GFTU BGCM Report 2017

27. The Trust supported a special event to explore ways of using arts and culture to support union organising, campaigning and education work. This was generally considered a very worthwhile and unique day. Around 65 attended including all arts related affiliates. Performances and discussions were excellent. It provided a great building block for the Liberating Arts Festival November 3,4,5 2017 and took us a long way forward in terms of considering how arts and cultural workers can assist the union work of organising, education and campaigning. 28. The Trust was also able to support the performance of a new play about Mary Quaile by a new young theatre group in Nottingham, Bread and Roses. 29. Following these events a small group organising the Liberating Arts Festival has met to plan things and apply for grants. This group includes Townsend Productions, Exeter and York Universities, Reel News, Chris Jury, Jan Woolf, Banner Theatre and others. 30. A report of our December 6th Event by Jan Woolf of the WGGB can be found at the end of this report. 31. The Trust has continued to take detailed reports on performance at Quorn Grange Hotel and Nursery and has established a wholly own subsidiary to run the nursery. 32. The Trust has been keen to support the development of new services that could generate affiliates, new venue booking arrangements, a print and design facility, a credit union, new financial services offers to members, financial and education administration for affiliates and a new beer and wine. 33. There has been positive support for our work from a growing number of Universities. 33.1 Leeds Beckett 33.2 This meeting was at the most senior level with Vice Chancellor and Deans and Heads could support our education work. Further meetings will be held. A Memorandum of Understanding has been agreed. 33.3 The university will deliver our new course for trade union educators in 2017. 33.4 Newman University 33.5 The University will deliver our new course for trade union educators at Level 6. 33.6 Mike Seal from Newman is putting a great small additional income for its work. Among these have been: New GFTU Legal services for of Department and discussed a whole range of ways in which the University

33.9 The Secretary was an invited speaker at the special Ruskin Day on the future of Working Class Education. 33.10 Somerville College Oxford 33.11 Dr Alice Porcheska who is a distinguished internationally renowned historian and archivist, wrote the first history of the GFTU. She is now Principal of Somerville College Oxford. She is keen to share some of her unpublished work on the GFTU’s history with our new Ph D student and to work closely with us again. Dr Procheska also arranged to host a meeting of education officers at Somerville college to discuss access to the university for trade unionists. 33.12 Northern College 33.13 Our five day courses at Northern were very successful. The Trust has been able to promote Northern College and Ruskin College at the TUC and in its new education brochure. the university to study the North Wales Coalfields and appoint two post doc students to work with the GFTU has been successful. 33.16 Dr Shirin Hirsch the current post doc student working with the GFTU has commenced her work and made a contribution at the Union Building Conference. appointment for a PhD student to write a history of the GFTU. We are delighted to report that Edda Nicholson has been offered the position. 33.18 DeMontfort University 33.19 We have offered two small prizes for students at DeMontfort successfully completing IR related courses and I will present these at the end of January. Extensive discussions have been held about mutual co-operation and opportunities. 33.20 Exeter University 33.21 The University is keen to sign a partnership 33.22 Marjohn College 33.23 The College is keen to sign a partnership with us particularly to support our education agenda. 33.24 Keele University 33.25 A joint funding bid to support seminars to consider the questions facing trade unionists in the EU referendum was obtained and three seminars were held. 33.17 We were able to make a successful with us particularly to support our cultural work, promote degree apprenticeships, consider work on climate change and developmental issues internationally. 33.14 Wolverhampton University 33.15 Our partnered bid for £670,000 with

deal of work into our editing our book on trade union education and made presentations at the summit and union building conference.

33.7 Ruskin College 33.8 Positive discussions are under way about closer working. The Secretary remains a

member of the Executive Board of Ruskin. The Trust has circulated details of the Ruskin offer.

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