SHEFFIELD CND MINUTES Oct 21st 2015
Agenda Items
The Drones Campaign – Jon & Kath reported back on the Scones not Drones action on 3rd October. This was a national event with a full programme of activities including speakers, poetry, music, Skyping, a picnic,& kite flying. The EDM came along (only 5 or 6 of them – greatly outnumbered by us) and put up their flags and horrible posters on the gate. Our activities happened further down the road until they moved on.
CND National Conference – Oct 17th/18th.
Lesley reported a good conference with good speakers. Workshops included nonviolent direct action and Nukewatch. Jeremy Corbyn and Caroline Lucas were appointed vice chairs. A large proportion of delegates were young people. A full report will be available on the National CND website.
Peace Craft Fair – Nov 7th at Town Hall 11am to 4-30pm
We have booked a stall for this event in the Town Hall. We will need helpers on the day. Let Kath know if you can help with this. We will meet at the back of the Town Hall at 9am to set up. The SCRAP Memorial Quilt will be on display and we will have white poppies and Christmas cards to sell.
We need to plan our AGM for January or February – any ideas for this?
Our Sheffield CND website is now set up as a link from the Yorkshire CND website.
Future Events
Join the CND mass lobby of Parliament
CND has called a lobby of Parliament to oppose Trident replacement. It will take place on Wednesday 4th November. In 2016 MPs are expected to vote on whether or not to spend £100 billion on Trident replacement, so it is vital that the views of their constituents are heard. This is the first opportunity for a mass lobby since the General Election and is a great chance for you to discuss Trident replacement with your MP.
Please enter Parliament through the Cromwell Green public gate and join us in room W1 off Westminster Hall between 13:00 and 17:00. You can sign in with us, have a briefing on the issues and give us feedback about what your MP says. Please click here (
http://www.cnduk.org/index.php?option=com_acymailing&no_html=1&ctrl=url&urlid=43161&mailid=654&subid=50 ) to use our template letter to arrange a meeting with your MP.
If you have any questions about the lobby or want any advice please contact ( parliamentary@cnduk.org )parliamentary@cnduk.org ( parliamentary@cnduk.org )
Parliamentary meeting following the Lobby:
Nuclear exits: Countries have given up nuclear weapons, so can the UK!
5pm – 7pm
Christian CND is organising a public meeting straight after the parliamentary lobby where representatives from states which have abandoned nuclear weapons programmes will share experiences and explain how nuclear weapons can be given up. The meeting will take place in Committee Room 15 in the House of Commons between 17:00 and 19:00.
Ask you MP to sign EDM 280 on Trident
As Parliament returns from the party conference season Trident is set to be high on the political agenda ahead of a vote on replacement, expected in 2016. A cross-party group of MPs, including new Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, have tabled an Early Day Motion calling for Trident replacement to be cancelled.
Please contact your MP and ask them to sign the EDM by clicking here (http://act.cnduk.org/lobby/edm280 or by phone or letter.
Urgent request from Kate Hudson CND General secretary
Dear Friend
Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to the cause of nuclear disarmament. Sometimes it’s hard work – sometimes it seems like a struggle without end. But I believe that now we face an opportunity for change beyond any that we have seen in recent decades.
Thanks to a combination of factors – Jeremy Corbyn’s election as Labour leader, increased public concern about spending on nuclear weapons, Scottish rejection of Trident to name but a few – the issue is at the top of the political agenda.
And the timing couldn’t be better. Next year parliament is due to vote on whether or not Trident is replaced. All these factors coming together means that the struggle against Trident has escalated and the possibility of defeating its replacement is real.
Now we have to step up to the plate. To give real leadership across civil society, to change the political landscape. We cannot look to others to play that role. It is our role and our responsibility.
To be effective – and to have the resources we need – we need to increase our membership. And we are knocking at an open door – massive support is out there. But we need to bring it in.
This is where I need your help. We need all CND groups to help recruit members local to you. We can make national membership appeals, but we need your links and activities with your local communities to reach those vast numbers of people who support us but have never joined. Let them know: now is our chance – one big push together – to Stop Trident.
So please do all that you can to help increase CND membership in your area.
CND National Demonstration. London Feb 20th
To renew your membership or join for the first time please send Cheques for £8/£10 payable to Sheffield CND to Stewart (address below)
Dates for your Diary
Oct 29th – SCRAP Meeting 1-30 in Elam Café – making white poppies
Nov 4th – Parliamentary Lobby
Nov 7th – Peace & Craft Fair – Town Hall
Dec 16th – Christmas get together – venue to be announced
Feb 20th National CND Demo – London
Contacts:
Secretary: Kath Cripps 0114 2680726 crippskath@gmail.com
Treasurer: Stewart Kemp: 89, Rustlings Road, Sheffield S11 7AB
Next Meeting –Nov 18th QMH 7-30pm
