Hiroshima
Day Vigil
6th
August 2010 7:30 pm
Kingsway,
outside Civic Centre in Stoke (by the stainless steel sculpture)
You
are invited to participate in a vigil to mark Hiroshima Day. There
are several Disability parking spaces without charge but unfortunately
there is a charge of £1 to park in the council car park
after 6pm.
All
are welcome to spend some time in silence whilst we remember those
who suffered and died at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This is to be
a peaceful and respectful vigil. Please bring candles and banners
if you wish.
Yours
in peace, SCANS
CND
South Cheshire
and North Staffs Campaign for
Nuclear Disarmament
SCANS
CND has been active since the 1960s. It currently has around 140
members and has been involved in numerous projects including Greenham
Common and Menwith Hill. Activities are coordinated at the Hanley
Peace Centre.
The
Peace Centre
The
Peace Centre, which has been here since 1985, can provide information
and leaflets on many issues. We have contacts locally and nationally
and have visited German peace groups in Erlangen, our twin city.
Local trade unions and pressure groups are among our affiliates,
while we are affiliated to organisations such as Campaign Against
the Arms Trade and the World Development Movement.
Past
Activities
Past
activities have included hosting peace or anti-racist walks, and
the World Court Project - whose work led to the Court's Advisory
Opinion on the illegality of nuclear weapons - on their way to
the Bradford Peace Museum with the citizens' pledges from many
countries, which had led to the verdict. We received Arts Council/Lottery
funding to arrange a local showing of Banner Theatre's play about
asylum seekers, for the European Year Against Racism. We have
joined with other groups to publicise the landmines issue and
to collect for related charities.
-
Members
have demonstrated against trident nuclear submarines, and have
been to the Scottish base and the long established Peace Camp.
Peace camps, whether permanent or weekends, mixed or women only,
are an important part of the movement - as are Trident Ploughshares
activists who aim to disarm the submarines, which we consider
illegal under international law. One is a local member.
-
We
are in contact with those who track nuclear waste convoys and
trains, which pass through, or close to, this area. We leafleted
Crewe and Stafford Stations as part of the successful National
bay of Action Against Nuclear Trains. Petition
-
We
get regular press coverage locally, and take our stall to carnivals
and other events. Most of our members are too busy to be active,
but some can offer occasional help and donations, or will write
letters as suggested in our quarterly newsletter. We attend
national conferences and CND Council meetings, and our national
chairperson has twice spoken at our AGMs. Over the Years, we
have been involved in many local, national and international
campaigns.
-
We
used to collect for Chernobyl Children's project which now has
two local hosting groups (one of which we were able to advise
on contacts and information before it started). The disaster's
10th anniversary was marked by a visit from CCP's coordinator,
a library exhibition and a vigil. Commemorations for Hiroshima
and Nagasaki's 50th anniversary at Keele.
-
As
a national organisation and as part of the international peace
movement, CND is now consulted by the press, and, as a recognised
NGO (Non Governmental Organisation), is asked to make submissions
to government committees, and to attend meetings at the UN and
elsewhere, where it has been able to help other nations with
information and support for dialogue with the nuclear powers.
For
more information and/or to receive the Peace Centre Newsletter
Contact
Peace Centre
P0 BOX 2127
Stoke-on-Trent
ST1 1WZ
Tel: 01782 829961
Or
E-mail jason@scanscnd.org.uk
