Lamentation at Aldermaston
The Queen's Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education
Report on the Aldermaston Lamentation on 17th October 2008
Part I: Background
The Queen’s Foundation trains men and women for public ministry in a number of Christian
churches including the Church of England, the Methodist Church, the United Reformed Church, the
Church of God of Prophecy and the New Testament Church of God. Each year, students preparing
for ministry are asked to complete a learning and formation agreement. This sets out the major areas
of their training, such as their theological education and their experience in preaching and leading
worship. One of the sections of their training is ‘social justice’ which is included in September
2008 for the first time. Students are asked to indicate how they propose to react to the expectation
that clergy and church leaders should be able to lead their congregations in the practice of social
justice.
In January 2008 a committee of staff and students was created, the Prophetic Ministry Committee,
to consider suggestions for appropriate actions and to take a leading role in the organisation and
presentation of them. The first major action in the 2008/9 academic year was a liturgical
lamentation for nuclear warfare to be presented at the main gate of AWE, the Atomic Weapons
Establishment near Aldermaston village in East Berkshire. AWE is currently developing a new and
upgraded nuclear warhead to be mounted on the Trident missiles carried by the British nuclear
weapons submarine fleet.
Part II: The Lamentation
The technique of building social and political protest around a lamentation was first used by
Queen’s in Birmingham city centre on 19th March 2008, the eve of the 5th anniversary of the start of
the Iraq War. A drum sounded as the names of British and Iraqi dead were called out, while
passages were read from the Lamentations of Jeremiah.
It was decided to develop the concept of lamentation for use against nuclear weapons. The liturgy
was modelled upon the words of Jesus, lamenting over the failure of Jerusalem to repent as
recorded in Luke 13.34-35:
‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I
have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings,
but you were not willing! Look, your house is left to you desolate. I tell you, you will not
see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’.
The elements of the lament are the greeting followed by the accusation and the denunciation.
Finally comes the promise of future restoration. This became the outline for the Aldermaston
liturgy.
On March 19th students and staff had been ashed on their foreheads as a symbol of penitence, and
members of the public had been invited to share in this traditional ritual, usually associated with
Ash Wednesday. We decided to use the ashing ceremony again at Aldermaston although we did not
expect anyone other than our own participants to accept the ashes. The Bishop of Reading, the Rt
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Revd Stephen Cottrell, accepted our invitation that he should welcome us to his part of the Diocese
of Oxford. We also asked him to perform the ashing ceremony.
Other developments were the use of bagpipes to introduce a mood of lament, and the decision to fix
red and white poppies to the perimeter fence of the Establishment, symbols of loss and of
redemption. Whereas in March the simplicity of the event did not require a printed text, we decided
in order to enable everyone to participate in both words and singing to have a full order of service
which would be provided for everyone.
Part III: The Prophetic Action
Preparation
An information pack was issued to all students at the commencement of the 2008 academic year.
This set out the proposed Prophetic Ministry actions for the autumn term, including the
Aldermaston Lamentation. This was scheduled for Friday 17th October. Staff and students were
invited to register and to contribute £10 towards the cost of the general expenses. Registration was
necessary so that seats could be allocated on the coach. In order to contribute to education, open
discussion and criticism rather than presenting students with a closed option, they were invited to
register either as observers or participants. Messages of invitation were sent to other theological
colleges and courses, and to various friends and supporters who had requested the information. The
incumbents of parishes nearby were informed of our visit including the vicars of Aldermaston and
Tadley.
In the meantime, application was made to the Nuclear Education Trust for a grant of £1270. The
Trustees not only granted the full amount, but expressed the view that the education of future
ministers on questions of nuclear warfare was of considerable significance.
Using these funds, a loudhailer was purchased and a quantity of materials for the making of red
poppies. Three hundred white poppies in cloth were purchased and the British Legion supplied
twenty-five Altar poppies in return for a donation, in view of the fact that the poppy honours not
only the dead from conventional warfare but also the victims of nuclear attacks. Students held a
work party at which several hundreds of smaller red poppies were made from the materials that had
been bought. Cloth and poles were purchased for the making of banners.
On Tuesday 14th October a rehearsal took place on the Queen’s campus. The text of the service had
been prepared but students needed to practice using the loudhailer. A quantity of ash had also been
prepared.
The Day Itself
About thirty people climbed into the coach at 8am on Friday 17th October, and we arrived at the
Butt Inn in Aldermaston village at about 11am. The party consisted of two members of staff, and
students from every main section of the Foundation, including international students from the
Philippines, Myanmar and India. St. Francis Hall, the chaplaincy of the University of Birmingham
was represented, as were the University Methodist Society and the Student Christian Movement.
Here we were met by members of Clergy Against Nuclear Arms, and a few other friends and
supporters. The Bishop arrived and welcomed everybody.
The coach then took us to the main gate of AWE, a couple miles down the road, where we were
ushered into the main car-park by Ministry of Defence armed police. They were expecting us and
had prepared a parking place. They told us that they had been informed about our visit by means of
an ‘internal memorandum’. This led us to wonder if our emails had been searched but perhaps they
had heard in some other way.
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Rejecting police advice that we should present our meeting in an inconspicuous area, we insisted
upon a prominent position where those entering and leaving the premises would be sure to see us.
The stage blocks, lent by the University of Birmingham Catholic Chaplaincy were put into position
and as we gathered around, the bagpipes began the hymn ‘Abide with Me’. This created a poignant
atmosphere of expectation, and then the trombonist struck up with a shortened form of the fanfare
for the common man, and the liturgy began. Everyone joined in, the Bishop preached brilliantly,
setting out the lawlessness, danger and futility of nuclear arms, and showing clearly why as
Christians we should resist and lament.
We were then summoned to receive the cross in ash upon our foreheads while the Bishop intoned
the solemn words ‘Lament your part in the guilt of nuclear weapons which turn life to dust and
ashes’, while the bagpipes droned and a large drum was struck at intervals. It was a beautiful day
and the sun was warm but by now a deep hush seemed to have fallen upon the party. The poppies
were distributed and we went forward to the perimeter fence where we attached them to the wire.
The masses of red and white flowers, in paper and in cloth, made a brilliant display contrasting with
the solemnity of the ash on our foreheads, and the white albs worn by many of the ordinands. We
sang accompanied by the trombone, announced our resistance in the name of Christ and greeted one
another in peace. Around us hung the banners announcing ‘Peace’, ‘Churches Against Trident’,
‘Birmingham Theological Students Against Nuclear War, No More War, and the quote ‘The Earth
is the Lord’s’. Most of the party walked the mile or so back toward the Tadley Gate where we had
lunch on the grass in the sunshine.
We then repeated the lamentation more or less. Instead of the Bishop speaking, Jo Musson, an
Anglican ordinand and one of the key organizers of the event, spoke simply and earnestly about her
experience of visiting Hiroshima. She described the circumstances leading to the choice of
Hiroshima for the dropping of the first bomb. The ashing ceremony was not repeated but the
remaining poppies were affixed to the fence as the climax of the event.
A member of our party who had taken a photograph of the poppies on the fence was surprised to
notice on the photograph itself a rainbow hanging over the fence. Although the sky was clear, there
was indeed a rainbow. Students sitting at the rear of the coach were able to look back and see it
following us all the way back to Birmingham.
Conclusions
a) Progress of Training for Prophetic Ministry in the Foundation
The first significant action undertaken by the Foundation as a contribution to training students in
prophetic ministry took place over the weekend 9-11th June 2007. A party of twelve including two
staff participated. It is significant that the event on 17th October being currently reported attracted
more than twice that number, again including two members of staff. However, it must be
remembered that the Faslane visit was far more demanding than that to Aldermaston. Nevertheless,
it is true that since Faslane the concept of training for social justice has become more widely
accepted in the Foundation, as is indicated by the inclusion of this area in the Learning and
Formation Agreement. There was a rather controversial and dramatic quality of Faslane and the
Saltley Trust researchers found that, ‘at this stage… initiatives such as Faslane were still viewed as
optional extras rather than integral parts of the formation experience’. Aldermaston, however,
created a more relaxed atmosphere of discussion. The inclusion of key students on the Committee
for Prophetic Ministry has been an important element in the wider acceptance of this aspect of
ministry.
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b) Educational Impact
The transformative educational impact of such actions is once again evident. The report of the
Saltley Trust into the Faslane experience concludes ‘a majority felt they had been challenged to
consider making prophetic action a greater part of their ministry’. A number of the Faslane
participants also contrasted the quality of that learning experience with the normal pattern of
campus education. ‘Participants frequently expressed themselves more ambivalent about the marks
of a solely book – based approach to theological education. Several described theological college
as an ‘ivory tower’ setting, and were sceptical that a primarily classroom based method could
adequately prepare them for ordained ministry.’ The contrast between the emotions and attitudes on
the way to Aldermaston and on the return witness to the impact of standing on the contested ground
and braving out the police presence. The police, as always, were courteous and helpful.
Nevertheless, it required courage to resist the recommendations which would have lessened the
impact of the action, and the nervousness of those who had not previously stood against official
machineguns is easily understood. It remains to be seen to what extent attitudes have been
permanently changed and whether any of the present group will share the experience of a student
from 2007 who said, ‘once you have walked onto the road actually you can’t turn round and walk
away again’.
c) Future Developments
It is doubtful to what extent theological education can be effective in preparing future ministers for
active leadership of the mission of the church in fulfilling the fourth Mark of Mission, exposing and
resisting the unjust structures of society. This remains the case even when theological education is
taught in a challenging, critical and contextual manner. The principle reason for this lies in the
assumptions about society held by men and women coming into training mainly from professional
occupations. Although most individuals have experienced sorrow and loss to various degrees in
their personal lives, the general experience of such people is of a society which has been good to
them. Most have been brought up in the belief that it is disgraceful to get into trouble with the
police, and have been influenced by the portrayal of protesters as left-wing radicals. Assumptions
about ministry generally favour loving care extended to individuals rather than taking an active part
in the factors leading to the suffering and injustice of the world. In this context church buildings
become havens, and then worship too often becomes an expression of community self absorption. It
is understandable that a privileged group of ministerial candidates should, as one Aldermaston
participant said ‘trust in the wisdom of our government’. When this belief is brought up against the
concrete reality of nuclear weapons it might be temporally shaken. The Saltley Report discovered
that, ‘there was a common perception that British Christianity was now leaving behind the kind of
cosy relationship previously enjoyed between the churches and the state. Over this there was little
regret and considerable willingness (at least in theoretical discussion of this kind) to embrace
counter-cultural living in the name of the Gospel’. If this remains true of the student body of nearly
two years later, it is probably only felt by a minority of Queen’s students. The Saltley Report
concluded, ‘If education for prophetic ministry is to make a lasting impression in church and
society, it is therefore essential to explore how this commitment to transformation can continue to
be nurtured and sustained beyond ordination’. The challenge for staff and students in the Queen’s
Foundation is how the ground can be prepared for this during ordination training itself. In spite of
the difficulties, there is probably no place in the British church today where a degree of success is
as possible as it is right here.
John M. Hull
The Queen's Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education
24th October 2008
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Appendix: Reactions of Participants
Reactions on the Way
A member of the party recorded comments in the coach both going and returning. Examples of
these now follow.
“This morning it really hit me the fact that we are doing something that isn’t what you’d do
normally, and you can’t do it on your own and the community’s important for achieving something
like this… there’s a lot of excitement about what is going to happen. None of us have done it
before. There are no students to advise us on what to do from previous years.”
“I feel a bit anxious about kind of what’s going to happen cause I’ve not actually kind of done
anything like that before so that’s probably the first thing.”
“Let’s see what comes out. Right um, very excited about going to Aldermaston. We’ve been
planning this for six months, twelve months… I don’t know? So it’s all finally come together.”
“I think a lot of us are really impressed by the sense of community that we have here together. And
we are thinking deeply about the impact nuclear arms have on the world and whether we can make
a difference.”
“I’m from Burma and our voices represents from the whole world. We’re coming from Asia and
Philippines, India and Burma and even from the United Kingdoms. It represents the whole world.
Thank you.”
“It’s a beautiful sunny day. The coach is crowded with happy talking people. The sun is shining
right through the coach. It’s lovely and we are bounding along and this is our first major activity
during this academic year for social justice and for training future ministers to witness for Christ in
prophetic ways.”
Reactions on the Way Back
“I think it is reinforcing something I read in a completely different context about there being no
barbed wire in the Kingdom of God. And in the true fulfillment of the Kingdom of God there will
be no barbed wire and this, what place has barbed wire have in God’s kingdom. It’s just not right.
So it’s been good to be a part of marking that really and lamenting the presence of barbed wire in
our world.”
“As we begin to walk away and I look back at the poppies on the fence of red and white. They’re a
powerful symbol and as we’ve listened to the words of the Bishop and we think about rejoicing in
God’s kingdom. Whilst we lament the pain that is here in this earth; the sun shines on us and we
just pray that there will be no days where our sons and daughters are brought back and poppies need
to be cast on the ground to remember them again.”
“I guess what really has come home to me today is that living in the UK how blessed we are in the
fact that we can gather together in public, safely with the police watching over us and protecting us
so we didn’t break the law. And we can gather together as a group in the Lord’s name to say that
we are unhappy with the laws of this land and we want change. We can be visible. We don’t have
to be scared and I’m sure people from overseas with visas would be scared.
“The biggest thing that struck me today is when we repented as a group and on behalf of the
churches we represent and on behalf of the nation. That we repented for what we were doing. It
really struck me that it’s not one person’s fault, not the government’s fault, the people who works
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there’s fault, this is our whole fault, it’s a corporate responsibility for the things that go one at that
place. It really struck me that we as a nation and a human race have a responsibility towards each
other and for the way we treat each other.”
“Experience and the worship liturgy was very good and the poppies made a lot of impact,
symbolically, and it was a good experience. Thank you.”
“When I was arriving a few miles off Aldermaston I began to feel quite sad inside because I was
beginning to realize how much money was actually being funnelled to this place. And, how much
money was not being spent on health and education and not breaking the world debt because of the
money that was going into this place into what we look on as our security. It just made me feel
really really sad and that was even before I got there.”
“I listened to Jo’s homily in which she spoke so movingly of the bombing of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki and then as I looked at the white poppies that we tied onto the fence and near the
Women’s Camp. I felt very moved and I thought of all those innocent lives lost. The broken hearts
and those still today suffer the effects of that time. And I thought it must never happen again. And
that’s why I was there.”
“There is a wonderful experience for me and regarding our experience today I would like to quote
one of our pastor’s poem from Myanmar and his poem is that ‘even though everybody tell me that I
am uncivilized because I cannot create nuclear, I don’t mind because I do not know how to kill
millions of people in a few scan. Thank you.”
“I think I was struck by the vastness of the area covered by it all and the number of cars parked
inside and the amount of people coming and going and just the huge amount of the cost of all of it
really compared to the kind of needs of the world and the kind of money that can be spent in a much
more positive way rather than for destruction. We are reminded of the song that talks about ‘while
precious children starve our tools of war increase, how we are full, have mercy on us Lord, forgive
us Lord, restore your church again.’ It was just that sense of being able to see it in reality rather than
thinking about it in a kind of ethereal sort of way. It was kind of very very striking, so ya, really
good to have done it. Thank you.
I think it’s been a really, a day that I should always remember and particularly the worship and the
sign of the being ashed and the cross and actually kind of standing in a place where we are but dust
and they are potential kind of like people who will turn people to dust was really really moving.
And as well it kind of reminded me of the words of Gandhi that kind of an eye for an eye would
leave the whole world blind and where do we stop. That we need to kind of make a difference and
so ya it was good to be a part of that.”
“It’s been a wonderful day in all sorts of ways. It’s been great to be with such a positive group of
people and gives me great hope in the future of the church that all these people are going forward to
ministry in various ways with this sort of thinking. It has been so well organized and the highlights
for me well the talk from Stephen Cottrell, where he says particularly what caught my attention
where he says it is about time the church stopped worrying about small things and started to think
more outwardly about the people rather than being concerned about it’s own little issues so that was
a great highlight. But the whole thing was inspirational. The worship was wonderful. Very
thoughtful and the symbolism was great and very much I felt full of the Holy Spirit.”
“I found the day frightening and exhilarating in equal parts and the most incredible moment for me
was looking down the telephoto lens of a police camera and finding it hard to smile but realizing I
needed to.”
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“I’ve had an amazing day today. I think it’s um been a brilliant opportunity today that we’ve, I’ve,
been nudged into doing something I would just never have dreamt about doing before. I think we
brought some beauty to Aldermaston with the poppies and the banners and I wouldn’t have missed
it for the world. It was brilliant today.”
“As we got off the bus I felt very sick when I saw all those policeman and but it was quite an
exhilarating thing and very moving and I was particularly moved by what Jo had to say at the
second one. It was just an amazing day really.”
“We are on our way back from Aldermaston to Birmingham and it was a peaceful event both
sessions, the first and the second round. The police escorted us to the second site and we were
actually inside the area there. We praised the Lord’s name and we prayed that it would be a better
place there and that they understood that we were just bringing Christ to them and showing that war
is not the answer and nuclear weapons are not the answer. Peace is the answer”
“First of all very tired at the moment. I feel that all of the adrenaline is drained away. So I am
shattered! But I feel that it all went as we hoped and better. The police behaved brilliantly and
actually let us inside the perimeter fence. That was good. I found the first service, both services,
very moving. The first ashing surprised me and moved me to tears because it suddenly struck me
that we were putting on our heads ash and ash is what had come of people who’d been hit be a
nuclear weapons and it’s hitting me saying it again but um. I think what I feel about nuclear
weapons moved much more from my head to my heart just through doing this action today. For me
it has been a useful exercise. I’ve been converted by this experience.”
“I was very struck by what the Bishop said about how we in the churches have let down the country
through our failure to make our message known adequately, boldly and consistently to our fellow
citizens. And I feel it is our duty as church people in Queen’s to put that right. So I think this is the
first of many influences which will come out from today’s events. For myself, I found the music
particularly solemn and beautiful. The moment the bagpipe started up and when Leon started to
play ‘Abide with Me’ all the echoes of that sad and beautiful hymn were just so penetrating. And
then on top of that the drum which again during the ashing to hear the drone on the bagpipes and the
drum steadily beating and the Bishop’s voice intoning over these instruments that repent for the
nuclear bombs which turned human bodies to dust and ashes. That was a memorable moment. I
will never forget that.”
“As we arrived and I looked out the window and saw lots of the policemen there and really felt the
impact of what we were about to do. I had a vision of Christ on the cross and against that this
seemed like such a small thing to do and I think that really made me think as a Christian, if we can’t
do these things that make us feel uncomfortable or afraid and question society around us then I
don’t know what we’re doing. We’re getting it wrong if we’re not able to do that but that vision of
Christ on the cross just makes me think whatever I step into I’m in Britain, I’m safe, they are not
going to shoot me as I get off this bus; unlike in many countries in the world. For the vision of
Christ hanging on the cross, for me, was what he suffered, this actually is such a small thing to do in
the hope that it will make a small difference and eventually maybe a large difference.”
“Between the Atomic Weapons Establishment and the Women’s Peace Camp some of us talked
about the importance of the church being seen out in the streets. We walked along in our cassocks
and we felt as though we were some sort of witness in the area; specially, as we carried our
poppies.”
“I don’t think anything could have prepared me for how powerful it was going to be.
Emotionally and me beating the drum is hard because it is a solemn, it makes you feel really
solemn, the process of doing it is very solemn and hearing the sound is very solemn. And then we
were singing ‘Stay with Me’ it was just overwhelmingly painful to think about all the people who
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died in Japan and the people who possibly could die in the future at the hands of these weapons. I
found that overwhelmingly difficult and emotional. Just absolute sorrow that we actually have to
have these weapons and that they were there. And the guilt that we all share in the fact that they are
there. Um, and especially lives lost, you can’t, watching the poppies being attached to the fences, in
your mind, you remember people who have died the many millions in wars whose died dreadful
deaths. And that we haven’t found a better way to find peace other than war. I wonder as we had
our thoughts and emotions as we put those poppies on the fence. Somebody is going to take those
poppies off. Maybe they are going to be touched in a way that we can’t ever understand, see or
witness. But to take those poppies off certainly will bring emotions to people we will never meet
and never see. There is something very powerful about poppies, I think, and okay they were man
made, they’re not the real thing but just the image of them I think is incredibly powerful and how
long they stay there we don’t know do we but someone will have to remove them and they will
have to think about it whether they like it or not whether they agree with why we were there or not.
That image will make them think about it. It’s worth it for that alone isn’t it?”
“If you look over there the rainbow, the rainbow of hope is following us home.”
Jo Morris, Anglican Ordinand, Records Her Impressions:
Last year the prophetic display board had some photographs from Faslane. I was stunned by my
reaction to seeing David Musgrave as part of the group. Then there was Knut wearing his cassock
and preaching tabs. And finally David Ford wearing his cassock, all three of them made such an
impression on me I felt very humble and very challenged.
(Previously I felt compelled to do things, but safe things. For years I’ve had a ban on anything
connected with The Nestle Corporation, during apartheid, I gave up South African produce, and
I’ve long tried to buy fair trade wherever possible.)
Having taken in the pictures on display, I spoke to my husband, Phil, about how I felt; I asked
(jokingly) whether he’d bail me out if I got arrested. He did have the sense to say probably – but I
don’t think he really believed he’d ever need to.
Making the decision to go was not difficult in my mind; the practicalities were more problematic for
me. Firstly, there was Phil who was not keen on me staying an extra night at College, and secondly,
the coach trip itself.
On Wednesday evening my nightly phone conversation with Phil was quite difficult and at times
very strained. He was obviously upset to be missing me another night I ended up in tears.
I have suffered from travel sickness since I was a child therefore such a long bus journey was
something of a worry which seemed to grow larger in direct proportion to the closeness of the
leaving time.
In the end, the journey proved not to present me with too many problems. Only the narrower,
winding country roads on the approach to Aldermaston village affected my stomach a little.
As the coach approached the main gate, there was a noticeable armed police presence, Kevlar vests,
hi-vis tops. The questions thundered through my mind. Is it always like that? Did they know we
were coming? Are they expecting trouble? What have I got into?
Getting off the coach, I suddenly felt very sick, nothing to do with the travel ..... the nerves had
kicked in. I asked a fellow lamenter if they felt the same ... and ... yes ... they did. We started to
unload the coach and set up the staging blocks the conversations were going round and round with
the police saying they had an area prepared for us over on the other side of the car park (out of the
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way no doubt) and Keith politely adamant we were not going to move. Eventually everything was
set up and we were ready to start. We’d just got the first speakers on the stage and were beginning
the opening sentence when the police asked us to move by approximately two feet, and to reverse
the bus back. We complied and got on with the service.
The imposition of ashes was as meaningful as ever it has been on Ash Wednesday. Some students
were noticeably moved by the act.
In the middle of his talk, Bishop Steven pointed out that the police now had two photographers
taking pictures of us all. So what do you do about that? Do you try to hide your face? Or do you
make sure they only get a side view? Or just maybe you dare to face them out and smile at their
cameras? What did I do? Perhaps you can guess ... Yes I decided to face them out. Somehow Phil
and Katrine’s cameras weren’t anywhere near as intimidating.
The poppies were blessed and fastened to the fencing to the slow beat of the drum. The red and
white poppies fixed on the fencing in a haphazard fashion was ... well arresting.
Then came the time to share the peace. I don’t think it has ever meant quite so much as it did on that
scrap of pavement.
The trombone accompaniment to the singing worked very well, and the haunting sound of the
bagpipes added to the atmosphere.
The experience here was something I’ve never encountered before and I can honestly say I felt
tense all the time, particularly at the main gate.
We walked to where we expected to meet with the women from the peace camp. It was quite
something to see this line of people, mostly dressed in albs and cassocks.
After a college lunch supplemented with the previous nights party food, we held another service of
lament. Slightly different but as meaningful, and, as well photographed as the previous one!! This
time the talk was by Jo Musson. She spoke about visiting Hiroshima herself and about the day it
became (for all the wrong reasons) one of the most famous places in the world. Jo was compelling
to listen to and I’d like to look at her notes to remind me of the things she taught us.
Two lasting impressions and memories
Big brother is watching us. Any mobile phone calls or e-mails with Aldermaston mentioned in them
are likely to have alerted the authorities to the fact that we were going there, hence the police
welcome committee.
In her talk Jo told us that although the production of warheads may have numerically decreased
(however slightly) the power of them has increased and they are now eight times more powerful
than the one which was dropped on Hiroshima. How can we not lament
Having had time over the weekend to reflect about the whole thing, I feel a profound sadness about
the whole situation. A sadness for all the people who have suffered or died, for, or as a result of,
nuclear weapons; for the people who feel they need them to be available in order to maintain peace;
for the people who carry the burden of possibly deploying them; and for the people who work in
Aldermaston and other similar places.
I pray this experience will stay with me for some time to come and will stand as a testament to
peaceful protest.
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