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UnITE buildingWORKER at large
n By Billy Parry
THATCHERISM’S POLAR OPPOSITES
Life and times of Liverpool’s the CASA
In the 1970s I often walked into, but wobbled out of, a club in Liverpool called the Casablanca. It closed down many years back but following the long and bitter docks dispute from 1995 to 1998 it was reopened when sacked dockers, with financial assistance from abroad and the proceeds of Ken Loache’s excellent Channel 4 series Dockers decided they would like to do something within the community for the community with the objective of alleviating poverty in Liverpool.
Tony Nelson and Terry Teague, two of the sacked dockers are at the forefront of this not-for-profit initiative and speaking with Tony I was inspired by his resolute belief in socialism and the importance of community.
The CASA – Community Advice Services Association is like a Citizens Advice Bureau and he says proudly since its inception we’ve accessed over £21m for people and offer help, advice and guidance to anyone going through personal, legal or family problems and have nowhere else to turn.
The CASA is a home from home for charities like children’s charity, Imagine. Community groups like pensioners as well as a place for retired seafarers to meet up for a few beers and get the lanterns swinging. Tony said with conviction, “We are the polar opposite to Thatcherism” and nearly every trade union in the country uses the CASA for meetings, social functions and presentations.
Aside from all the community activities the CASA will forever be the place where the historic Shrewsbury 24 pickets campaign began it long hard road to justice.
Campaign researcher Eileen Turnbull says, The Shrewsbury 24 Campaign was launched in 2006 at the Casa. From that day on the campaign committee met regularly and held many fundraising events and public meetings at the venue. Although the campaign had many setbacks over the years, not least the three rejections of the pickets’ case by the CCRC, the Casa remained steadfast in its support and gave much needed encouragement to go on and Never Give Up!
“The 15 years of campaigning resulted in the overturning of the pickets’ convictions at the Court of Appeal in March 2021.
“A brass plaque commemorating this success now hangs on the wall of the main bar.
A blue plaque has been placed on the outside wall of the Casa on Hope Street, marking it as the historical meeting place of the Shrewsbury 24 Campaign.”
The CASA can be found in the street that has a Catholic cathedral at one end, an Anglican cathedral at the other end, and a Socialist cathedral in the middle.
Billy Parry is Unite NW regional construction chair FIND OUT MORE
The Casa is funded through donations. If you’d like to help see
https://thecasa.org.uk/
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