Previous events and activities

[Click here for details of forthcoming events]

Since September 2001, Calderdale Against the War has organised, and been involved in with a wide range of activities, including:

• A range of activities and events in the run up to and during the State Visit of George W. Bush in November 2003. These included the 'toppling' of an effigy of Bush from Stoodley Pike, a symbolic action that was reported around the globe!. Photos.
  
• The Foil the Base event at Menwith Hill, the US run spy base near Harrogate, which plays a key role in the war agaist Iraq, and in the Star Wars programme.
  Photos and reports from Menwith Hill 'Foil the Base' event are now available (link to www.now-peace.org.uk)
  
• Regular peace vigils during autumn and winter 2001 - 2002, and in the run up to and throughout the war against Iraq.
  
• Actions at Esso filling stations on the day war broke out in Iraq, to highlight the links between oil and war in Iraq. Other demonstrations also took place in the Calder Valley that day.
  Photos from Halifax Esso actions.
  
• Protests outside Halifax Inland Revenue office, to object to our tax being used to support an attack on Iraq, and to support calls for a 'peace tax'
  
• A series of well attended public meetings to discuss the important issues. A meeting on August the 28th 2002, in Halifax, was given by Alice Mahon MP, with a range of other speakers. This meeting was attended by a wide spectrum of people. Other meetings have included a meeting on Palestine, with eyewitness reports from local campaigners and a meeting with Chris McCafferty MP in December 2001 where people had the opportunity to question their local MP about her position on the war in Afghanistan.
  
• Well attended video presentations including: 'An evening with Noam Chomsky: 11 September 2001 & The new war on terror', and 'Not in My Name', along with a number of films about Palestine and Iraq.
  
• A successful 'Day for Peace and Justice', held at venues around Hebden Bridge. The event included workshops on Islamophobia, Middle East politics, Water, Food Oil and the War. Children's events were held at NAG, with a benefit gig in the evening at the Trades Club. £250 was raised for RAWA - Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan.
  
• We have organized transport to all the national Stop the War demonstrations in London including the demonstration on February 15th 2003, which was attended by up to 2 million people, and we were amongst the 500,000 who assembed in London on March 22nd 2003 following the start of war against Iraq. A report on the march on September 28th 2002 can be found on the BBC Bradford website.
  
  
  Campaigners from Calderdale demonstrating in London.

The Todmorden Group for Understanding, Cooperation, and Justice - another group that formed following September 11th - has also been active, with a series of discussion events, on a variety of subjects, with invited speakers. Topics have included 'Food, Power, People and Poverty', and a discussion about the Arms Trade. Future events are planned. For more information see the forthcoming events page, or call Kate on 01706 815 378