See the illustration below for rough directions to Imber-
FOREVER IMBER
This is a website dedicated to Imber on Salisbury Plain.
You can view some photos of Imber here, or look
at some articles about Imber.
Below you will find information about the 2004 August events.
Click here to see info on the previous events Easter
2004 - church service on 30 August 2003.
By permission of the Ministry of Defence...
the roads into the village of Imber on Salisbury Plain will be open on
SATURDAY 28 AUGUST 2004
Peace is Possible
Community Arts for Peace and Reconciliation at St Giles Church, Imber,
organised by Forever Imber and Devizes Peace Group, coinciding with Ray Tuffin’s Celebration of Flowers - a glorious St Giles flower festival 27-29 August
Inviting the local community, churches and other faiths to meditate on how we can create a prevailing culture of peace rather than violence and explore Imber’s potential to play a future part in it. Reflecting on the hopeful transition of Grade 1 listed St Giles Church to the Churches’ Conservation Trust and its transformation into a centre for community education and development, creativity, peace and reconciliation, healing and environmental awareness.
"communicate with each other" "build and maintain trust" "be open and transparent"
"increase understanding and our ability to work together" "create a partnership for peace"
- phrases from What do you know about Defence Diplomacy? (MoD, 2001) and Defence Diplomacy (MoD, 1999)
Transport from London:
Provided there are sufficient numbers, a minibus will leave North London at 8.00am from Tufnell Park tube station. Cost £25 per person. To book post a £25 cheque to "Ruth Underwood" to reserve your place (please send to Ruth Underwood, 2 St. John's Grove, London N19 5RW). Then phone Jesse at 0781 4587361 to give your name and contact phone number(s). You will be contacted during the week preceeding 28 August to let you know whether or not their are sufficient numbers for the minibus to run. The earlier you book, the sooner we will be able to confirm that the minibus will run.
What is planned:
* All sessions designed to include children, adults and those with special needs
* Visual art - come and draw the church and its surroundings (materials provided) in memory of Imber descendant, local artist and teacher, the late John Rickman, who painted St Giles Church
* Open air exhibition of Imber photographs
* Guided tours with Rex Sawyer, author of Little Imber on the Down at 1.30 and 3.30pm
* Bring a picnic and seeds to scatter
Schedule:
10.30-11.10: Interfaith Meditations/Creating a Culture of Peace - presentations and creative participation around citizenship, peace education, conflict resolution, community building, race equality, intercultural understanding, human rights and justice - how do they relate to Imber historically and how can these links be explored here in future? Inviting contributions from Bristol and Swindon Interfaith Groups, MoD Defence Diplomacy and others.
11.10-11.30: Peace Chant/Circle Dance - ""Through the coming, going, and the balance of life..."
11.30-12.00: Ecology - "Speak to the earth and it shall teach thee" (Job 12, 8) - respond creatively to nature through art, hear more about Salisbury Plain’s amazing wildlife haven and make a corn dolly. Inviting contributions from MoD Defence Estates Conservation, Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and others.
12.00-12.30: Music - join Wiltshire schoolchildren in a community choir to sing three songs: Imber Range (Richard Steer), Song of the Open Downs (Ruth Underwood) and Shadows (Mick Ryan)
12.30-1.30: Music - "Tanks for the Memory" - a performance of Mick Ryan’s musical about Tyneham in Dorset
1.30-2.00: "In ’43 they came to me and took me from my door" - reflections on old Imber with former villagers
2.00-2.20: Hands Around St Giles Church - take part in an old Wiltshire custom
2.20-2.50: Bellringing - play the 17th century bellringing changes written on St Giles Church tower wall
2.50-3.50: Archaeology - musician, archaeologist and teacher Stephanie Spain invites you to delve into the past of Imber and its surrounding area, tracing the former communities of people who lived here.
3.50-4.10: Poetry - "Song of the Dark Ages" (Francis Brett Young)
4.10-5.00: Creating a Centre for the Community at St Giles Church - how do we transform pain and loss from the past and continue to build a sense of community at Imber for the future? Could it be restored like Tyneham - not as "a village frozen in time" but a living, breathing educational centre when the MoD are absent? Come and share your feelings. Inviting contributions from MoD, Salisbury Diocese, Churches’ Conversation Trust and others.
IMPORTANT: Please follow all Ministry of Defence warning signs and keep strictly to the roads and village. This is a community gathering, not a political rally. No banners, leafleting, political speeches or chanting, thank you.
DIRECTIONS
See the illustration below for rough directions to Imber-
Further info:
Imber roads open Saturday 7 August - Monday 30 August 2004. Church open by Friends of Imber Church each day 10.30am-6.00pm.
SATURDAY 4 SEPTEMBER: St Giles Church annual services - Holy Communion at 12.00pm and Evensong at 3.00pm
Interesting Imber website: www.gilest.org/291.php3.
Next Peace Vigil by the Peace Tree on 31 December 2004 at 12.00pm.
CONTACT DETAILS:
Forever Imber, Ruth Underwood 2 St John’s Grove London N19 5RW
Tel: 020 7272 8500
ruthunderwood@kitty123.fsnet.co.uk
www.active.uk.com/foreverimber
"It is possible to live in peace." - Mahatma Gandhi
"Some day you’ll return to your valleys and your farms and you’ll no longer burn to be brothers in arms" - Mark Knopfler
"Everyone has the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and association" - UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights
ITEMS AVAILABLE
Forever Imber book available shortly.
Forever Imber, a book by Ruth Underwood, is being finalised at present (copies may be available by autumn 2004) To pre-order a copy post a £15 cheque payable to "Ruth Underwood" to the address below. (Price includes postage and packaging). The book features an essay of over 250 pages and includes more than 300 archive and contemporary photographs. When produced, copies will be in Wilts and Swindon libraries. To pre-order a copy please send £15 to the address below (cheques to Ruth Underwood - thanks).
The CD Song of the Open Downs was written by Ruth Underwood and has Imber as its subject matter. It includes 30 archive photos of old imber and picures by Austin Underwood of the protests and church services in the 1960s. To hear a sample of the CD, click here to download a MP3 file (712 Kb) with just over 1 minute of the recording. This CD can be obtained for £6 (includes postage and packaging).Send cheque payable to "Ruth Underwood" to the address below.
For sample pages from Forever Imber and copies of recent articles concerning Imber which have recently appeared in The Guardian, The Telegraph, Green Events, The Big Issue and Nonviolent Action, please send six first class stamps to the address below
Forever Imber, Ruth Underwood
2 St. John's Grove, London N19 5RW
Tel. 020 7272 8500
ruthunderwood@kitty123.fsnet.co.uk
FOREVER IMBER
All profits from the Forever Imber project go towards educational
projects in Wiltshire, teaching Imber awareness in local schools and making
connections between Imber's issues and humanities, music, art, dance, drama,
citizenship, race equality, anti-bullying and human rights education.
--This website is sponsored by Active UK (Visual Communications) Ltd. of Salisbury without whom this project would not be possible.--