West Midlands CND News

Dear All

Firstly this is to (very belatedly) inform you about a webinar this evening (23rd July)  at 7 to 8.30pm. This is entitled Welfare not Warfare Time for an Alternative Defence Strategy  More information and register here :- https://cnduk.org/events/welfare-not-warfare-time-for-an-alternative-defence-strategy/ .

 Stop Starving Gaza: day of action this Friday 25 July this is a nationwide series of protests. Locally there will be protests outside Barclays Bank, 79-84 High Street, B4 7TE at 5pm, in Coventry Foleshill Road/Ring Road roundabout (near Eden School), CV1 4FS, at 4.30pm and in Worcester Cathedral Square, WR1 2QE,at 6pm. Check the Palestine Solidarity Campaign website for more information and to see if new locations have been added  https://palestinecampaign.org/events/emergency-action-stop-starving-gaza/

As you may have seen in the news it now seems almost certain that Nuclear Bombs have been delivered to Lakenheath. These bombs are designed to be “battlefield ” nuclear weapons with the crazy idea that they could more easily used in a war (despite the fact that one of the bombs is more powerful than that used at Hiroshima) We know this partly due to the vigilance of Nukewatch, whose report can be read here https://www.nukewatch.org.uk/how-the-us-air-force-brought-nuclear-weapons-to-lakenheath-air-base-the-inside-story/ . This is obviously very concerning as it makes the UK more of a nuclear target and increases international tensions. CND is calling on the government to make a statement about this and allow a parliamentary debate on the matter.

Read more in CND’s press release here :- https://cnduk.org/starmer-come-clean-the-british-public-deserve-the-truth-over-deployment-of-us-nuclear-weapons/

If you are able to get there, there is a vigil at Lakenheath this Saturday 12-2pm More information here : https://cnduk.org/events/lakenheath-alliance-for-peace-vigil-9/ 

These developments make it even more important that we remember the bombing of Hiroshima 80 years ago  in 1945 and recommit ourselves to working to prevent this ever happening again. The Birminghamcommemoration with readings, music from the Clarion singers and silent reflection will take place on Saturday 2nd August at 11am in the Cathedral Churchyard, Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2QB (near Snowhill station) . Currently the forecast looks good but bring an umbrella in case of rain. We should have chairs to sit on. Let me know if you would like to read something (which I will provide). The Cathedral churchyard is a central spot and usually quite busy with people coming and going so our message of no more nuclear war should be clearly visible.

In Coventry there will be a commemoration event on Wed Aug 6th from 17.40 to 7pm which will include a drama presentation of Sadako’s story and a reflection by Sophie Bolt (general secretary of CND). More information here :-  https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/coventry-hiroshima-rememrance-tickets-1408755358199 .

In Stafford on Wed 6th  there will be a vigil in the market square ST16 2LD from 7pm.

Lastly you may be interested in a showing of the film “Carry Greenham home “ organised by South Cheshire and North Staffs CND from 7.30 10pm on in Stoke on Trent. More information here https://cnduk.org/events/scans-cnd-presents-carry-greenham-home-stoke-on-trent-film-night/

Yours in Peace

Gill Cox

PS our next meeting by zoom will be on Tuesday 2nd September at 7.30pm.

There will be a national demonstration at RAF Marham (near Kings Lynn ) on Saturday 18th October. This is the base where Starmer is proposing to locate the F35 A fighter jets (that he is planning to buy from the USA) which will probably carry nuclear weapons. We hope to organise a minibus to this so please let me know if you are interested.