We've achieved so much
View this email in your browser ([link removed])
[link removed]
Dear friend,
2024 is coming to an end, and I want to take this opportunity to say a big thank you for your support this year. I'm also really happy to announce that our community came together to raise an incredible £68,000 through this year's Big Give Christmas Challenge – much-needed funds that will go a long way to helping make 2025 another successful year.
But before we look to next year, I wanted to share with you my top six highlights of campaigning together in 2024.
1. You stood with Ghanaian campaigners and demanded a new law to cancel the debt
Ghana, trapped in unsustainable debt, faced the 'worst economic crisis in a generation'. You signed petitions, letters and helped target one of its' biggest private lenders, BlackRock. 90% of the debts owed by lower-income countries to private lenders are overseen by UK law – a new law could force lenders like BlackRock to play ball. You helped us to raise awareness and make our demands heard.
2. Your pressure on OFGEM to create a debt relief scheme
Ofgem, the energy sector regulator announced that they will look at introducing a new scheme to write off energy debt that has built up during the cost of living crisis!
This wouldn't have happened if over 2000 of us hadn't written to them directly. In fact, over 17,000 Debt Justice campaigners have been part of the campaign calling for an energy debt write off, with high bills impacting millions of us across the UK. And we won!
3. Your campaigning got household debt on the political agenda
The mid-year election caused a stir, but didn't phase debt campaigners. With your support the Together Against Debt groups around the UK pushed for debt to be central on the agenda. The People's Manifesto on tackling the UK household debt crisis was sent to all MPs and party leaders. We were even featured on Channel 4 News ([link removed]) !
4. You made Labour promise to tackle unsustainable debt
In the run up to the elections, thousands of debt justice campaigners wrote to each party leader demanding a new law to cancel debt. Because of your tireless campaigning in this crucial election year, the Labour party made “tackling unsustainable debt” in lower-income countries a key priority in their election manifesto!
Making sure they wouldn’t forget it, Debt Justice, with our friends at Christian Aid held a joint parliamentary event after the summer break. Again, over a thousand of you emailed your MP to invite them to this event. Thanks to these messages, we had an incredible turnout – with many MPs telling us they’d come because of the emails they’d had from supporters like you. Development Minister Anneliese Dodds was one of them, and I spoke to her about the urgent need for debt cancellation for lower-income countries in crisis.
5. Legacy of Jubilee 2000: your on-going commitment to justice
We honoured 25 years of the debt movement by planting a commemorative tree in Birmingham, the site where 70,000 people came together to form a human chain demanding to drop the debt. Our organisation (then called Jubilee 2000) was shaped by this moment. The Birmingham group was pivotal to the campaign and we celebrated their passion and commitment to debt justice activism for over two decades by planting this commemorative tree. The Pope has announced that 2025 will be a Jubilee Year, so we’re gearing up for something special.
6. You stood against bullying bailiffs
Our UK household debt campaign scored a major victory in Manchester this year. Following pressure from Debt Justice campaigners, the city council introduced measures that will mean almost 50,000 homes that are in receipt of council tax support will no longer be visited by bailiffs. Thank you for helping to end the use of this cruel and ineffective method of debt collection for the most vulnerable households in the city of Manchester. Watch out for the next phase of our campaign next year.
This year it was clear, when we come together, we can be powerful. And when we are powerful, things can change for the better.
There’s still lots of work to do, challenges to overcome and undoubtedly successes to celebrate. But thanks to you, we have made good strides this year. I know that your support and passion helps build collective power in solidarity with affected communities.
Every action you take and every donation you give helps us get one step closer to winning debt justice both at home and globally. Thank you.
I wish you and your loved ones all the very best in the new year,
Heidi and all the Debt Justice team
============================================================
Our strength lies in you
Building a fair economy that puts human life before debt, takes commitment and independence.
That’s why we won’t take money from anyone who might try to water down our demands.
Our strength to win lies in the thousands of people like you coming together to support Debt Justice.
** Donate today ([link removed])
Copyright © 2024 Debt Justice, All rights reserved.
You received this email because you signed up for information about Debt Justice (formerly Jubilee Debt Campaign) by email, either via our website, while signing a campaign petition or postcard, or at an event.
Debt Justice is a UK company limited by guarantee (no 3201959) and a charity registered in England and Wales (no 1055675). Oxford House, Derbyshire Street, London E2 6HG, UK.
Want to change how you receive these emails? You can ** update your preferences ([link removed])
or ** unsubscribe from this list ([link removed])
.
