Every week we see petitions signed by people like you making a lasting impact. In case you missed it, here are 5 things that happened on Change.org this week.

1. Thomas Cook: Stop “Dolphin Experience Trips”
Katie Bashford has over 70,000 signatures this week on her petition for Thomas Cook to stop the promotion of “dolphin experience trips.”  

Katie says dolphin experiences seem harmless and fun but are actually cruel and inhumane, claiming dolphins are being stolen from their natural homes to meet demand and are being kept in confined spaces which have a significant impact on dolphins’ physical and mental wellbeing. “A life in a tank is no life at all” says Katie. If you agree, sign her petition here.

2. Mum gets school to embrace braids
“Through our united voice we changed something that will perhaps make a difference to many students lives and encourage our youngsters to embrace and celebrate their cultures in a positive way”.

This is the victory message from mum Leanne Sullivan  who won her campaign to change Fulston Manor’s school uniform policy. After her daughter Chyna was told that her braiding was “extreme” and prohibited, she argued that the policy conflicted with the school’s Equality and Diversity Policy and that braid extension hair styles reflect cultural backgrounds for mixed-race and black students.

Her attracted petition with 32,000 supporters leading to governors at the school agreeing to remove the problematic wording.

3. “Everyday is like a Paralympic event”
William Pike – who was injured in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks – claims everyday activities can be a Paralympic event simply because of lack of thought or investment in disabled access. Now, 44,000 are backing his campaign for American Apparel and Cafe Nero to provide access to their outlets for wheelchair users. William is also sending the petition to the Equality and Human Rights Commission asking them to pursue the issue with these companies.

Watch the campaign video below and read the petition here.

4. Prime Minister announces commitment to ‘Alan Turing Law’
This week Theresa May’s government announced that it is committed to introducing an ‘Alan Turing law’ and will, in due course, pardon thousands of gay men convicted under historic gross indecency crimes.

This is part of an ongoing campaign by Matthew Breen launched two years ago signed by over half a million people. Will you help 49,000 get an apology too?

5. Concentrix contracts stopped by HMRC

Concentrix, the US firm accused of unjustly withdrawing tax credits from hundreds of claimants, will not have its contract renewed in 2017 as a result of Kelly Faulds’ petition.

During her campaign Kelly made the case for hundreds of distressed families across the UK for whom the tax credits of £200 per month were a lifeline for living costs. Five thousand signed her petition to drive the change here.