Aldermaston "Nuclear Fools" demo

We could probably have got away without using the knitting wool, but the predicted easterlies were blowing and it was very windy. It was at this point that my mother wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and remained thus for the rest of the day!

Due to the wind and cold, after 'decorating' the fence many people decided to pick up one of the placards thoughfully provided and set off for a walk around the perimeter fence to the neighbouring gates, both to see what was happening and to keep warm. There was a more or less constant flow of people all day as they migrated from one gate to another, which had the unintended result of ringing Aldermaston around with a moving chain of CND signs - very symbolic....

It got muddy and we were glad of our boots! (But not half so muddy as it got later on.)

A few brave souls (wearing Wellingtons) continued on and managed to circumnavigate the site; most of us edged wider and wider around the growing swamp and then gave up when it repeatedly filled the entire path.

Fortunately, back at the "Faith Gate" Oxford CND had provided some very welcome hot drinks!

As we were drinking tea and starting on our picnic, the roving speakers turned up on schedule: a selection of celebrity speakers had been arranged to tour the various gates and address each in turn. (We were hoping to hear Bruce Kent, but he wasn't due to reach our sector until late in the afternoon, by which time our coach would have left.)

Due to problems with the amplification we couldn't actually hear much from the back, but a crowd had soon gathered.

One feature of this demonstration was the notable Japanese contingent, who had presumably been radicalised in the wake of the Fukushima disaster.

Another feature was the various pairs of police horses — presumably deployed for their ability to traverse the muddy off-road perimeter, in which they left deep hoofprints, rather than in anticipation of vast unruly crowds — which patrolled around all day, or posed in a photogenic fashion to have their noses stroked.

As we were leaving the Faith Gate to return to our own 'area', the ceremony of The Resurrection of the Alleluia began, in which an 'Alleluia' which had been symbolically interred at the beginning of Lent was to be restored to life from its coffin in ecumenical fashion.

But we didn't stay for this, and arrived back at the Home Office Gate just in time to hear the tail end of the same speeches all over again as the speakers' caravan preceded us on the same route!

It was still bitterly cold, but events at our own gate included some enterprising musicians, who played a few traditional tunes before their fingers seized up altogether.

We were fascinated by the trombone made of plastic tubing: it was naturally very much lighter to carry than the traditional brass variety, and although the tone was not as good as that of a normal instrument we were assured that it was virtually unbreakable. And of course the advantage of a trombone in this sort of weather is that it can be played in thick gloves since there are no keys to press.

Seated resolutely in front of the gate we found Alison Williams of Merton UNA, a long-standing supporter of our Vigil for Peace (which has been running without a break since September 2001). She had brought along a large United Nations flag and a book to read but agreed to pose for a photo....

We were also glad to meet another Wimbledon activist with whom my mother had been in e-mail contact, Satsuki Goto. We hope to see her at some of our local CND events now that we know each other!

Since we have been frustrated by the swamps blocking our way after the Faith Gate, we decided to set off walking in the other direction, back towards the "Women's Gate" at which we had first arrived. It seemed considerably longer on foot than it had done in the coach.

As before, I was fascinated to see just how much 'normal' life went on in the immediate vicinity of the Atomic Weapons Establishment. A flourishing greenhouse and conservatory business existed opposite the three layers of barbed-wire-topped perimeter fencing, while had we so wished we could have bid on three acres of vacant land next door (and set up a peace camp?)

The main Aldermaston buildings resembled a post-war factory complex, with lots of piping, some big square blocks and just the occasional radiation warning symbol. There was also a mysterious section of anti-erosion-style pebble cage near the Women's Gate, which we thought was possibly some kind of barrier against car bombs, although it wasn't clear why it was required at that gate only.

In contrast, the new £100 million Orion Laser facility was very obvious.

We instantly recognised a section of the Wool Against Weapons seven-mile pink scarf pinned onto the fence. In fact Jaine Rose, the organiser — with her distinctive pink hair — was very active throughout the day and the eye-catching novelty project garnered lots of attention, proving the value of the idea.

At the Women's Gate we found a rather chilly choir singing protest songs, but the main activity was taking place down in a sheltered little dell below the gate, where camp fires and home-made cakes had been established and tea was being served to all and sundry. The three Somali women who had travelled from London with us were huddled eagerly round the flames; they said they had never been so cold!

However, since we were supposed to be gathering at our coach for the return journey by 2·15pm we weren't able to stay long at this gate but felt we ought to be hurrying back, given the length of the walk (20–30 minutes). As we arrived back we heard the scheduled noise-making taking place for two o'clock, but hurried to take down our various banners and help clear up the site.

It was time to go home.

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