LGSM has backed the call from the Peterloo Memorial Campaign for a permanent memorial to commemorate those who died or were injured by a British Cavalry charge on 16 August 1819 with a message of support in advance of their mass picnic on Sunday 16 August in Manchester. Full details of the event are here. Christopher Eccleston, Maxine Peake, John Henshaw, John Thomson and many more will be there in support.

It’s probably no surprise that we got a great reception when we marched in Leeds Pride: West Yorkshire was, after all, a very active mining area. And even though the majority of the pits have gone, the memories – of both the pits and the 84/85 strike – haven’t. They’re carried forward not only by the miners themselves but also their sons and daughters.

The LGSM roadshow hit Liverpool on Saturday 1 August to join the Liverpool Pride Parade and Festival in St George’s Gardens. This year’s Liverpool Pride had a distinctly stronger community feel to previous years and even the rain throughout the early afternoon did little to dampen the spirits of those who came along. And rain it did – for approaching two hours – but the clouds did pass over later in the afternoon.

LGSM has backed the call from the Orgreave Truth & Justice Campaign for a full Public Inquiry into the policing of the Orgreave picket in June 1984 by writing to Theresa May, the Home Secretary.

LGSM members participated in the Norwich Pride Parade and festival on Saturday 25 July. Along the route of the Parade, we were joined by a large contingent of friends and supporters and our banner was again greeted with applause along the route by those who had turned out to watch the Parade pass. The level of recognition in Norwich was noticeably lower than at some of recent events we have attended, and this may well be down to the fact that there is no history of mining in East Anglia.