IN REMEMBRANCE OF THOSE WHO DID NOT MAKE IT THIS FAR AND IN SUPPORT OF THOSE WHO HAVE
CAMPAIGN The Journal of the BNTVA Registered Charity Number 1131134 TM
3 Minutes to Midnight Like the Doomsday clock the Recognition Campaign is almost won.
ÂŁ2.99 where sold
Spring 2015
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Join our Flickr Group!
If you have any pictures from your service, or meetings with veterans or any other activity related to the BNTVA why not Join our Flickr group. You don’t have to be an expert photographer, we just want you to share your pictures or videos, comment on pictures and share memories. Rules Administrators will remove inappropriate or unsuitable material for the benefit of the group.
Copyright Please only submit your own original images. Any images submitted to this group may appear in the Campaign magazine, and by joining you give your permission for this. You still retain all copyright and ownership rights in your photograph or image, and your name will be put on your image wherever possible.
If you are interested in viewing or submitting pictures to the BNTVA Flickr group sign up and visit: www.flickr.com and search for BNTVA.
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The Chaplain writes
Happy Easter I retired from active (or should I say paid?) ministry a year ago, and I cannot believe how quickly the time has passed!
I remarked on this to the young daughter of friends of mine, and told her that time is going more and more swiftly. I was very impressed with her reply: ‘It’s because for my little brother a year is 1/6th of his life, but in your case it’s 1/70th!’ I was never good at maths, but it does seem a very ingenious explanation. At a recent meeting of the Trustees of the BNTVA in London, I was struck once again by how much time my fellowTrustees – many of them not-so-young nuclear veterans themselves – give to our Association, as they serve the present needs of veterans and their descendants, and work to safeguard the Association for generations to come: as one put it, ‘It’s our job to keep the story alive.’ For people of faith, time and eternity are all of a piece. An old hymn has the lines Redeem the mis-spent time that’s past, And live each day as if thy last: Improve thy talent with due care; For the great day thyself prepare.
The writer, Thomas Ken, goes on to offer very practical and down-to-earth advice: Let all thy converse be sincere, Thy conscience as the noonday clear… Christians believe that we shall have to give an account of ourselves in due course, but whether or not you are a person of faith, Thomas Ken’s words remind us that time is a precious gift, to be used creatively and not squandered…whether we are 6 or 70. I look forward to seeing many members and their families in Bournemouth in May, but in the meantime – when it comes – I wish you all a very Happy Easter.
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The BNTVA Annual General Meeting & Conference 2015 The 2015 BNTVA Conference and Annual General Meeting will take place at the Carrington House Hotel, Bournemouth on the 15th to the 17th of May 2015.
The BNTVA AGM will commence 10:30 on Saturday 16th May 2015. The Fallout, Nuclear Test Veteran Children’s Group will hold their AGM on the 17th May at 10:30 also at the Carrington House Hotel. The Conference booking form is at the rear of this magazine. You can also download one from the BNTVA website or request a form on email by contacting Bob at secretary@bntva.com
Bob has noted: Because of a change in management within Britannia Hotels members cannot now pay the final balance when registering on arrival. Please Note: if paying by cheque payment in full is required by 16th April 2015. Advice is to pay by credit card if possible but even then final balance must be paid by 1st May. Some members might like to take out Travel Insurance in case they are unable to attend at the last moment.
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Directions to Carrington House Hotel Bournemouth By Car From the North: Follow A338 from Salisbury to Ringwood. Join A31 towards Dorchester and turn left onto A338 to Bournemouth. Then follow directions from the East. From the East: M27/A31-take A338 following signs to Bournemouth. Turn left at first roundabout St Paul’s with Asda on your left and go straight across next roundabout. After 100yds, turn first left into Knyveton Road. Go straight across mini roundabout at junction with Derby Road and hotel is approx 200yds on right. From the West: Follow A35 following signs to Bournemouth and Town Centre. Take A338 towards Ringwood.
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Turn right at first roundabout St Paul’s with Asda facing you and go straight across next roundabout. After 100yds turn left into Knyveton Road. Go straight across mini roundabout at junction with Derby Road and hotel is approx 200yds on right. Car Parking The hotel car park operates on a first come first serve parking basis. The car parking is free of charge and cannot be booked in advance. There are many alternative public car parks near the hotel, which all charge a daily fee. By Rail The hotel is 0.5 miles from Bournemouth Railway Station. By Air Bournemouth Airport is 6 miles away.
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Pension Tribunal Latest & What it Means for Nuclear Vets Hogan Lovells representing the War Pension Tribunal Appellants secured a major victory in the Upper Tribunal Administrative Appeals Chamber on the 22nd October 2014. Whilst this decision is not the final chapter of the process, the MOD may place more hurdles in the path of our poor veterans, it is without doubt a major success. The Rulings A key element was the interpretation placed on the ‘burden of proof’ relating to illness and causation by military service. The First Tier Tribunal had rejected the standard that it was for them to be ‘sure’ a condition did not arise as a result of exposure during service to enable denial of the appeal. This was replaced with a test that the appellant had to prove beyond reasonable doubt that they had been exposed to radiation during military service and that that exposure had caused the conditions or mortality a pension was being claimed for. Mr Justice Charles found the FTT could not account properly for the reason for this change and that they
were unable to satisfy the requirement to evidence the decision making process in determining ‘reasonableness’ He found the appellant does not have to prove a condition was ‘probably’ linked to service, only to raise reasonable doubt that there may be such a link based on reliable evidence. Mr Justice Charles also found that members of the First Tier Tribunal had applied the test of reasonableness appropriately and correctly in the past but in this case they demonstrated they had misapplied it and had erred in law. What can we learn from the findings of the Chamber President, Mr Justice Charles? To many in the BNTVA discrimination against our veteran members has long been known. We have numerous cases of disparity in pension application treatment;
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A veteran who does not mention the word ‘Nuclear’ in their application has much more chance of being awarded pension than one who states they were at a test site. There was a clear steer from the Secretary of State to the Tribunal system to enforce higher standards of proof than for prior non-nuclear appellants. The next steps? It is a difficult situation where any system exists to recompense people for the effects of exposure to potential harm that is controlled and run by the agents who may have caused that harm in the first instance. As one of our members comprehensively related the situation “It’s like putting the Nazi’s in charge of the Nurenberg Trials”. Britain provides enough support already! One of the claims often made is that the veterans are all cared for under the National Health Service and that they are further supported by the availability of a war pension. The view that any problems with their offspring are also adequately covered by the NHS has recently been aired too. What are the facts of this? First off if the NHS and indeed the British Social Services as a whole provide everything a veteran may
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need in treatment and support why the need for a war pension? Of course war pensions are essential because the conditions they are granted for often cause hardship, suffering and shortened lives which clearly affects the veterans and in turn their widows. As we have seen above obtaining a war pension is no simple matter of right to a nuclear veteran, it is a long difficult and expensive process. Support for offspring, Sadly Lacking. What of the veterans children and grand-children who may be affected by the genetic heritage of nuclear testing? No war pension for them, indeed any support related to the parent stops when a child reaches adulthood. They have to live their lives with strange and rare conditions often outside the main focus of NHS treatment. There is no pension or social net for them. What for the future? Since those original rulings a wind of change has swept across the proceedings, The Prime Minister, David Cameron has historically recognised the service of the nuclear veterans and is looking as to what can be done to alleviate suffering with the possibility of supporting our call for the establishment of a benevolent fund. The Government have it in their power to right these wrongs and undo the harm born of years of refusal and failure to recognise. The inequities
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of the war pension tribunals must be exorcised from the system to remove the discrimination and ensure nuclear veterans receive a fair and timely assessment of their claims. The additional hardship and angst suffered by nuclear veterans and their offspring must be alleviated by the establishment of the benevolent fund. The Prime Minister, David Cameron and Secretary of Stare for Defence, Michael Fallon can both do their bit. Deny the MOD the opportunity to continue raising legal hurdles, make them do the right thing for our nuclear veterans war pension claims. Step up to the table with BNTVA Patron John Baron MP, Get this Nation off the bottom end of the world scale for treatment of its nuclear veterans and put £25million into a benevolent fund. You can read the full report on the BNTVA website simply type ‘pension’ into the search box and you will find an on-line copy in the middle of the Pension Tribunal Latest article.
landmarkmedia / Shutterstock.com
BNTVA & Gary Bennett give a Christmas present to the National Defence Medal Campaign In December the BNTVA offered the National Defence Medal campaign a Christmas present, One of the stunning artworks we collected for our Shadow of the Bomb art exhibition, a piece of fine art by Isle of Man artist Gary Bennett. The piece is titled Forgotten Medal and is quite emotive and moving. Gary has allowed the BNTVA to use the image during our campaign and we have received permission from him for the National Defence Medal campaign to reproduce copies of the work to assist with their campaign.
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A short piece from the artist on his work ‘Forgotten Medal’ A Service Man before the Cenotaph, A monument he does not see, His mind is back in the terrible force he witnessed, Pals that day are by his side. No longer stood in awe and fear for they are in the cold dark ground. His chest is bare, no shining medal showing respect for that time nor his pals. The cold November light could glisten from a medal, Casting warm glow in to his heart and the shadow of the bomb, But this medal has been forgotten just like the service they proudly gave. The BNTVA named Gary as it’s official artist when he produced an inspiring emotive collection for their Shadow of the Bomb exhibition. Gary Bennett is a contemporary emotive artist, Based on the Isle of Man and supported by their Arts Council, Gary takes his inspiration from life’s journey.
“The process of art for me was continuously gathering visual information based on what I was exposed to, pre digital recording media, during the time dubbed the “Troubles” which were etched on my mind it followed that I was inspired to produce this body of work. Art with a powerful narrative that runs through a scarcely travelled genre in the Fine Art world today.” Gary Bennett 2013 Charles Lovelace FMM & Anthony Morland from the NDM campaign were delighted to receive the gift and we hope to have a representative from the campaign to speak at our 2015 Conference. You can find more about Gary and his other works at www.contemporarywarart.co.uk You can find more about the NDM campaign at www.nationaldefencemedal.webs. com
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Care for UK military veterans is ‘flawed’, medical experts say The government is failing to abide by its pledge to give injured British soldiers priority for medical treatment in the years after their service, medical experts have said. Leading professors in psychology and orthopaedics say the healthcare system is not providing veterans with the service they have been promised. The Armed Forces Covenant says veterans will be “sustained and rewarded”. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said it was “fully committed” to the covenant. Do better But Professor Neil Greenberg, from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said he believed ministers were failing to honour the military covenant promise. “In my view the government needs to be a bit more honest about what it is delivering and just what it says it’s delivering, because the two are definitely not the same,” he said. Freedom of information figures obtained by the military charity Help for Heroes show almost 13,000 personnel have been medically discharged for musculoskeletal
disorders since 2001 – those who have lost limbs or have problems with ligaments and joints – with many requiring constant care throughout their lives. Prof Tim Briggs, a leading orthopaedic surgeon, recently wrote the Chavasse report which outlined the problems former personnel face on the NHS. He said he was “moved” by the sacrifice made by veterans who attended his clinics, and he believed “we can do better and we should do better”. He said that “finding access to specialist care was sometimes proving difficult and as a result some veterans were falling through the net and we had to improve things”. Labour’s shadow minister for veterans, Gemma Doyle, said the medical experts’ comments were a “damning indictment”, and proof the government had failed to meet its obligations.
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BNTVA Now Involved In Negotiations
Your Help Needed
The article was originally published at the end of October 2014 and whilst the BNTVA officials have been busy progressing the Recognition Campaign we have also managed to secure consultative meetings with both the MOD and the Department of Health to progress problems with accelerated Health Care Access under the Military Covenant especially for Nuclear Test Veterans.
So the BNTVA can play a meaningful role in the development of Accelerated Health Care Access within the UK we need your input.
Hope for Veterans and Descendents
• We have the possibility of arranging for your individual medical files to be flagged with your Veteran status. To do this we need your written permission. Please either write to the Chairman or email the Chairman quoting your name and membership number to give permission for us to take this action on your behalf.
“There seems to be a genuine willingness within Government Departments to put the past behind and work to achieve something positive for our veterans. I really welcome this refreshing development and we will fully commit to all opportunities that are open to enhance the wellbeing of our members. Further to this we are working to ‘flag’ NTV Descendents and raise awareness of the conditions they too face”. BNTVA Chair, Nigel Heaps
• Please email or write to Nigel (chairman@bntva.com) and describe any failings or successes in gaining access to treatments and consultations in the NHS during the past three years.
Any information will be held in the strictest confidence and your identity will not be revealed unless you are happy to do so.
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Millions of veterans should get medal, MPs hear In a boost to the BNTVA Recognition Campaign Stephen Gilbert, a senior Liberal Democrat MP, published legislation in the House of Commons on Armistice Day 2014 calling for the National Defence Medal to be introduced. Millions of veterans of the Armed Forces who did not fight in battles should receive a medal to recognise their service, MPs were told. The BNTVA along with other veterans’ groups have been campaigning for a National Defence Medal which would reward members of the Armed Forces who served for more than two years. David Cameron, the Prime Minister, commissioned a review in May 2012 into the merits of the Medal, as well as claims for recognition by veterans in other conflicts. The final results of the review, which we reported in the Telegraph last August, found that it was too expensive to proceed with the Medal. However Stephen Gilbert a senior Liberal Democrat MP presented a bill to introduce the NDM on Armistice Day, The bill passed it’s first reading and is now to be read a second time on Friday 5th December 2014.
Stephen Gilbert, the MP for St Austell and Newquay, said: “I presented it in Parliament on Armistice Day and as much as anything I want to shame the powers that be into looking again at this issue.” He criticised ministers for accepting the review’s decision to block plans for the National Defence Medal and said that its introduction will be Liberal Democrat manifesto at the next general election. He said: “Of course we need to recognise those people who do see active service but simply putting on a uniform and giving yourself to the country should be also something that is recognised.
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“I think we need to be recognising that the fundamental choice that people make is putting ahead of themselves – and surely that is worthy of recognition.” The report published in August estimated five million former and ex-servicemen, including two million who did National Service in the late 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, would have qualified for a National Defence Medal. “It is very mean-spirited of the Government only to address some of the claims of those veterans who have seen conflict and completely ignores those hundreds of thousands of people who chose to serve their country at a time when there may not have been conflict. “Their choice to serve is no less impressive and worthy than those people who did see conflict.” In the US and New Zealand members of the armed forces can earn a medal after serving for three years. In Australia the qualifying period is four years. But in the UK the regular servicemen can only earn a long service and good conduct medal for 15 years’ service. Mr Gilbert said: “The choice an individual makes is to offer their service in defence of the country; when they do that they don’t know if they will see conflict or not.
The report said that offering a National Defence Medal retrospectively would “deal with past grievances for example of national servicemen, Cold War veterans and others whose service was never recognised in medallic form”. The report said that it would cost £300million to introduce the medal – a figure which was dismissed by Sir Nick Harvey, who was minister for the Armed Forces from 2010 to 2012, as “total and absolute nonsense”. Mr Gilbert said the review had been “widely discredited”. He said: “The whole process leaves a very bitter taste in the mouth for thousands of people who have seen conflict and thousands of people who have not seen conflict. “It is time that the Government drew a line under this and recognised the immense contribution these people have made to the defence of our country”
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Colonel Terry Scriven, the co-chairman of the National Defence Medal Campaign,: “I am pleased that Stephen Gilbert is doing this. At this particular time, all MPs should get behind this and give it their maximum support. “It is no use paying lip service saying how good veterans are and ignore those who are still living.” A Cabinet Office spokesman said: “We have carefully considered the National Defence Medal through a wide ranging independent policy review but the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and
Medals was not persuaded of the case at this time.” Sir Menzies Campbell, the Liberal Democrats’ foreign secretary, said: “If ever there was a time of the year to recognise the dedication and service of so many men and women on behalf of this country. I find it difficult to understand why there has been so much resistance to the tangible recognition that would bring so much pride to the recipients of the medal.” You can learn more about the National Defence Medal Campaign at www.nationaldefencemedal.webs. com
Nobody Told Us Anything The journey of this great documentary from Charles Camera to the silver screen has been long and difficult,filled with technical problems, setbacks and frustrations for all involved. Anything worthwhile is going to cost in some way and we are pleased to announce that the documentary received it’s PG BBFC certification at the end of 2014 and arrangements for National Screenings are now well under way.
There will be a screening at Stamford Arts Centre on 12th April. Details of all screenings can be found on the www.nobodytoldus.net website.
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Thank you Lisa Lisa Bainbridge is leaving the BNTVA Board of Trustees to devote more time to her role with the Coeliac UK Charity as Head of Campaigns. Lisa first began working with the BNTVA whilst she was at the Royal British Legion. The bond she formed with our association was very strong and she became a Trustee providing advice and assistance in the areas of organisation and governance. Lisa took on the role of Membership Secretary and helped to reorganise and modernise the BNTVA records, improving the service offered to our members.
The Board of Trustees places on record its appreciation for the work and support Lisa gave to the BNTVA. Trustee Ian Hall will now take over the Membership function. Ian can be contacted through our central mail address, using the contact form on the website or by email at membership@bntva.com
Funeral of George Harrison It is with great regret that the death of George Harrison was announced last November. The Secretary and his partner Barbara attended the funeral and presented a wreath on behalf of the BNTVA. George was a long time member and lived in the Preston area. The service was held at Preston Salvation Army, Harrington Street, Preston that was well attended; after the service George was laid to rest at All Saints Church Higher Walton.
Tributes were given by George’s Family and also from the Band. Listening to the tributes it became evident that George was quite a character with reference made to his BNTVA membership of that he was obviously proud. George played the cornet in the Band and it was said that if George made a mistake he always said SORREE!! He will be sadly missed by all those who knew him.
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John’s Campaign – The Right to Stay With Dementia Patients in Hospital It is unimaginable now that children used to be left in hospital without their parents. That battle was won long ago, and current NHS advice to parents is clear: “Stay with your child as much as you can.” People with dementia are not children. They are adults with a lifetime’s experience. Their needs are more complex, yet they are not entirely dissimilar. They are vulnerable and they can be as distressed and disoriented as a child. Their ability to understand and communicate with strangers may be reduced by factors such as deafness or poor eyesight as well as by mental impairment. They may have mobility and continence problems in addition to whatever medical condition makes hospitalisation necessary.
The effect of a hospital stay can be catastrophic for a person with dementia — as it was for the man whose experience prompted this campaign. • Over a quarter of hospital beds in the UK are currently occupied by people with dementia • The average stay of a person with dementia is three weeks but it can be much longer if rehabilitation is a problem or there is no where suitable to go • One third of people with dementia who go into hospital for an unrelated condition NEVER return to their own homes • 48% of people with dementia who go into hospital are less well when they leave than when they went in.
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Dr John Gerrard was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in his mid-seventies. It was a slow decline with accelerations when he was ill or upset. At the beginning of February 2014, aged 86, he went into hospital because he had infected leg ulcers which weren’t responding to antibiotics. He was there for five weeks during which time he deteriorated drastically. He went into hospital strong, mobile, smiling, able to tell stories about his past, to work in his garden and help with things round the house. He was able to feed himself, to go the lavatory, to keep clean, to have a good kind of daily life in spite of his Alzheimer’s. He came out skeletal, incontinent, immobile, incoherent. He required 24-hour care and barely knew those around him. He wore a nappy, could not stand up or walk, could not lift a mug to his mouth or put words into a sentence. His family feel certain that if he had not lain for five weeks in hospital without people he knew to tend and comfort him, he would not have descended into such a state of incapacity. The individual nurses and doctors were kind, conscientious, respectful, but they had other patients so of course they couldn’t sit and talk to him, read to him, make sure he ate, hold his hand, keep him attached to the world.
John Gerrard died in November 2014. But there are tens of thousands of patients with dementia who will have the same frightening and confusing experience unless a change is made. There are tens of thousands of families who will be prevented from supporting their loved one in their time of need. Yet it is those same families and carers who will be struggling with the post-hospital problems of rehabilitation. John’s Campaign are calling for the families and carers of people with dementia to have the same rights as the parents of sick children, and be allowed to remain with them in hospital for as many hours of the day and night as is humanly possible. We recognise that there will be some practical difficulties but we are convinced these are not insuperable. Find out more about John’s Campaign Visit the Campaign Website www.johnscampaign.org.uk Follow the Twitter feed @JohnCampaign FaceBook – Search for “John’s Campaign”
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BNTVA Contact Details
Registered Charity Number 1131134
This is the only correspondence address and telephone number for the Association. BNTVA, BM 5657, LONDON, WC1N 3XX 24 Hour Call Back Service 0208 144 3080 www.bntva.com
Chairperson Nigel Heaps Email: chairman@bntva.com (preferred method of contact) Skype: nigel.heaps twitter: @nkheaps Tel: 0780 7268016
Vice Chairperson Jeff Liddiatt
Organisation Manager Robert Ireland
Email: vice-chairman@bntva.com
Email: secretary@bntva.com b.ireland@bntva.com Tel: 0780 7268041
Financial Manager Ian Greenhalgh LLB
Membership Services Ian Hall
Email i.greenhalgh@bntva.com
Email: membership@bntva.com i.hall@bntva.com
Merchandising Ian Hall & Sandie Hern
Campaign Editor Steve Bexon
Email: shop@bnva.com i.hall@bntva.com s.hern@bntva.com
Email: editor@bntva.com
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Supporters Group & Branch Communications Doug Hern
Remembrance Co-ordinator Don James Email: d.james@bntva.com
Email d.hern@bntva.com
Maralinga Veterans Coordinator Fred Stellard
Reunion Organisation Liaison Sandie Hern
Email: f.stallard@bntva.com
Email: s.hern@bntva.com
Legal Advisor to the Board Stephen Evans
Association Chaplain The Very Revd Nicholas Frayling BA, LLD
Email: s.evans@bntva.com
Email: n.frayling@bntva.com
Fallout Descendents Group Shelly Grigg
Fallout Descendents Group Steve Clifford
Email: s.grigg@bntva.com
Email: s.clifford@bntva.com
Parliamentary Patron John Baron Member of Parliament Email: baronj@parliament.uk
Media Representative Katie Hill Email: media@bntva.com
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Recognition Campaign Update Since we last published Campaign the Recognition Campaign has moved forward. At the end of October BNTVA Patron, John Baron MP raised our campaign at Prime Ministers Questions. Mr John Baron (Basildon and Billericay): Our nuclear test veterans greatly welcomed the Prime Minister’s words of recognition during Question Time on 2 July. Given that one in three of their descendants has been born with a serious medical condition, can he update the House—as he promised to do on that occasion—on progress towards an ex gratia payment of £25 million to a charitable fund to help those veterans and, most important, their descendants who are in need? The Prime Minister: I am afraid that there is not a lot more that I can say to my hon. Friend today, but we are looking carefully at what we can do. As he said, we have gone further than pervious Governments in terms of recognition of this issue. What I will say
is that if we look across the board at the grievances that are held by those who have served in our armed forces, I think that this Government have done a lot to deal with them, and to deal with them correctly. We are the first Government to say that there should be an Arctic convoy medal and to deliver it, and the first Government to say that there should be a clasp for those who served in Bomber Command. Following the exchange John confirmed his determination to progress our case with Number 10. Support from the Sunday Mirror The next weekend Susie Boniface, long time supporter of the BNTVA ran a striking piece in the Sunday Mirror. Susie had contacted all the political parties and asked if they would support our campaign. UKIP, Respect and the Conservatives declined to respond but we received support form all the following parties: • Labour • Lib Dems
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• Green Party • Plaid Cymru • Scottish Nationalists • Democratic Unionists • Social Democratic and Labour Party • National Health Action Party • Official Monster Raving Loony Party Labour’s shadow veterans minister Gemma Doyle supported a benevolent fund started with money from banking fines levied by the government. She said: “I recognise the unique nature of the nuclear test veterans’ service, and sympathise with their situation which I know has caused them worry and uncertainty. ”Gemma met a the BNTVA Chairperson and a contingent of veterans from Portsmouth during last years Labour Party conference and was very moved by their experiences. More press coverage Later that week BNTVA Chair, Nigel Heaps was published in an article calling ‘Time Please Prime Minister’. Nigel highlighted the results of the Mirror article and revealed that although the Conservative party had declined to respond to the request to support 10% of Mr Cameron’s Conservative MP’s were actively supporting our campaign! Nigel Said: This is not a question of political loyalty, our cross party support proves this. This is not a question of blame for any Government or Ministry. This is simply a question of joining the other world Nuclear
Powers and doing the right thing by the Veterans who helped develop our nuclear deterrent, their widows and their innocent children. Back again at PMQ’s As nothing seemed to have happened by the middle of November John again used PMQ’s to press Mr Cameron: “The Prime Minister has gone further than his predecessors in recognising our nuclear test veterans, but actions speak louder than words.” “Given they have been poorly treated when compared to other countries and that one in three of their children have a serious medical condition, with 20% of conceptions ending prematurely, and in the hope this PMQ is third time lucky, will the Government now make an ex gratia donation of £25m into a Charitable Fund to help those veterans and descendants in need?” “After all, we only had to ask them once to do their duty and stand in front of a nuclear bomb.” The Prime Minister paid tribute to John for his campaigning, and said that this issue needs to be resolved, and that he had asked the Secretary of State of Defence to meet John to bring this issue to a close. John said afterwards, “I welcome the Prime Minister’s comments this afternoon, and look forward to further discussions. It is now time to put right this wrong.”
©Firmcreation.photos
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BNTVA Chair - Nigel Heaps
Nigel Heaps, Chairman of the British Nuclear Test Veterans’ Association, said, “We are heartened by the positive response of the Prime Minister today; this and other recent developments bring great hope to our veterans and families that their long campaign for recognition and support may soon be realised.” Growing support and a welcome surprise Since November support has come from even more political figures, most notably; former Armed Forces Minister Sir Nick Harvey and John Hayes MP, a close colleague of Mr Cameron’s. Speaking to press at the beginning of 2015 Mr Hayes went so far as to make a New Year vow to the BNTVA’s Doug Hern that a “fair and reasonable settlement which can be administered in a straightforward manner will be made within this government’s term of office”.
Mr Hayes also added reassurance by stressing Prime Minister David Cameron has a proud record of honouring our veterans; changing the rules so that war widows will no longer lose their pension if they remarry, and fully recognising and decorating those who served on the Arctic Convoys and Bomber Command. Earlier this year he formally recognised the contribution of the service personnel who participated in the testing programme, and expressed his gratitude for their selfless support in the development of the nuclear deterrent which has kept our nation safe. Mr Cameron has told Parliament he was determined to seek a resolution to this issue, but has been held up by the Ministry of Defence’s reluctance to set a precedent with regards to other claims and concerns about testing the validity of claims. Mr Hayes said: “This should have been settled years ago and, as Mr Hern’s constituency MP, I have followed his campaign closely. We have taken it to the highest level of government and it will be dealt with.” Next steps Obviously we are at a crucial time in very delicate negotiations, but we are pleased to report that good progress is being made at the highest levels of Government. We sincerely believe that by the time we get to Bournemouth for our 2015 Conference we will have something worthwhile to celebrate.
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Help us recruit more members It is a sad fact that the number of nuclear test veterans isn’t increasing. Each year the number of survivors of those 22,000 servicemen who took part in the tests gets less and less. Each year those left saying goodbye are fewer and those who have gone are greater. That is the way of life in general, and unfortunately that is the way of the BNTVA. Increasingly those who grow older look to the youth to keep things alive. As a species the human race is built on the idea of procreation – it is fundamental to our very being – the desire to have someone else continue where we left off. To have someone who will carry our ‘torch’ into the future long after we have gone. So what about the veterans? Who will carry their torch? One of the main reasons that the (then) membership of the BNTVA voted to become a charity was the ease with which the charity could continue – as an association of members the BNTVA would die with it’s last member – but as a charity it would continue in existence as long as there were aims and objectives to fulfil (such as the education of others about the tests and the sacrifice that those who participated in the tests made to ensure the safety of those who did not) – and so long as there were those who were willing to fulfil those aims.
But that is where the problem lies. Historically the BNTVA has been a ‘club’. A club of those who took part in the tests, or those (like me) who are sort of permitted into the club as a result of associations or deeds which warrant our inclusion. More recently the ‘club’, largely by virtue of the Chairman, has embraced the descendants of the veterans and they have been increasingly represented on the board of trustees as the future of the BNTVA. But the composition of the board of trustees has, quite fascinatingly, not been reflected in the membership of the charity, which remains almost exclusively that of veterans and spouses of veterans. Currently only a small proportion of the membership of the BNTVA is made up of descendants. And an order of magnitude fewer still by people who are neither veterans nor descendants. And if that is the way that it stays then the BNTVA will die. Despite our charitable status we remain a very closed group, and if we are to survive we need to open ourselves up, not only to those nearest and dearest to us, but to the country and the world as a whole.
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Our message, our legacy and our plight is important to every human being on the planet, not just those who were there. The BNTVA needs to attract new members in order to survive. We cannot rely on the same, dwindling few to increase the amount that they give. We have to get new members. New people who are prepared to support our cause. New people who are prepared to fight our corner. New people who are prepared to put themselves out to ensure that the story of the nuclear test veterans survives. As a charity we need to grow up. We are not simply a club of ‘old fogies’. We are a group of people who care about a story. We care about what the test participants did, about how they have been treated and about the sacrifices that they made. And the fact that we care does not come from our participation in a nuclear test, or from the fact that our father participated in a nuclear test. Or any of our relatives, for that matter. We care deeply about the story of the nuclear test veterans. About what they describe happened to them. About what we believe they were subjected to. About what they witnessed. As a charity we need to stop focussing inwards, solely towards those who are veterans, the offspring of veterans, or who are related to veterans. We need to open our doors to anyone and everyone who is interested in the story, to all
those who care about the veterans legacy or who want to know about what happened. And the only way that we can do that is to communicate the story to other people. Talk to people. Use social media. Encourage people to ask questions and find answers. People don’t need to have taken part in the tests to be interested in the tests. And they don’t have to be a veteran to want to support our charity. You don’t need to have children to want to give to Children in Need, or have cancer to donate to Cancer Research. People donate to charity because they believe charities do good work. Without charities there would be a lot less good in the world. Each of you has family, friends and colleagues who can join the BNTVA and can support us. Joining the BNTVA costs just £20 a year and will go a long way to making sure that the story of the veterans, their bravery and their sacrifice goes on being told long after the last of the participants have gone. For that reason I have asked for two standing order mandates to be sent out with each copy of this magazine – one for the existing member (to reflect the increase in the membership fee to £20) and a spare one for you to give to someone else. Please use it. Give it to a friend, tell them your story, pass them a copy of this magazine if you like, and ask them to consider supporting us by joining. Each new member is an opportunity to widen the voice of the BNTVA, to spread the story and to ensure that it is never forgotten.
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Without the BNTVA the world will be less good. If the voice of the BNTVA falls silent with the last veteran then the story will be lost. And because we care it is up to each and every one of us to ensure that doesn’t happen.
have increased. In particular magazine production costs have increased by [20%] and postage cost by [5%] so as overall any saving by the trustees have been outweighed by other increases which are out of our control.
The entire of the BNTVA operates on much less than the average income of a single person. Each year the BNTVA has much less than £25,000 income with which to run the charity. Last year (excluding donations) it was about £19,000. The board of trustees have done what they can to reduce expenditure. We have held fewer trustee meetings (we should hold one a quarter, we have held one a year in person, and one by conference call over the past two years) yet in spite of this running costs
Many times in the past we have asked our members to do their bit and they have come through for us. Over 90% of you voted to become a charity smashing the Electoral Reform Societies record for voter turnout. We need you to help again, just recruit one more member, someone from your family, someone from your social group and spread the word and do your bit. Ian Greenhalgh LLB Financial Manager
Publishing our audited accounts Following from the request to itemise income and expenditure made at the Coventry AGM which we put in place for the Manchester meeting some members asked if the detail could be circulated prior to the meeting. Recognising that the Charity Commission does not display the full audited accounts when turnover is below their cut off we decided that we would publish the accounts in full. The full audited accounts are several pages long so including them in the magazine would significantly increase
publication and distribution costs. We decided that we will produce the summary in the magazine and publish the full accounts on our website. Members can request a copy of the full audited accounts by sending an application along with a payment of £5.00 to cover the cost of printing, P&P. You can view and download the full audited accounts on www.bntva.com in the Governance page of the Legal section - We publish them there at the same time as we submit them to the Charity Commission.
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The novel by Test Veteran David Hemsley continues its successful release. When BNTVA member David Hemsley sat down to write an account of the experiences of our ‘lads’ who witnessed the nuclear tests he did not expect the book to become such a success. The work has touched the heart of both young and old. Veteran members and their wives are taken back to the heady days of their youth in a world long gone, Younger generations are also captivated with a window in to the world of their fathers. Many of our Veterans have found difficulty talking about their time at the tests with their children, this book goes a long way to bridging that gap and increasing the understanding. Here are some of the amazing reviews the book has received in it’s first few months in print……. Nigel Heaps, BNTVA Chairperson “David kindly send me a copy of his book to read and review. This story gripped me straight from the start,
not just because of the portrayal of emotions and situation, with what is really an unimaginable experience, but also because of the insight in to the world our fathers lived in, their aspirations and drive. Our veterans had Grandfathers in the Great war, Fathers in the Second Word War. They grew up knowing only the fear of war and the privation of rationing, this forged a unique attitude and approach to life that one seldom finds today. Anyone wanting to gain an insight into what these men and their families have gone through to provide this Nation its place at the world nuclear table should read this book.”
Order your copy today, Direct from the BNTVA Webstore
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New Book – The Long Road to Maralinga - Reg Simpson British Nuclear Test Veteran Reg Simpson takes us back to 1956 when he took part in the British Nuclear Tests at Maralinga. Reg says: “Come with me on a journey that led me to the other side of the world. Join in my Royal Air Force experiences as a participant in the British Nuclear Tests held at Maralinga in Australia during September and October 1956. It was during these tests that thousands of Commonwealth troops were exposed to high levels of radiation. Many of the British veterans died, others suffered and still suffer from radiation linked illnesses. Many of the veterans descendents also currently suffer related illnesses. The British government denies all liability and has basically abandoned them all“. This is an 84 page non-fiction soft back book published by Reg to benefit the BNTVA and his fellow veterans.
ISBN 978-1-291-94918-6 You can buy your copy direct from the BNTVA webstore for only £5.99
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BNTVA
Fallout Descendents Group Supporting the work of the BNTVA Charity
Fallout Group Members who went to our 2014 Conference and regular readers of this magazine will already know about the Fallout Group for NTV Descendents. The Group started by BNTVA Member Shelly Grigg uses social media to create a platform for Veterans Children and Grandchildren to interact, explore their health problems and learn of their fathers service. The BNTVA named Shelly as Descendents Champion in 2013 and the close working between to two organisations has increased during the intervening years. Fallout Group members have stepped forward and shared the stories of their health problems in National media in support of our Recognition Campaign. The Fallout Group has now reached a stage in its development that requires organisational and financial provision to continue. That provision is far easier to achieve with charitable status.
The BNTVA has long recognised that the descendents are the future of the organisation. John Lowe, when Chair, was instrumental in forming the ‘Children’s Committee’. The aims and aspirations of the members who have now formed the committee of the Fallout Group are very much in line with those registered by the BNTVA. Both organisations seek to recruit and represent the descendents of our Nuclear Test Veterans to a point where a single organisation evolution appears by far the most sensible option. The further consideration of the difficulties of achieving charitable status for the Fallout Group on its own enforces this viewpoint.
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Under the BNTVA Constitution the Trustees are empowered to establish or support any association formed for any charitable purpose included in our objects. We are also empowered to delegate any of our powers and functions along with a relative budget to any committee incorporating two or more BNTVA Trustees.
The 2015 Fallout AGM is being held during the BNTVA Conference and this sharing of facilities will continue to benefit all our members. Space will also be allocated in the BNTVA Journal and in our on-line NewsDesk to run Fallout relevant articles. This is a significant development to secure the future survival of the BNTVA.
The Board of Trustees are also able to co-opt and create additional roles to perform the duties of the association as they see fit. This allowed the BNTVA to Constitutionally enshrine the Fallout Group within the BNTVA affording them the charitable status and providing all the requisite governance and support to continue to function and develop.
Nigel Heaps BNTVA Chair said: “I was extremely pleased in January when the BNTVA Trustees unanimously supported the integration of the Fallout Group. It is something I have been working on a long time and is a significant step to realising the plans I put before the Association under the ‘going forward together’ initiative almost five years ago. Aside from capturing and representing the views and needs of our veterans offspring the Fallout Group will act as a development opportunity for future BNTVA Trustees. Indeed as our Veteran Trustees become unable to run the association their replacements will naturally come from the Fallout Group, we share common bond and common purpose. I can see a time ultimately when the BNTVA and the Fallout Group evolve into one single entity, in effect we will all become Fallout. This is the most significant day for the survival of our organisation since the vote to become a charity and I am proud to be involved in making it happen.”
Two new BNTVA Trustees have been appointed: Shelly Grigg and Steve Clifford. They will act as the main conduit between the BNTVA Board of Trustees and the Fallout Group. All the other members of the Fallout Group committee have also been made Appointed Persons under the BNTVA governance. All members of the Fallout organisation are now encouraged to join the BNTVA and use the conduit of the Fallout Group to have a say in the future of the BNTVA.
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All Nuclear Tests Reunion 2014 BY Sandie Hern Doug & I have just returned from this years Nuclear Test Reunion, held at Pontin’s Holiday Resort in Weston-Super-Mare, and what a wonderful 4 days we had meeting old friends and making new ones. There were over 200 vets there who served on the Nuclear Bomb tests between 1952 and 1964. The accommodation was very comfortable, the food well served and the entertainment tops. We were made to feel so welcome from the offset, there are plenty of facilities for the disabled and the staff ensured our stay was an enjoyable and very memorable one. Over the last few years several people have re-visited Christmas Island, and during the reunion they regaled us with their tales of what the Island looks like now and how the Kiribati people are coping. Plus many of the vets who were on other Islands and tests also relate their experiences and comical tales of their time out in the Pacific and Australia. Charles Stewart’s documentary ‘Nobody Told Us Anything” was well received on the Thursday, and many of the vets registered their interest in purchasing a copy when the DVD is released. Events showing video’s and photographs were presented by the vets.
Doug gave a presentation on the cleanup operation and also spoke about the 19 Merchant Navy Ships that serviced the Nuclear Tests over the years. The Royal Fleet Auxiliary and Merchant Navy were fully represented by our guests, Mr Roy Glencross (Chairman of MNA Boston & South Lincs Branch & National Treasurer for the MNA ) and his wife Kate also, John Bafico Commander retired RFA and his wife Margaret. This reunion has been thoroughly enjoyed by many servicemen and civilians for more than 20 years, Men, wives, friends and relations are all welcome, so do come and join us and
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have a really relaxing fun time, and if you know someone in your area who might like to join us all at WestonSuper-Mare in September 2015 then tell them of this event. If you would to join us all next year and require a reservation / booking form you can contact either:
Mr Jim Cooper 01903-533768 or Mrs Sandie Hern 01406-371134 and we will send details out to you. Prices are very reasonable at £89.00 per person Half Board for the 4 day event. A deposit of £10.00 per person is requested to secure your booking. (Available until end 2014) a £50.00 deposit per room is required thereafter. Balance to be paid 8 weeks prior to arrival.
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Health Initiative
Membership Levels
Whilst we progress issues with the Veterans accelerated access to healthcare we are also mindful that our descendents are the first in history to suffer physical health problems as a result of their Father or Grandfathers military service.
The saddest aspect of running an organisation predominantly for former service personnel is inevitable fact that members age and pass away. This means almost all ex-forces organisations membership levels are in decline.
This is a unique scenario and one that requires our action. One of the first initiatives the Fallout Group will take forward is the combining of all the findings regarding Descendent health issues, including research being conducted in other countries to create a single point of information on the matter. We will then look to campaign within the Department of Health and across the various health authorities in the UK to raise awareness, increase the ability to diagnose conditions and hopefully improve to access and experience of our descendents in the healthcare world.
The BNTVA is probably the only organisation of its type that bucks this trend. Yes we do receive the all too frequent news that another member has passed away but we also manage to recruit a steady stream of new members both from the NTV community and from descendents and supporters. Undoubtedly the higher media profile of the Recognition Campaign has resulted in more members and our overall membership level, which has remained largely constant since we became a charity is now slightly higher.
Email Contacts Many of you have already sent us the details of an email address where we can send urgent information, if you have yet to notify us of an address please do so. You can always use the Contact Us service on the website to drop us a line.
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Membership Price Increase The 2014 AGM at Manchester debated the level of membership fees the Association needed to continue operations. The costs of the campaign sending packages to all the councils in England and Wales, hosting the Art exhibitions, Lobbying Parliament and the Conferences of the two main political parties were all seen to be gaining results for our Recognition Campaign but it was revealed the biggest drain on BNTVA finances was the distribution costs of the magazine and postage charges in general. After much debate it was agreed that the membership fee should be increased to £20 for an individual UK based member, £30 for an individual Overseas member and £30 for a UK based family group. This is the first increase in membership fees for many years and is certainly well behind the actual rises in costs we experienced over the same period. To get through the 2014-2015 period on the £15 membership we have had to cut a few corners, the most noticeable one being the reduction in magazine output. We wish to assure members this was a temporary measure and from now we will be returning to the usual number of editions.
We do apologise for this dip in service, a number of unforeseen high cost commitments in respect of the production of the ‘Nobody Told Us Anything’ also took a good bite out of our funds. We have implemented other economies such as restricting the number of face to face Trustee meetings and increasing the use of Teleconferencing. All these measures and the generous donation from the Australian company Alphaville toward making the screening of the documentary a reality, mean we are well on target to finish the year able to fund all our activities. Please ensure you increase your membership subscription for 2015 by the appropriate amount whatever payment method you use.
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Trustees We welcome three new Trustees to the BNTVA Board this year; Sandie Hern, Shelly Grigg and Steve. Sandie has previously been BNTVA Secretary so is a great organisational asset to the Board. She has undertaken the role of Liaison with the All Tests Nuclear Reunion, a fantastic, well supported reunion held annually for Nuclear Veterans at Sand Bay. With the support of the BNTVA through Sandie we aim to keep the event going for many years to come. Shelly, Creator of the Fallout Group Shelly really needs no introduction to the BNTVA members. She has worked tirelessly despite increasing physical problems to build the Fallout Group and to give support to the Recognition Campaign at every opportunity. Steve is one of the original members of the Fallout Group committee and has a good understanding of the issues faced by our descendents on a day to day basis. Steve has also contributed to campaign planning meetings and is keen to ensure descendents are supported and represented at the same level as the veterans.
Motions for the 2015 AGM If members wish to submit any motions for consideration at the 2015 AGM they must do so to the central mailbox, in writing by 30th April 2015. The motion must be signed by the member and also be signed as Seconded by another member. If any member would like to raise a motion but is unsure how to word or present or they are unable to travel to the meeting then could they please write to the Chairman who will assist. As in previous years we will hold a ‘open forum’ at the end of the conference where ideas can be discussed in a less formal atmosphere. Although ideas that come from the open forum are not binding resolutions, the Trustees agree to take them away and look to progress during the year. One such example of this was the suggestion of providing expenditure and income cost breakdowns with the Accounts. This was accepted at Coventry in 2013 and implemented for the Manchester meeting in 2014. As an extension to this we are now looking to break these details even further by showing expenditure against the various projects on which we are engaged.
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Our Youngest Member? “You don’t have to be an old sod like me to join the Association, you know.” “You’re not old Grandad. Tell me about your BNTVA.” And so the seeds of membership were sown in Jenna Kerslake, an 18 yearold college student from Paignton in Devon. Grandad, God bless him for the introduction, is former sapper Bob Aslett of Exmouth who like many of us shared the limitations and privations of Christmas Island in 1957. “It wasn’t a hard sell,” said Bob, “she seemed to grab my long-held interest - especially when I mentioned Sand Bay, Weston super Mare and all those good-looking 75 year-olds whom my wife Jac and I were to meet at the October reunion. You can come if you wish, I told her.” And so it was as a fully paid-up Association member (Grandad paid; well, what’s new!), Jenna, one week after her nineteenth birthday, saw at first hand the camaraderie and comradeship of the veterans. In all, 286 ex servicemen, wives, partners and friends attended the four-night, full-board bash, well organised by Worthing-based Jim Cooper and his wife Gloria.
“ I did enjoy my time with Gran and Grandad,” said Jenna “and I never felt out of place. Everyone made me welcome, especially Grandad’s mates Lionel Garratt from Wakefield and Ron Taylor, a Blaydon-based Geordie, both of whom returned to the island with him on a journey of reminiscence in 2007.” She may be our youngest member or is another to take the honour very soon?
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Thank you “The BNTVA Board of Trustees wish to place on record their appreciation to Christine James and Marie Pierre for acting as interpreters, helping to foster a good relationship and cooperation between the BNTVA and Aven. In addition grateful thanks go to both Don and Christine James for their work on the BNTVA section of The Garden of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey. Don is also recognised for the organisation of the BNTVA contingent of the Remembrance Day Parade in London�
Geoffrey James Hutchings We have recived a letter from Debbieanne Hutchings who is searching for anyone who knew her father Geoffrey James Hutchings who served on Christmas Island 1956 1957, he was a Marine Tec and Search and Rescue. Geoffrey died last year and Debbianne would like to meet up with anyone who knew her father to share stories about her father with her. If you have any information please email editor@bntva.com and we can forward your email to Debbianne.
George Tullo Having just received the latest issue I am full of admiration for the Recognition Campaign and the success achieved so far hoping that a contribution for those most in need will follow. I am proud to be a member having joined in 2012 number 4078. Like many others eg Fred Stellard or Albert Manley I was posted officially to Edinburgh Field Adelaide only to discover this was merely a staging post prior to the move up country to Maralinga where the truth was revealed ahead of operation Antler in 1957 as was Fred although we never met. It is too easy for the MOD
and Govt to hide behind the facts as we were never fairly advised nor properly protected as proven by those suffering later illnesses. Cost to BNTVA is a major factor but maximum pressure should be maintained to achieve a fair result for all involved. Best wishes George Tullo MBE
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Veterans at Ease The other day I happened to meet a guy called Garreth Murrell who turns out to be the CEO of a veterans charity known as Veterans at Ease (VAE). The more I chatted to this chap, the more impressed I became at the sterling work his organisation does for military lads suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). After serving in Bosnia, he too had had the distressing illness. His suffering led him, with others, to form VAE some four years ago and it has expanded with willing helpers in branches throughout much of Northern England. Murrell, having a close empathy with those lads with PTSD, now himself specialises in its treatment. He and some of his colleagues too, I believe, also practice neuro linguistic programming techniques as part of trauma recovery and mitigation of PTSD.
However, in common with many worthy charities, a scarcity of funding limits their effectiveness. Some National Lottery support has indeed been received but, for Veterans at Ease to expand and offer help to more victims out of the scourge of post traumatic stress disorder, more cash support is vital. I assured Garreth that I would acquaint you, Veterans World, of the VAE charity (you may already be fully aware of its existence, I don’t know) and ask whether some MOD funding might be available. MILITARY MINDS MATTER, goes the charity slogan, and if they do they’re certainly worthy of recognition and a helpful hand. Ron Taylor REA and BNTVA member www.veteransatease.org.uk
Media Contacts If you either come across any interesting items in the media or are interviewed for the Press, TV or Radio please let us know! Just drop a line to the chairman at our main address or email him direct on chairman@bntva.com with the details. We will give wider exposure to the piece through our NewsDesks and, space permitting, in the Magazine. Nige Heaps Tel: 01332 811780 / 07807268016
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Ways to pay your annual BNTVA membership subscription Set out below are the methods you can use to pay your membership subscription, due 1st of April each year. By standing order using the personalised standing order form sent out with the Winter Edition of the magazine. By using the BACS system take your cheque or cash into any HSBC branch make out the paying in slip with the following details: HSBC Bank plc 13 Parliament Street York YO1 8XS Sort code: 40-47-31 Account number: 64259351 Account name: British Nuclear Test Veterans Association By using your own Internet Banking account make the payment using the details above.
Membership is available for purchase from the shop UK Membership - UK Single Member £20, UK Family (partner & dependent children) £30, Overseas Single Member £30, Overseas Family (partner & dependent children) £40
If you are unable to use any above ways to pay, CHEQUES made out to the BNTVA only, can be sent to the central address. BNTVA BM 5657 London WC1N 3XX
Have we got your correct address details? Can you please check that your correct address and postcode is shown on mailing address labels on any communications that we send to you? If we have the incorrect address (especially postcode) please contact us and let us know the correct details. See the address above for the Association’s contact details.
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BNTVA Shop Window Band 1 items For Get Me Not Lapel Badge NEW ITEM Car Badge Blazer Badge BNTVA Lapel Badge Cuff Links Key Fob Tie Clip Trolley Token Bookmark Grapple Tie BNTVA Tie woven BNTVA Tie printed
£3.00 £3.00 £12.00 £2.50 £5.00 £2.00 £3.00 £1.00 £3.00 £9.50 £10.00 £7.50
Band 2 Items Caps Baseball Scarves Fleece Scarves Silk Shirts Small to XXXL
£11.00 £12.00 £13.00 £12.50
Band 3 Item Fleece Small to XXXL Mugs NAVAD & BNTVA
£22.00 £6.50
Band 4 Item Tankard Glass
£20.00
ALL PRICES PLUS POST AND PACKING Band 1 add £1.00 Band 2 add £3.00 Band 3 add £4.00 Band 4 add £5.00
BNTVA BM 5657 London WC1N 3XX
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NewsDesk Mail Service The NewsDesk publishes articles of interest to BNTVA members and supporters from a wide field of sources, The Recognition Campaign NewsDesk covers all key developments and media coverage of our campaign. You can access these regularly updated features on the BNTVA website at www.bntva.com News by Email – We now bring you a great new way of keeping up to date with everything that is happening, the News Email Service – You can sign up for free updates of the latest stories from our NewsDesks delivered straight to your email.
Never miss an interesting story or important announcement again. To receive this new free service simply go to the BNTVA website and look for the subscribe form at the bottom of any news article. You can unsubscribe or change your preferences at any time.
Campaign magazine is published by the BNTVA. Editor: Steve Bexon. Next issue copy 31-06-15 BNTVA is not an anti-nuclear or an anti-war association. All opinions,views and quotations do not represent official BNTVA policy and are the sole responsibility of the writer. Photographs and images – © Copyright of owner acknowledged.
All contributions for the magazine should be sent to the London address or emailed to editor@bntva.com
Campaign cannot guarantee total accuracy for any reproduction of letters / articles / transcripts. BNTVA is a Registered Charity Reg. No 1131134 supporting past and present UK Nuclear Test Combined Service Veterans and their families.