Vigil today in Salisbury market (near the Library) starting at 5pm. All welcome. A small voice for peace in these troubled times.
Seventeenth Vigil
March 2024
Members of the Salisbury group took part in the 17th Vigil in Salisbury Market Square in support of peace in Gaza. There are people from Salisbury CND and Sarum Concern for Israel Palestine as well as those not affiliated to any organisation. The current death toll in the territory stands at just over 33,000 with thousands more unaccounted for. Famine is now in prospect.
We shall be back next week but note a change in start time to 5pm.
Some of those present
The Salisbury group was founded 50 years ago this year
Fifteenth vigil
March 2024
The fifteenth vigil was held on Saturday 16th March, this time on the Library steps as it was inclement. The vigil is supported by Salisbury Concern for Israel Palestine (SCIP), CND and the Salisbury Amnesty group. It is in aid of securing peace in that region. Just over 40 attended the event which lasted half an hour. There will be another next Saturday, 23rd March starting at 5:15.
31,000 have now died in Gaza the majority of whom are women and children. Many more are yet to be discovered in the extensive rubble.
There is faint optimism with talks taking place at present and it is reported that Hamas has moderated its demands.
Picture: Salisbury Amnesty
March minutes
March 2024
We are pleased to attach the minutes of the group’s meeting in March thanks to group member Lesley for producing them. As we have explained before, they are lengthier than one would expect from normal minutes but as we do not produce a newsletter, they provide information of possible interest for recipients and supporters.
Due to a misunderstanding of WordPress statistics, previous reports of visitor numbers were erroneously reported and in fact are at a much higher level than realised. This arose because ‘visits’ are in fact visits by new people. Existing visitors – those whose IP address will be recognised – are not included in the figure.
The Salisbury Group was established 50 years ago this year.
Salisbury Vigil
Coverage of the fourteenth vigil held in the Market Square in Salisbury
March 2024
The fourteenth vigil was held in the Market Square attracting strong support as usual. There was coverage in the Salisbury Journal. The vigil is to promote peace in Gaza.
There was another on Saturday 16th (brief report soon). Over 30,000 have now died in the conflict with thousands more injured. Thousands more are missing presumed dead.
The Salisbury group was established 50 years ago this year
The Salisbury Vigil
Strong presence for the Vigil continues in the cause of peace in Gaza
February 2024
A YouTube video composite of the twelve vigils so far held has been made and can be accessed here. We are grateful to Peter Gloyns for this.
A vigil is held every Saturday in the market square in Salisbury which receives a continuing high level of support. The twelfth one was held on 24th February, starting at 5:45 pm and lasting half an hour. Just over 50 attended. The aim is to promote the cause of peace in Gaza and Israel generally. Violence continues in Gaza and there is an expectation that the death toll will reach 30,000 this week. Thousands more have been wounded. Many of the dead are women and children.
There is talk of negotiations leading to a ceasefire but whether this is so is questioned: Hamas representatives say not, Israel negotiators say maybe. Let us hope there is success.
The scale of destruction is Gaza is immense and will take colossal sums of money to put right.
The Vigils will continue through March and all are welcome.
The Salisbury group was established 50 years ago this year
Gaza Vigil
Ninth vigil held in Salisbury
February 2024
Forty and sometimes over 50, have attended half hour vigils in the Market Square in Salisbury to draw attention to the terrible events going on in Gaza. Reports of over 27,000 dead, many of whom are children with thousands more injured, some seriously, represent a terrible indictment of the state of international politics today. Just over half the buildings in the strip are demolished or severely damaged as a result of the bombing. Attempts at peacekeeping and an end to the violence have so far come to naught.
Members of Salisbury Concern for Israel Palestine, CND and the Amnesty group attend with others.
Nine vigils have now taken place and although attendance varies it seldom dips below 40. They begin at 17:15 for 30 minutes every Saturday in February (at least).
Pictures: Salisbury Amnesty
Refugee vigil
UPDATE:
We were filmed by Salisbury TV (Channel 7 in this area) and they say they will transmit at 6pm this evening.
We shall be holding a vigil for refugees today (Monday 25th) starting at 10am for 2 hours. Outside the Guildhall in the market square. We would be grateful for any supporters able to spare a minute or two to drop by.
Refugee vigil
The group will be holding a brief vigil outside the Guildhall on Monday 25th March starting at 10am for 2 hours. Refugees are a contentious issue in this country and indeed, concerns about immigrants and refugees were a key issue in the Brexit debate. Although the UK takes in a miniscule number compared to the 25 million or so refugees in the world, they loom large in our political process and in the tabloid press. Biblical terms like ‘swarms’, ‘hordes’ and ‘floods’ are regularly deployed to describe those fleeing here.
We would welcome any support you can give even if it’s just to come and say ‘hello’. We sometimes feel a little exposed at these events and there are some people who have forcefully held views so shows or support are welcome.
This would also be a good moment if you are thinking of joining the group to make yourself known. The picture shows a similar event last year.
Events in Salisbury
List of forthcoming events being organised by the Salisbury Group
We have a fairly active programme of events and they are gathered here for convenience. If you live in the Salisbury or even South Wilts area you would be welcome to come to any one of them. If you are thinking of joining, then make yourself known to one of the group. You would be very welcome.
• Refugee Vigil – to be re-arranged. We did have a date but unfortunately it clashed with the fair in the Market Square so it has been postponed
• Citizenship Day – 26th October. Where go into schools in the area and discuss human rights issues with pupils. Despite several requests, the UTC has not responded
• Christmas Tree Festival – 3rd – 10th December. This is in St Thomas’s Church in the centre of Salisbury and we will be displaying a tree there. It will focus on the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
• Human Rights Day Speaker – 10th December. We are delighted to welcome Daniel Trilling who is an author and journalist and who will be speaking at the Methodist Church at 7pm. This is a FREE event but we ask for a parting collection to help cover our costs
• Exhibition of Refugee Photographs – January 2019 – Some
details to be worked out but these are the photos we displayed in the Library (pictured) and we are pleased that the Methodist Church has agreed to host them during the month.
• Arts Centre Film – 8th March 2019. We host a film once and sometimes twice a year in the Arts Centre. Details nearer the time.
• Market Stall (pictured) – 8th June 2019. Fund raising stall we hold in the Market Square once a year
Carol singing. With the aid of the Farrant Singers, we travel around the Victoria Road, College Street areas singing carols. This will be in December and details to be announced.
We are also on Twitter and Facebook, salisburyai
Amnesty in Salisbury & South Wiltshire 