After 24 hours of driving wind and rain, G10 Peacewatch was looking battered as the journalists from Le Monde arrived at mid-day on 2nd April 2003.

Peacewatch at Gate 10 was started on 2nd March 2003 by Kate, Nick and Brenda. The two reasons for keeping this round-the-clock watch opposite the centre of the runway at USAF Fairfield are to:
- peacefully protest by maintaining a continual presence
- inform the world about the build-up to and continuance of the bombing campaign.

A log of visible activity on the base is kept. Comings and goings of aircraft and supply vehicles is the focus of life at the Peacewatch. Since the log was started, and up to midday on 2nd April, one month on

*** 74 B52 bomber take-offs from USAF Fairford have been recorded ***

The Peacewatch Log is being kept in order to:
- create the ONLY continuous, non-military record of B52 activity at USAF Fairford
- allow the wide publicising of hard facts which would otherwise not be in the public domain or be secret
- enable peace activists and supporters to focus on the way in which UK territory and resources being used to conduct the bombing campaign

G10 Peacewatch also maintains a log of Police activity, recording incidents of arrest, search and harassment of peace activists in the vicinity and at Gate 10. The volunteer members of G10 Peacewatch engage only in watching the activity on the base and fly flags and banners at Gate 10 to show their opposition to this illegal invasion of Iraq and our Government's active
complicity in this imperialist American war. We are ~not~ involved in any direct action at the base which might involve climbing over the fence or gates, although we can absolutely understand why other protesters might feel that it is necessary for them to do so.

Our one month birthday on 2nd April was marked by the early arrival of a lovely cake with candles, many, many thanks ! The Peacewatch blokies led by Sarje Nick then led a peace parade to the main gate dressed in full drag, complete with fishnets, hats and face make-up. Passing comment from one of the North Wales police, who were all convulsed with laughter: 'Us coppers
love dressing up in women's clothes on our days off! Fair play to 'em all!'
:o)

Please send birthday cards (belated is ~fine~), letters, vodaphone and Tmobile top-up cards, and lots of stamps and blank picture postcards. We'll reply to your mail if you give us your address. We've been getting a small handful of letters each day, even a couple from the US, but we'd love more, as a mark of how much support there is out there against this war. Write to:

brenda (or Sarje, Adele, Ed, Sam, Drew, Andria or anyone you know who is
there)
Peacewatch
Gate 10, USAF Fairford
Near Kempsford
Fairford
Gloucestershire
GL7 4EJ

Visitors are very, very welcome! Be prepared to be searched under S44 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Bring your own supply of weatherproof clothes and if you
want to stay the night, wear something warm you can sleep in. We have a few spare sleeping bags etc, depending on how many people are staying. Even if
it's hot and sunny when you depart, be prepared for cold nights and wet days when you arrive, but please come!!

We could do with some more peace flags and banners, a lot of lovely ones got destroyed or blew away in the storm the night before last. We would particularly like a UN flag and one or two of those wonderful rainbow PACE flags. We don't need poles, you could just send them through the post. Also press articles about us, or the latest news on peace activism, conscientious
objection is always great to hear, we read it ~all~.

We're suffering some very minor discomforts at the Peacewatch, like no flushing loo or running water, mostly we are safe and dry and among friends.
We never forget for one instant what it must be like at the other end of these operations.

Salaam, Shalom, Pace, Peace with love and hugs,


brenda
xxx