Meeting of Whittle Support Group, during Miners’ Strike, then platform speakers interviewed, Whittle. Interviewer Richard Grassick
0:00 – Initially – scenes of women in hall, waiting for start of meeting
2:50 – Ann Lilburn starts meeting with explanation that no seats are available for women on train to London for rally at the weekend but that there will be a transport to rally in Chesterfield later
8:00 – Ann reports on support from other unions, including picketing of London power stations and support from teachers
13:00 – Ann hopes this women’s group will continue even if strike settled – plenty of other issues including Druridge and possible Union Carbide plant at Amble.
19:00 – Pat Ross lists donations received, including one from Side and Amber (22)
24:00 – Sylvia Stanton (?) notes that things will not return to how they were even if strike is settled, women will continue political engagement. Ann comments that they have started a movement, the events they’ve organised can continue beyond the strike
31:00 – Pat talks about nuclear power issues, health risks experienced at Sellafield and elsewhere
33:00 – Meeting ends, scenes of women sorting through donated clothing.
45:00 – TV in corner showing pictures of Hartlepool Nuclear Power Station from VRM 1009-09
52:00 – Platform speakers and other women sitting at table start talking about how they didn’t know what they’d be getting into when they started the group 10 months ago, women had been transformed in attitude to politics, ability to speak in public etc
58:00 – Pat argues that Tories plan far ahead, pursuit of nuclear power is part of plan to close pits, crush NUM
60:00 – Sylvia expresses concern about future of Northumberland without pits, with nuclear power, carbide plant, expansion of prison etc
63:00 – Interviewer tries to turn discussion to who ‘they’ are, who are doing all this, and whether Labour Party will help. No real answer but some discussion of lost community at the ‘drift’, lost when they were rehoused (into house with bathrooms etc)
75:00 – Discussion of Druridge, Pat raises health risks, Ann talks about disposal of nuclear waste and the worries they’d have living near a dump. Why nuclear power instead of coal? To get rid of unions and because of deal with US
80:00 – Pat talks bout Black Report on nuclear power health risks, how discussion of it had been put on TV at an obscure time
