This December, Aldermaston Women’s Peace Camp are celebrating the 40th anniversary of ‘the most powerful women-only event ever’. On 12 December 1982, 30,000 women held hands along the nine-mile fence around the Greenham Common cruise missile base: ‘Embrace the Base’.
From 9–11 December, Aldermaston Women’s Peace Camp will be marking the anniversary, weaving webs (bring wool), at their legal campsite outside the Aldermaston nuclear bomb factory.
For more details, look up ‘…
Last Saturday I went to Waddington to protest about drones and I took the opportunity to ask a number of people whether they knew where Britain’s nuclear weapons are designed and made.
Of course, the results are anecdotal but I was shocked to find that many of these people, all of whom were against nukes, had no idea where we make our bombs.
When prompted, most of them knew the word ‘Aldermaston’, but had no idea what was made there. I wonder whether it is important…
But there’s no time to celebrate, because the process of planning the replacement for Trident is already under way. If we want a nuclear-free future we have to act now.
The two options under consideration are wholesale replacement of the Trident system of specialised nuclear-powered submarines and missiles; or a ‘tactical’ system of smaller missiles which can carry thermonuclear warheads but be launched from regular submarines. The costs for this option have not been spelled out…
The Muriel Lesters affinity group visited the corporate headquarters of Lockheed Martin in Cunard House, 15 Lower Regent St, near Piccadilly Circus, London, on 6 June. Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest arms manufacturer, is one of three companies running the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston (on behalf of the British government), where they are designing and building a new generation of nuclear weapons. The Trident Ploughshares affinity group will be visiting again at…
Photo: Christian CND.
On 3 June, Christian CND and ICAN (the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons) celebrated the royal jubilee with ‘The Queen’s Peace Alternative Jubilee Party’ outside the nuclear bomb factory, AWE Aldermaston in Berkshire. There was a short service, followed by a secular event at 2pm, with a ‘best hat or crown’ competition, fence-decorating, children’s activities and a shared party tea.
On 4 and 5 August a group of international peace gardeners visited AWE Aldermaston to plant vines and fig trees both inside and outside the Atomic Weapons Establishment. Nine were arrested and charged with criminal damage.
Taking inspiration from the biblical text Micah 4:3 - "and everyone shall live underneath their vine and fig tree and none shall make them afraid..." - the action kicked off a weekend of events held at Britain's nuclear weapons factory to mark the 60th anniversary…
