Pilgrims on walk from Iona to London to protest against Trident

Pilgrims outside Durham Cathedral

A group of pilgrims have now walked more than 400 miles to present a declaration to Parliament calling on the UK Government to abandon the renewal of the £100 billion Trident Nuclear Missile System. They are calling for education, the NHS and other hard-pressed public services to be prioritised.

Even though they are still four weeks (and over 350 miles) from London, the walkers have already attracted a lot of media attention with two appearances on BBC Radio, a mention in the Guardian and wide local media coverage in their wake. The walk featured on ‘Thought for the Day’ on BBC Radio Scotland. The pilgrimage has also been referred to in recent discussions among labour politicians about replacing Trident, in the light of austerity cuts.

“This epic and timely journey will surely add to the pressure for a serious national debate about Trident renewal,” says walk supporter Fenwick Kirton-Darling.“And rightly so, while our politicians seem to feel that it is a vote loser our random sample of opinions suggests the public have a more intelligent view.”

The 19 May launch in the cloisters of Iona Abbey coincided with celebrations on the island to mark the 1,450th anniversary St Columba’s arrival from Ireland. During the first week the walk was mirrored by a peace boat which set out from Oban. It passed through the Crinan Canal alongside the walkers and met up with them again at Dunoon and Faslane. After a stay at Faslane Peace Camp the pilgrims went on to civic receptions in Glasgow and Edinburgh. They also visited the Scottish Parliament before crossing the border. In England they have visited a series of abbeys- Lindisfarne, Hexham, Newcastle and Durham-where their declaration has been accepted and support expressed. The Pilgrimage will conclude with a final gathering in central London on Saturday 20 July.

The model for the Peace and Justice Pilgrimage was the UK Olympic Torch relay. Walkers cover 10-15 miles a day, with a rest day once a week. Three pilgrims will walk the entire 750-mile route. They are joined by others for a few hours, a few days or a few weeks. Accommodation and hospitality is provided by supporters along the way. Of the ten original walkers several are still with the walk, while others will be re-joining nearer London.

For more information see: www.justpeacepilgrimage.com