We Voted Yes

These images were taken at Canon Hill Park in Birmingham yesterday. The BANUT held a Picnic for Pensions.
On June 30th 2011 I will be joining the thousands of teachers across the UK in strike action. I will be striking because the government’s proposed changes to pensions will mean that I personally will have to pay an extra £96.22 each month, I will have to work until I’m 67 instead of 60 and if I decide to retire at 60 anyway I will lose £4227 each year from my pension. The government wants me and many thousands of others to pay more, work longer and get less.
The toughest thing about these changes for me is having to pay the extra £96 each month. I am a single parent with 3 children. My partner and father to my three children passed away 6 years ago when my oldest was 10 and my youngest was just 11 months old. The extra money the government wants me to pay can go a long way. It could feed my children for about a week. It’s almost one weeks childcare. Over the year it adds up to over £1100, this is about the cost of a weeks’ holiday in Butlins. It’s £24 short of the EMA my oldest child will not be getting when he goes to college because my salary is over the threshold.
Fortunately for me I have a supportive extended family who would never see me without the basics. If I am desperate and need help I can depend on them. However, there are many out there just like me who will feel the pinch but do not have that family support to fall back on.

Brand:	PENTAX Corporation
Camera:	Pentax K100D Super
Lens:	Pentax A 50mm
Recording media:	RAW (digital)
Date Taken:	18 Jun 2011 - 12:29 PM
Aperture:	f/2.0
Shutter Speed:	1/3200sec
Exposure Comp:	+1
ISO:	200
Exposure Mode:	Aperture-priority AE
Metering Mode:	Spot

Title:	We Voted Yes
Username:	Pelican_Art
Uploaded:	19 Jun 2011 - 1:20 PM
Tags:	Photo journalism
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Votes:	6
	Variant - Report