News
Glossop Labour Club boycotts Coca Cola
Glossop Labour Club Management Committee has decided to support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) campaign, an international movement dedicated to putting peaceful pressure on the state of Israel to end the occupation of Palestinian land and oppression of the Palestinian people. BDS is one of the key, peaceful, actions that we can take, as individuals and as organisations, in response to the genocide unfolding in Gaza and the escalating oppression of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
The main impact of this on the club's activities identified so far has been to stop the sale of Coca Cola. Coca Cola appears on the BDS list because of their investment in the illegal settlement of Atarot in the occupied West Bank. As a replacement, we will be stocking Karma Cola, which is an organic Fairtrade product, with part of the proceeds going to cola growers’ families in Sierra Leone.
We will also stop selling Schweppes products (Schweppes is owned by Coca Cola).
I am sure you will join us in welcoming these changes to reflect our principles as a Democratic Socialist Club with Internationalism at our core.
Tributes
Bob Heald
From Gwyneth Francis
Bob’s association with Glossop Labour Club goes back many years but it was in 2008 that, because of his experience in the construction industry, Bob was involved on a daily basis in the affairs of the Club. The premises were in a terrible state - to the extent that the upstairs was unusable and the rest of the building also in need of serious attention. Bob was appointed “Clerk of Works” and for two years he undertook the job of overseeing the complete structural renovation of the premises. The successful renovation of the building put the Club on a sound financial footing by enabling us to get an income from renting out the rooms as well as transforming the downstairs into a pleasant area for the many activities which take place in the Club.
Bob came onto the Committee and some years later was Chair of the Labour Club. It was at a time of great optimism and political activity, when Jeremy Corbyn was newly elected leader of the Labour Party, and the membership during Bob’s time as Chair increased exponentially.
Despite being the oldest person on the Committee it was Bob who had a particular affinity and rapport with the younger people who got involved at this time. Bob was a great person to spend time with and was decidedly young at heart. He is remembered by his comrades with great affection and admiration.
From Norman Garlick
Bob was around the Club when I first became involved in the 80's His involvement then was peripheral as he worked away on large construction sites I believe as a quantity surveyor or the like. Also the Rules of the Club were that office holders or committee members must be Labour Party members whereas Bob was a committed member of the CP. Nonetheless Bob could be relied to support the Club and also to campaign on issues such as supporting the Miners and opposing the Poll Tax.
Bob's most important and lasting contribution to the Club was guiding and advising the Committee on the restoration of the Club following the sale of the car park. Bob brought a wealth of experience to the role. In particular he persuaded the Committee of the need to engage a substantial firm of general contractors rather than engaging several trade specific contractors. That decision by the Committee and their accepting Bob's recommendation that Crofters be engaged was why the restoration was such a success. Bob then acted as what can best be described as the Club Clerk of Works as the job progressed. Bob was both very thorough an enthusiastic. i can remember being in the old hovel of a cellar when Bob and Steve Crowton identified that above the wooden ceiling of the cellar was a stone flag floor. They spent an age waxing lyrical about this historic novel form of construction. Despite or perhaps because of, Bob's good relationship with Steve the Club got a well restored building and good value for its money.
Bob had a dry sense of humour. Over the years we would have differing views on Labour Party or Government policy but would never fall out and I think that is how most people found Bob.
From Terry Revell
Bob came to Glossop in the mid 1960’s. His second wife Olwyn was born here and her family still lived in the town.
They were not initially allowed to join the club because they were members of The Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB). The Labour Club’s rules, at the time, were that members should be ‘individual members of the national Labour Party’.
However, the issues that were relevant to a socialist philosophy involving sympathetic political parties created a solidarity between them when protesting for or against whatever was being proclaimed. Bob was prominent in co-ordinating meetings and organising marches.
The change of Government to Conservatives in 1979 and the subsequent controversy with the trade unions developed into a greater allegiance of left attitudes. This was particularly significant when efforts were made to help families of striking miners. Bob was involved with others in collecting donations and helping distribute them.
During this period, the Club agreed a change to its constitution to allow non-Labour Party members to join. This allowed Bob, Vic Eddisford and other left attitude people to become members.They became enthusiastic volunteers and respected club members.
(This is an edited version of Terry’s appreciation. For the full version click the link below.Dave Wilcox
There have been many richly deserved tributes this week to Dave Wilcox after his death on 20 July. Dave served as Labour councillor on Derbyshire County Council from 1981 to 2017 for the Etherow ward. He was devoted to his constituents in Hadfield, Gamesley and Tintwistle over those many years, and dedicated to representing their interests and needs. His commitment to public service included acting as Chair of the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU), being ambassador for Derbyshire at international events and the continual fight against poverty, inequality and discrimination. The list could go on. His impressive breadth of activity was recognised by an OBE in 2007 and the award of DCC Honorary Alderman in 2022. A rare and popular politician, he reached across party boundaries to seek common ground and to enact change. Dave was a truly active member of the local Labour Party, first in the Hadfield, Padfield and Gamesley ward and then the merged Glossopdale ward. He was also a long-term member of the Labour Club and will be missed by many friends and former colleagues here. Dave is survived by his wife, Joan, and daughter, Ellie. Our thoughts are with both at this time.
Neil Swannick adds
Dave Wilcox and I were Labour members of the UK delegation to the EU Committee of the Regions (CoR) for the five-year mandate between 2010 and 2015, though I believe that Dave had also served previous mandates. Dave was elected Leader of the UK Labour Group on the CoR, a position which he fulfilled dutifully and sensitively. He kept our team together and was adept at negotiating with fellow CoR members from across the EU, whether they were part of the wider Socialist Group (PES) or in other groups. At that time, prior to Brexit, the UK Labour Group played an important part in boosting the voting numbers of the PES progressive alliance on the Committee and we punched above our weight in policy-making through opinions on EU legislation. Dave’s network of contacts across the EU continued after the UK regrettably pulled out of the EU and he regularly visited his pals in remote parts of Eastern Europe. I was honoured to serve as Dave’s Deputy Leader and remember our time together in Brussels and other European cities with great fondness.
Michelle Holding
(From Brian Peters, 4 Jan 2024)
Today arrived the news we knew was coming: Michelle Holding passed away this morning. Michelle in a relatively short time made an enormous impression on the folk music world, and a huge number of friends within it. She was outstandingly talented as a singer and instrumentalist, and coupled that with highly eclectic tastes that embraced each different style with joy. You only had to witness the quality of the musicians who came from far and wide to celebrate her 41st and last birthday, and who played for hours around her hospice bed during her final days, to know the love and respect in which she was held. Only Michelle would have brought forward her birthday party by a month, on medical advice that she might be too unwell to enjoy it, had a ball at the rearranged party, and then gone ahead anyway with a second party on the original date, determined that she was going to have another ball at that one too – her ‘Festival of Stubborn Gladness’. She didn’t so much rage against the dying of the light as thumb her nose at it and announce that she intended to enjoy every goddam minute anyway. Those who knew her will not need me to describe her monumental courage.
In all of this she was supported immensely by my old pal Bonz, the perfect foil for her musical pyrotechnics and waspish humour. He has been a rock over the last few days, weeks and months.
Life just won’t be the same without her. She lived her life to the max, and was a shining example and inspiration to all of us. Goodbye Michelle.Mags Whiting
(From Margaret Peters)
Mags Whiting, who passed away peacefully in May this year, was a great friend of Whitby Festival. She attended the festival in the 1980’s and 90’s and ran the children’s activities for many years during this time. With husband Ken and many willing helpers, myself included, we were known as ‘Mags and Co’. Happy days indeed. Mags and Ken also ran the Ring o’ Bells folk club in Middleton, Manchester. She was a great singer and loved to sing and hear others. For a brief period we enjoyed singing in a trio called ‘Silk Purse’ along with Ros Anderson. In the 1990’s Mags and Ken drove to Belarus repeatedly in an ambulance filled with supplies for the Chernobyl Children’s Project. She devoted much of her life to this cause, was a trustee and an indomitable campaigner. She helped set up children’s homes in Belarus, and her love for the children shone through always. Latterly, whenever Brian and I visited, we’d have a song together which would lift her spirits, and ours!
Glenise Scott
Those who knew Glenise will be very sad that she is no longer with us. She was a regular at music events ion the Club and often entertained members with her songs and poetry, typically with a humorous theme, as well as the antics of her orang utang. She was an active member of the Milltown Cloggies who laid on a memorable celebration of her life in July.
Robin Clayton
We are very saddened to have to report the death of Club member Robin Clayton.
The Tuesday night folk club which Robin presided over (except during lockdown) has been a popular activity in the Club for the last fifteen years.
Robin and his friend Eric Jackson ran the folk club for many years in a number of pubs in Tameside where they used to have regular guest artists as well as singers’ nights. Eventually, in 2008, by which time Robin was running the club alone, the folk club once again became homeless and at this point moved to Glossop, to the upstairs room in the Labour Club. When the downstairs refurbishment was completed the folk club came downstairs to the front bar area where it has been ever since.
Under Robin’s leadership the folk club was noted not only for an enjoyable musical experience but also for its inclusivity and the friendly encouragement he gave everyone who turned up whether they were experienced musicians or novices.
He will be greatly missed both for his skill in leading the folk club and also for his music. A song book comprising some of the songs Robin regularly performed is being compiled and there will be a celebration of his life in due course.
For some recollections of Robin's folk club and its history, by Bob Wood, click the link below