Amnesty in Salisbury & South Wiltshire
Promoting human rights from Salisbury UK
May 2025
We were in Salisbury market square on Saturday 3rd, with our market stall. Thanks to group members Tony, Fiona, Rose, Eddie, Andrew, Val, Lesley and Peter for turning out to help. New photo added (5.v)
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April 2025
This is a list of forthcoming events the Salisbury group will be engaged in over the coming months. Each of them would be a good opportunity to approach us if you were thinking of joining. To join us is free but to become a member of Amnesty International UK there is a membership fee. The group, as well as campaigning for prisoners of conscience, is increasingly concerned with the erosion of rights in the UK. Britain has a proud history of protest and such activity has led to a number of reforms: a look at this list will give you a taste of the numbers that have taken place over the centuries. The essential truth is that those who have power do not like relinquishing it. Recent governments have introduced legislation making it harder to protest and have given the Police even more powers to arrest or interrupt demonstrations. It is more than ever important to be part of organisations like ours to stand firm against governments and their paymasters who want to clamp down on opposition.
Several of our local MPs are reported in They Work for You website as ‘generally voting against’ human rights matters. Danny Kruger, the MP for the newly created East Wiltshire constituency (which starts about a mile north of Salisbury), would like to see the Human Right Act abolished. Protecting our rights is therefore truly important as we cannot rely on our elected representatives to do it for us.
Events
Later in the year we will be holding:
Other events which are not yet settled are:
*If by chance you are a teacher reading this at a school in South Wiltshire and would like to discuss a visit as part of your school’s citizenship programme, please get in touch.
April 2024
Past event
The group will be holding a market stall tomorrow, Saturday 4 May 2024 from around 8am until noon. Supporters are welcome to volunteer to help if they can. Also we need stock to sell so a trip to the attic is required to fish out stuff you don’t want. Bric-a-brac is popular, china, CDs and I suppose LPs these days, good books, plants (with a label to say what they are please) and clothes. No electrical items, sorry.
It is also an opportunity if you are thinking of joining the group to make yourself known to one of us on the stall.
Previous stall
March 2023
These are the minutes of the group’s meeting in March thanks to group member Lesley for preparing them. There are a number of forthcoming events at which anyone thinking of joining us could make themselves known. Of special note is the annual market stall so if you have items which you can donate that will be appreciated.
NOTE: there is an error under ‘matters arising’ – 15th May should read 15th March that is this Wednesday.
We held our market stall in Salisbury market yesterday after an absence of three years. We had plenty of stuff to sell but overall, the results were down on previous years. Time was when we got to the stall at 7:30 there was already a crowd of a dozen or so and it activity was pretty hectic for the first hour. Those days seem to be gone and the first hour was very quiet. Activity began to pick up towards midday and we may think of extending the timing by an hour next year.
The City Council has also changed the location and instead of being adjacent to the main market, we were placed well off to the east of the market place. Also there are two stalls placed cheek by jowl with another charity which also did not help. Times are hard of course and this month (April) was when all the cuts and energy bills came into effect. So all in all …
We had an enjoyable day and many thanks to group member Ria who took the unsold items away for another go at a car boot sale. Other items, including a quantity of hardback Booker shortlist novels, went to Oxfam who were delighted apparently. Thanks also to all group members who came and manned the stall through the day.
Photo: Salisbury Amnesty
After an absence of 2 years, we are back with our popular stall in the centre of Salisbury. As you would expect, we have masses of stuff including quality books, clothes, CDs, china items and so forth. We look forward to seeing you there.
If, by chance you are thinking of joining the group, please make yourself known to one of us on the stand.
These are always subject to change so please look here or on Facebook or Twitter for the up to date position before coming along.
Evensong An event largely organised by the Cathedral which we have held every year now for quite some time. 12 March starting at 5:30 pm. Free to come
Thrill of Love This is a play at the Studio Theatre in Butts Road concerning Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in the UK. We hope to hand out leaflets at the event (subject to permission from the theatre). We have abolished the penalty in the UK but from time to time, a desire to reinstate it emerges especially after some terrible crime or terrorist attack. Amnesty is opposed to the penalty in all circumstances. We publish a monthly report on the subject. 23 – 28 March
Citizenship day Schools event 30 June. If anyone from one of the local schools is reading this and would like us to do our presentation in your school, please get in touch.
Market stall In Salisbury market place morning of 11 July starting early. Goods to sell would be welcome and we can collect if needed. No electrical items (we cannot sell them untested) or VHS tapes please.
Film, Just Mercy Brilliant film concerning the racially segregated south of America and a black man sentenced to death for the murder of a white girl, a crime he did not commit. Not shown in Salisbury. Showing at the Arts Centre 4 November.
These are the things we have planned at present. If you are thinking of joining us you would be most welcome and introducing yourself at one of the above would be the easiest thing to do.
We are keeping a watching brief on human rights issues in the UK because several ministers and politicians would like to see the Human Rights Act abolished.
We held our annual market stall in Salisbury yesterday and managed to sell over £200 of stuff. We had plenty to sell, including lots of CDs, good quality clothes and a lot of nice jewellery. We couldn’t help but notice however that spending was subdued despite the low prices. Perhaps the effects of austerity really are being felt.
Many thanks to all those who gave us things to sell and also to those who spent the morning on the stall. It was enjoyable. The promised rain held off although it threatened at various times.
The minutes of the group’s May meeting are attached and thanks to group member Fiona for preparing them. There is a full programme of activities.
These are some of the events we have planned or are being planned by the local group. One of these would be a good moment for you to make contact if you were thinking of joining us.
would be grateful if supporters could bring anything along for sale. Wanted; china and bric-a-brac, jewellery, good books (not battered paper backs, sorry!), pickles and jams, plants and clothes. CDs and DVDs are also popular (but not videos). No 240v electrical goods for safety reasons. Get in touch if you want anything collected.
possibly an Evensong at the Cathedral.You might want to add these dates to your diary.
15 April 2019
Amnesty in Salisbury & South Wiltshire 