In this issue of Action AWE news: lovely pictures of a great Welsh blockade of Burghfield, and news of talks and great new reading matter to inspire you to take action over the winter, plus reminders of forthcoming events…

Welsh Dragons blockade

On 3 October 50 activists from Knighton Action for Peace and Justice, CND Cymru& Food Not Bombs - including a 10-foot tall Welsh dragon! – blocked the main gate at Burghfield for 6 hours. http://actionawe.org/welsh-dragons-blockade-nuclear-weapons-factory/. The action got some great media coverage: http://actionawe.org/awe-burghfield-protesters-blockade-road/

The Big Knit

Wool Against Weapons made it into the Big Issue in October, and Knitting magazine! So far the campaign has collected many beautiful sections for the giant scarf to link Burghfield& Aldermaston last summer – check out the lovely pictures at www.woolagainstweapons.co.uk. Also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wool-Against-Weapons/570747079617581 and https://www.facebook.com/groups/woolagainstweaponsscotland/

Nonviolent Direct Action training available

Taking direct action at Aldermaston or Burghfield can feel like a daunting prospect, but hosting a nonviolent direct action training in your city can be a great way of getting some like-minded folk together to talk, practice and plan. Action AWE are very happy to support training events for groups around the country, and we’d love to hear from you if you’re interested in hosting a day with us - email [email protected].

Ban the Bomb tour

This month Rebecca Johnson - Vice Chair of CND and a member of the Action AWE co-ordinating group - starts her national Ban TheBomb tour travelling Britain talking about the current internationalmovement towards a nuclear weapons ban, and how now is the time to take action to “pile on the pressure” in Britain. Invite Rebecca to your town to inspire action with Action AWE! For latest dates check the CND website – new dates will be added as the tour progresses. http://www.cnduk.org/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=1782To invite Rebecca to your town, get in touch with Anne at [email protected].

… but ‘Don’t Bank on the Bomb’…

In October 2013 the International Campaign to abolish Nuclear Weapons and IKV Pax Christi published Don’t Bank on the Bomb, a comprehensive investigation revealing that globally $314bn is invested by 298 financial institutions – banks, pension funds, etc – in the development and manufacture of nuclear weapons. Download this invaluable lobbying tool here: http://www.dontbankonthebomb.com/

Growing or killing? War and industrial agriculture

Helena Paul of Econexushttp://www.econexus.info/ has written a new article for Action AWE investigating the violence inherent in intensive agriculture, and the links to war – and calling for a paradigm shift in the way we think, and the way we feed whole populations. Helena’s discussionranges from the production of the chemicals used, and their effects on animals – including people – and entire ecosystems, to the way that language betrays the deep-seated ideological connection between aggressive extractive systems of farming, and systems of war. You can read the article here: http://actionawe.org/swords-and-ploughshares-industrial-agriculture-as-warfare-and-the-need-for-a-paradigm-shift/

Cyberwarfare, surveillance, nukes & drones

In a new article on the Action AWE website, Paul Mobbs shows how the development of increasing cyber capacity, the development of remote-controlled warfare and killing, and surveillance are all interconnected. Read it here: http://actionawe.org/drones-cyberwarfare-and-democracy/

Forthcoming actions

Whatever you’re planning! Plus…

• Vigils with Christian CND during Advent (in the run up to Christmas) on 28^th November and 5^th, 12^th& 19^th December. Contact Christian Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament [email protected].
• Anti-nuclear and socialst choirs perform in Basingstoke on 23 November. Contact us through the choirs email at [email protected] and [email protected] Or you can ring Leslie on 07952 616 352 or Morag on 07772 019717

Don’t forget to add your actions to the calendar at www.actionawe.org - unless you’re planning a surprise action! And don’t forget afterwards to upload your pictures and stories and links to media coverage!

Help Action AWE:

We rely on small donations to fund the campaign organising and to help groups organising their own actions, you can donate via paypal: http://actionawe.org/donate/

Please ask your local (and national / international!) group to sign up as a supporting organisation: http://actionawe.org/supporters/

See you at AWE!

And on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ActionAwe& Twitter @ActionAWE