1. Homes For All

Organisations that help the homeless are warning that people will face even greater problems this winter unless urgent action is taken to offer shelter to those without a home. This warning follows publication of figures showing an increase in the number of homeless people. Susan Evans of the organisation "Homes for All' said: "With not enough accommodation, more people than ever before  — young and old  — are having to sleep in the open. A cold winter is predicted this year which means that these people will have to put up with sub-zero temperatures. Action must be taken urgently to offer these people shelter." A nationwide demonstration to draw attention to the problem will take place this weekend. Supporters welcome.

2. Village Protest

Residents of local village, Shilden, are preparing for a night of protest to save their village from Government planners. Proposals for a new motorway to be built that will run within 2 kilometres of Shilden have caused protests among the population. They claim that they were given insufficient time to respond to the proposal. Tony Fellows, spokesperson for the 'Village Protest' campaign explains: "The planned route cuts across some of the most picturesque countryside in the region. Shilden welcomes thousands of tourists each year. Many of the shopkeepers depend on this trade and would almost certainly face ruin if tourists were put off coming by the damage this road is likely to cause." The all-night protest will take place in the fields where the building work is likely to begin.

3. New Youth Club

Youngsters in the city-centre will lose out on a much-loved project if sufficient funds are not found this year. The New Youth Club', which is open to young people from the ages of 10 to 17, is being threatened with closure by Health and Safety officials who claim the building is unsafe. The club, built 30 years ago, was badly damaged by heavy storms last year and city engineers estimate that one hundred thousand pounds is needed to repair structural damage. With only limited funds that they possess, managers fear the club will have to close. Youngsters from the club have organised an Open Day on Tuesday in an effort to raise some of the money needed to enable the repairs to be undertaken. "This alone won't be enough, however" warned Adam Ross, Youth Leader.

4. Save Lea Valley

A rare species of butterfly and many native plants face extinction if the "Lea Valley office complex' project goes ahead. This is the complaint made by local environmentalists involved in the 'Save Lea Valley' campaign. They argue that the proposed development, to be built on the site of woodland that has a history of hundreds of years, will rob the country of several rare species of wildlife. "Local people would be horrified if they knew of the consequences of this project," claimed environmentalist Ian Wilson yesterday. "We need to start a local campaign to warn everyone about the dangers. We are starting by writing letters to everyone in the area asking for their support. The office complex developers must not be allowed to do this."