Happy Birthday RED RAG ("I am 5") Free 29 Oct - 11 Nov Next issue Co-ordinator is James Leave message with Guy 669502 News 662302 Events 591025 Going Out 669154 Distribution 669562 Next copy deadline Thursday 8 November Copy to Box 79, Acorn Bookshop, 17 Chatham Street - - - Over the five years of its existence, Red Rag has become a unique institution. An "alternative newspaper" with no pretensions to being a newspaper. A paper which has always been free, supported entirely by readers' donations. Whatever its limitations, it manages to be there - it has never missed an issue except where announced beforehand - as a forum for people with something to say. Probably it has always been used most for its events diary (the original and central feature) and going out guide. The Rag has grown slowly but surely, and always with the active support of its readers. I think it is something for Reading to be very proud of. It is Reading's Only Newspaper! My introduction to Red Rag took place in a dark, damp basement in Milman Road one sunny afternoon in August 1981. Here the Rag had been produced since its start. I helped turn the handle of the duplicator (the one that twisted the stencil sideways and then split it): we printed each side as it was typed in the room above: I didn't really question where the copy was coming from. Then collating the two sheets (about 600 copies) upstairs, and stapling, folding and labelling them. This was quite a crucial time in the Rag's history, when several new and keen people were getting involved. September saw the first picture cover (apart from a special effort at May Day). Three or even four sides became normal. In December "the Collective held a meeting and decided that it existed", establishing the system of two alternating production groups and regular six-weekly meetings. Before "Reading Anarchist Bulletin Number One" appeared on 14th September 1979, two sides of A4, duplicated. "We intend to use this newssheet as essentially a local events/news fortnightly," it announced. (There had been no community newspaper in Reading since the demise of Reading News in 1978.) The two-column layout and short snappy news items set the style for a long time to come in what, by the second issue, was called "Red Rag". RAG originally stood for Reading Anarchist Group. The name has always been widely disliked, especially the 'Red' bit - but no-one has ever come up with anything better. Over the first year or so other names were occasionally used, from "Radical Reading" to "Tupamaros Gazette". More recently it got called "Red Red" once - but that was a mistake! The second issue declared that it aimed to be "an information source for the many Reading groups organising in the community". In the early days it fitted itself very much around the activities of the various groups and campaigns. The distribution was mainly to groups. (For a long time the entire distribution was done by members of the Union of Postal Workers!) "Fortnightly news and events diary for Reading" was the standard wording at the top for a long time. (The earliest appearance of "Reading's Only Newspaper" I can find is March 1981.) "Printed and published by Reading Anarchists," also appeared regularly on the front for the first year, though sometimes the "Tristero Commando" claimed responsibility, or even the "redragcollective (provisional)". In fact right from the beginning the Rag had been essentially two people: "We are Chris and Mark and we are anarchists," as one issue explains. "It's all so long ago," Chris complained when I asked him recently about the first two years. "I don't understand why we never despaired," he said. For one thing: there were three or four people who helped out. And then, Workers' Power had been so scornful at the idea of anarchists achieving anything, they just had to go on! In the New Year of 1982, production shifted to upstairs in Acorn Bookshop's new premises. By that time we needed the two duplicators there just to get it done. (By the end of the year the problem was space to do the paste-up in, so we moved out of Acorn to wherever-it-was-being-done-that-time) One big jump came with six pages of letters replying to an attack on the Women's Centre in April: suddenly we had an 18-page issue; and that size became normal. By now most of the copy was coming in from outside "the Collective". Soon after this Acorn got a litho press; by June the Rag was being printed. Since then the Rag has had periodical crises, usually over the same things: lack of money and/or lack of people and enthusiasm. There have been some very, small issues - but they have always appeared. One major change in January of this year was to abolish the two production groups in favour of a sort of rota of "co-ordinators" - someone to see that each issue gets out. This has broadened the range of those centrally involved with production very greatly. Money - somehow - always seems to turn up when needed and asked for. We have enough coming in in standing orders to see us through a crisis if we cut back; and then, it's always been so that a good issue brings in more donations. No-one ever has dared to try to sue us. In its first two years the Rag grew very slowly. 200 copies of the first one were produced (and handed out in the Dove and the Eagle). By July 1980 the run was up to 500. It stayed at that for a long time (just as the Rag itself stayed at a single sheet). In March 1982 it was 750; in April '83 1150; in April '84 1400; now 1600. Mainly this reflects the growth in outlets: Acorn was the only one for most of the early period. There were 5 by May 1982, 13 a year later, 22 this May (accounting for two thirds of the print run). In December 1980, "celebrating our first birthday 3 months late", - some things don't change - "Red Mag 1" appeared, printed at great cost at the University Students' Union. It was a review of the year, and meant to be annual if not more often, though no successor ever appeared. This was the first venture into other publications. The idea of producing a directory of Reading groups eventually, after a couple of false starts, resulted in Red Pages (Nov 82); a 4-page pull-out guide to Reading for students in Sept of that year became the basis of Reading Between the Lines (Nov 83). Then there was the screen-printed calendar for 1984, not to mention the flood of posters, badges, tee-shirts etc issuing from "Wokingham Road" in the last couple of years. There are always strong feelings about how the Rag looks. There is always dissatisfaction with the content (e.g. why doesn't the Rag have more news in it, and how can it without taking a "journalistic" attitude?). Then there's always the one real volcano of an issue: editorial policy. This one will run and run. I personally think a more active policy would also be more responsible. It might make the Rag seem less of a "cave" from the outside: hard to get hold of, hard to pin down. Also I think a lot of valuable information is at the moment rather wasted, hidden away. Well. Those are the lines on which _I'd like to see the next Five Year Plan drawn up... James - - - GOING OUT Sunday 28th October Hexagon: Snooker finals all day Caversham Bridge Hotel: Readifolk 8pm free Monday 29th October Royal Albion Oxford Road: The Montreau Jazzmen - "the best entertainment in town for good ol' swingin' fun - Bring your singing voice" Hexagon: Wrestling Spectacular 7.30pm £2 to £3.50 Tuesday 30th October - Halloween Tudor Arms: Gay Disco 8pm free Ondines - Speakeasy (good disco) £1.50 Miners Benefit - Beak Back Band & Support, Paradise Club 8 - late £2 waged £1.50 unwaged Reading University Palmer Building G10 Chamber Music for Woodwind and Strings 1.10pm Wednesday 31st October Reading Film Theatre (RFT) Silkwood (15) with Meryl Streep Hexagon: Marks and Spencers Fashion Show - worth missing Thursday 1st November Sportsman, Shinfield Road: free music Central Club, London Street: Black Music Worldwide RFT as 31st Oct Hexagon: The Basil Brush Boom Boom Laughter Show £2 1pm and 3.30pm SHP Bracknell: Second Stride Dance Co 7.30pm Wilde Theatre SHP Happy Days by Samuel Becket 7.45pm £3 SHP Surfin Lungs and Surfadelic 8pm £1.50 / £1 / £0.50 SHP Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (PG) film Friday 2nd November Tudor Arms: Gay Disco 8pm free Bulmershe College: Pheonix Dance Co "6 Dances to a wide variety of musical styles" 7.30pm £? Contact Tom Wild @ Bulmershe SHP Happy Days (as 1st) SHP Indiana Jones (as 1st) Newtown Community House Cumberland Road: Fancy Dress Haloween Party, fireworks, barbecue, music 50p grown ups, 25p kids 6.30pm "a hoot" SHP Sainsbury's Choir of the Year competition SHP Brodsky String Quartet 8pm £2 / £3 / £3.35 Hexagon: Chris Bonnington - an illustrated lecture £3 Saturday 3rd November Pavilion Field Earley: firework display organised by the Earley Carnival Committee procession 6.30, display 7pm Adults + kids 50p Kings Meadow: firework display organised by Reading Roubd Table £1.50 adults £1 kids on door (gate?) Christ Church, Christchurch Road. Arda Berkshire (folk) £2.20 & concs Hexagon: free lunchtime music (don't know who) 12.15pm Hexagon: Christie Moore "Ireland's living folk legend" £4 / £3 8pm Sunday 4th November Caversham Bridge Hotel: Readifolk 8pm free SHP Sainsbury's Choir of the Year competition SHP Indiana Jones (as 1st) Monday 5th November Royal Albion, Oxford Road, as 29th Oct Hexagon: Sainsbury Singers present "Carousel" £2.50 to £3.50 & concs 7.30pm til 10th SHP Indiana Jones (as 1st) Tuesday 6th Tudor Arms: Gay Disco free 8pm SHP: Jazzin' Around - the Pete Allen Jazz band with Beryl Bryden (vocals) and Tommy Burton (piano) 7.30pm £3 Indiana Jones as 1st Nov Hexagon as 5th Nov Wednesday 7th RFT Heat and Dust (15) film with Julie Christie and Jennifer Kendal Hexagon as 5th SHP Park Youth Theatre in Venetian Twins by Carlo Goldoni 7.45pm £2.50 SHP Indiana Jones as 1st Thursday 8th Sportsman Shinfield Road free music Central Club Black Music Worldwide Hexagon as 5th SHP Syntax 8pm £1.50 / £1 / £0.50 SHP Park Youth Theatre as 7th SHP Indiana Jones (yawn) as 1st Friday 9th Tudor Arms: Gay Disco 8pm free RFT Lianna (18) Hexagon as 5th SHP Bernard Roberts Beethoven Piano Sonatas 8pm £3.25 SHP Park Youth Theatre as 7th SHP Against All Odds (film) with Jeff Bridges SHP Bracknell Breakaways - variety how Saturday 10th Hexagon Force Majeure 12.15om free Hexagon (evening) as 5th SHP Bracknell Breakaways as 9th Nov SHP Park Youth Theatre as 7th SHP Keith Kendrick and Barry Coope 8pm £1.20 / £1.50 SHP Against All Odds as 9th Advance Warning! 22 November Here & Now plus support at Old Town Hall. Tickets from Acorn £2.50 or £2.00 if jobfree. Stop Press - Paradise Club Events November 2nd - To be arrange 9pm-2am Nov 3rd - Champagne Posse + disco 9pm-2am Nov 9th - Southern Comfort + disco £2 9pm-2am Nov 10th - Hot Steel + disco (arranged by the Grenada Association) £2.50 in advance £3 on door. - - - Thursday 8 November 8pm THE RED RAG BIRTHDAY PARTY Crown Pub back room, Crown St. Late bar - bring food - £1 or 50p - - - I, ROBOT? Where should High Tech go? What are the implications for society, for industry and for jobs of the much-hiped privatisation of our British Telecom? Will Britain continue to have a big computer mainframe industry now ICL has been grabbed by STC? Is there going to be a British micro industry or will IBM sweep all before it? What are our software and systems houses doing apart from more and more defence communications systems and what is the future in that? Is the thrusting of a micro into every school ensuring our future need for computer-related skills? What are the environmental effects of the bright new industries of Silicon Valley? And so on. Here in Reading questions like these are more immediate to more of us than perhaps anywhere else in the country. A lot of us work in or around the computer and data communications industries. We work there now but how confident can we be about working there in future? The Reading Trades Union Council is supporting the idea of an interest group to look at the future of these industries, so that the labour movement locally can develop its understanding of what is happening and some policies and strategies to maintain a live industry that will meet people's needs. The idea started from an initiative from the POEU, the British Telecom union, at the Labour Party Conference when they called for a working party to consider the shape of a publicly owned data communications industry when British Telecom was taken back into the public sector and we would probably want to submit evidence to that working party. But the issues locally obviously go a lot broader than that. The POEU, ASTMS and other local unions with members in computers and data communications have been asked to take part and this is an appeal for anyone who is interested to get in touch. What we will be able to do and how much is what we'll have to talk about at our first get-together. If you would like to be there please drop a note to High Tech c/o Acorn! Pete - - - GOSSIP Crime And Management What do you think of a District Crime Reduction Officers' Group chaired by Reading Chief Executive Harry Tee and including the Borough's Planning, Housing and Recreation Officers; the Divisional Director of Social Services; the Senior Probation Officer; the Superintendent of Police; and representatives from the Magistrate's Clerk, the Youth and Community Service and the District Health Authority? Or of the idea that this should be "a working group for professional officers, which will be exploring practical solutions"? Or that "it is not envisaged that either District or County Councillors should be members of this group"? A powerful group meeting in private and able to influence the ideas and priorities of the Borough and County Councils, the Health Authority and the police. Would be hard for it to resist the temptation of social engineering, which may be why it's just what the Government is recommending in Joint Circular 8/84 and what is now being set up. The "84" signifies of course 1984. Which may turn out to be just right. Open Questions Questions are still being asked about Richfield Avenue. About why the report from Reading Borough Council officers to the Councillors' Working Party so strongly favoured the Beacontree proposal (by J.M.Jones out of Roger Smee). And why the officers were so quick to rule out on financial grounds the alternative offer from Tenant Bovis, a decision now overturned by all-party decision. And questions are now being asked about the proposed Prospect Park deal, about which only Chief Executive Harry Tee seems to know anything at all. Like who it is that is pretending they will fit a "corporate headquarters" into a 15,500 sq.ft office block with space for about 75 staff? Or whether there is some connection between the plan to turn the Mansion House into offices and the Regional Health Authority's plan to sell off the nearby Prospect Parle Hospital site for "development"? We think we should be told. Connections What is the connection between Ql Refuse collection and the law? Al Private contractors Pritchards Industrial Services, who collect South Oxfordshire's rubbish and have just been fined £8500 by Henley magistrates for 34 overloading offences, one of 3.7 tons. Q2 Henley Town Council and care in the community? A2 Their Mayor, property developer Graham Payne, who's just sold a former residential youth centre which he bought from Oxford County Council in 1981 for £280,000 to a couple who want to run it as a nursing home so much they've paid £500,000 for it. Q3 Vaduz and Reading? A3 Liechenstein-based Robert Maxwell, who has just bought the Rediffusion cable TV system that runs in over 50 towns, including Reading and Oxford. Q4 Belgium and IBM A4 EEC Commissioner Vixcount Etienne Davigaon, who's now let the U.S. multinational join the Esprit programme (the joint venture between ICL and other Euro-companies into the next computer generation) and is expected himself to join IBM shortly. Tele Bermuda "Windsor Television", it says in a document supplied to Berkshire County Council, "is entirely British owned". Its catchment area will be 109,000 homes & businesses in Windsor, Slough, Maidenhead, Staines and Ashford, to whom it will offer "vertical viewing - specialised channels devoted to sports or to music or to movies and so on". The technology will be supplied by GEC, which is no doubt why a GEC subsidiary is included in its shareholders. GEC is of course a British company, and so are some of the others, although the tax haven consciousness of the Drayton and Warburg groups make their nationality a matter of form rather than content. Another major shareholder, Hawley Group, is actually registered in Bermuda, although it has strong British connections (Hawley boss Michael Ashcroft is favoured partner, in Miss World and Group Lotus among other ventures, with David Wickins of British Car Auctions, employer of both Denis and Mark Thatcher). Hawley Group pays well: Graeme Crothall, a part-time consultant on hospital cleaning services, is on £100,000 a year (hospital cleaners are luckier and luckier to get £1.72 an hour). Hospital cleaning and cable TV are two of the new areas of enterprise opened up In the Thatcher years, and Bermuda-registered Hawley are obviously well-poised to profit from both. And to pump a horse-racing channel right into Windsor Castle! Private Health Another area of profit that is being expanded in the Thatcher years is private medicine, and it comes as no surprise that Reading's Dunedin Clinic, having quietly and uncontroversially got planning permission for expansion, is now being taken over by BUPA. For BUPA and other health insurance groups going into hospital management themselves has become the only way out of a horrible financial bind they'd got themselves into: firstly, the more they marketed to groups of employees the greater the chance that their customers would actually need hospital care, and, secondly, the firms that were just operating private hospitals found themselves in a sellers' market and jacked the prices up. BUPA & the others had to put premiums up to match, resulting in a fall-off in revenue, and actual losses rather than profits. The only place they can get treatment for their clients below cost is in NHS hospitals: watch them campaign for the right to pre-empt NHS beds too! Bussing The take-over of Smith's Coaches by Horsemans, and the possible inclusion of Pangbourne Coaches in the group, are urgent responses to the Government's White Paper 'Buses' which Nicholas ("Your roads are your responsibility") Ridley is expected to push through into law next year. The main proposal is that buses will be "deregulated" and any operator will be able to run any timetable on any route, charge any fares and collect a share of any subsidy the local Council is making like Reading's free bus passes for the elderly. Which means price competition on prime routes (like the 17) and the end of cross-subsidy by which those routes support the less popular routes, and hence the destruction of the Reading Transport and Alder Valley networks. The formation now of a single private bus operator in Reading will of course hasten this process and bring the higher fares and profits forward. Citizen Cain - - - GETTING YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS Do you want to let people know what's going on? Do you or your group want to air your opinions? If so, Getting Your Massage Across is for you. It's a series of eight evening workshops. Each one is designed to help you learn more about some aspect of the media, from radio interviews and videos to leaflets and posters advertising a jumble sale. All the workshops will emphasise doing it yourself and doing it cheaply, and every session will give you practical experience of what's involved. The workshops are all free and open to anyone. You can come to one or more or all of them. You don't need to register or book, just turn up. Mon 19th Nov. Leaflets and Community Newsletters With representatives from Red Rag and local fanzines. Design and paste-up, using graphics, printing methods, distribution Tues 20 The Press With Sean Ryan from the Evening Post being interviewed, writing press releases, establishing contact with the press. Wed 21 Posters Designing your poster, different mediums, printing, distribution, talking to printers, costs. Thurs 22 Radio and T.V. With a representative from Radio 210's careline, radio interviews, using local radio. Mon 26 Community Newsletters 2 The practical aspects of litho printing and preparation of plates using the process camera. Tues 27 Writing Researching and writing in different styles, editorial control. Wed 28 Public Meetings and Exhibitions With Paul Toleman. What does the organisation entail, use of photographs, tape slide video, venues, advertising. Thurs 29 Video and T.V. With a member of the Real Time video collective, what does video offer, what does it cost, finding equipment, distribution, cable, access to broadcast T.V. All workshops are at Reading Centre for the unemployed (4-6 East St) except for Mon 19 which is at Fairview community centre, George St and Mon 26 which is at Acorn bookshop 17 Chatham St. All workshops run from 8 to 10pm. For further details phone Guy on 669562 or Clive on 662302. - - - OUTLETS You can pick up your next Red Rag from any of the following outlets: Acorn Bookshop, under Chatham St car park Central Club, London St Centre for the Unemployed, East St Continental Stores, Cemetery Junction Elephant Groceries and Off-licence, Derby St Eurofoods, Crown Colonnade, Cemetery Junction Fairview Community Centre, George St Fine Food Stores, 168 Oxford Rd Harrison's Newsagent, Caversham Rd Harvest Wholefoods, Harris Arcade, Friar St Jelly's Stores, Whitley St Kan's Kitchen, London Rd Ken's Shop, Students' Union, Whiteknights Ling's Chinese Fish Bar, Wokingham Rd Listen Records, Butts Centre Mo's Place, London St Music Market, Union St Number Sixty, Christchurch, Green Pop Records, 172 King's Rd Rag Doll, London St Reading Wholefoods, London Rd Rib'n'Roast, Cemetery Junction Sugar Bowl, Wokingham Rd Sutherlands, Erleigh Rd Tech College, King's Rd UB Cycles, London St Or you can have it delivered to your door if you ring Guy on 669562 or write to Red Rag, c/o Acorn Bookshop, 17 Chatham St. - - - POSTIES The Red Rag Postal Service / Publication Exchange ? Why not have Red Rag posted to a friend living outside the Reading distribution area: Wokingham, Pangbourne, Henley or ex-Reading folks who have moved further afield. - All you need to do is send the name and address of the person requiring the Rag - and name of the donor if it's a pressie - plus an amount to cover postage. A pound will give someone the delights of Reading's only for 2 or 3 months. When the subscription runs out, I'll send them a reminder so they can renew it if they wish. - Also if you know of any other community newspaper around, please let us know and we'll be glad to do an exchange - new ideas always useful and welcome. At present we receive the Leeds Other Paper, Exeter's Flying Post and Sheffield's alternative paper. These are available in the Rag box at Acorn. - So next time you write to your granny up north or a friend who has moved further south, ask them if they can sound out local community publications. No postage required for exchanges! Subscriptions, other publications, cheques, views, etc should be sent to Red Rag (Posties), Box 79, 17 Chatham Street, Reading, Berkshire. Happy Days, Paul (present postal personage) PS Many many thanks to Lesley, the previous postal person for all her hard work in the past - dunno how you did it! - - - RAG BITS Another plea for help with distribution! We have found a new distributor for the NEWT round in East Newtown, and are now looking for people who would be prepared to do a round in the Kentwood/Norcot area or the Meadway area or in Southcote. At present the whole of Reading west of the railway (except around Prince of Wales Avenue) is one enormous round, with few addresses but spread all over the place. If you could take on one of these rounds, none of which will have more than four or five addresses, then that will take the pressure off the present distributors. Please ring Guy on 669562 if you can help. - - - GREENHAM SUPPORT BUS Calling All Veggie Cooks And Drivers Over 25! For some time it had been the dream of Ascot Nuclear Disarmament group to provide some sort of regular "meals-on-wheels" service to help sustain the women of Greenham through the winter (and for that matter any other local peace camp if it could be arranged). Well, that dream has now been realised thanks to the considerable effort of that group and in particular one of its members who has managed to purchase a minibus and together with friends has fitted it out to act as a mobile canteen. It will also carry tents and equipment to provide emergency accommodation should the need arise following an eviction. It's taxed, M.O.T'd, insured and ready to go! All it needs now is for as many of us as possible to make this venture a success. This means providing 2 cooks and 1 driver over 25 (male or female!) for each trip to Greenham. Naturally these trips need to be as frequent as possible through the winter (daily?) and it is hoped that peace groups could manage this on some sort of rota basis. It is probable that food will be provided but some cooking vessels are still needed plus a few tents and a couple of calor gas cylinders. Help in whatever form, whether practical or financial would be very much appreciated. Could you spare a couple of hours a day? a week? a month? - For full details please contact: Merle Mindel, West Lodge, Buckhurst Lane, Ascot SL5 7QB - Tel. Ascot 22877 - - - ACORN Update! You may have noticed that there are now 3 of us working full-time in the bookshop. Maggie joined Ian & Liz in October (in response to our ad in the Rag) and it's working out really well. We all went off to a Radical Booksellers Conference in Nottingham last weekend and got lots of ideas and a general boost for what were trying to do. Controversy! One thing that was discussed there is worth mentioning here: you may know of the controversy surrounding the new Raymond Briggs book "The Tin-pot General and the Old Iron Woman". He's been accused of being unpatriotic because of its anti-Falklands War message, and has even had to go ex-directory. Despite that, we in Acorn and in the Federation of Radical Booksellers are disturbed at his quasi-pornographic portrayal of Thatcher and his subtle racism. So the Federation is writing to Briggs, questioning his attitudes and explaining why we're unhappy about the book. Some shops aren't stocking it at all. Others, like Acorn, are but "with reservations" i.e. we're now not promoting it and are trying to draw attention to the problems when people buy it. Briggs' anti-war message is strong and well-executed but using woman-hating imagery and racism to get across his anti-leader message seems to us counter-productive. Acorn Bookshop 17, Chatham Street, reading Tel: 584424 Tues-Sat 10-6 - - - BURGHFIELD A stands for Aldermaston B stands for Burghfield C stands for Contamination, Cancers and Children born Dead Apparently one nuclear weapons factory in the Reading area isn't enough. I read today that AWRE Aldermaston is to manufacture plutonium for the next generation of weapons. Building work has already started, along with discrepancies about the cost. However my concern lies with the existing nuclear weapons factory - Burghfield. I am trying to gather as much information as possible about the activities of ROF Burghfield, and am especially interested in the convoy that travels from there to Coulport in Scotland, transporting warheads to and from the Polaris submarines. There is also strong reason to believe that the marked increase of stillbirths among women in Reading shows a significant connection with the release of radioactive waste from Burghfield. It is essential that the facts be made known so that we can act on the findings. If you can help with any information on any of this (there is a court case involved) and support, please leave messages for me at Acorn Box 238 Brenda Women's Peace Camp, Greenham - - - Urgent READING RAPE CRISIS needs women volunteers for training to work on the line - Phone 55577 or write Box 9, 17 Chatham Street - - - SMALL ADS * Wanted: Pushchair for 3 year old. Any condition, as long as it rolls along. Cheap as possible? Reading 580063 * Wanted: Own room or bedsit or shoe-box required by impoverished 'professional'. £20 p.w, maximum. Will be moving on in Jan/Feb. Please phone Marc (daytime) 794000 ext 240 * Centipede Theatre Company are in desperate need of musical instruments for their project, 'Deafness and the performing arts'. Any percussion instruments - bells, rattles, maraccas, drums, bongos, etc, gratefully accepted, regardless of their condition. A second hand trumpet is also high on their list of needed items. If you have anything to offer us, please ring Reading 664464 during office hours (Bulmershe Resource Centre for the Handicapped). Thanks, Jo McCarey (Centipede Theatre) * Enthusiastic and creative part-time typist wanted for a new theatre in education company based in Reading. £2.23 per hour. Community Programme project so you must have been unemployed and receiving benefit for 6 of last 9 months if under 25, 12 months of last 15 if over 25. Phone Reading 665556 (office hours) - - - Paid Ad FULL MOON FUTONS Hand made Japanese style cotton filled mattresses. Can be rolled up during the day and either stored or used as seating. Ideal for spare rooms, bedsits, or as a space saver. Made locally in a range of colours all cotton. Pine bases which convert into a sofa are also available. - - - Paid Ad Reading's only workers' co-operative UB CYCLES same day bicycle repairs renovations new & second hand bikes spare parts... UB Cycles 67 London Street Reading phone 509089 Open 8.30-6.00 Monday to Saturday 10.00-12 noon Sundays - - - EVENTS October 29 - 11 November Kennet Camera Club: Annual Exhibition also Colliers Berkshire 1905-35 retained till Xmas. Local photographer, good if you can get past the drinkers Exhibition of work by graduates 1974-84. Typography Dept., Early Gate. Mon-Fri 9-5 29 Mon Civic Soc. "New Development in Berkshire" R.S. Stoddart (County Planning Officer) Kennet Rm. Civic Offices 8.00pm 30 Tues An introductory talk about the centre and how you can help. Anne Hillocks. 1pm at Women's Centre, Abbey St. (Women only) British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection: introductory meeting and showing of "Animal Rights" at St. Mary's Centre, Chain Street at 8pm. Meet other local people who're interested & decide what to do. 31 Wed A meeting-place for parents and children (under 5 approx). To become regular. 5-7pm at the Centre for the Job Free. A space to let off steam on long winter evenings. Bring some food to share for children's tea. 40p per family for costs. Ring Mary 597630 for further into. Gardens open at the Old Rectory Burghfield 11-4 costs 40p (ch. 10p) British Friesian Soc. Bull Show - 10am Cattle Market Gt. Knollys St. Create your own ROAR demo? November 1 Thur Council Policy Committee Meeting 5.30pm Civic Offices Quest for Adventure - Chris Bonnington 7.30pm Hexagon all seats £3 Who owns ideology - sociologists or political scientists? K.R. Minogue 4.30pm Faculty of Letters Rm 159 Whiteknights B.F.S.B. sale 11am no comment (see above) 2 Fri 45 shopping days Labour History Group discussion on the Miners &the Law at the Red Lion, Southampton St, 8pm. All welcome. 3 Sat S.W.A.G. charity paper collection. At a skip near you 8.30-12.30pm Fireworks & BBW - Dolphin Sch. Hurst Craft Fair Henley Town Hall 10.30-4 free tel. Marlow 3607 Anarchist Bookfair at the Tonbridge Club, 120 Cromer St, London WC1 - just around the corner from the Socialist Bookfair on the same day. 10am-6pm Fireworks and Procession. Procession starts 6.30pm from Silverdale Rd. shops and Hawkdon Way Sch. Display 7pm. Adm 5p,. Torches £1.50 Fireworks, display 7.30pm, No. 6 Kings Meadow (Round Table) Adm £1.50 / 1.00 (ch) 3-24 Exhibition Ethinc Textiles from Pakistan. At Reading Museum Blagrave St. Mon-Fri 10-5.30 Sat 10-5 Adm. free 4 Sun Vegan Group A.G.M. and film "Vegetarian Worls" 2.45pm Neighbourhood Centre, Lyon Sq. Tilehurst. Vegan food contributions welcome 5 Mon Reading Geological Soc. "Digging up Dragons in Western China" Dr A Chang - Natural History Museum. At 7.30pm Geology Dept. University DIY day of action in support of the mining communities. Ideas or info from Erik, Box 19, 17 Chatham St, Reading 6 Tues Reading Waterways Gp. 6.30 Civic Offices Miners Rally at Oxfor Road Primary School at 7.30. Speakers Des Durfield (S Wales NUM), Kevin Barron (MP), Bill Morris (T & G), Abertillery Women's Group 7 Wed S.H.P. A Victorian Christmas (preparation for Maggie's Farm) - a flower arranging evening presented by Howard Franklin. 7.30pm Adm. £2.25/2.50 Shopping in Reading. Panel discussion by UK Federation of Business and Professional Women. 7.30pm Civic Centre - info 786461 or 54786 The Problems of Looking After our Elderly at Home. Speaker fro mAge Concern. 2 The Old Kiln, Nettlebed, nr Henley 8pm "Nurseries of The Bagshot Sards" Mrs E.J. Wilson Reading Tree Club, University (London Rd) LT2 at 7.30 Adm. free. Bulmershe College Socialist Society are organising a meeting to discuss the Miners' case. Speaker is MP Terry Field 12.30 8 Thur Red Rag Editorial Meeting. Collectively create. Copy Date. Contributions to Acorn Box 79. Co-ordinator details on cover. 9 Fri Red Rag Typing and Headlines 10 Sat Exhibition of Paintings and Pottery. Henley Exhibition Centre, Mkt Pl. 10-5pm daily Adm. free Father Christmas wakes up in Fairy Tale Castle (Butts). Like a seasonal bad trip. Suggestion: pull his beard. Red Rag Production Day. Typewriter titillations and sticky fingers. Phone co-ordinator's no on cover for when where etc Reading Cycle Campaign leisure ride to Paley Street meet 10.30 Caversham Bridge 11 Sun Craft Fair - quote "in fact just the place for that special present." Hexagon and Ramada Adm. 30/20p. Instead join the Cottage Industry Of Red Rag Folding and Distribution. Learn the ancient art of collating pages accurately, creasing (paper, not up), door to door delivery (Hop on your bike as our Norman would sat) etc etc. Reading Cycle Campaign business meeting at UB Cycles at 8pm - - - REGULAR EVENTS Greenham Support Group (Women): meets fortnightly. Nightwatch every Thurs. Contact via Womens Centre, Abbey St. Alcoholics Anonymous: groups meet regularly in Reading (9 meetings a week), Pangbourne, Thatcham, Henley and Bracknell. Day and night info and help line - 597494. Labour History Group: meets monthly at Red Lion, Southampton St. Contact Kathy 590139 or Mike 867789 for details. Vegans: meet 1st Sun of month at 1, Orrin Close, Tilehurst. Contact Liz and Steve Shiner 21651. Amnesty: meets 2nd Thurs of month at St. Mary's Centre, Chain St. Contact Jean 472598. History of Reading Soc.: meets 3rd Tues of month at Abbey Gateway. Cyclists Touring Club: outings Sun 9.15am. from Caversham Bridge or Henley. For details ring Richard on Bracknell 50849. Wednesday is Women's Day: at Centre for Jobfree, East St. Coffee, advice, courses etc. from 10.30am. Silkscreen Workshops: at Community House, 117, Cumberland Rd. Details from Clive 662302. Cruelty-free Toiletries: market stall every Sat behind Tesco. National Council for Civil Liberties: meets 2nd Mon of month at St. Mary's Centre, Chain St. Ring Paul 861582. Reading Recreation Arts Centres: painting for pleasure at Town Hall, Blagrave St. Mon 7-9, Tues 10-12. Details 55911 or 861289. Berks. Anti-Nuclear Campaign: meets 2nd Tues of month at Friends Meeting House. Also neighbourhood groups. P.O. Box 158, Reading or Fhone Gill or Ed 594855. Labour Party Young Socialists: Weds at Fairview Community Centre, bottom of George St. 8pm. Reading Cycle Campaign: meets 2nd Mon of month at UB Cycles, London St. 8pm. Membership enquiries ring Chris Mayers 589178. General enquiries John Nixon 483183 or John Rigby 64667. Reading Birth Centre: meets 3rd Tues of month for food and chat. Ring 61330 for venue. Beading Organisation for Animal Rights (ROAR): 1st Tues of month at The Crown, Crown St. Details from Alan 477790. Men's Group: meets weekly. For dates and venue, contact Box 28, Acorn Bookshop. Miners Support Committee: meets every Thurs 7.30pm at TGWU office, 36, King's Rd. Ring 590311 for details. Photography: sessions every Tues 10-12, 1-3 at Centre for Jobfree, East St. Housing and Welfare Rights: Thurs morn at Community House, 117 Cumberland Rd. 1st Thursday every month from now on. Reading Gay Switchboard: Tues and Fri 8-1Opm. 597269 Mini Market: Thurs 9-1 St. Mary's Hse., Chain St. Women's Centre: open Tues 10-2, Vied 10-2, Sat 11-3. All women and kids welcome. Free Pregnancy testing Tues 7-9. Bring urine sample from 1st. pee of the day. Incest Survivors Group: meets regularly. Write c/o Rape Crisis Line, 17 Chatham St. for details. Anarchists: meet every Mon (starts again Oct) Details via Box 19, Acorn Bookshop. Also Autonomists. Peace Pledge Union: meets monthly. Pacifist group. Contact 588459, 374532 or Box 10 Acorn Books. Ecology Party: meets 1st and 3rd Mon of month at 8 College Rd and 38, Long Barn Lane respectively. Contact Maria 663195. Socialist Workers Party: meets every Wed at Red Lion Southampton St. 8pm. Regular monthly books and records sale at 4 Culver Road (side of College Arms). Last Saturday of month 10-4. Contact 65533. Astrology beginners class. 6 weeks from mid-October. £18. Contact Sue on 669571 for details. Sahaja Yoga regular public meeting every Friday at 7pm at Music Room, 8pm David's Hall, 26 London roda. All welcome. No charge. 01-673-1956. Tai Chi classes beginners & intermediate. Open to all. Tuesday lunchtime for intermediate and Wednesday lunchtime for beginners. Contact Nick 875123 (ex 6221) or Martin 853670. £3 per session plus large reduction for students or UB40s. Open to all Traditional Festival Dance every Wed until 19 December. Friend's Meeting House, 6 Church St, Reading. 7.45-10, 75p. Ring Anna 864665. Dance Fitness at RCU, East St. Wednesdays 10-12 noon. Details 596639. Carpentry: free course at Adult College, Wilson Centre, Wilson Road, Mondays 1-3. Ring 596639. For unwaged. Digging on the Dole at RCU. Free course for unwaged. Ring 596639. Women's Assertiveness Training free at RCU, or unwaged. Fridays 1-3. Creche available. Phone 596639. - - - READING RAPE CRISIS LINE 55577 Why we need Rape Crisis Lines If a woman or child is raped or sexually assaulted, there is very little help around. Some women can't tell anyone what has happened. Those who do talk to someone may face anger, blame and hostility from those closest to them. Rape can completely change a woman's life, and many women suffer in silence. What raped or assaulted women need is to be able to talk to someone if they want to - someone who understands what rape is all about, someone who is sympathetic, and especially, someone who will listen and who will not judge feelings or actions. What is rape? It is a sexual act of violence against women ... The Sexual Offences (Amdt) Act 1976, says that a man commits rape if his penis penetrates the labia (the outer lips) - full penetration and ejaculation need not take place - when a woman has not agreed to intercourse and the man knows it. It is likely that the woman will know her attacker or that he will live in her area and that he will have planned the rape. Often the rape occurs in his or her home and it usually involves force. It can involve * intimidation with threats or weapons * beating, choking, knifing * urination, defaecation or spitting on the victim * forced oral sex * multiple rape by one or more assailants * injury to genitals, eg bottles, sticks pushed up vagina Rape is not just an act committed by a sex starved maniac on a pretty young woman in a dark alley. Woman and girls of all ages, races and backgrounds have been raped. Rape is not an enjoyable experience for women as the media might lead you to believe. Who we are We are not part of the police force, of a political organisation or of local government. Our funds are donated by many groups and individuals. Reading Rape Crisis Line is run by volunteer women of different ages and backgrounds - our only concern is to support the women who contact us. What we do Reading Rape Crisis Line will talk to any woman or girl who has been raped or sexually assaulted. It doesn't matter how long ago the attack took place - 10 minutes or 10 years. Our phone line is open Sunday 7.30-10.30pm. An ansafone will take your calls at other times. The number is (0734) 55577 Our service is free and completely confidential. We will only contact you by phone or letter if you ask us to. How we can help Phone us * if it is an emergency - if you have been raped or sexually assaulted and need immediate help * if you were raped months or years ago and you still get upset by or worry about it * if you are being, or have been, sexually abused in any way by your father stepfather, brother, uncle or other trusted adult, you can talk to us about the special problems involved with incest * if, after rape, you need information about pregnancy tests, abortion and VD * if you need to know more about what happens at the police station, in court or at a medical examination The decision whether or not to report an attack to the police is a woman's own. Whatever her decision, Reading Rape Crisis Line will support her and go with her to the police station and court if that is what she wants. If you have been raped or sexually assaulted Women have many different reactions to rape. The important thing is to trust your feelings and to talk to someone about it. We are here to help Reading (0734) 55577 Whether or not you report to the police 1 Talk to someone about what has happened - you need a friend at this time. 2 See a doctor to check for: pregnancy VD possible injuries If you decide to report to the police 1 Do it as soon as possible - delay may go against your case. 2 Tell someone what has happened as soon as you feel able - someone who has seen you after the attack will be a useful witness 3 Do not wash, tidy yourself, or change your clothing - you may destroy valuable medical evidence. 4 Do not take any alcohol or drugs 5 Call a friend, solicitor and/or call us at Reading Rape Crisis Line so that you can have someone with you during police procedures. 6 Take a change of warm clothing to the police station - the police might want to keep some or all of your clothes for tests and evidence. 7 Try writing down what happened before you go to the police station. Important things to remember are: in what order things happened, what was said, and what your attacker looked like. Police procedure You will have to stay at the police station for several hours so that they can follow the procedure below: * You can ask to have a woman police officer deal with your case * You will be asked to make a written statement about what has happened. A police officer will usually write it down, but you can write it yourself if you wish. You can ask to have a copy of the statement to take home. Because you will probably be the only witness, your statement will be very important evidence and the police will want it to be very accurate and detailed. Taking the statement can take several hours. * You will be asked intimate and often embarrassing questions by the police. You need not talk to any officer other than the one in charge of your case. * You will have to have a medical examination (internal and external) carried out by a police surgeon to collect medical evidence of rape or sexual assault. Any physical evidence of your attack will be photographed. You can ask to have a GP of your own choice present (you may have to pay for this). * You may be asked to look at pictures of men (mug shots), go with the police back to the place of attack, or identify your assailant(s). * You can ask that your name not be read out in court. * If you feel that you are not being well treated, ask to see the officer on duty. Make a written complaint immediately. Make sure you know the offending officer's name and number. * If you do not know your attacker, and he is not caught immediately, the police may ask for information from the public through the press. Your name will not be used but the police cannot promise that your friends, family or neighbours will not recognise your description of what occurred or the description of you. * The police may wish to see you again. If you do not wish them to come to your home, ask them to phone you or write a letter to arrange a meeting at the police station or elsewhere. * Once you have told them all you know, it is up to the police to find the attacker and decide whether to arrest and charge him. If he is charged, you will have to appear in court at least once to give evidence unless he pleads guilty. How you can help You can help by 1 Becoming a member of the Rape Crisis Line. We always need sympathetic women who can spare one evening a week for training and meetings and who are willing to work on the line from time to time. We hope to be able to extend our hours of opening. Please write to our Box no. if you're interested. 2 Joining the Rape Crisis Support Group and helping with admin, fundraising and the search for permanent premises. 3 Spread the word! Talk about us to your friends. Put up our posters at your place of work, community centre, welfare clinic etc. Ask the publican at your 'local' to put our stickers in the ladies' toilet. Buy and wear one of our badges. And don't throw this pamphlet away! Pin it on the wall next to your telephone, tuck it into your telephone directory, or carry it with you in your handbag or purse. Reading Rape Crisis Line (0734) 55577 Sunday 7.30-10.30pm Box 9, 17 Chatham Street, Reading - - - $Id: //info.ravenbrook.com/user/ndl/readings-only-newspaper/issue/1984/1984-10-28.txt#3 $