BOWERHILL resident and member of the Melksham Anti-Nuclear Association (MANA), Linda Day, has shared her memories of 1981.
She said, “I remember we put the (mainly) women up in the Baptist Chapel. A lot of the day they were due to arrive was spent in the kitchen making huge vats of lentil and vegetable soup and sandwiches for them.
“We were very fortunate that Peggy Seeger and Ewan MacColl offered to perform in an upper room at the Town Hall that night.
“The day after, just before the marchers left for Devizes, I remember the organiser, Ann Pettit, came back to our then home in Mills Road and rang all the major national newspapers asking why they had not reported anything at all about the march; there was absolutely nothing in the press.
“As one of the main reasons for the march was to draw attention to the base and the American cruise missiles that were going to be stationed there, this was one of the reasons some of the marchers eventually decided to stay on at Greenham.
“MANA continued to visit, demonstrate with and support Greenham Women’s Peace Camp in the spirit of ‘Carry Greenham Home’.
“One of MANA’s young women was on the march – Nina Broughton. She later legally removed her surname and became known as just Nina. She moved to Frome many years ago and is no longe in touch.”
