The 135th Durham Miners’ Gala was held on Saturday 13th July. For the first time Bearpark and Esh Colliery Band and the Esh Winning Colliery banner led the UCU march. Bearpark and Esh are the nearest colliery band to Durham University and have a number of university staff and students as band members.
UCU Northumbria University rep Joe Street with Emma Alexander and Jon Bryan from the UCU Regional Office
Bearpark and Esh Colliery band with UCU Durham University rep Tim Packer (centre)
UCU Sheffield University rep Mark Pendleton with an international research network of coal mining historians from the UK and Japan, with flags for the Japan Association for the Study of Former Coalfields.
UCU Regional Secretary Emma-Jane Phillips (Northumbria University) with Lillith!
UCU Regional Vice Chair Richard Bathgate, Regional Secretary Emma-Jane Phillips, Regional Support Official Joyce McAndrew
UCU member Sam Evans
UCU Regional Office’s Jon Bryan and Emma Alexander carrying the UCU banner
UCU Durham University rep Lewis Mackenzie with the branch banner
UCU President Douglas Chalmers
UCU General Secretary Jo Grady with the UCU University of Sheffield banner and reps including Mark Pendleton (L-R)
UCU University of Edinburgh reps with their banner and UCU General Secretary Jo Grady
UCU President Douglas Chalmers
UCU Honorary Treasurer Steve Sangwine (University of Essex) (L)
UCU General Secretary Jo Grady, National Pensions Official Christine Haswell, Vice President from the higher education sector Vicky Blake, Regional Administrator Emma Alexander
UCU General Secretary Jo Grady with HE Vice President Vicky Blake
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UCU Northumbria University reps Joe Street and Emma-Jane Phillips, with Regional Vice Chair Richard Bathgate (Gateshead College)
UCU General Secretary Jo Grady, UCU Regional Administrator Emma Alexander and UCU Durham University rep Tim packer. Tim is a member of the Bearpark & Esh Colliery band which led our march.
Bearpark & Esh Colliery Band playing their “party piece” outside the County Hotel
UCU rep Brian Hamilton (The Manchester College Prison Education). behind UCU Durham University members including Sara Uckelman
Jeremy Corbyn
Speakers included:
- Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party
- Dave Prentis, UNISON General Secretary
- Rebecca Long Bailey MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Business, energy & Industrial Strategy
- Laura Pidcock MP, Shadow Minister for Labour
- Len McCluskey, Unite General Secretary
- Shami Chakrabarti, Shadow Attorney General
- Dave Ward, The Communications Union General Secretary
- Kevin Courtney NEU General Secretary
- Doug Nicholls, General Secretary of the General Federation of Trade Unions
UCU staff at the end of the day. Jon Bryan, Emma Alexander and Joyce McAndrew (Northern Regional Office) with Dave O’Toole (South West Regional Office)
