PFC Newsletter Number Eleven (November 1998)
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Newsletter Number Eleven (November 1998)
In this issue
| Sheffield & Horsham v. UK | Oxford Congress | Employment Rights | NHS numbers | Certificates | Local Campaign Network | Positive coverage | Parliamentary | Some little successes… | Can we get married? | EDMs | Ongoing campaigns | Another success… | International | Coming soon | Housing for transpeople | GIRES | One more little success | Wanted: press cuttings | Wanted: photos of children | Getting more involved | AGM 1998 | PFC On-Line | Who are we? | Resource listSheffield & Horsham versus the UK ![[top]](/graphic/icon/blueptru.gif)
European Court of Human Rights, July 1998
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On July 30th, the European Court of Human Rights ruled by the narrowest of margins (11 to 9) that the UK had not violated Article 8 (privacy). It also ruled by 18 to 2 that their rights under Article 12 (marriage) had not been violated, and unanimously that Article 14 (discrimination) had not occurred either.
This is a huge if not unexpected disappointment - the Court has to allow very wide margins of discretion for signatory states, especially where there is no commonly accepted good practice to follow. And yet … the main judgement is very critical of the failure of the British government to do what it was instructed to do in 1990: “the court cannot but note that despite its statements in the Rees and Cossey cases on the importance of keeping the need for appropriate legal measures under review … it would appear the respondent state has not taken any steps to do so”.
The court accepted that there was a very real problem: “Miss S’s experiences provided a convincing account of the extreme disadvantages which beset post-operative transsexuals and of how the current legal system operated to the detriment of their privacy” and suggested that: “appropriate ways could be found to provide for transsexuals to be given prospective legal recognition of their gender reassignment without destroying the historical nature of the births register.” The court reiterated that the issue must be kept under review, and the general feeling is that Britain won’t get away with continuing to do nothing.
The full text of the judgement and a detailed analysis by Press for Change are both available on the website, or in print (see the Resource List).
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Oxford Congress
The Third International Congress on Sex and Gender took place 18th - 20th September at Exeter College, Oxford and was attended by 165 people from all over the world.
Those of us who were privileged to attend this wonderfully organised event have came away with a great sense of optimism about the future of trans people around the world. No-one who participated in this ferment of ideas and experiences could have failed to be struck by the sheer diversity and intensity of the work which so many people are doing to think through what it means to be trans at the end of the 20th century, and by the commitment to find effective ways of bringing about changes that will benefit us all.
One wonderful feature of the Congress was the dialogue between medical and other professionals and trans people, between gender theorists and activists… and between all the other different strands of thinking and identity. That dialogue and sharing is something which I hope we can continue and widen. In the coming weeks and months, we will be doing our best to publish the proceedings both on-line and in print - to ensure that ALL of us can shape the Congress’s theme of a “Transgender Agenda for the new millennium”. [abridged from an article by Claire McNab]
“I really enjoyed the presentations, workshops, discussions and even arguments, in which I took part. But I think the most enduring memory which I have brought away with me was sitting in the chapel on Saturday night, looking round and seeing that cosmopolitan group of people - all nationalities, all genders, together enjoying a glorious performance. What an achievement.” [from a participant]
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Employment Rights
Dept. for Education & Employment
The Parliamentary Forum, as agreed with the then Equal Opportunities Minister Alan Howarth MP in March, has prepared draft good practice guidelines for the employment of transsexual people. The draft was composed in consultation with Press for Change, Liberty and the Equal Opportunities Commission, and drew heavily on the responses submitted to the original DfEE paper. It has been passed to the new minister, Margaret Hodge MP, and a response is awaited.
New Sex Equality Law
The Equal Opportunities Commission has published its proposals for new legislation. Printed copies from: EOC, Overseas House, Quay Street, Manchester M3 3HN, or from the EOC’s website
Industrial Tribunals
Employment Rights (Dispute Resolution) Act 1998 comes into force in spring 1999. The purpose of the legislation is to reduce the incidence of hostile disputes. Industrial Tribunals will be renamed Employment Tribunals and rules will allow cases to be determined more flexibly.
Information to Employers
Katrina Fox has had articles about trans people in employment printed in “Personnel Today” (Oct/Nov) and “Employers’ Law” (Nov 5) magazines.
Employers Award
The Press for Change award scheme for employers is up and running and has made its first awards. A certificate and entry into a directory is the reward for employers who provide a supportive environment and have a policy of non-discrimination towards transsexual and transgender people.
ACTION - If your employer is a decent one, write in giving a contact name and address, and we will assess them.
NHS numbers
Apparently the first number of the new NHS Number which is gradually being used to replace existing patient numbers is a gender identifier (4 = female, 6 = male). DVLC also use such identifiers on driving licences, and persons in the process of change should ensure that the correct identifiers are given when updating documentation.
Certificates
City & Guilds Certificates
Following the hard work of members like Natalie Murphy earlier in the year, City & Guilds changed their policy towards changing the name and gender of holders on submission of a letter and a copy of a Deed Poll document or similar. However, in April Catherine Lake was refused due to a “insufficient change of name document”. This was challenged by Catherine with the support of a solicitor and in May she received a complete set of “replacement” certificates bearing her legally adopted name. Should anyone have any further problems and wishes to contact Catherine for advice or help, they can call her on 01425 629205.
Re-issue not an issue
The following universities and exam bodies are known to re-issue certificates, some on payment of a fee:
Birmingham - Bristol - Cambridge - C & G - Durham - London - Nottingham - Oxford - Stafford - Trinity College Dublin - Wales - Warwick - York
ACTION - If you know of others please write for the attention of Sally.
Local Campaign Network
We currently have at least one member campaigning in each of the following areas. Capital letters denote an established group:
AVON (Bristol) - Bedfordshire - Buckinghamshire - Cheshire - Derbyshire (Derby) - DEVON (Torquay) - Dorset - East Anglia (Suffolk, Cambridge) - Fife - FYLDE COAST & Lancs (Lytham, Blackpool) - GLASGOW - Hampshire (S’hampton) - Hampshire (North) - Kent - LONDON: Hertfordshire & NW London, Middlesex & W London, SE London, Surrey & SW London - Leicestershire - Lincolnshire & Humberside - MANCHESTER & Greater M/c - Midlands (Wolverhampton, Warwickshire) - NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE - NOTTINGHAM - Oxfordshire - Reading & Thames Valley - Shropshire - Surrey - Sussex (Brighton) - Wales North (Rhyll) - Wales South - Wiltshire (Salisbury) - WEST YORKSHIRE: Huddersfield, LEEDS, Bradford, SHEFFIELD, Mirfield
ACTION - Would you be willing to help? There is much more that could be done. If you think you might be interested please send for the Introduction to the PFC Local & Media Networks (see Resource List).
Leeds
Campaigners in Leeds have received an assurance that the gender clinic will not be closed following the retirement of Dr. Snaith. Local Press for Change activists successfully lobbied against proposals to withdraw the service.
An interesting aspect of the campaign was that the police community liaison panel was persuaded to support it. Campaigners convinced them that failure to provide medical treatment to transsexual people could have implications for crime levels.
Sheffield
STRANDS - The Sheffield Transgender Support Network (STRANDS) has been set up as a mutual assistance to people having problems getting medical treatment from Sheffield Health, but also as a support group and an information dissemination route for Press for Change news/announcements. We have a monthly newsletter, available via snail-mail, or, for those with the technology, as a download from the STRANDS website.
For more info. contact: STRANDS, Box 127, Wakefield, WF1 3YU
Tel: 0114 288 5492
email: strands@bolsterstone.demon.co.uk
Positive coverage
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Ros Mitchell
The BBC “Closeup West” documentary about Cllr. Rosalind Mitchell, televised in the BBC Bristol region in March, was shown on network television in July. This excellent documentary has stirred up a great deal of controversy, showing how Ros was treated by colleagues in the local Party.
Georgina Joyce
When an individual is faced with a gender issue as well as a disability, the problems can seem insurmountable at times. The BBC 2 series From the Edge investigated the difficulties of disabled transsexuals (shown March 1998). Georgina Joyce, who took part in the programme, is exploring the possibilities of setting up a support group for disabled people who feel that they have a problem with their gender identity.
ACTION - If you know of any resources that may be useful, or you know of someone who might benefit from such support, please contact her: email: gena.j@visitweb.com — or write c/o Press for Change.
Parliamentary
Lib Dems support
The Liberal Democrats have approved a motion to ensure equal rights for transsexual people. Press for Change member Anna Boyer was the driving force behind an amendment to a Policy Motion proposed to the Party Conference.
The proposal includes this commitment: “to protect civil rights by: a) Ensuring equal treatment before the law for all citizens. b) Reforming or repealing current powers which undermine essential civil liberties, such as introducing full judicial oversight of police use of intrusive surveillance. c) Opposing the introduction of compulsory national identity cards.”
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Amendment 1 was backed by DELGA (Liberal Democrats for Lesbian and Gay Action) and moved by Jackie Ballard MP (a long standing supporter of civil rights for transsexual people):
Insert new clause “5 d): Ensuring that the civil rights of transsexual people are fully protected in United Kingdom law. In the first instance this should be achieved by protecting their privacy and personal history. This would replace the current situation where many agencies can require disclosure by transsexual people of facts which are not material to their immediate situation. As an immediate practical step towards this, we would introduce legislation to permit the alteration of gender on birth certificates.”
PFC campaigners will be working with the Liberal Democrat Parliamentary team to ensure that this policy remains on the party’s agenda, and we are grateful for the ongoing support of DELGA.
ACTION - If your MP is a Liberal Democrat, why not make contact to seek her or his active support of this policy? If you’d like advice on how to do so, please write to us at letters@pfc.org.uk.
Sauce for the goose?
Alan Veale went to court to ask for his name to be taken OFF the birth certificate of a child of which he was not after all the father - in June 1998 the High Court ruled in his favour.
Lynne Jones MP tabled a Parliamentary Question in response to the ruling, which seemed rather odd since, as we know, “birth certificates are historical documents and can’t be altered”: “To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, in what way he proposes to amend the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953 following the out-of-court settlement with Alan Veale; and if he will review the Act to consider whether other amendments should be made to enable transsexuals to have their birth certificates amended.”
Constituency Links
Thanks to all who have contacted us to offer to be “Constituency Links”, acting as a contact with their MP. We have covered quite a number of MPs but there are still some who don’t realise they have transsexual constituents! It is not a hard job: you would need to visit and introduce yourself (if you haven’t already) and be willing to visit, phone and/or write now and again to remind the MP that you exist and to ask them to do specific things to help.
ACTION - If you want to volunteer please write in giving your contact details and the name of your MP, and if possible, an indication of how supportive you think they are.
Some little successes…
Police
Please note that the Metropolitan Police draft guidelines for dealing with transsexuals and transvestites have now been adopted nationally.
ACTION - Make sure your local force is aware of this fact, and check they have trained their officers in how to implement the guidelines. NB Press for Change has a pool of trained trainers available if needed.
Education
The “train the trainer” North-West pilot is well under way. 17 people attended an initial training day and we are now organising a set of 5 workshops at different venues in the North West, aimed at staff and volunteers of voluntary agencies (CABx, Housing Aid, Samaritans, L&G Helplines etc.). We are also interested in setting up other workshops nationally. The pilot is funded with a small grant from the National Lottery Charities Board.
ACTION - If you could help to organise a workshop, or would like to put your name down for training, please write for the attention of Alex Whinnom.
Can we get married?
Liz Bellinger
For nearly 20 years Liz Bellinger lived an ordinary, anonymous life as the wife of Michael and mother to his daughter, who was left motherless at the age of five when his first wife died. The couple married at a London register office in 1981. Liz was granted legal custody of her daughter by a judge who knew her status.
In October this year Liz and Michael bravely decided to come out and fight for their marriage to be legalised. A press conference at the House of Commons was timed to coincide with the tabling of two EDMs and the case has received excellent publicity, with articles in the Guardian and Daily Mail, and appearances on radio and television. We expect the next move to be a legal challenge.
EDMs
To mark Elizabeth Bellinger’s dramatic coming out, two Early Day Motions were tabled. Each received cross party support.
EDM No. 1664: Elizabeth BellingerThat this House applauds the courage of Mrs. Elizabeth Bellinger, who, seventeen years after being awarded custody of her step-daughter by a court fully aware of her medical history, has decided to tell her story; notes that, technically, both her marriage and the adoption of her daughter are legally invalid because she is transsexual; believes that the love and care she has given to and received from her husband and daughter are no less as a result of her condition; recognises the huge risks she has decided to take, in terms of family relations and personal privacy, to publicise the plight of those who, like she, are denied many basic civil rights because they are transsexual and calls on the Government to bring in reforms to guarantee civil recognition of an individual’s corrected sex. |
EDM No. 1655:
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ACTION - Has your MP signed these EDMS? (see the full list of signatories in the Parliamentary section of the website They will remain open for signature until Parliament rises before the start of the new session on November 24th — so time is short. If your MP hasn’t signed, please write and ask her/him to do so; if (s)he has signed, why not write a quick thank-you? The address for MPs is House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA
Edinburgh weddings
A SCOTTISH Church has gone on the Internet to advertise homosexual, bisexual and transgendered weddings. The Holy Trinity Metropolitan Community Church in Edinburgh is the first in Scotland to offer religious blessings to same-sex couples. Its Web page says: “We offer relationship blessings to couples irrespective of gender identification or sexuality.” The Church claims in its advertising that “some of the earliest recorded Christian marriages were between people of the same gender”. It includes in its rites and sacraments Holy Union and Holy Matrimony for people of the same gender and argues that the Old Testament has been misinterpreted.
Annulment
ON THE OTHER HAND… the ex-partner of a Press for Change member recently sought an annulment of their marriage from the Roman Catholic church. The transsexual partner fought against this, on the basis that she had contracted the marriage in good faith and was ready to stand by a lifetime commitment. However a Diocesan Tribunal has decided to annul the marriage on the grounds that the transsexual partner is/was female. We are awaiting clarification of the reasoning behind this.
Ongoing campaigns
Insurance etc
If you need financial services please consider arranging these through PFC. This is to enable us to work with the major insurance companies to establish good practice.
Please remember the current position is that if you do not disclose your transsexualism to an insurer your insurance is almost certainly not valid.
ACTION - If you need life insurance, a pension or mortgage, or may do in the next 12 months, please contact: Jim Sealey on 01204-364484, or write to him at: CH Financial Services, 20 Chorley New Road, Bolton BL1 4AP
Media watch
If you notice a hostile, intrusive or degrading article about a trans person, please do THREE things:
ACTION -
- write to the editor and complain
- send details and the address of the editor to PFC and we will also complain
- if you know the victim, ask them to complain to the Press Complaints Commission (only the subject of the article can do this).
Treatment on the NHS
We are compiling a dossier of evidence around access to treatment on the NHS which will go to Frank Dobson MP. We are also interested in issues around quality of treatment.
ACTION - If you have had or sought any NHS medical treatment for transsexualism and would be willing to complete a short confidential questionnaire, please write for the attention of Ruth Richards.
Prisoners
1. Proposed Documentary on the Situation of Transsexual Prisoners in the UK - this is hopefully still going ahead.
ACTION - If you are currently a prisoner, have ever been in prison or in custody, or know someone who has, please write in for the attention of Eva Weber. All information treated in strictest confidence.
2. Support for Prisoners:
As many will be aware, transsexual prisoners are even worse off than the rest of us. Besides harassment and loss of privacy, many are denied medical treatment.
ACTION - If you would be willing to become a penfriend for a transsexual prisoner, please write to Press for Change.
Another success…
Transsexual Birth Parents Working Group
The brief for the group includes collecting research and information, court judgements and positive experiences, collating a list of useful solicitors and supporting transsexual parents who wish to keep in contact with their children.
We had a notable success in August, when a transsexual birth father, denied access to her children by her ex partner, won visiting rights through the courts with the support of a PFC activist.
ACTION - If you are interested in joining the group, have useful information for it, or need help, please write for the attention of ’J’.
International
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Eurovision song contest…
Dana International won the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest for Israel. Ultraorthodox Israeli Jews had protested at her choice to represent them, and a prominent rabbi called her an “abomination”. But Rabbi Jonathan Romain from the Reform Synagogues of Great Britain stuck up for her: “Dana International’s sexuality (sic) is totally irrelevant to her ability to sing well or perform on behalf of her country. What is much more disturbing is hostility directed towards transsexuals.”
Anyway she looked gorgeous and couldn’t half sing, and trans people from all over the world looked on it as a victory for OUR “country”.
… another diva…
ChinaMany regard Jin Xing, 30, as China’s premier modern dancer. She is also the country’s most famous transsexual. In late 1998 Jin will be making her first movie. In the yet-untitled Chinese-Hungarian production, she plays a choreographer teaching modern jazz to a Western ballerina.
… and inclusiveness in the arts
AUSTRALIA
Kai Chris Somers xxy, medically known as an ’intersex’ person was invited by a group of women artists in Perth, in the State of Western Australia to exhibit three art works dealing with aspects of gender and sexuality at the Cullity Gallery at The University of Western Australia in a women’s only exhibition entitled “Our Journeys, Our Choices”. Chris’s says her/his art works “reflect her/his poly-gendered status. The women concerned showed considerable courage in being inclusive of a person whom is neither ’male’ nor ’female’”.
Sex Changes in strange new places
JAPAN: October 1998
Doctors performed Japan’s first legal sex-change operation, removing the breasts, uterus and ovaries of a 30-year-old woman (sic). In a second operation, to be conducted in six months, doctors will construct male genitals. The ethics committee of Saitama Medical College, Tokyo, approved the sex change following the decision of the Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology last year that sex-change operations should be permitted on the condition that patients undergo psychoanalysis and hormone therapy afterward.
CANADA:
In Canada’s integrated armed forces, soldiers can now train with, share quarters with, and even become members of the opposite sex. The military has agreed to pay for sex-change operations after a request for such an operation was made by one of its soldiers.
“Our decision was based on our assessment of whether someone who had had (gender reassignment) surgery could serve in the military. The advice that we got from the specialists we consulted was that once somebody had been successfully treated, they should not be restricted from any military duties,” Colonel Scott Cameron, director of medical services for the military, told Reuters.
Sex-change operations have been covered by most of Canada’s provincial health insurance plans for years but not by the military’s health plan, which is administered separately. Cameron said the military’s medical board consulted the US and British military on the issue, but neither had a policy to deal with sex changes within their ranks.
Transsexual Mayors - heaps of them
NEW ZEALAND
Georgina Beyer of Carterton, believed to be the world’s first openly transsexual mayor, was returned to office with an overwhelming 90% of the vote, while an unusually high number of eight mayors nationally were being replaced. Transsexual Jacqui Grant failed to take the mayoralty of the Grey District, but was returned to her council seat there.
GERMANY
The village council of Quellendorf, Germany has approved a referendum to recall their mayor because of his planned sex reassignment. Mayor Norbert Michael Lindner was elected in 1996 to a seven-year term, but recently announced that he would begin dressing as a woman and would later undergo the surgery. Although his wife and four children have been publicly supportive of him, the council received a recall petition signed by 175 of the village’s 1,048 residents. Lindner was not allowed to speak at the meeting, where one local said, “We voted for a man, not a woman. He should have told us beforehand.”
PERU
Fulvia Celica is the first transsexual to run for a local office in Lima, Peru, having registered as a mayoral candidate this past weekend. Should she lose the October race to one of the three candidates running against her, she says she’ll run for the national Congress in 2000.
and sadly, Deaths:
HONDURAS
The first Honduran legally recognized as a woman after undergoing sex-change surgery, Sigfrilda Shantall Pastor Arguelles, 50, was found stabbed to death in May 1998 along with her housekeeper. Police blamed a previously unknown group calling itself “La Mafia,” which left a note in the house. Pastor, a dentist, underwent a sex-change operation in the United States in 1976. For the next 21 years, she fought to be legally recognized as a woman. She won last November when the government identified her as a woman on her voter registration card.
BRAZIL
In August four military policemen in the city of Salvador, after humiliating and torturing two transvestite sex workers, forced them to undress and throw themselves into the sea. One of them drowned. The witness to the crime is being protected by human rights organizations as her life is at risk, as is the President of the Salvador Transvestites Association, Lena Oxxa.
Between 1980-1997, 1600 homosexuals have been murdered in Brazil and only 5% of the killers went to trial.
Coming soon
Publications in preparation:
- Code of Practice for Employers (draft by Parliamentary Forum)
- Quality and Funding of Gender Reassignment Treatment, a guide for patients and their GPs
Harry Benjamin International Gender Dysphoria Association XVI Symposium, London, 17 - 21 August 1999.
Call for Papers: submit 250 word abstract by mail (2 copies) to: Richard Green MD JD, Charing Cross Hospital, Dept of Psychiatry, London W6 8RF, England or email: r.green@cxwms.ac.uk
Proposed housing project for transsexual people
For my day job I work for a Housing Association. I am trying to put 2 and 2 together and establish a housing project for transsexual people.
We would provide a small number of tenancies (these could be permanent if desired), using ordinary housing association stock; the accommodation would be in a “safe” area, and “dispersed” i.e. not all together. A team of specialist housing support staff, who had been trained in the issues, would offer “floating support” for a period following the start of the tenancy (could include help with benefits etc., registering with local services including health services, making links with the local community, and help in accessing education or work). I have in principle the support of my Chief Executive, and we believe we would be able to obtain the necessary grant. However I do need some hard evidence of level of need.
ACTION - If you have ever had a housing problem, or would have been glad of this type of safe provision when you were changing over, please write in for the attention of Alex Whinnom.
GIRES
GIRES is a registered charity set up to “work alongside Press for Change” to undertake research into trans issues, especially in areas which would assist the civil rights movement, and education to the public in order to enhance awareness and acceptance of trans people.
It is currently identifying priority research topics and seeking funding to run them. It is also offering a prize for the best piece of published research. If you would like more information write to: Gires, Melverley, The Warren, Ashstead, Surrey KT21 2SP.
ACTION - If you haven’t yet joined GIRES (Gender identity Research & Education Society) please do! It’s only £5. And if you are a student or researcher in this field, get in touch - your work matters.
… And one more little success
The Arts
The second international TRANSGENDER FILM FESTIVAL took place in London in September and like the first was a great success. This event encourages new and cutting edge work around trans issues, and raises the profile of transsexualism and transgender within the arts world.
Wanted: press cuttings
Press for Change is always grateful to receive press cuttings, especially those relating to legal challenges or injustices. We have a large collection which is proving to be a useful resource for research students.
Wanted: photos of children
We still need more photos for a proposed poster which will to make the point that gender issues start in childhood. Could you help with a photo of yourself aged from 3 to teenage. (Photos returned on request.)
How to get more involved
Member or Activist?
Membership of Press for Change is open to all transsexual and transgender people and any member of the public who wishes to support the aims and work of the organisation. No membership fee is charged.
People on the Press for Change or Boys Own mailing lists are deemed to be members unless they ask not to be. Members receive the newsletter free of charge, may request resources and advice, are asked to take action collectively on issues relating to civil rights when necessary, and may if they wish volunteer as Key Activists or Local Networkers.
The most significant difference between “members” and “activists” is that an activist agrees to take responsibility for an aspect of the campaign. Activists agree in writing to support the aims of Press for Change and to follow policy while campaigning. They are invited to the annual Planning Meeting and are entitled to vote at the AGM.
Please note if you receive the newsletter occasionally via another support group, you may NOT be on our list and so not be a member. If you’d like to ensure you receive more regular news and/or would like to get more involved in the campaign, please write in to the PFC address. All contact details are kept totally confidential and are never passed on to anyone without your consent; Press for Change mailings come in plain brown envelopes to the name and address of your choice (
AGM 1998
The annual Planning Meeting and the first Annual General Meeting following the adoption of new Rules was held on 14th June in Manchester and was attended by over 40 campaigners.
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Our largest expenses were conference fees (including Labour party) and printing. It should be noted that many campaigners make contributions towards postage, telephone, travel etc. which are not recorded.
For a full copy of the accounts please write to the Hon. Treasurer.
Press for Change On-Line
We know that not everyone can afford access to the internet, but for those who can, it is a very effective tool for the campaigner, offering access to a vast array of information, commentary, and analysis as well as rapid communication with other campaigners to share information and ideas and to co-ordinate action. If you have a suitable computer (basically a PC or Macintosh made since 1990), you can get on-line for as little as UKP7 a month through the commercial internet providers, or free through some new services. Well recommended.
The Press for Change Website
The PFC Website is now probably the world’s biggest trans website. It contains a wealth of information regularly updated over 400 items at last count), and links to other sites, and now receives over 3,000 visits per month.
Press for Change mailing lists
To join the Press for Change News list, send a blank email to pfc-news-subscribe@lists.pfc.org.uk
To join the Discussion forum, send a blank email to pfc-discuss-subscribe@egroups.com
More details of the Press For Change mailing lists are available from our website. If you have any difficulties, please email the list admins at listadmin@pfc.org.uk
Who are we?
PFC is staffed and run entirely by a network of volunteers - we have no office base. Around 80 people are currently of “key” or “local” activist status. Membership is hard to quantify but currently stands at around 2,000.
PFC has seven Vice Presidents who are jointly responsible for leading the campaign. They are: Christine Burns, Claire McNab, Mark Rees, Sarah Rutherford, Mjka Scott, Alex Whinnom and Stephen Whittle.
Resource list
As before, the resource list is available on-line. This time, there are several new documents available.