I wrote this blog during the day itself ...
Did not sleep much - in anticipation of the day ahead - but got up as planned and managed to get the train while it was still dark at 6.40 when I got the train from our local station. Reading material packed...EU hat packed - food supplies packed !! Surprised that there are quite a few out and about at this time. Got to Glasgow Central. A magnificent station. Got organic coffee and an almond croissant at Pret-a-Manger…. A good French name for the start of an EU outing !
I get onto the Virgin cross country train. It's heading for Plymouth …. But I will get off half way at Newcastle! Lots to see en route though via Berwick upon tweed etc. Although on the way down there is a good deal of fog.
… I am still hoping to grab some sleep...hope I don't snore!! I have managed to book one of the few tables on the train. …. More to follow!
Not long to Newcastle now. This train not as good as Virgin Intercity. I had to head along three carriages to get a tea and sandwich as the trolley service was off. Have also had to listen to a long, loud and slightly indiscrete conversation on a mobile from a guy who should probably know better as he is involved in youth sport yet I can now tell you all about his staff and various controversies ! Not much sign of the fog clearing yet. Let's hope it's a good day and I manage to meet up with the others
I am just so disappointed to have not slept well.. but perhaps it was nerves. Speak later.
I met the others who had travelled by train at the station. Two of the organisers, Louise and Jon kindly met us there to take us to the march. This was useful as on my previous visits to Newcastle I had always gone directly to one of the two Universities and in fact it turns out I had not seen the city centre at all - which turned out to be very beautiful.
Here is a picture from someone else which sums up the atmosphere at the station. Thats me with my back to the camera !
There were as many hen parties arriving at the station as EU campaigners !
But we were ready with flags hats and leaflets! I met Joanne and Paul who I had expected to meet via Facebook and the rest of the group as well. There were rumours the police knew of hecklers, which was not unexpected. Louise escorted us up to the tall Earl Grey monument and then beyond to the swimming baths where the march was to start. I have to say it was good to finally do something constructive about attempting to halt Brexit, which I do not feel is in any way in the best interests of our modern, forward looking and outward looking country.. (or at least that was how I would have described us pre-the Brexit vote !). After months of only being able to discuss this online, finally we were out and about and doing something about it !
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Well that was a long and interesting day !
I chatted to people from Northumberland, Dumfries, France, York etc. Young and old. Joanne revealed her fabulous banner with message for Theresa …
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My home made hat and a French(?) girl I met on the march
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There were a variety of banners, many with witty comments. We started out on the march. and we marched up to the Charles Grey statue - commemorating Earl Grey, famous for his tea (see tea shop in background of photo) but also famed as a PM and parliamentary reformer. Apparently there was a lot of support from the shopping crowds on our way past. Good news - lots of thumbs ups ! There were even dogs on the march. The dogs were appropriately a cross between a French and a German breed!
We marched along proclaiming “EU we love you” ! There was a good turnout. We got to the monument and gathered there. There were a few hecklers or it may have been just one very aggressive man. The police did a good job surrounding us so that the talks could commence. The talks were excellent. All good.
The start of the speeches - great MC !
Emmy Van Deurzen speaking
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| After AC Grayling's finale talk - well done all ! |
First up - a stirring speech from Emmy van Deurzen (you can watch it here ! https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Standout for me were the local MEP Fiona Hall and Joyce Quin the local member of house of lords. One of these speakers mentioned how agency workers and zero hours contracts etc. is not something that is happening elsewhere in EU - its the UK that allows this. they don't have to !
Also the director of nursing at Northumbria university Julia Charlton presenting stark facts about numbers in nursing. With about half of nurses due to retire in next few years and numbers of EU applicants to posts reducing… and fees etc so expensive that there are not enough applicants. Other talks were all excellent ...one from a business man Richard Swart … and finishing with a stirring talk from AC Grayling.
There were fabulous musical interludes from a young woman on guitar Madeleina Kay who had written three stirring songs in support of the EU! Her gorgeous white German Shepherd dog was joining in while wearing an EU dog jacket !! (you can just see him behind her in this photo) - she has now recorded her third song that we all joined in with - you can watch it here - excellent and I love love love the verse half way through ! (wont spoil it for you - listen in !) https://www.facebook.com/albawhitewolf/videos/1146528952126175/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED
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| Madeleina Kay singing one of her three stirring songs |
And there was another musician who added to the atmosphere. I stood through it all. I think it was filmed. If it was then it will be well worth watching the talks online.
After I spotted two of the guys from the original group who had met at the station. We headed down a road of magnificent sandstone buildings and found a nice bar/restaurant/coffee shop. It was good to finally sit down! An hour later and it was off to the literary and philosophy library to listen to a stirring talk by AC Grayling. This library had featured in an Ann Cleeves book that I had read so I was interested to see it. A little haven of peace and quiet in the city. And a welcome glass of wine. Time to reflect after the day and listen to AC Grayling in a more relaxed atmosphere ... we heard about the inadequacies of the planning for the referendum… it's democratic illegitimacy. About how voters need to educate themselves and be thinkers… book recommendation "Thinking Fast and Slow"… quote re 1952 Eisenhower election… about Cambridge analytics who had the big data for both trump and the leave campaign, so they would target particular sectors of voters hence why Trumps talks sounded disjointed… necklace of sound bites, often unrelated but targeting different groups in audience eg anti immigrant or those concerned with.
.. etc. Apparently Camb analytics did this pro Bono but it's under investigation. AC Grayling seems a very nice man. He recommends we keep our separate campaign groups, keep going, talk to Remainers and Brexiters and our MPs… and keep going… it could be a long fight right up to General Election 2020… and it is also annoying as we all have other things our time was really due to have been spent on! (a sentiment I can fully agree with !)
I spoke to quite a few during the day who want to move to Scotland, I heard of quite a few who have managed to apply for Irish citizenship. And I also heard about Northumbria council who are building 1000s of houses on green belt with no jobs, no facilities like doctors… and a primary school with a MacDonald's drive through across from it …. "Money talks" as always …. And voters need to take back control and find out what is going on. Compulsory voting was also a recommendation as was a parliamentary democracy which started to work again through our MPs starting to have the guts to stand up for what is right.
So all in all a good and exhausting and stressful day on occasions but with hope a positive day.
I had heard all of his talk and all of the questions and answers session but had to leave just as a stirring finale of Ode to Joy was being proposed, as I had to make sure I caught my train on time!
It was a long day but well worth it - lots of food for thought and always inspiring to meet like minded people. There was a good deal of support from the shoppers who were out and about and from people at the station too ! lots of thumbs up signs apparently !
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