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NEWS: 5 big things that happened on Change.org this week
This week’s round-up of hot campaigns include a petition to stop a poorly South African grandma being deported, the Mayor of London’s promise to ban “body-shaming” adverts from the Tube and what happened when a little boy fighting for a life-saving drug got to meet Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
1. Family of Irene Nel prepare to take on Home Secretary
Seventy-three-year-old Irene Nel, needs life-saving dialysis treatment three times a week. She received this in the UK but has been told she has no right to remain here despite having six children and eight grandchildren who are all UK citizens.
Unwell: Irene Nel (left) with her daughter, Desree Taylor (right) is fighting to stay in the UK
Irene’s son-in-law started a petition which now has almost 100,000 signatures. Irene’s family are expecting to receive a date for Irene’s deportation very soon and are currently raising cash to cover legal costs.
If you would like to donate – visit the family’s fundraising page – or share the the petition which is at change.org/saveirenenel
2. London Mayor bans-body-shaming adverts from public transport
London mayor Sadiq Khan has banned all ads promoting a negative body image on all Transport for London vehicles.
His decision follow a Protein World advert that sparked 378 complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority last year.
More than 71,000 people signed student Charlotte Baring’s petition calling for the posters on the London Underground be removed.
Banned: The London Mayor says it’s ‘high time’ adverts like this ‘came to an end’
Scores of people joined the campaign by defacing the posters and calling for them to be removed on social media.
Sadiq Khan said: ‘As the father of two teenage girls, I am extremely concerned about this kind of advertising which can demean people, particularly women, and make them ashamed of their bodies. It is high time it came to an end.
‘Nobody should feel pressurised, while they travel on the Tube or bus, into unrealistic expectations surrounding their bodies and I want to send a clear message to the advertising industry about this.’
3. Schoolboy Michael goes head to head to head with Scotland’s First Minister
Nine-year-old Michael Young who has muscular dystrophy is fighting for a drug that’s unavailable in Scotland where he lives.
Young campaigner: Michael took a train to Edinburgh for his meeting with the First Minister
The drug, Translarna helps him to walk and lead a normal life relatively pain-free. He started a petition calling for the drug for him and some of his mates who also need it and currently has over 140,000 signatures.
The young campaigner bagged a meeting with Scotland’s First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon on Wednesday (June 15) where he handed over his petition.
Positive outcome: Michael’s mum said the meeting went ‘really well’
His mum Michelle Young said: ‘The meeting went really well. The First Minister spent over an hour with Michael and the family to discuss Translarna. We have secured her support and she has promised to do what she can to help.
‘She was incredibly impressed with Michael’s change.org petition. Michael loved handing over the petition box and it was a very powerful message which the First Minister took on board. We are close to a positive outcome.’
4. Iran accuses jailed Nazanin Ratcliffe of plans to “overthrow the Islamic regime”
Richard’s campaign to free his wife Nazanin from an Iranian jail took a difficult turn after it was announced the Iranian Revolutionary Guard charged her with trying to “overthrow the Islamic regime”.
Richard has now asked Prime Minister David Cameron to help, and says the Foreign Office is doing more ‘as this gets more serious.’
His petition currently has more than 766,000 signatures.
Richard added: ‘If these are indeed the allegations, this is of course farcical – the idea that there is some malevolent network headed by Nazanin and her two year old daughter is nonsense. It is a tragedy that Iran’s government allows the Revolutionary Guard to treat its citizens in this way.’
His daughter Gabriella is with her grandparents in Iran and just last week, Richard, his family, friends and supporters held a birthday party for her outside the Iranian Embassy to celebrate her second birthday.
5. DJ Carl Cox for 2017 Honours List
Music fans have made calls for house and techno DJ Carl Cox to be nominated in for an MBE in the 2017 New Year’s Honours list.
A petition calling for his contribution to music to be recognised states: ‘Carl Cox is a national treasure. A global icon. A living legend for fans of electronic music from across the world.
Honoured: DJ Carl Cox has worked in the music business since the 1980s
‘The honours system recognises people who have either made achievements in public life or committed themselves to serving and helping Britain.
‘We feel we can speak for fellow promoters all across the world that have had the honour of welcoming Carl to their nightclubs and festivals and have seen him deliver time and time again on both these fronts.
The DJ veteran who started his music career in the 1980s tweeted: ‘I’m honoured!’