Minutes of No Sweat steering meeting, August 2011

No Sweat steering committee meeting, Tuesday 9 August - Minutes

Apols: David, Neil, Vino / Attending: Vicki, Karen, Aine

1. Comedy gig
Reflections: it was good! £5k cheque on its way from Bloomsbury to treasurer. Collection made £300. If we do it again next year break out the buckets earlier to collect more. Agreed to send £2k to MAP Foundation, Thailand. Agreed send £200 to Zimbabwean health workers.

2. Finances: Vicki ask treasurer for a financial statement.

3. Tolpuddle: we didn’t sell many t shirts but we did cover expenses and made good contacts. As a priority, Vicki write to Trades Council who wants to affiliate.

4. T shirts: Vicki meet Mick to get details for ordering new t shirts. Karen suggested one with the design on our yellow sticker. Vicki find the artwork.

5. Monthly mailout/contacts database: Vicki chase Mick so she can become an admin. We need to put recent contacts on a list soon.

6. Olympics: get up to date with the Playfair campaign. Plan stall/demo at Kings Cross during the event: it will be a transport hub. Torch will go around the country: stalls when it goes to Manchester (23 June), Brighton (16 July), Westminster (26 July).

7. Capita and other outsourcing companies: Vicki and others had a small demo outside Capita HQ – it had an impact; Vicki ask L whether she can do some research into outsourcing companies for article on website.

8. Educational material: a teacher had written asking whether she can do some work to help us; suggest she look at our education materials and update.

9. Freshers: Aine looking into having a human rights society and stall at her uni; might be able to have a stall at Middlesex Uni. Put an appeal on website for students to get in touch if they are interested in doing something in their college.

10. Website overhaul: ask David where this is at. Get a book on Drupal to train in using it better.

11. Trade unions mailout: Vicki fix a date and do it.

12. Primark leaflet reprint: The facts on the leaflet need to be checked before we can get a reprint. Vicki had written to our regular donor to explain why we haven’t sent him more leaflets recently.

13. LabourStart conference in Istanbul: we agreed to sponsor one person to go, since Karen and Aine both want to go they will share the sponsorship. (Estimate this will be about £90 for airfare plus two nights' hotel accommodation – LabourStart are working on a group deal). Task while they are there: get pictures/interviews with people for our website. Do a talk on their return.

14. Office: need to fix speakers on PC. Anyone got a radio/old music player they don’t want? Laminate/frame Thai poster.

15. Dale Farm solidarity: No Sweat up for going to some or all of the Dale Farm solidarity camp over bank holiday weekend.

16. Anarchist bookfair: booking a stall Saturday 22 October, £45.

17. Rebellious media conference: 8-9 October; check whether they are taking stalls.

18. Next meeting: Tuesday 6 September, 6.30pm, speaker from London Coalition Against Poverty on the Workfare programme and big business. For details, email admin@nosweat.org.uk.