Women Against Pit Closures founder to speak at Wakefield Labour Club

Betty Cook, a founding member of Women Against Pit Closures, will address Wakefield Labour Club on Saturday, March 22.

The Red Shed has run a programme of events of the past year to commemorate the strike.

Looking back over the year of work, Tracy Rodger, a Red Shed events sub-committee member, said: "We've transformed one of our rooms into an exhibition of photos, stories, and memorabilia.

"Alongside this, we've held plays, book launches, films all linked to the strike, covering all aspects of the dispute.

"We also exhibited mining and industrial artwork by former miner Dave Wilders, as part of our event, and joined the Wakefield Artwalk.

“We did this all together as a club. We put a lot of work in, we are bringing it all to a head and we recognise there is a lot of struggle still going on.

"It shouldn't be forgotten and there are new generations that should know what went on.

"The Red Shed also did small focused displays, featuring Christmas during the strike, support for the miners, and our current exhibit of the return to work.”

Mrs Rodger said that the strike helped to empower women.

Saturday’s speaker, Betty Cook, said that strike gave the feeling that “working class women like me were finally getting their chance”.

The events held throughout the year included Undermined, a one man play by Danny Mellor, the Featherstone Massacre film, discussion and live music with Ian Clayton, Lewis Pugh and Sam Barrett.

An independent film titled It Was Never About the Coal, financed by Medway Trades Council and Kent Invicta, SE region, and RMTSE Regional Council.

It hosted a book launch for The Art of Class War, a collection of newspaper cartoons of the time collated by Nick Jones.

This weekend’s event on Saturday is free and starts at 2pm.

Betty will be speaking to author and presenter Ian Clayton.

Around 3.30pm the club will show the Ken Loach film, The Old Oak.

There will be food served between 6pm to 7pm, and the evening will close with music from Lewis Pugh and Serious Sam Barrett.

There will be prize raffles throughout the day.