Resources & institutions

This was an interesting assignment as my local group Hastings Against War just found a volunteer website maker to update our web page and needed to clarify what we wanted changed. We felt that an easy-to-remember domain address, an uncluttered home page with up-to-date contact information and notes on how to join in our events would help recruit new supporters, especially young people. So how have some other local groups fared with web sites? Bangor Peace and Justice…

“Our aim is to support activists in educating themselves in the issues which confront those struggling for peace and justice”.

Based in Brighton, the site is a worldwide news compilation service with the latest breaking news, archives and information sheets. This is an invaluable time-saving service for activists. Let these people do the trawling for you! Admittedly you are relying on their choice, but it would be hard to fault them so far: for example follow the Haditha hearings…

Since Wrexham Against War(now Wrexham Peace & Justice Forum) came into being in 2002, we've made a conscious effort to document what we do - through photographs, saved press releases, a website and our newsletter. Wrexham Peace and Justice News has now been going for four years, and the next issue will be our 21st.

We haven't always succeeded in our documentation project; for instance, keeping the photos up to date on the website in the days before photo-sharing…

Several years ago I was involved in an intensive period of peace campaigning. I protested at Faslane, blockaded an arms factory, disputed with directors at the BAE Systems shareholders' meeting, trespassed at the nuclear submarine base at Barrow, and vigilled outside the DSEi arms fair.

These were exciting and challenging experiences, but I came away from them with growing doubts about the peace groups I had worked with. How did the methods we adopted actually contribute towards…