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During August our 3 giant containers arrived in Havana. Together with the surplus aid that had to be flown out we sent something like 45 tons of goods valued at about £250,000.
Nearly 90% of the aid was medical and educational supplies. On the medical side this included massive donations of equipment raised by UNISON activists in Wales and Newcastle as part of their twinning with the Cuban health workers union in Guantanamo and Santiago respectively. Alongside 60 hospital beds and many wheelchairs we sent much specialist equipment including an eye laser and a gammascope. There was also a large consignment of specialist aids for children with walking difficulties, from the Bruderhof community. Other large medical donations came from the Republic of Ireland and hospitals/health centres in Barnsley, Birmingham, London, Sheffield and Southampton
In contrast the educational aid: paper, pencils, specialist books and about 400 boxes of computer equipment; came in many small donations. This had been collected from over 30 cities in England, Scotland and Wales. Most will go for central distribution either by the Cuban Ministry of Education or via the network of computer clubs for young people.
The other sizeable donation came once again from the NUM in Yorkshire who sent soap, towels and other goods to fellow Cuban miners. Many other unions played an important part, alongside CSC local groups, in raising the £16,000 the campaign needed to transport the aid and pay all the campaign costs. In the forefront was the FBU who raised £850 at a social at their union conference.
With 3 highly successful container appeals under its belt the CSC is committed to another one next year. However we're taking a little time to reflect and ask ourselves some questions which include:-
CSC local groups will have received a short discussion document inviting them to comment. But as an individual member, if you've got any thoughts on any of the above questions or any other issues about developing the Container Appeal, send those thoughts to:-
John Waller - CSC Container Appeal Co-ordinator, 8 Backfields, Sheffield, S1
preferably before November 1st.