improving with our members every day so the Help Portrait activity has really helped us in carrying out our aims with the individuals we support.

Following the huge success of the day, we are hoping to provide ongoing support to the individuals who attended. Help Portrait has certainly done its bit in supporting us in our mission to end homelessness and we are very proud to have been a part of the event

Feedback from Guests

“(it has) lifted me up a lot, it has given me a boost”

“being pampered, paying attention to myself, having my hair and beard groomed. Having a portrait photograph of myself was the ultimate”

“Enjoyed the makeover and haircut (it) made me feel really good, thank you”

“It’s been nice to have a haircut and get a photo for my mum. Really good morning”

“well and truly enjoyed it today, would recommend to everyone”

Feedback from Volunteers:

"It was a really special day Alan and I felt really lucky to be involved"

"Such a privilege to be involved"

"Really successful and worthwhile day, very happy to have taken part in it."

"loved it can't wait to see all the photos"

"A lovely event and experience"

"Thank you for asking me to be part of such a great day"

"Great day. Proud to have been part of it"

"Really good day - I’m so pleased to have been involved"

A selection of Portrait Shots - All shots available here

A selection of shots from the day behind the scenes - All shots available here

What's Next...

In the process of organising this event, we also set a target of raising £1000 for Crisis to support homeless people in their step to move on to something better, To date, we have raised £875 which is fantastic (thanks to all those who have already contributed) You don't need me to tell you that penny makes a difference, so if you have read this post and something in it resonates please make a donation - www.justgiving.com/fundraising/help-portrait-uk-coventry

Personally speaking, I will be giving my time and experience on Christmas Day to support Crisis Skylight - and the homeless in Coventry, so why don't you get in touch with your homeless support group in your area and discuss how you can support and provide invaluable expertise to help vulnerable community members move forward to a better life and more hope.

What can you do to support?

Please share this blog post on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google etc.)

Make a donation yourself and ask others to make a donation

Contact me if you want to get involved in the next event in Coventry

Organise an event in your own community

Use photography to inform, educate, document and express

Thanks

There are so many people to thank individually I'm afraid I'll miss someone by accident but the event could not have taken place without the efforts and support of so many people, not just on the day, but in the lead up to organise, manage issues and collect donations, gifts and be part of the whole thing even if not in person on the day.

Photographers

Joyce James

Kirsten Pearce

Laura Byrne

Jacki Rosin

Chris Shaw

Nick Jones

Rob Edwards

Con McHugh

Hair and Makeup

Jill Shipway

Rebecca Bloor

Wayne Tapp

Nicki Stobbs

Carla Solvason

Other Support

Derryn Ciesla

Dunstan Vavasour

Rachel Pardner

Stuart Berry

Gemma Potter

Kirsty Millard

Philippa Holdroyd

Melanie Goolding

Charlotte Aldridge

Plus all the others who contributed with providing cakes and clothing/books and support on the day from the Crisis Team and others.

Disclainer

All photos published have the consent of individuals. Any reproductions/publishing of images of individuals identifiable cannot be shared or used without the express permission of Alan Ranger Photography, otherwise, the individual who is publishing will be liable in the event of sharing photos and any subsequent claim.

Help-Portrait is about “give the photos, not to ask for anything in return, not to use the photos in portfolios”

#Help-Portrait #News

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