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| Hanley Peace Centre |
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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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