FRFR 146 Dec 1998 / Jan 1999
‘I have been a member of Rock around the Blockade for a few weeks. I have been to a stall in Chesterfield where I sold about 30 copies of FRFI and got quite a few signatures on the petition [against the blockade]. I first found out about the group when I was shopping and bumped into Jim and Darren. They explained about the group and since then I have been to two stalls and a few meetings. I find everything really interesting and I have read a few books. At the moment, I am getting sponsors for a sponsored walk in Manchester. The money I raise will go to Cuba.’
The last few months have seen an increase in the number of people all over the country, from Greenock in Scotland to Hastings in southeast England, who want to get active with Rock around the Blockade and who are drawn specifically to the socialist perspective of our solidarity work with Cuba.
On 26 November, the Rock around the Blockade society at the University of Manchester held a fantastic salsa night jointly with the Spanish student society, which cleared a £500 profit. They also used the occasion to promote Havana Club as part of their Boycott Bacardi campaign (see p11 for details). A raffle raised £67 for the hurricane appeal in central America. Also in the northwest, the Rock around the Blockade society at the University of Central Lancashire showed the video Inside Castro’s Cuba, which was followed by an interesting discussion. We also held a successful social evening – our ska/reggae/soul night went down well with all those who attended and we managed to raise £220 for the sound system for Cuba! A 10-mile sponsored walk, taking in the wonderful scenery of the Peak District took place on 29 November and should raise even more funds.
London RATB organised another successful salsa night at Bar Cuba in Kensington, raising £250 and continues to hold lively discussions of material from the Cuban newspaper Granma at its regular, fortnightly campaign meetings. We have also recently donated 10 computers to Cuba, courtesy of IPC Magazines! A dayschool for brigade participants, held in the first week of November, had sessions on Cuba’s liberation struggle over the centuries and the Special Period, the legacy of Che Guevara, a speech by Professor Theodore MacDonald on socialist health and education in Cuba and lots of ideas on how to get active! The new Cuba Vive society at Queen Mary and Westfield College is holding meetings, focusing in particular on a Boycott Bacardi campaign. Meanwhile, the salsa night held by the Cuba Vive society at University College, London on 27 November attracted 200 people.
At the end of November, new members of the Cuba Vive! society in Bristol organised a street stall in the city centre in Broadmead which drew lots of interest from the public and raised money for Rock around the Blockade. Members Tom, Ruth and Helen also presented Rock around the Blockade with a cheque for £100 from their society. Hastings activists have also been out petitioning against the US blockade.
In the Midlands, Rock around the Blockade has held successful stalls in Chesterfield, Doncaster and Horncastle and, at a recent meeting of Lincoln CSC, a number of new local people expressed interest in the politics of Rock around the Blockade and its linking of the struggle to support Cuba with the fight to build socialism. Meanwhile, in Scotland, a Greenock activist has contributed an article on Cuba to the local newspaper and is planning to gather material while on the brigade for a feature article for the local Big Issue. In December Rock around the Blockade will be speaking at meetings at Orpington sixth form college and Brunel University, and future plans include events in Cambridge, Bath and Oxford. So wherever you are, if you want to get active in support of Cuba, get involved in Rock around the Blockade, BCM Box 5909, London WC1N 3XX. Tel: 0171 837 1688 e-mail: [email protected]. uk
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Brigade reportbacks from Cuba
LONDON: Weds 20 January, 7.30pm, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1
BRISTOL UNIVERSITY: Weds 3 February, exact venue to be confirmed
PRESTON: Weds 3 February, University of Central Lancashire, Room 129, Harrington Building
There will also be meetings in Oxford, Hastings, Cambridge, Greenock and Dundee (tel: campaign number above for details) and Chesterfield, Doncaster, Leicester and Lincoln (tel: 01400 230 151) in late Jan/early Feb.
Rock around the Blockade campaign meetings in London are held regularly on alternate Mondays at 8pm, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1 (Holborn tube).
Next meetings:
14 December, 11 January, 25 January.
All welcome.
Sinembargo salsa night for Cuba: Tuesday 19 January, 10pm-2am, Bar Cuba, 11 Kensington High Street, London. All proceeds to Rock around the Blockade
