Notice from Secretary
Grateful thanks to those of you who are officers, attend meetings,
campaign, give donations and pay their subs. As usual the newsletter has
been reduced to one per year mainly recording our campaigning.
Subs are now due - please send them to Tahrir Swift.[ use tear-off slip at
end of newsletter ].
CND still very much needs support especially with the continued
conflicts and civil wars resulting In the refugee crisis, increased tensions in
Iraq and Syria with the influence of Daesh , the UK's plans for Trident
renewal, the use of drones and the dangers from nuclear power pollution from
the Fukushima fall out. It would be really supportive if local Bromley and
Beckenham members could also join National CND, if they don't already belong.It
would be very helpful for our group if you become a CND Company Member for the one
time charge of £1
Please also visit our Facebook page
Secretary's
Annual Report
Acknowledgements
Grateful thanks to those who supported the Feb 27th Kick Trident Out demo , two local vigils again the bombing
of Syria, the Climate Change marches and rallies, Fukushima rally, march
and regular vigils outside the Japanese Embassy and TEPCO office, Conscientious
Objector's Day ceremony, also for help at last year's Chernobyl Day and
Bromley August Bank Holiday Monday stalls.
Grateful thanks as always to Wendy and Brian Phillips and their son
Bryan for photocopying our newsletter each year.
Leaflets were distributed in Bromley, signatures collected on the
petitions. Then we had a silent march through Bromley and walked to the lake in
the Library Gardens where we scattered white chrysanthemums. We
read poems and made statements. As usual a very moving occasion, and the silent
march was well respected by members of the public. Our press release was published in the letter
section in the Bromley Times local newspaper.
National CND AGM 2015
This was held in London on Oct
17th and 18th at the Arlington Conference Centre in Camden and was
attended by Tahrir Swift ,Richard Hart, Ruth Fabricant, Ruth Dewa and Ann
Garrett. Jeremy Corbyn was given a great welcome at the reception event !
National officers were elected : including Kate Hudson as General
Secretary, Dave Webb as Chair, and Linda Hugl as Treasurer. All the
resolution were passed after stimulating debates and trouble -shooting from
Student/Youth CND. Speakers included Catharine West [ Shadow Foreign Minister ]
who stressed the cost implications of Trident, and Rebecca Johnson who reported
that 119 countries signed The International Humanitarian pledge at the 2015 NPT
Review Conference. Kate Hudson emphasised that this was one of the most
important conferences in CND's history and that the anti-Trident campaign
challenges the whole UK establishment. She also encouraged the importance of
grass roots alliance building. There was a particularly stimulating workshop on
sharing campaigning strategies.
White Poppy Ceremony 2015
It was heartening to have the
attendance of about 15 people - with support from Forest Hill and
Sydenham and Lewisham and Greenwich CND groups. Speeches condemning the
arms trade, the glorification of war and weapons, pursuing Trdent renewal
in the time of severe cuts were made by Richard Hart, Geraldine Cowan and other
people present. Laura Yeates spoke remembering her uncle who had fought in WW2.
The wreath made by Ruth Fabricant was again bio-degradable - lasting for
several weeks despite some stormy weather. Ruth also sang peace songs. Poems
were read by Geraldine Cowan, Patricia McKinnon and Ann Garrett.
London Region AGM January 9th/ 2016
The following officers were elected - Carol Turner[ Chair], Tim Wardle
[Sec] and Phil Sedler [Treasurer].
Carol Turner gave a key note speech ' The Corbyn Labour Party and
Trident'. Workshops included the Japanese Peace Constitution and The French
Nuclear Programme. Green MEP Jean Lambert gave an informative EU perspective on
the nuclear power and weapons. She spoke of the challenge to get nuclear non-
proliferation on the EU agenda, but said that successful negotiations with Iran
offered some positivity.
Campaigning Activities
We have leafleted outside the Churchill Theatre in Bromley and in
Beckenham and Penge, collecting signatures on the No Trident Replacement
petition and outside Bromley South Station against Nuclear Trains. We
supported Lewisham and Greenwich CND's Aug 6th Hiroshima event where
Gurbaksh Garcha spoke, the Blackheath folk club members sang and the Bromley
Peace Poets read. Our banner has also been present at the London anti austerity actions
We marked the
30th anniversary of Chernobyl on April 26th and
also the 5th anniversary of Fukushima with a stall in Bromley Market Square The
public response was encouraging and we collected donations for the Chernobyl
Children's Project. we also took part in the refugees welcome protest
Nuclear Power/Waste Update
NTAG [ the nuclear trains action group ] has amalgamated with Kick
Nuclear, and been focusing on campaigning at Brixton and Willesden, and also
supported us at Bromley South station where
the trains still travel through from Dungeness on their way to Sellafield.
We did actions at Bromley South on Nov 7th/15 and May 7th/16. NTAG/Kick
Nuclear have reported that Hinkley Point C is still in doubt of being built as
it facing funding challenges despite the Chinese and French offers. Japan has
started 2 nuclear reactors since the Fukushima disaster. This is a
growing anti-nuclear lobby there with the pro-nuclear Abe government in power.
Peace Plays
Several members of our group saw the first computer- generated at the Arts Theatre about Greenham
Common in February, which was a moving reminder for some and informative for
younger people.
Ruth Dewa, a new member of Bromley and Beckenham CND, worked as a
project manager at London Bubble Theatre and
was responsible with other team members for ' After Hiroshima' performed in
March at a church venue in Southwark. This told the story of weapons
development and protest since 1945 and was an exciting project involving the
local community, CND members and London Bubble Theatre. The piece used
verbatim/documentary with media images and physical theatre techniques to
present the well researched factual material, and was very original. The show
had been preceded by a series of workshops.
International Peace Day Event -2015
This was held again on Sept 21st at Community House, South Street,
Bromley and was organised by Bromley Peace Council. Only 20 people attended,
which was disappointing. Music was provided by Alan Dearlove Anderson and
speeches were given by David Hamilton [ UNA] about the need for UN reform,
Roisin Robertson of Greenpeace on the Save the Arctic Campaign, Peace
Candle on their community work, Sheila Triggs who reported on 2015 WILPF
conference in The Hague and Tahrir Swift on the deteriorating situation in
Iraq. Exerpts from the Peace One Day most recent film [ showing their
international educational projects] were shown by John Courtneidge with a
specially recorded message for our group from the founder Jeremy Gilley. Stalls
from local groups were present and Richard Hart chaired the evening. Bromley
Peace Council is supported by people who aren't all members of CND, so it still
functions as an umbrella group for different organisations.
Meetings continue to be held at The Therapy Centre, 96 Martins Rd,
Shortlands - thanks to Paula Lloyd. [ March 20th, July 17th and October
23rd/2016 at 3.00 pm ]. Sept 21st/2016 Peace Day Event is at Bromley
Parish Church Rooms, Church Rd, Bromley at 7.30pm, where it is hoped to involve
Beckenham Woodcraft Folk.
Network for Peace AGM
Richard Hart attended this on April 14th /16. A talk was given by Tim Wallis from Quaker Peace and
Social Witness - 'The Truth About Trident - Making Sense
of the Arguments For and Against'. [ A chart of this is on Page 4 ].
Comment
NATO expansion, the
decision to bomb Syria with resulting the refugee crisis,and the bombings in
Paris and Brussels by Daesh/Isis are increasing world tension. Talks at a
London regions CND meeting on May 4th/16 by Kim Sharif and Ann Feltham '
Yemen's War, Britain's Involvement' highlighted the horrific atrocities taking
place as a result of the bombing there. Both talks dealt with sale of arms to
the Saudi Government and the corruption of the arms trade and the huge profits
made. UK weapons are playing s central role in Saudi Arabia's bombing of Yemen,
a conflict which has killed over 8,000 people and left 80% of the population
needing humanitarian assistance. The total of wounded is over 15,000 with 1,782
being children, who are growing up in a culture of war in many countries
throughout the world.for a complete view of our activism in 2015/16 click here
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