Derry Against Fuel Poverty to march through Derry against rising energy costs

Derry Against Fuel Poverty, a grassroots anti-poverty campaign set up in January 2022 to mobilise working class people in the face of ever rising household bills, has organised a march for Saturday October 1 in the city.

The group have asked people to gather at the Train Station in Duke Street at 2pm to march to Guildhall Square in the city centre for a rally.

Spokesperson Sinead Quinn said: “There has been a shameful lack of political leadership when it comes to the cost of living crisis affecting so many of us here in the North. 

"There were many calls for a cost of living taskforce in Winter 2021 and those calls fell on deaf ears. 

"We haven’t had a sitting Executive now for many months and the initial rhetoric of ‘a coalition of the willing’ went nowhere. 

"Caretaker Ministers wring their hands and sympathise but provide no solutions to the crisis. Our people cannot wait and on a daily basis we hear calls from ordinary folk telling us it is time for ‘feet on the streets’.

“Over 50 years ago, people assembled from all areas of this city to defend our basic freedoms under one banner. 

"We at Derry Against Fuel Poverty believe the best way to fight back against oppression is to rise up and stand together as one.

“Over the next few days we will be writing to the trade unions as well as local political and community representatives to secure their support and attendance for the march and rally. 

"We would ask supporters to share the event details with friends, family, colleagues and neighbours and to turn out en masse on the day. The time is now. All welcome.”