The YS March for Jobs and Free State Education marched for 17 miles from Sheffield to Chesterfield yesterday.
It is marching on to Mansfield and then Stoke over the weekend.
The march had big successes in Sheffield.
After receiving a £100 donation and a fish dinner from the GMB City Council branch on Thursday afternoon, the marchers visited Sheffield bus station.
There, Unite branch secretary Martin Mayer presented them with a £75 cheque and said: ‘We support you absolutely.
‘We’ve got to stop this Tory coalition which is undoing all the gains of the working class.
‘What you youngsters are doing is very important. We’ve got huge respect for you.
‘We’ve got to link up, we can no longer turn our backs on things.
‘Here in Sheffield, we’re talking about setting up a Sheffield anti-cuts alliance. I was at a meeting about it last night.
‘But we don’t want it to be just the trade unions, we also want student groups and housing groups.’
An early start yesterday, saw a campaign team in the middle of Sheffield recruiting and selling tickets for the Meet the March/News Line and Trotsky Anniversary Rally in London on November 21.
Lots of people spoke of their support for the march.
Phil Cargill, a 22-year-old teaching assistant, said: ‘I finished university last year and I’m very much in debt – over £20,000.
‘But that’s only half what it’s going to be for those in the future.
‘I’m in favour of getting rid of fees altogether. Education should be free.
‘I think we need to go a step further than a general strike and have a revolution.’
Michael France said: ‘I worked in the steel nearly all my life, 50 years, I’m 70 now, and now it’s gone.
‘Sheffield used to be called Steel City, and now there’s nothing for the young generation.
‘My grandson, he’s twenty, and he hasn’t found a job yet. It’s terrible.
‘I think they’ll all come out on strike – the unions.
‘They’ll do something about it. But they’d better do it quick or it will be too late.
‘I favour a general strike, definitely.
‘Your march is a very good idea. I wish you all the best.’
Sharon Bromley, a Unison member, said: ‘I’m from Salford and I support your march because your causes are the right causes.
‘To actually see young people protesting and fighting to raise people’s awareness of the consequences of the government’s policies is great.
‘My parents remember what things were like before the Welfare State.
‘I visited my elderly mother last weekend. She lives on a council estate in Salford.
‘She said she was absolutely disgusted that for the first time since Beveridge, there was going to be no government subsidy to support social housing.
‘I support your call for a general strike to defend the welfare state and I’m sure my mum does too.’
The march departed Sheffield city centre chanting ‘Youth demand a future, youth demand jobs!’ and ‘we won’t pay tuition fees, education must be free!’
Danny Brotherton and Sam Theakston, two 20-year-old students from Sheffield Hallam University joined the march for the first few miles out of Sheffield.
Danny said: ‘I’m furious about fees. Education is a right, it’s something that should be free and the National Union of Students must fight to abolish fees completely.
‘This march is good to see and good to be on.
‘It’s got to be the first of many, we are going to join you again in London.’
Sam said: ‘We’ve both got younger siblings and fees are going to slaughter them to the point that my brother might even not go to university.
‘Direct action is needed, it’s gone beyond speaking.
‘It’s great you’ve come to Sheffield, a traditional working class city, we’ll join you again down the road.’
As the march passed Sheffield Hallam University, loads of students came out to support it and Donna Woodhouse, UCU rep for sport joined them.
She said: ‘I completely support the aims of your march – jobs, free state education and your call for a general strike.’
CWU member John McKenna joined the march as he was doing his round.
He said: ‘No to privatisation, there has to be a general strike to defend Royal Mail and all public services.
‘I’m glad to join your march, keep it up.’
