What a day that was to be a part of – exciting, satisfying and oh, so moving! We were there to stretch our pink scarf between AWE Aldermaston and AWE Burghfield, which provide the warheads for the submarine-launched missile system and to protest at the renewal of Trident at a cost of 120 billion pounds when the country desperately needs that money for health, welfare and education.
Three trains, a short bus ride and nearly 6 hours later and I was there, surrounded by lovely people and pinkness. The 32 photos will give you a feel of the day but what cannot be captured are the sounds and the feelings. Do click to read the captions that tell you the whole story of the day.
I walked from Aldermaston to the first milepost and back, hoping to spot our 23 piece length but I didn’t see it. All along the way, people were in small groups or singly preparing to hold up the scarf at 1pm and everyone had cheery words to exchange. At 1pm I stopped walking and took my place in the holding up of the scarf. This was accompanied by a wave of sound – of bells and whistles, of whoops and singing, of drums, saxophone and an accordion that swept along the line and which we could hear continuing in the distance as it passed. Then up the line came the message that it was time for the two minutes of silence to remember the 69th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki and the silence travelled powerfully along the seven miles. It was an incredibly moving experience.
Next came the bells and the signal to start rolling up the scarf ready for re-purposing as blankets and each of the seven miles collected at their own milestone with their enormous pinwheels of knitting for speeches, singing and cake!
Text messages allowed me to meet up with my choir friend and Quaker, Kate, who inspired me in the first place to get our group together to knit so it was most appropriate that we were together for the singing and the speeches. Jaine, the force behind this event is an inspiration!
Redruth Station at 5.50
Knitting the last few centimeters of my 10th piece on the journey
My first view of the Aldermaston section
Some of the amazing knitting
The start of the 7 miles of knitting
Taking a break before the holding up of the scarf at 1pm
My 10th piece being added to the scarf!
Thank you for sewing it on, it’s made up of all the leftovers of the wool used by our group to make our 23 pieces
On the road between Aldermaston and the next milestone
Singing along the route
At the purple milestone
Making music along the route
So much knitting, in places it was doubled up
Selfie taken at 1pm as the scarf was held up all along the 7 mile route
Two minutes silence to remember Nagasaki
Pink knitting for Peace
Starting to roll up the scarf into pinwheels to go back to be made into blankets
Holding up a Quaker section of the scarf. Photo taken by Kate Hale
Kate Hale with the Pink Peace Scarf
With Jaine, the amazing force behind all this. An inspiration indeed!
Cake fuels the Pink Rewoolution
This wonderful lady was at Greenham Common too
Still more pink knitting
Jaine explaining to us all why she started on this venture
Molly Scott Cato, MEP South West, addressing the crowd
Leading the singing
Singing for Peace
My flowers for Dina Adel Isleem, left on the fence around Aldermaston where they make nuclear weapons
The dedication
Mum gave permission for this photo
These young Police people were lovely, were full of praise for Jaine and the way the whole event was organised,for everyone there for the lovely atmosphere. They told us that they are human beings under the uniform and are happy to have their photo on my blog.
All the coaches were loaded with the knitting going back to be repurposed into blankets for Humanitarian need
The fence around the Atomic Weapons Establishment, reminding us as we left, of why we were there.
My camera makes a compilation video as I take photos. It is not a quality video but it does give an impression of the day with some sound. If you’d like to see it, please comment and I’ll answer with the link. Here is a link to the BBC’s coverage. Peace to you all.
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