Blog

Alexander McQueen, Burberry, Stella McCartney and Victoria Beckham have similarities that are clear to the novice of all consumers. They are British designers, premium designers, influential and inspirational designers (the latter goes without saying).

There is something that is strikingly different about them though. One has an ethos that is so rare and rather admirable in an industry where leathers, skins and fur sell like hot cakes and resisting to take a slice of that due to being a vegetarian since being a child, is not only rare it is also dignified.

This designer is none other than Stella McCartney (of course). Not only has she stayed true to herself, she has introduced us to a world where eco doesn’t mean a limited choice of oatmeal-coloured t-shirts, denim you couldn’t be seen in or faux leather accessories you inconspicuously hide. No, quite the contrary, her runway shows each season, shown in Paris (everyone has a carbon footprint and through her own admittance they are not perfect) are coveted by editors, celebrities are pictured on and off the red carpet with her pieces and the beauty of it all is that the consumer and observer is not bombarded with the image of some ‘hippy’ with flower garlands on her hair. Rather, the Stella McCartney woman is strong and can rock a sexy panelled dress with no hint to suggest she is a “tree-hugger”.

In an industry where brands and personalities can “sell out”, it is clear that this is a direction Stella McCartney will not humour and this I believe, will sustain the brand and improve the steps taken to become better for mother nature and all inhabitants.

Now excuse me whilst I admire eco-friendly tailoring at its finest and devour Linda McCartney vegetarian sausages on a Wednesday evening- note it’s not a Monday.

After Russell Brand’s now infamous call for people to abstain from voting, the issue of whether the electorate should and will vote has become an increasingly prominent issue, especially in light of the recent Scottish Independence Referendum allowing 16 and 17 year-olds the vote, a move that may well be replicated across the UK at future elections.

On Thursday, May 7^th 2015 the General Election will take place, but will we witness an ascent in the electoral turnout? Since the end of the Second World War in 1945, voter turnout was maintained between 70% and 85% for every General Election until Tony Blair’s second victory saw a sharp decrease to 59.36%, a figure that did rise again to 65.11% in 2010, probably as a result of uncertainty over the eventual outcome. However this figure still means nearly 35% are not exercising their freedom to vote. A contributing factor to the missing proportion of voters is disillusionment amongst today’s youth over who is representing them. Across several European countries we see a greater number of older citizens voting as opposed to younger people.

One organization that is resolving to engage and inspire younger people to connect with the democratic process is Bite the Ballot, an organization established in London but with an office in Birmingham. I spoke to Birmingham’s passionate Community Engagement Officer, Sawsan Bastawy, about the organization’s vision and general assessment on the relationship between young people and politics.

JB: What is the primary intent of BTB?

Sawsan: Bite the Ballot works to create spaces and opportunities for people aged 16-24 to empower themselves to participate in democracy. We work on a model of inspiration. Our challenge is to inspire people to inform themselves; inspire them to engage with the issues that they care about; and ultimately, empower them to take an active role in democracy. We don’t mention obligation or legality. We want people to participate in democracy with enthusiasm, not because they feel they have to. Fortunately for us, the inspiration model is vastly more successful, which is why it costs us 25p to register someone to vote, while it costs the government £25.

JB: Are people disengaged with politics, or is it just party politics they feel a lack of connection with?

Sawsan: People aren’t disengaged with politics. Politics is everywhere, and it affects everything. What people do not necessarily do is make the connection between democratic participation and their life. When people aged 16-24 give me reasons why they don’t see themselves voting in the future, it has more to do with a) consensus politics: “they all sound the same and say the same thing, except for that one party”; b) useless politics “what difference does it make who wins? Nothing will change- nothing ever does”; c) unrepresentative politics: “I know what I want, but I don’t like any of the parties”; d) inaccessible politics: “I don’t know anything about the parties.”

The responsibility, in all instances, is on the politicians and their parties to meet these people half way. At the moment, people aged 25 and under are standing at that meeting point waving their hands furiously, trying to get the attention of the policy-makers. If they aren’t willing to meet under-25’s, shake hands, and talk about their place in democracy, the younger generations will turn their back too. Of course they won’t make the connection between what’s going on in their day-to-day lives and the government. Of course they won’t feel that their democratic participation is valuable. This is where Bite the Ballot steps in.

JB: Recent election turnouts have been disappointing; do you feel that uncertainty regarding the 2015 result will spark a rise in the turnout?

Sawsan: Absolutely. The coming General Election will mark a change in history – we have two parties, the Green Party and UKIP, whose popularity is snowballing; a strong opposition party; and a coalition government. In addition, the momentum built by the Scottish Independence Referendum towards a revamp of a political system has introduced the idea that real and meaningful change is possible. This is a liberating and exciting time to participate in democracy and to use your vote.

JB: What effect does what is happening globally impact younger generations here in the UK?

Sawsan: Global events impact UK youth immensely. Whether it’s concern over ISIS; TTIP; or global economic security and whether it affects our ability to enter the workforce; we are very much aware of the impact that events on the other side of the world have on our lives. More than this, however, we are seeing movements, youth-led movements, all over the world. From the Arab Spring to the student movement in Mexico, to the Umbrella Revolution in Hong Kong- the status quo is changing. People are reclaiming power and our actions- and our votes matter.

At the core of their drive to attract more young people into participating with the democratic process, Bite the Ballot, are taking part in National Voter Registration Day on Thursday, February 5^th 2015. To find out more about this and the work Bite the Ballot do there are a variety of contact links down below:

Twitter: @bitetheballot or @bitebrum

www.bitetheballot.co.uk

Phone: 0203 609 3510

And for Sawsan, you can email her at Birmingham@bitetheballot.co.uk

Christmas is a time of year we associate with family. Adverts depict families cosily gathered around log fires, eating turkey and exchanging presents. For some, however, Christmas is a time of heartbreak.

In the U.K an estimated 250,000 men, women, and children go missing each year. Unless you’ve experienced this tragedy, it’s difficult to imagine the anguish suffered when someone in your family disappears without trace or explanation. The worry and uncertainty must be overwhelming.

This year the UK charity Missing People has launched a Christmas appeal called ‘Home for Christmas’. The campaign aims to fundraise and raise awareness with the ultimate goal being to find missing people and reunite them with their families for the festive period.

The Missing People’s Charity works in various capacities. They facilitate direct searches for the missing by organising search parties and liasing with authorities such as social services and the police. The charity also organises support for the families of missing people and hosts ‘Welcome Back’ interviews that enable those who have been missing to talk through their experiences, their feelings and any issues that may have led them to leave. The charity recruits volunteers and trains them for this purpose and operates on a professional basis.

Succeeding in finding missing people depends largely on raising awareness. Missing People is indebted to volunteers devoted to organising television and radio announcements and the distribution of flyers. Many contribute to this cause by hosting fundraising events and there have been many creative ideas such as greetings card stalls, carolling and Santa runs.

The website missingpeople.org.uk is the place to go for information and it is kept updated with photographs and details of missing persons so you can keep a look out. Just by being vigilant you could make an astounding difference and enable a family to be reunited this Christmas.