Peace campaigners known for their weekly Tavistock vigils waving banners calling for a ceasefire in Gaza are manning a stall to mark the WWII atomic bombs drop.

On Friday, August 8, Tavistock Peace Action Group (TPAG) will host a stall in Bedford Square, Tavistock from 11am -1pm to remember the eightieth anniversary of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan, by the United States in August 1945.

The stall will be manned by members who will be observing a fast in tribute to the victims. A petition asking for the government to spend money earmarked for arms, to be redirected to the NHS.

The event will remember the suffering of all those affected by the bombings, including the deaths and long-term suffering of the living.

Val Sharpe, TPAG spokesman, said: “These bombings led to the immediate deaths of tens of thousands of people and later death and long-term health problems for survivors (known as 'Hibakusha', survivors of the bomb). The effects of these bombings are still being felt today and they serve as a powerful reminder of the devastating consequences of nuclear weapons. This human tragedy must never be repeated.

“There is an annual fast held in solidarity with all victims of the bombings and to advocate for nuclear disarmament and several members of TPAG who are observing this fast will be at the stall.

“There will also be a petition, addressed to the UK Defence Secretary, demanding that monies planned to be spent on new Trident submarines (£205 billion) and also on buying F-35 stealth jets from the USA, jets which can carry nuclear warheads, be spent on the NHS and other welfare provision. Welfare not warfare. Passers-by and others are invited to come to the stall and add your name.”

A confederation of organisations representing nuclear bomb sufferers - called Hidankyo - was established in Japan in 1956 and last year, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Nihon Hadankyo has contributed personal testimonies to Japanese and international campaigns, conferences and reports, working with the UN on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons. Their work helped create the 2017 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, supported by 122 countries.

Val added: “This Nobel Peace Prize winning work for a world free of war is even more relevant today.

“These are the words of Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General in 2024 - ‘Nuclear weapons, and the threat of their use, are not confined to history books. They have once again appeared in the daily rhetoric of international relations. They represent a real and present danger that remains with us today.

“’The message is clear. The lessons of Hiroshima, which once guided our collective efforts towards disarmament and peace, have been pushed aside.’

“The recent Israel-Iran conflict is a terrifyingly clear example of this.”

Tavistock Peace Action Group is affiliated to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and meets on the first Tuesday of every month, from 7.30pm in the United Reformed Church, on Russell Street, Tavistock. All are welcome to pop in.

More informations available by emailing: [email protected]