Some good news

Amongst the budget cuts gloom there is a shard of light with the announcement in the Strategic Defence Review of 3 Nov. of a Trident replacement delay and a slight reduction in the number of warheads to be deployed on future submarines, down from 48 to 40. Also our stockpile of operational warheads will reduce from 160 to 120 and the overall number of nuclear weapons from 225 to 180 by mid 2020s.  The MoD is furious with these cutbacks (Daily Telegraph, 18 Nov). Good!

But before you get the champagne corks out, sober up with the news that the Queen has been roped in to give her Royal Blessing to Sheffield University’s Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (led by Rolls Royce for the nuclear power effort) and to the University’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre where Boeing is doing its best for the missile defence industry. News of the royal visit broke so late (did they think it would be unpopular?) that your local CND – alas – could not join in whatever last minute protest was being organised.

AGM

Nov. 17 saw a well attended AGM. Some twenty of us enjoyed both an excellent review by our Secretary Kath of the year’s activities and a heartening talk by Dr Stuart Parkinson on Arms Conversion for a Sustainable Society.

Dr Parkinson’s talk gave us all a lift. As researcher for Scientists for Global Responsibility, Parkinson was able to give us an overview of  changing security strategies and of changes in our military industrial sector both of which seem to reveal some recognition that there has been over reliance on military intervention in the past and that, instead, there should be a higher priority for conflict prevention.  He cited some major cuts in military equipment  and expenditure (one positive benefit of the budget cuts!!) and pointed out the potential for conversion to the low carbon or green collar sector which has vastly greater employment possibilities than the highly capital intensive military sector.

The Secretary’s Review of the year

This covered an impressive range of successful events. All of them, with one or two exceptions, organised by herself with only a minimum of support from our small band of active members. The exception was the debate Keeping the lights On, organised by David Garlovsky and Richard Baker. An enormously successful happening, reported on in earlier bulletins. Richard undertook the Three Peaks Walk as a sponsored event and raised £214 for us. Well done Richard!

Our other campaigning efforts included once again:

Scrap Trident (several street stalls and at various summer fairs, and – new this year – at Low Edges festival);
Aldermaston in February and May Day in Chesterfield
4th of July – Menwith Hill (a coach of 10 of us joining the rally under much welcome reduced police ‘protection’ .The police apparently has finally seen sense and realised we are NOT a threat!)
Hiroshima Day and Nagasaki Day in August
Peace and Craft Fair in November

Help needed

If anybody has the energy and motivation to be even a useful assistant to Kath Cripps (let alone a replacement: that would be too much to hope for) then please come forward. Please, please help!

Treasurer’s Report and Membership dues

On this optimistic note we should like to herald in a new year for your local CND after alerting you to the fact that AGM  approved an increase in the membership dues to £8 (waged) and £ 6 (concessionary) respectively. Please pay as soon as you can!

Cheques  are payable to Sheffield CND and need to be sent to to Stewart (click here for address). Stewart Kemp has done  sterling work as our treasurer, even from afar (he now works in Cumbria) but finds it hard going. Anybody out there who would like to take over?

Sheffield CND website

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