Group to mark 30 years of campaigning

The group in action: Philip Gilligan, Patricia Gilligan, Jenny Turner, Pauline Devine and friends with the peace group banner leaving Trafalgar Square on Saturday 26 March 2011.

Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group will hold its regular monthly meeting on Wednesday (8 June 2011) - exactly 30 years after the group first met.

At 8.00pm on 8 June 1981 ten people met at 83 Smithy Bridge Road to discuss forming a 'group against missiles'.

They were amongst the many thousands of people concerned about the escalating nuclear arms race and the arrival of 96 Cruise nuclear missiles from the USA at Greenham Common in Berkshire. They named themselves 'Littleborough Peace Group' to emphasise their positive objectives and agreed to affiliate to the national Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

Many of those present, subsequently spent time supporting the Greenham Common Peace camp which ultimately saw the departure of Cruise nuclear missiles from Britain ten years later, while the earliest local campaigns focused on collecting signatures for the International Peace Petition.

The group has remained continuously active since 1981. Littleborough Peace Group worked closely with Rochdale CND during the 1980s and 1990s and formed a key part of Rochdale Stop the War Coalition from 2002. The three groups merged in January 2007 to become the current, borough-wide, Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group.

Some of the founding members have sadly died or moved away during the past three decades, but several remain very active supporters of the group.

Rae Street was one of those attending the inaugural meeting in June 1981. She has since been a vice-chair of national CND and was, until earlier this year, chair of the Greater Manchester and District Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. Along with Pat Sanchez Ms Street was also a founder member of the International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons.

She said: "Rochdale and Littleborough Peace Group remains as determined as ever to rid our world of nuclear weapons and war."

"All those who have supported our campaigns in the past or who wish to join us in future campaigning will be very welcome at our 30th anniversary celebrations.”

 For more details contact Philip Gilligan on philipgilligan@lineone.net or 01706 370712.