Rochdale shows support for Peace Group: the bomb stops here

Sam O’Brien, Patricia Gilligan, George Arbenstern and Mai Chatham preparing to leaflet

Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group had no difficulty in finding supporters in Yorkshire Street on Saturday 1 March. Peace Group members asked passers-by to join them in celebrating 50 years of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and in supporting its call for an immediate end to the development of nuclear weapons at the Aldermaston Atomic Weapons Establishment, near Reading.

People signed cards which picture either a dove of peace or the famous CND symbol and have the straightforward message: “Rochdale says ‘the bomb stops here’”. The cards will be tied to the fence of the Atomic Weapons Establishment on Monday 24 March by local peace campaigners, including Mai Chatham. Mai joined her parents on CND’s very first Aldermaston march in 1958 and has been campaigning against nuclear weapons ever since. She said that she was very moved by the enthusiastic support she had found for the cause of nuclear disarmament on the streets of Rochdale.

Philip Gilligan said: “People were very eager to express their opposition to the squandering of their taxes on ever more dangerous nuclear weapons. They were very pleased to hear that members of their local peace group will be joining thousands of others on Easter Monday in surrounding the nuclear bomb factory at Aldermaston. They want the government to see that they oppose nuclear weapons and want their country to be in the forefront of disarmament and the building of a nuclear-free world.  

“Unfortunately, we ran out of leaflets and cards all too quickly. We should have printed many more. However, if any wants a card to sign or any more information about Aldermaston 2008, they can contact me on 01706 370712 or Pat Sanchez on 01706 371107.”