Friday, December 11, 2009

Fathers 4 Justice descend on Canterbury for Christmas demonstration



Fathers 4 Justice campaigners demo in Canterbury 2004

Fathers 4 Justice campaigners pictured on a previous demonstration in Canterbury in 2004.

Campaigners from Fathers 4 Justice will descend on Canterbury on Saturday for a special Christmas demonstration.

The group, known for a series of high-profile stunts, will dress as Santa Claus and assemble in the city's Buttermarket Sqaure with banners, loud horns and megaphones.

They plan to take their message to the Cathedral in the hope the church will do more to recognise the role of the father in the family.

A statement issued by members last month read: "Dressed in Santa outfits, we will yet again attempt to get our message across to the church who, like this arrogant Labour government, have ignored the plight of fathers for years.

"We have decided to take the campaign back to the church as it and its synod have not debated family breakdown since 1991.

"The Church of England and its representatives must stop ignoring the consequences of this issue.

"To do this, we would like as many Kent dads as possible to attend dressed in Santa outfits."

Among them will be Darren Ash from Herne Bay, who has been fighting for access to his daughter for more than a decade after his relationship with her mother ended amicably.

Darren Ash from Herne Bay tells Adam Williams about the fight to see his daughter Click here for textual description.


Fathers 4 Justice campaigner Darren Ash from Herne Bay


But, despite securing four court orders granting him access and spending £7,000 in legal fees, Darren, 34, from Beltinge (pictured left) has only been allowed one overnight stay.

He said: "Family laws are confusing.

"The court orders have been made and then they have been broken by the mother and the courts do nothing whatsoever to enforce them.

"Any other court order being broken would end up in someone either being arrested or cautioned."

The group will assemble in Buttermarket Square between 10am and 2pm on Saturday.


http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentish_gazette/news/2009/december/11/fathers_4_justice_demo.aspx

See the location on Google Earth here

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=51.2782,1.08309&spn=0.006711,0.013132&z=15&key=ABQIAAAAnd1R8Vzhw-Nf-bOST_G0dxQXmapB6V2ITOvJVkbrDaA6acGT_RSRrdR0o7q_k6fEXuQWdl5l4q8oQQ&mapclient=jsapi&oi=map_misc&ct=api_logo