Interview on the One Show, Support from The Fonz and 'Work Academies'

Over the past few days we've had some really successful regional demonstrations in Sheffield, Chesterfield, Nottingham and Leicester. They have shown how support for the march is growing as we approach London, with more and more trade union branches and local community groups wanting to get involved. Press coverage is also increasing, having been on the One Show (click here for link) on the day the new unemployment figures released. 991,000 16-24 year-olds are now unemployed, although the real figure is likely to be over a million. Henry Winkler who played Fonzie in Happy Days was also on the show and expressed his support for the march (hence the picture)!

The government has proposed some token investments in job creation for young people - work academies - which provide unpaid work experience for 50,000 young people with a guaranteed job interview at the end. However we say that this is simply not good enough. It will still leave 950,000 youths unemployed and this 50,000 are still not even guaranteed to get a job, just an interview. We also argue that if there is useful work that these people could be doing, then they should be paid like any other employee.

We're all getting used to the walking now. It seems to have become part of the routine now to walk 10-20 miles every day. Although we're still very much enjoying our rest day today in Leicester. The Indian Workers Association have been kind enough to put us up for a couple of nights and cook us some amazing food. This morning they took us to visit and have breakfast in a sikh temple. Some of us then went down to the park and played football with a group of local kids as part of our training for a big football match when we get to London. In Nottingham we stayed with local supporters which was brilliant. I got to sleep in a comfy bed and be treated to some great food. I knew I was probably being softened up too much by the time I was sitting in front of the TV with a cup of hot chocolate!

Now that I've been on the march for two weeks I can look back on it in a more objective way. It's been a brilliant opportunity to see so much of the country and how much people are being affected by the government's cuts. Having only lived in Cambridge and Brighton before, relatively affluent areas, I feel like I've now had my eyes opened to how many people across the country are living through difficult times, with job and public service losses being present everywhere. Yet this hasn't given me a hopeless outlook on the situation. Despite the difficulties people are facing, there is also a growing willingness amongst people to fight for change.

Ideas of socialism seem to be coming back to the fore and more and more people are seeking to unite together in a struggle against the greed of capitalism. This march has been brilliant for creating links all over the country and fostering new hope in people's hearts. Everywhere we seem to be inspiring people to get up and fight back. As we approach London, protests and occupations are taking place all over the world. People are finally beginning to realise that the current global economic system must be changed for one that has the interests of working people at its heart.

For transport from Brighton to the final leg of the march in London on November 5^th contact info.bhsp@gmail.com or call 07894716095 – see the Facebook event here.