Tag: unity works

Four new exhibitions open at Unity+Works

Four new exhibitions open at Unity+Works, Wakefield,
Friday 19 February 11.00am

2016 WBHH A4 poster_Page_1
Unity+Works Wakefield will host four new exhibitions from Friday 18 February to Saturday 5 March, as part of the With Banners Held High event taking place on Saturday 5 March:

SOLIDARITY and the 1984/85 MINERS’ STRIKE
Twenty six panels created by the TUC Resources Library.

INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY and the MINERS’ STRIKE
Photos by JOHN STURROCK and STEFANO CAGNONI (Report Digital) and MARTIN JENKINSON.

MUSIC and the MINERS’ STRIKE

An exhibition created by Pierre Bouquet and previously shown at Rock‘n’Coal, an event held in Oignies, at the heart of the former French mining area, in March 2015.

POLITICAL MUSICIANS
Photos by PETE DUNWELL of musicians including Billy Bragg who link their music with politics and protest.

These exhibitions highlight key themes of the With Banners Held High event. One is the inspiring but largely unknown story of the scale and scope of international solidarity and support for the miners in the form of food, money, toiletries, toys and holidays abroad for the children of striking miners. The other is the way musicians supported the miners’ strike. The exhibitions will be complemented on 5 March by workshops and speakers from Europe who were active in this solidarity action.

Granville Williams, who has organised the exhibitions, said, ‘These exhibitions provide new perspectives and insights into the miners’ strike. Some of the photographs will be totally new to people because they were not published at the time of the strike. I came across many of them during my research for the book PIT PROPS. The exhibitions are profoundly moving, giving us real insights into how people from literally around the world responded to the hardships the miners, their families and communities endured during the year-long strike.’

The exhibitions are free and available to view during Unity+Works opening hours.

Tickets for the With Banners Held High daytime event at: http://www.unityworks.co.uk/event/with-banners-held-high-2016/

And for the evening fund-raising event: http://www.unityworks.co.uk/event/the-farm/

Download the posters here:
2016 WBHH A4 poster
2016 WBHH poster

 

The Last Shift

These are the lyrics to The Hurriers new song about the closure and destruction of our proud mining industry. This song will be played live at With Banners Held High 2016 for the first time.

Tickets available here: http://www.unityworks.co.uk/event/with-banners-held-high-2016/

Told through the eyes of one of the miners coming up on that last shift, it’s the story of the Kellingley closure, the death of our once proud mining industry and what that will mean to mining families and our communities.

The Last Shift

My precious son you followed me
How could I know how things would be
I said it’s hard but you’ll have a laugh
You’ll scrub your comrade’s dust stained back
The sun will sting when you come back up
You’ll soon hold dear your brothers love

Dad you worked there your Dad too
But now it’s gone the end it’s through
Workmates long gone RIP
At least our tears they’ll never see
They walked out proud with heads held high
We faced press from far and wide

Darling wife stood by me strong
Always proud of where we’re from
They did their best to kill us off
But this a battle, not our war lost
Now go buy those new white sheets
And we will walk a different street

And last my Grandson now what for you
That chance we had has gone it’s true
With empty shops and ghost towns there
You’ll leave this place for who knows where
Who can blame you nothing left
The soul torn out, left dead bereft

From a hard days graft for a fair days pay
To a brain dead role with a minimum wage
From a job for life to a zero hours
That sweet true life has all gone sour

Grandma, Mother, daughter, wife
A bitter end to a once proud life
Husband, Father, Grandad, son
It’s gone for good the last shift’s done