SALLY'S WORK FOR PENSIONERS

Sally is the Director of an older person's charity and has a strong commitment to supporting the lives of older people.

The work of the organisation is far reaching, involving the promotion of welfare rights, the representation of older people at Tribunals and in housing disputes, and campaigning for better support and care in all aspects of older people's lives. As well as the public central office, Sally runs outreach projects within the wider community, ensuring greater access to the organisation's services.

Sally created a highly successful London-based Pensioner's Choir. The Choir has continued to grow since it's creation and has performed at a number of venues throughout London. They performed on stage at the 2007 St Patrick's Day Celebrations in Covent Garden. The Choir is a great source of enjoyment and pride for many elderly Irish people, some of whom are now members of the National Pensioner's Choir 'The Zimmers.'

Sally established a network of Older People’s Forums which are consulted by both Local Authorities and Government bodies. These enable older people to have their voices heard at the very highest levels. I am a member of the DWP Partnership Against Poverty Committee, addressing pensioner poverty.

Sally worked with a Labour Member of the European Parliament to bring a delegation of older people to the European Parliament to lobby for an EU-wide Free Bus Pass for Pensioners.

SALLY'S WORK ON INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

Sally has a strong belief in internationalism. She believes that campaigning for social justice should go beyond national borders and interests, and that solidarity and action for the world's poorest and most vulnerable is key to a better world.

See Labour's Britain In The World document here

Sally is currently involved in a Building Homes for South Africa charity based in Cape Town. In 2007 she organised a highly successful International Evening to raise funds for this charity. At this event the South African High Commissioner to Britain committed the South African Government to matching the funds raised in 2008, and to host a fundraiser at South Africa House.

Sally is the Chair of Labour Party Irish Societies (LPIS) and has previously been the Secretary of the Federation of Irish Societies, the umbrella organisation for all Irish welfare related groups in the UK. She works closely with the Irish Government on issues concerning Irish pensioners in the Britain.

Sally is a member of the group Britain in Europe and has worked with European groups and MEPs campaigning for an EU travel card for pensioners.

Sallty has worked with TGWU and Hackney Council to organise a Polish Festival to be held in Hackney in Summer 2008.

SALLY'S WORK WITH TRADE UNIONS

Sally has been active in the Labour and Trade Union movement all her working life. As a Regional Delegate and Shop Steward with UNISON, she was involved in numerous Trade Union campaigns during the difficult Thatcher era. These included work for the Miners, advocating for enhanced maternity leave and family friendly policies, and representing numerous Unison members in disputes with employers.

Sally joined TGWU (UNITE) as a voluntary sector worker in 1994 and has been a Shop Steward throughout this time.

In recognition of Sally's work with the miners' wives from the South Wales Collieries, she was made an Honorary Life Member of the NUM.

In the past year, Sally worked closely with the Deputy General Secretary of the TGWU to highlight the importance of Trade Union membership to new immigrant communities. With the TGWU, Sally has planned the first London–wide festival celebrating the Polish community in Britain, which will take place this summer.

“Sally has worked tirelessly to ensure that new migrant workers from Eastern Europe do not get exploited by employers in the UK. As a committed Trade Unionist, Sally has used her knowledge of the experiences of the Irish community to improve the working lives of these new immigrant communities.”

Jack Dromey, Deputy General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union