With the trial over, Helen and Sylvia re-focus their energies on campaigning and decide to surprise RAF Fylingdales by arriving under the cover of darkness to display banners outside the base. It seems, for now, that their humour, wit and cheeky banter has returned as they battle against the unforgiving conditions of the Yorkshire moors to try, once more, to promote their messages of peace.
FURTHER INFORMATION
To find out more about Fylingdales please visit the official RAF site
To find out more about Yorkshire CND and their campaigns against Fylingdales please click here
EPISODE TWENTY SIX: “Dedicated, thoughtful and whatever”
The women begin their first day as convicted serious organised criminals by protesting outside another US Base, this time Fylingdales. The ironic contrast between verdict and sentence raises questions among fellow campaigners as to the outcome for future arrests under this legislation. By making trespass onto military bases an ‘act of terrorism’ yet punishing those found guilty with, what is effectively, a slap on the wrist, the message to the peace movement isn’t entirely clear. Indeed with a growing number of campaigners deliberately seeking to challenge the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act, in conjunction with the costs of lengthy court cases, one wonders what the new legislation has achieved; besides uniting protesters young and old to make a stand against their Government.
EPISODE TWENTY FOUR: “Headbangers against the state”
Fellow peace protesters, Joan and Joy, join Helen for an evening down memory lane as they remember protests past. However, with the resumed trial just around the corner it isn’t long before thoughts turn to the consequences of that infamous April Fools Day and the terrorism charge that is now more real than ever.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Find out more about Joan’s life of protest on her blog.
A new day brings a new protest at Menwith Hill. Sylvia and Betty, another close friend and ally, greet the morning traffic into the Spy Base with banners of peace whilst standing strong against an antagonist policeman. Back at the camp personal tensions run high between Helen and Sylvia, as thoughts turn to the lack of involvement in the peace movement. Feeling the weight of peace firmly on their shoulders, perhaps it is not surprising that the women aren’t always smiling?
Helen and Sylvia’s trial for terrorism fused together two very different women. Their contrasting personalities, beliefs and ways of working have slowly come under strain and in this episode we catch a glimpse of the tension that runs throughout their friendship. Whilst united by peace, the woman freely admit the need to find common ground in their personal partnership, but is this one resolution too far?
After years of campaigning along with countless arrests, court cases and prison stays, Helen surprises everyone when she reveals her nerves over this particular trial. With friends and fellow campaigners striving for a way to make the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act inoperable, the responsibility of setting a legal precedent begins to take its toll. But do they expect too much from her?
Anne and Helen reveal more about camp life, from living under canvas and the responses they get from the public to their (not so covert) operations to break into Menwith Hill. Whilst living outdoors presents certain challenges it becomes clear that the social element of mixing with like minded individuals across the generations, makes up for any discomfort these grandmothers may endure. Luckily in this windy lay by, just outside Menwith Hill, the police are also on hand to check they survive the elements to protest another day.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Find out more about Menwith Hill by watching episode 3 in the Opening Trilogy
Anne Lee is the ‘wise owl’ behind the scenes of those Disarming Grandmothers! Often in the background, researching and preparing cases, she too has dedicated her life to opposing Menwith Hill Spy Base. Helen and Sylvia often tap into Anne’s knowledge and together they come up with new ways to present their case and bring their campaign into the public domain. These three Yorkshire grandmothers represent the brains, the humour and the soul of the peace movement and together they are truly disarming.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Watch Episode 2 & 3 in the Opening Trilogy to find out more about the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act, Helen and Sylvia’s act of protest and Menwith Hill Spy Base.
Helen stepped into the peace movement in 1981 when she and four other women chained themselves to the fence at RAF Greenham Common, in protest over the decision to store cruise nuclear missiles on the site. The ‘Women for Life on Earth’ group initially wanted a televised debate: upon this request being denied, the group began a women’s only peace camp that was to, in various forms, last the best part of nineteen years and at it’s height attract 35,000 women to the base. Between 1992 – 1993 the nuclear missiles, along with American military personal, returned to the US and a new focus of the women’s peace camp – to give the common land back to the people of Berkshire – began.
For Helen, the Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp, was life changing. Leaving her five children and husband behind, she began her new life as a passionate feminist and anti-nuclear campaigner. In this episode she talks about her decision to become a woman of Greenham and during this conversation I found myself wondering, whether behind every strong, determined and principled individual, lays a few regrets?
FURTHER INFORMATION
To find out more about the Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp visit Your Greenham, where you will find a collection of short films, letters to the women and Greenham songs to give you a flavour of what life was like.
See archive footage of Helen at Greenham Common in the short film ‘March to Greenham’.
Hear Helen talk about her experiences of Greenham Common on Radio 4.
CREDITS
This episode could not have been put together without the support of the following people who very kindly donated photographs:
EPISODE FIVE: A THREAT TO THE GOVERNMENT, THANK GOD.
In this episode we hear Helen talk openly about her previous direct actions; including one which resulted with her being issued with a lifetime ban from the City of London… but the question is does she adhere to it?
Disarming Grandmothers 