A baby that dies after 24 weeks is officially recorded as a stillbirth, however, there is no such formal recognition for babies lost earlier. Since February, bereaved parents in England who lose a baby before 24 weeks can now receive a certificate in recognition of their loss. Wales and Scotland have similar schemes in place. The same must be made available for people in Northern Ireland.

Gold-mining is one of the most destructive industries in the world. It pollutes our water and land with chemicals, endangering the health of people and destroying our beautiful countryside. Almost 20 tonnes of waste is produced to make one gold wedding ring, and the majority of gold produced is either for jewellery or sits in the vaults of banks.

Citi, based right at the centre of the iconic Titanic Quarter in Belfast, is bankrolling the destruction of the Amazon, drilling in the Arctic. It’s even funding the company behind the proposed LNG plant in the Shannon estuary, importing filthy gas–much of it fracked–and locking us into fossil fuels for decades to come. [2] Here in Northern Ireland they’ve been given tens of millions of pounds of public money by Invest NI to operate, meaning that the climate destruction they wreak is being made possible by our own money. [3] For too long, fossil fuel CEOs have divided and distracted us with lies hoping to hide the origins and impact of the crisis they created, while they pollute our air, poison our water, and dump toxins into communities. [4] We are acting together to make sure our children are still able to enjoy beautiful landscapes and healthy nature -such as those represented by W5’s ‘In our Nature’ exhibition, in real life, for generations to come. According to your own sustainability pledge you are ’committed to reducing our environmental impact wherever possible. Placing sustainability at the heart of what we do, we pride ourselves on our forward-thinking approach.’ [5] Taking sponsorship money from the second largest funder of fossil fuel companies world-wide makes a mockery of the sustainability pledge and allows Citibank to present an image as an environmentally conscious company while they pour billions of pounds into coal, oil, and gas. It’s time to fight back on Citi’s greenwashing, and stop it funding climate chaos. We, the undersigned, are calling on W5 to end its sponsorship arrangement with Citi until it stops funding fossil fuel companies. [1] https://bank.green/banks/citi [2] https://www.bankingonclimatechaos.org/ [3] https://www.irishnews.com/business/2022/09/07/news/citi_to_create_another_400_jobs_for_fast-growing_belfast_operation-2819832/ [4] https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jun/30/climate-crimes-oil-and-gas-environment [5] https://w5online.co.uk/sustainability-pledge

Liz Truss is promising to act quickly on energy prices, but because the energy market in Northern Ireland is so different it’s far from certain what that will mean for us. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research has predicted that Northern Ireland could experience a 67% increase in extreme poverty, the highest in the UK by far. And with 66% of homes here using home-heating oil as their fuel source, as opposed to 5% in England, Scotland and Wales, we’re going to need a solution tailored to our needs.

We, the undersigned, demand an immediate halt to the proposed Mourne Mountains Gondola project. This ill-conceived venture threatens to irreversibly damage our cherished natural landscape, endanger wildlife habitats, and impose financial burdens on rates payers. We implore the Newry, Mourne, and Down District Council (NMDDC) to reconsider and explore more sustainable alternatives that prioritize environmental preservation and community needs. Reasons for halting the Gondola Project: 1. Lack of public consultation. Despite overwhelming local opposition (as evidenced by our recent poll indicating 77% dissent), the council has proceeded without adequate consultation. 2. Disregard for Alternatives. The council has dismissed viable, cost-effective, and eco-friendly alternatives in favour of the gondola, demonstrating a concerning lack of consideration for community preferences and environmental impact. 3. Financial risk. The project's secrecy regarding its business plan, coupled with unrealistic user projections and escalating costs, poses an unjustifiable financial risk to ratepayers.  4. Environmental Threats. Its operation threatens sensitive habitats including a Special Area of Conservation and an Area of Special Scientific Interest.  It would endanger wildlife habitats and protected species. 5. Adverse Aesthetic Impact. Pylons, the cableway and quarry centre will mar the pristine beauty of the Mourne Mountains, detracting from the experience of visitors and local people in the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. 6. Negative Economic Impact. Contrary to promises of local economic benefits, the gondola project is likely to divert money from local businesses. 7. The National Trust, which is the owner of the quarry and the mountain is a conservation organisation and is very unlikely to approve its construction.   8. Weather and seasonal factors. The gondola is projected to operate eleven months a year but factors like high winds and bad weather are likely to drastically reduce the days it can work and generate income.  We urge the NMDDC to heed the voices of the community, prioritize environmental sustainability, and abandon the Mourne Mountains Gondola project in favour of more responsible available alternatives.  Let us preserve the natural beauty of the Mourne mountains for future generations to enjoy.

We know our members working in school catering do incredible work and we want to ensure they are both recognised and valued for the work they do. Sign our petition calling on the Northern Ireland Executive to support and properly fund the provision of universal free school meals for all children.

National Energy Action (NEA) NI research is showing that 80% of households here have already cut down on their central heating, and most worryingly more than 1 in 10 households have had to forego meals to meet the rising energy costs. NI householders have received significantly less help in the energy crisis than those in England Scotland and Wales. They did not benefit from the £150 council tax rebate and nor do they benefit from Household Support Fund. Furthermore, NI homes are not part of the Warm Homes discount scheme meaning vulnerable households miss out on an additional £150 every winter. There is a clear need to ensure the £400 per household support reaches people in Northern Ireland as quickly as possible, to protect vulnerable households form the worst impacts of living in a cold home, including needless deaths and morbidity along with increased pressure on our healthcare services in the months ahead. We ask that you approach this issue with the urgency it requires and commit to ensuring the emergency payments are allocated to households as quickly as possible.

The hospice is a local charity that provides specialist palliative care for more than 350 babies, children, and their families each year. It's the only facility of it's kind in Northern Ireland. Extremely sick children and their families depend on the Hospice. This funding must be restored immediately. Dáithí uses the hospice four or times a year and we would be lost without it. The Northern Ireland Children's Hospice is such a magical place and I like to say to people that 'the hospice and the people who work there make the impossible possible'."

All children can learn. All children have a right to an education and we need to stand up for some of the most vulnerable children in our community who are being denied an education.

Books and other media with LGBTQ+ themes are extremely important for young people who may be struggling to understand their own identity, as it gives them role models to look up to and allows them an opportunity to see people like them in the stories they enjoy! Book bans, like the one being pushed by prominent Unionist politicians including MP Carla Lockhart are also incredibly discriminatory and hypocritical [1] - representation of non- heterosexual relationships should no more be banned from Libraries than heterosexual/cis gender relationships. A child will not become gay or be "transed" by reading a book with a gay or trans character included. We must not allow bigoted bad actors to import American culture war nonsense to Northern Ireland. [1] https://www.newsletter.co.uk/education/dup-mp-carla-lockhart-calls-for-the-immediate-re[…]ildrens-books-from-northern-irish-public-libraries-4562485

The news is full of the horrendous incident at Belfast Pride when a group made abhorrent comments about and to the LGBTQIA community. In 2022, Belfast City Council was reported to be bringing bye-laws forward to counter this, but nothing has come forward yet. This needs to be acted on immediately.

Melted Parents have 4 campaign demands. 1) Immediate financial support for families to support for childcare costs - preventing skilled workers leaving the workforce, supporting families living in poverty, and boosting the economy. 2) Parent representation through decision-making process on policies made on childcare. 3) Long term childcare sector reform with children at the centre that works for families and providers.