- Two actions to end the uncivil service
- CAAT UKTI workshops
- Student actions against the arms trade
- Speaking out loud and clear
- Stop Arming Israel
- Raise money for CAAT with the Workers Beer Company
- Give your old mobile a real TREAT
- Events Diary
- Donate to CAAT
1. Two actions to end the uncivil service
CAAT's campaign to end government department UK Trade & Investment's promotion of arms sales is gathering pace. This month, there's the chance to take action from your armchair, and to join us on the street.
Meet UKTI's Board on 30 March
UKTI's Board determine the direction of the organisation, and how its resources are allocated – and we've found details of their next meeting. This is a great opportunity for us to make them aware of the damaging effects of UKTI's support for the arms trade, and the strength of public opposition to such activity. They'll be in London on 30 March; if you'd like to join us, email Sarah Waldron for more information.
Welcome the new Minister
It's also vitally important that parliamentarians and Ministers are aware of the arguments against the special treatment UKTI is giving to arms sales. Please write to your MP expressing your concerns about UKTI's role in arms sales, and asking him or her to raise them with the Minister of State for Trade & Investment. A new Minister, Lord Mervyn Davies, was appointed on 14 January. Help set his agenda by getting those letters in quickly!
We've suggested some key points you might like to make in your letter, and provided a template to download <http://www.caat.org.uk/emailbulletin/feb09/utkimp.php> for those who are short of time.
2. CAAT UKTI workshops
What is UKTI and how does it support arms companies? Are you confused by the forest of acronymns and cliches that surrounds the activities of this mysterious government entitity?
Despair no more. From March CAAT will be running workshops around our
'UKTI: Armed & Dangerous' campaign, including how best to contribute and the opportunities for action in your area.
Each session will be led by a CAAT staff member, be interactive, informative and hopefully inspiring. We want to motivate both new and established groups. The booking form will soon be available on CAAT website.
Meanwhile read all our new and updated information about the whereabouts and activities of UKTI on the CAAT website <http://www.caat.org.uk/emailbulletin/feb09/utki.php>
3. Students act against the arms trade
University students demonstrated their opposition to the arms trade as part of CAAT's national Universities' Day of Action on 11 February. Universities in Cardiff, London, Nottingham, Preston and Warwick participated in the action. They were part of a larger movement of student activism, sparked off by the conflict in Gaza and university complicity with the arms trade.
Read more about CAAT's Universities Day of Action <http://www.caat.org.uk/emailbulletin/feb09/dayofaction.php> - for a more personal view look at the CAAT blog entries <http://www.caat.org.uk/emailbulletin/feb09/caatblog.php>.
4. Speak out for CAAT
Are you keen to help CAAT raise awareness about the international arms trade but feel that you haven't got the skills to get your message across?
Join CAAT supporters from around the UK on 25 April for a day of training and skillsharing on speaking in public. Not only will you learn the skills of public speaking but you will get the latest facts and stats to help you spread the word about CAAT's campaigns.
CAAT Local Contacts are also invited to come together on this day for updates on our campaigns and to share experiences of local campaigning.
CAAT's Speaker Training Day and Local Contacts Gathering will be held on Saturday 25 April in Central Birmingham.
For more information or to book your place, contact Anne-Marie O'Reilly
5. Stop Arming Israel
The fighting in Gaza has now ended but the questions remain the same.
What is the UK's role in arming Israel and how can it be ended?
Most UK weaponry to Israel is supplied via the US as components and subsystems. The most visible components are the Heads-Up display systems for the F-16 aircraft and the triggering mechanisms for Apache helicopters.
More information is available on the CAAT website <http://www.caat.org.uk/emailbulletin/feb09/homepage.php> which is linked to the Stop Arming Israel site.
We have reprinted supplies of our Stop Arming Israel postcards to send to MPs, calling for an arms embargo. To order postcards please email Claire.
6. Raise money for CAAT with the Workers Beer Company
CAAT volunteers will once again be working at the summer's major music festivals to help us raise money towards the campaign. Last year's hardworking team raised a fantastic £4,600!
We are always looking for new volunteers to work alongside our existing team - the more people we can send, the more money we raise!
Volunteers work one shift per day of the festival they attend, with all wages donated to CAAT. In return they get a free pass for the festival, free transport to the main festivals and the relative luxury of camping in the WBC village. If you are interested in working at festivals such as Glastonbury, Latitude, Reading or Leeds please get in touch as soon as possible.
For more information email Sally or phone 020 7281 0297
7. Give your old mobile a real TREAT
Do you have a mobile that you no longer need? Why not use it to support the Trust for Research and Education on the Arms Trade (TREAT)?
TREAT has teamed up with Greener Solutions to offer an environmentally friendly way to dispose of your unwanted mobile. Each recycled mobile brings TREAT £2, which they have kindly agreed to donate to CAAT's Research Programme.
The process won't cost you a thing; you simply need to send your phone/s off in a freepost envelope provided by CAAT.
For more information or to order envelope/s: email Sally or call 020 7281 0297.
Even better, why not save CAAT the cost of posting an envelope to you by sending your phone/s directly to:
TREAT, Greener Solutions, FREEPOST, LON17592, Mitcham, CR4 3UZ
8. Events diary
Friday 27 Feb- Sunday 1 March : Soundcheck 09 - Response: Ability
The SPEAK Network's annual event will include the opportunity to get involved in their Counting the Cost campaign, calling for an end to government support of the arms trade. Visit the Speak website <http://www.caat.org.uk/emailbulletin/feb09/soundcheck.php> for more details.
Saturday 21 March : Change in Progress 2009
Join activists from eight campaigning organisations, including CAAT, for a day of training and networking to make change happen!
Take this opportunity to learn skills and share ideas that will make your campaigning more effective. Choose from over 12 skills workshops including campaign planning, using the media and lobbying your MP.
Share experiences with campaigners from a broad range of organisations
The event is free to attend but spaces are limited, so book online <http://www.caat.org.uk/emailbulletin/feb09/changeinprogress.php> now or by emailing Anne-Marie.
Saturday 25 April
Speak out for CAAT!
See details of our Speakers Training day in item 4 above
Don't forget to check our online diary
<http://www.caat.org.uk/emailbulletin/feb09/diary.php> for regular events by local CAAT and other groups against the arms trade.
9. Donate to CAAT
There are many things you can do to help raise money for CAAT's campaigns in 2009 and beyond. Did you know that 80% of CAAT’s funding comes supporters like you? Without you, there would be no campaign. Please make a donation today <http://www.caat.org.uk/emailbulletin/feb09/donate.php>.
CAAT's campaign to end government department UK Trade & Investment's promotion of arms sales is gathering pace. This month, there's the chance to take action from your armchair, and to join us on the street.
Meet UKTI's Board on 30 March
UKTI's Board determine the direction of the organisation, and how its resources are allocated – and we've found details of their next meeting. This is a great opportunity for us to make them aware of the damaging effects of UKTI's support for the arms trade, and the strength of public opposition to such activity. They'll be in London on 30 March; if you'd like to join us, email Sarah Waldron for more information.
Welcome the new Minister
It's also vitally important that parliamentarians and Ministers are aware of the arguments against the special treatment UKTI is giving to arms sales. Please write to your MP expressing your concerns about UKTI's role in arms sales, and asking him or her to raise them with the Minister of State for Trade & Investment. A new Minister, Lord Mervyn Davies, was appointed on 14 January. Help set his agenda by getting those letters in quickly!
We've suggested some key points you might like to make in your letter, and provided a template to download <http://www.caat.org.uk/emailbulletin/feb09/utkimp.php> for those who are short of time.
2. CAAT UKTI workshops
What is UKTI and how does it support arms companies? Are you confused by the forest of acronymns and cliches that surrounds the activities of this mysterious government entitity?
Despair no more. From March CAAT will be running workshops around our
'UKTI: Armed & Dangerous' campaign, including how best to contribute and the opportunities for action in your area.
Each session will be led by a CAAT staff member, be interactive, informative and hopefully inspiring. We want to motivate both new and established groups. The booking form will soon be available on CAAT website.
Meanwhile read all our new and updated information about the whereabouts and activities of UKTI on the CAAT website <http://www.caat.org.uk/emailbulletin/feb09/utki.php>
3. Students act against the arms trade
University students demonstrated their opposition to the arms trade as part of CAAT's national Universities' Day of Action on 11 February. Universities in Cardiff, London, Nottingham, Preston and Warwick participated in the action. They were part of a larger movement of student activism, sparked off by the conflict in Gaza and university complicity with the arms trade.
Read more about CAAT's Universities Day of Action <http://www.caat.org.uk/emailbulletin/feb09/dayofaction.php> - for a more personal view look at the CAAT blog entries <http://www.caat.org.uk/emailbulletin/feb09/caatblog.php>.
4. Speak out for CAAT
Are you keen to help CAAT raise awareness about the international arms trade but feel that you haven't got the skills to get your message across?
Join CAAT supporters from around the UK on 25 April for a day of training and skillsharing on speaking in public. Not only will you learn the skills of public speaking but you will get the latest facts and stats to help you spread the word about CAAT's campaigns.
CAAT Local Contacts are also invited to come together on this day for updates on our campaigns and to share experiences of local campaigning.
CAAT's Speaker Training Day and Local Contacts Gathering will be held on Saturday 25 April in Central Birmingham.
For more information or to book your place, contact Anne-Marie O'Reilly
5. Stop Arming Israel
The fighting in Gaza has now ended but the questions remain the same.
What is the UK's role in arming Israel and how can it be ended?
Most UK weaponry to Israel is supplied via the US as components and subsystems. The most visible components are the Heads-Up display systems for the F-16 aircraft and the triggering mechanisms for Apache helicopters.
More information is available on the CAAT website <http://www.caat.org.uk/emailbulletin/feb09/homepage.php> which is linked to the Stop Arming Israel site.
We have reprinted supplies of our Stop Arming Israel postcards to send to MPs, calling for an arms embargo. To order postcards please email Claire.
6. Raise money for CAAT with the Workers Beer Company
CAAT volunteers will once again be working at the summer's major music festivals to help us raise money towards the campaign. Last year's hardworking team raised a fantastic £4,600!
We are always looking for new volunteers to work alongside our existing team - the more people we can send, the more money we raise!
Volunteers work one shift per day of the festival they attend, with all wages donated to CAAT. In return they get a free pass for the festival, free transport to the main festivals and the relative luxury of camping in the WBC village. If you are interested in working at festivals such as Glastonbury, Latitude, Reading or Leeds please get in touch as soon as possible.
For more information email Sally or phone 020 7281 0297
7. Give your old mobile a real TREAT
Do you have a mobile that you no longer need? Why not use it to support the Trust for Research and Education on the Arms Trade (TREAT)?
TREAT has teamed up with Greener Solutions to offer an environmentally friendly way to dispose of your unwanted mobile. Each recycled mobile brings TREAT £2, which they have kindly agreed to donate to CAAT's Research Programme.
The process won't cost you a thing; you simply need to send your phone/s off in a freepost envelope provided by CAAT.
For more information or to order envelope/s: email Sally or call 020 7281 0297.
Even better, why not save CAAT the cost of posting an envelope to you by sending your phone/s directly to:
TREAT, Greener Solutions, FREEPOST, LON17592, Mitcham, CR4 3UZ
8. Events diary
Friday 27 Feb- Sunday 1 March : Soundcheck 09 - Response: Ability
The SPEAK Network's annual event will include the opportunity to get involved in their Counting the Cost campaign, calling for an end to government support of the arms trade. Visit the Speak website <http://www.caat.org.uk/emailbulletin/feb09/soundcheck.php> for more details.
Saturday 21 March : Change in Progress 2009
Join activists from eight campaigning organisations, including CAAT, for a day of training and networking to make change happen!
Take this opportunity to learn skills and share ideas that will make your campaigning more effective. Choose from over 12 skills workshops including campaign planning, using the media and lobbying your MP.
Share experiences with campaigners from a broad range of organisations
The event is free to attend but spaces are limited, so book online <http://www.caat.org.uk/emailbulletin/feb09/changeinprogress.php> now or by emailing Anne-Marie.
Saturday 25 April
Speak out for CAAT!
See details of our Speakers Training day in item 4 above
Don't forget to check our online diary
<http://www.caat.org.uk/emailbulletin/feb09/diary.php> for regular events by local CAAT and other groups against the arms trade.
9. Donate to CAAT
There are many things you can do to help raise money for CAAT's campaigns in 2009 and beyond. Did you know that 80% of CAAT’s funding comes supporters like you? Without you, there would be no campaign. Please make a donation today <http://www.caat.org.uk/emailbulletin/feb09/donate.php>.
