Gloucestershire Weapons Inspectors

Fairford G10 Peace Camp Update - 8 April (updated 12, 15 & 18 April)

Update 18-Apr: The B-52's are still flying (3 on 17/4) and the bomb convoys still rolling (latest on 17/4). Despite widespread reports that the war is done and dusted USAF Fairford remains active, although less busy than last week.

The camp at Welford (see reports 1, 2) although threatened with eviction is hanging in and able to monitor activity at Welford and the departure of bomb convoys. Policing at Fairford peace camp has once again become obstructive and visitors have not been allowed for the past couple of days but this could change again... it usually does. If you have problems with the police stopping access to the camp or you are searched please report it to us.

Please continue to support the camps - here's some contact numbers... be patient it's difficult to keep mobiles charged. Text messages are more likely to get replies than voice messages (they're cheaper).

G10 Camp: Adele 07754 064146, Brenda 07932 628269, Ben 07986 786782, Splash 07811 895839
Welford Camp: Nick 07736 964653, Fisheye 07984 290842, Kate 07748 015601

Update 15-Apr: Some visitors refused on 14th following change of police forces but things have settled down again now. Visitors and supplies moving into camp OK. However rather light on numbers and whilst the B-52s have been quiet today (15th) for the first time there were 2 bomb convoys in from Welford. We could do with more watchers particularly to try can cover the bomb store area. We would like to decide if what they're doing with the new deliveries.

Update 12-Apr: Police will generally tolerate small numbers of visitors and nobody, as far as we know, has been turned away for a couple of days now. However if large numbers were to come it might be difficult. Access to the camp and requirements for supplies change all the time - best to call one of the campers before you come - try: Brenda 07932 628269, Adele 07754 064146, Ben 07986 786782 or Andria 07762 564866.

8-Apr - Life goes on... following the surreal experience of the Reclaim The Bases weekend of 5/6 April when there was a very strong police presence across the whole Fairford area. For a couple of views see read Jo Wildings report - Baghdad to Fairford - or listen to Gate 10 Peace Camp Radio (mostly Briar in full flow). Picture here shows Issy (aged 11) with her S44 stop and search form (the extra large Devon and Cornwall version on 12 Apr).

Despite difficulties with supplies and access for people over the weekend the situation in the last 24 hours has improved somewhat. We've had some visitors (see pics below), some fuel and additional bedding for keeping warm. We are curently negotiating with the police to try and establish a normailsed set of rules for policing the approaches to the camp. At present it is very difficult to give guidance since it can vary so much from shift to shift as individual police and police forces change.

It's a little difficult to advise visitors just now - here's the current "Welcome to Gate 10 Peace Camp" guide - it's a two page Word document produced in Friday 4th by Ambuka and Nat - it'll be updated once it's clear what the situation on the ground is.

But please don't give up trying to visit us and bringing supplies - current top of this list is: Fresh veg, beans, cooking oil, cooking herbs, black pepper, cider/beer/wine, tobacco, sellotape, cycle lughts, dictaphone tapes, postcards and stamps. but please no more tea bags or milk. And please please keep sending letters to the - address below - if they're for the camp in general please don't put anyone's name on.

This picture shows some of the Gate 10 Peace Camp residents at around 6.30pm on Sunday evening... just after Nathan got nicked for having some seeds (herbal remedy for indegestion) in his bag. Good old Essex cops thought it was a prohibited substance and took him on a trip to Stroud polcie station where the custody Srg said don't be daft lads take him back home... but that's all in a days protest at G10.

Here's a couple more pics from April 7th when Stroud MP David Drew visited the camp. We also saw the return of Kate Holcombe shown here with her new bail conditions that allow her to go anywhere so long as it's not within 2m of the fence (or hold onto anything that's attached to the fence). Remember Kate was one of the people who set up G10 and was removed from the camp by being arrested and accused of ripping the front gate from the airbase on 23rd Feb. Anyway it's great to have Kate back and she's now officially a resident.

Mail is reaching the camp. In fact the camp now gets a nice big mailbag every day but we'd like to see it grow even bigger. Cards and letters are starting to come in from all around the world. We'll hopefully be starting an indepentent blog to carry the messages and comments we're receiving (any volunteers?). Here's the best address to use - although most variants also seem to reach us:

Fairford Peace Camp
Gate 10
USAF Fairford
Near Kempsford
Gloucestershire
GL7 4HE

Read about an earlier attempt to remove the peace camp when it was forced to relocated by the Americans. Thankfully we seem to be over this kind of thing for the time being at least. Remember the camp is a legal protest against the war and although unwelcome is not actually breaking any law.