red rag 12 - 25 march fortnightly... 20p Red Rag Box 79 17, Chatham St Reading Next Coordinator Clive & Mark 666354 Copy deadline Sat 21st March 6pm Typed copy to 8cm width & single spaced Advertising Rates: Small ads are free, 10x6cm for £3, 10x12cm for £6, 4 ads in consecutive issues are £2:50 / £5. For information contact Simon 666354. Published by the Red Rag Collective Printed by Acorn 17, Chatham St, Rdg Red Rag Subscriptions Send £4 for 6 months supply of Red Rag. Cheques payable to "Red Rag". - - - INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY March 8th Opening New Women's Information Centre The day The weather isn't very nice is it? Nasty grey sky and cold wind. Last of a late snowfall lying damp and dirty in the gutters. But inside women with the sun shining out of them and bright balloons and streamers. Tea and cakes, a women's tea party. The bell of our shiny new door rings and rings. Women, all ages, shapes sizes and colours, all beautiful. I hug and kiss, am hugged and kissed. I love the sight and sound and touch of women. This woman brings a card and flowers. That one green growing things and we all bring our women's spirit to turn this house into a women's place. Look! as if out collective warmth has cheered the frowning sky the sun starts in. The cellar is not dark and grim, it is colour and women's work, The web of all things women weave. If it is like a warm womb are you surprised? Can you believe it? More than hundred and thirty women came here today and many children. Upstairs the well woman display stuns us, so much effort. Aware and string we are will be the stringer for this. Who cares about women and what happens to them? We do. Even the dark difficult things in the lives of women are less today when we are together feeling strong and powerful. We can change things re-shape them utterly to fit us. Too long we have been pushed into shapes that deform to make us fit. Women's music plays but women's music is all around us today. Hear it in their voices, see it in their eyes. Woman-song is everywhere, will you hear it? The evening Tired now, just a few women in the warm upper room. The last of the cake and wine. Darkness shut outside where it belongs. Lazy talk, gentle laughter, leaning against each other flushed with wine and the success of the day. Our talk drifts around the lives of women, each woman with her unique view. Wise woman, wise women no accident that these words fit so well. Will the women's information centre become WIC - WICCA, ancient and wise? The new day is born as I leave, today was the first fruit of so much labour. The history / herstory of that labour is now preserved, can be read letter by patient letter. Determination, stamina between sheets of plastic. An archive already, the future is for the birth of dreams. Sue S. - - - April 1986 -- US bombs Libya from British bases APRIL 1987 -- DEMONSTRATIONS AT UPPER HEYFORD We, like so many other people, were shocked by the bombing of Libya last April. This appalling act must not be forgotten. We, with the support of National CND, Southern-Region CND and local groups in the area, are organising demonstrations to mark the anniversary of the bombing: - to protest against the U.S. bombing of Libya and Britain's role as an instrument of U.S. military power. - to oppose the increasing domination of this country by the U.S. (both military and economic) - to show solidarity with the victims of U.S. policy throughout the world Please join us Sat. April 11 9.00am. March from USAF Upper Heyford to Cutteslowe Park, Oxford, arriving about 1pm. 2.00pm. March from Cutteslowe Park to Oxpens Field (in the centre of Oxford). 4.00pm. Rally in Oxpens Field. Oxford City Council has approved those plans. We definitely have Cutteslowe Park; we await final confirmation on Oxpens, but do not anticipate any problems. Tues. April 14 & Wed. April 15 6.00pm Tues. onwards: Vigil at main gate, USAF Upper Heyford, accompanied by Direct Action on Wed. The USAF will be asked to suspend flying for the duration of the vigil. The Direct Action will be organised through the Peace Camp. April 11 Info & Transport details: Rob, Reading 67824. April 14/15: Local discussion, & planning meeting: Sue, Reading 660374. All other info: "April Event", c/o 34, Cowley Road, Oxford 0X4 1HZ. Donations, affiliations and help with organisation very welcome. Campaign for Independence from America - Join the CIA! - - - Dear Red Rag, To my knowledge, the Red Rag box number at Chatham Street isn't available to individuals to run projects through. It's just for the Rag itself. Am I right? Therefore the person offering a service through that box number in the last issue had got the wrong end of it and would have to do their thing through a different number or address. The myths that Red Rag runs everything or that Acorn runs Red Rag or that Box 79 is anything other than a box need no encouragement, kiddies! liz. - - - INFORMATION WORKER VACANCY The Information Centre at No 5 is looking for an Assistant Information Worker to start from the end of March. The post is part-time (28 hours a week) for one year, funded under the Community Programme. The work includes offering an advice and information service to No 5's clients, mostly aged between 16-25. Most of the work is in the areas of housing, homelessness, money and welfare benefits. Some experience of these areas would be useful, whether personal or from a work point of view. Most important, though, is an understanding of, and a sympathetic approach to the needs of young people. Community Programme eligibility conditions apply. For more details contact Barry or Phoebe on Reading 585858 or at 2/4 Sackville Street, Reading. - - - STOP THE FLYING at U.S.A.F Upper Heyford (April 14 & 15) US bombs Libya - April 1986. In the early hours of the 15th April 1986 two EF1-11 radar jamming planes from the USAF base at Upper Heyford, Oxfordshire took part in the bombing of two Libyan cities in which many people were massacred. This attack was the result of the US governments efforts since 1981 to assassinate the Libyan leader - who they claim to be responsible for many acts of 'terrorism' throughout the world. The hypocrisy of this is highlighted by the fact that the US government pours millions of dollars into organising murderous regimes and right wing terror groups in Central America. Vigil and Action - April 1987. On the 15th April 1987 we will be marking the anniversary of this atrocity, here at Upper Heyford. by calling on the base commander to 'Stop The Flying' and ground all planes for the day. A vigil will be held outside the main gate of the base from 6pm Tuesday 14th April till 12 noon Wednesday 15th April. During the course of the vigil there will also be a Non-violent Direct Action. (NVDA has many forms eg trespassing, fence cutting etc. This can involve risking arrest.) It would be helpful if people interested in taking part in NVDA could contact the peace camp for more information. National March and Rally - Saturday April 11th. On the Saturday before the vigil there will be a national march from USAF Upper Heyford ending with a rally in Oxford, also to mark the anniversary of the bombing of Libya. Anyone wishing to attend the march/rally on the Saturday and stay over at the peace camp for the vigil/NVDA events on the Tuesday and Wednesday will be very welcome. How To Get Here. There is a regular bus service from Oxford's Gloucester Green bus station to Upper Heyford (Bus number 125 from Oxford to Bicester.) Or you can take the Oxford to Banbury train and get off at Heyford station, l 1/2 miles from the peace camp. There is plenty of space at the peace camp for tents and there is limited space in benders and caravans for those without tents. One bender is the wimmin's space for wimmin only - Can men please leave the area around the bender for wimmin's tents please. If you are thinking about bringing kids can you let us know so we can organise a kids area/creche. It is very important that this event is well attended to reiterate the disgust that a great many people felt when the news broke of the bombing and to show that the people who were murdered by the US military will not be forgotten. You can write to us at: Upper Heyford Peace Camp, Portway, Camp Rd, Upper Heyford, Oxon. Or phone: Steeple Aston 40321 - - - (paid ad) The Conspiracy Present: LEON ROSSELSON & Where's The Pleasure? Tues 24 March After Dark at The Paradise Club 112, London Street, Reading, Berkshire 9pm - 12.30 All monies to: Campaign Against Benefit Cuts Admission: £3 / £2 (UB40) - - - (paid ad) The Conspiracy Present AN ANIMAL RIGHTS BENEFIT T.V. Smith (Ex Adverts) ...Plus... The Mudcats... live at ...The Paradise Club ...112, London Street ...£2:50/£2 (unwaged)... - - - EVENTS Thur 12th March * Borough council planning meeting 2.30pm civic offices, open to public. Sun 15th March * Peace Pledge Union are organising a visit to Upper Heyford peace camp. For details of the trip tel: Chris 3l (Pangbourne) 5275. Mon 16th March PnD housing coop meeting Tel: Cliff 665332. Tue 17th March * Reading Birth Centre: Vegetarian lunch for women, "bring some food to share" For time and place tel: Viv on 413840. * Council equal opportunities committee meeting 5.30pm civic offices. Wed 18th March * Berkshire Antinuclear Campaign planning meeting 8pm Friends Meeting House, Church St. * Reading Birth Centre: Yoga for pregnancy with massage and meditation. Every Wednesday 10am, Abbey Room, Central Library. Book in advance for creche tel: Jean 3l (Pangbourne) 3117 * Hedge planting at Bulmershe college with C.R.O.".(Conserve Reading On Wednesdays) new helpers welcome, meet at Reading station 10am. tel: Pete on 54798. * Community publications workshops organising meeting tel 665332. For those in the know? Thur 19th March * Meeting for everyone into forming affinity groups for Direct Action in April at Upper Heyford. Tel: Sue 660374 * Council leisure committee meeting at civic offices 6.50pm. Wed 25th March * Lesbian & Gay disco at Sloppy Joe's (opposite railway station) in aid of local helplines. Details from Reading Lesbian and Gay Helpline 597269 Tue & Fri 8-10pm. * Hedge planting at California Country Park with C.R.O.W. (see March 18) Sat 30th March * PnD housing coop mtg tel: 665332 Wed 1st April * Red Rag Collective Meeting & Social - your chance to get involved in Reading's only newspaper!! Not an April Fools trick, new faces welcome, for details tel: 665332. Sat 4th April * Illegal March! against police repression/public order laws, assemble 1pm Malet St London. Sat 1lth April * Demonstration at Upper Heyford to protest against USAF military base on anniversary of the bombing of Libya. Starts Upper Heyford 9am goes to Cutteslowe Park Oxford. Then leaves Cutteslowe Park 2pm for rally in Oxpen Field centre of Oxford. For transport from Reading tel: 67824. Wed 15th April * Vigil main gate Upper Heyford with direct action. Erik Please send your Events to Red Rag, c/o Acorn, 17 Chatham St, Reading. - - - R.C.U. COURSES If you are unwaged, why not try a course at RCU. This is what's on offer at the moment: Mondays Sign-language l-3pm, tutor Evelyn Carter. This course is intended for beginners and those who would like to refresh their sign-language skills. Graphic Design 2-4pm, tutor June Whyles. How to design posters, leaflets etc. Tuesdays Self-employment l-3pm, tutor Malcolm O'Grady. How to prepare a business plan, book-keeping etc. Wednesdays Fabric Crafts ll-3pm, tutor Julie Williams. Learn how to sew, spin, dye and print on fabrics. Thursday Introduction to Business Studies for Women 10-12pm, tutor Jeanie Balch. Everything to do with setting up a small business. Confidence Building for Women 12.30-2.30, tutor Penny Henrion. Introduction to assertiveness training. Friday Video-production 2-4pm, tutor Clive Robertson. Basic exercises in using video equipment, working indoors and outdoors. All courses are free to the unwaged, there are vacancies on all courses, people interested should just turn up on the day, or contact Ron or Julie on Reading 596639. Julie Toyne RCU Education Worker - - - (paid ad) FULL MOON FUTONS We make Japanese style mattresses (single, double, king size, cot size), cushions, pillows, yoga/massage/Shiatsu mats, to individual orders. All 100% cotton, range of colours. Pine bases. Deliveries arranged. Competitive prices. Send sae for leaflet and swatches to: 20 Bulmershe Road, Reading RG1 5RJ. Reading (0734) 65648. - - - MATERNITY EMERGENCY Next month, the DHSS brings in its new death & maternity benefits, which will hit most claimants hard and leave them worse off than even under the current rules. Most existing relevant benefits will be "reformed" as the latest part of the 1986 Social Security Act comes into force. A spokeswoman for Reading DHSS claimed that there were no info leaflets about the changes in the Market Place office. And even if there were, she added, they would not be available until 6th April, when the new rules take effect. This is no help at all to someone who wants to know their rights now. It is typical of the way the 86 Act, and the Fowler Review that preceded it, have been presented - that there's no indication of how much people will get under the new rates. However, it is possible to outline the new system: * New Social Fund grants for funeral costs and baby things will leave most claimants worse off, and are, at that, fairer than the rest of the Social Fund benefits, which will come in in April 1988; * Mothers with babies due before 17 May will be able to apply for existing single payments, if they do so before 3 April. * £25 maternity grant to be abolished on 6th April; £30 death grant to go the day before. They will be replaced by the Social Fund payments outlined above. * No benefit for mothers under 16. * Maternity Pay and Maternity Allowance are to be replaced by Statutory Maternity Pay, and State Maternity Allowance, for babies due on/after 21st June. (Up til then, the current benefits apply). The DHSS do have information about Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) for the employers who are to pay it! Whose side are they on, one might just ask... To get her 18 weeks SMP a woman has to have been working for her employer for 26 weeks by the time she is 15 weeks from the expected date of the birth. She has to have paid National Insurance for the last 8 of those 26 weeks. State Maternity Allowance is for women who can't get SMP, eg because they haven't "a job". To get the Allowance you have to have paid National Insurance (ie Worked) in the 52 weeks leading up to the 15th week before the baby is due. So if you haven't paid enough in at the right time, you lose out. Women's SMP is paid by their bosses, a similar arrangement to Statutory Sick Pay - a real disaster in practice. Women could easily lose out if their employers don't understand the scheme or don't feel like telling them. Losers could outnumber gainers by 94,000 to 20,000 (Social Security Consortium estimate). If the whole arrogant tone of these so-called reforms makes you angry, you may be interested in a national rally in defence of all maternity benefits and rights, on April 6th at Central Hall, Westminster SW1. For details contact the coordinators, Maternity Emergency, c/o Maternity Alliance, 59-61 Camden High St, London NW1 7JL, phone 01-388 6337. For more advice Maternity Alliance produce a free guide to the new benefits. In Reading, the Welfare Rights Team at the East St Unemployed Centre (596639) are very good, and there are supposed to be Women's Welfare Rights sessions at the new Women's Centre (6 Silver St) when it opens. Go safe!! Billy Whizz. - - - SMALL ADS Woman, child age 6, and man are seeking a single parent with a child between 3 and 9 years old, to share their large house in central Reading. We want to share child care, cooking, gardening etc. Cost approx £30 a week plus share of bills but this is negotiable, Phone 86t7101 after 5.30pm or at weekends. Accommodation wanted in child-positive shared household. At present on housing benefit, but I don't want to pay so high a rent that I can't afford to get a job. Contact Cliff, on 665332. Ma Rainey or similar blues-inspired vocalist (or singer-musician) sought by seasoned guitarist with a view to gigging locally. Excursions into country, folk and jazz anticipated. Contact Greg Hayston, telephone Reading 580137. - - - (paid ad) GRAPHIC ARTIST Black and white line drawings, illustrations, cartoons and caricatures of your choice, for your business, organisation or home. Commissions to order: any subject, any size, any quantity. Phone John Liepins 50481. - - - INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY Womens Information Centre What's Available * Refreshments and sitting room. Feel free to come in any time the Centre is open and use it as you like. Tea and coffee are available and accompanied children are very welcome - there are plenty of toys and books. * Information. The information room has literature on a wide spectrum of women's issues, including health, your rights, contacts for groups and organisations, information about local and national events and activities, plus a range of books and magazines. If there's something you want to find out about - we might be able to help! Just drop in, or ring up whenever the Centre is open, and the volunteer staff will help you find the information you want. * A small lending library of books of interest to women is being set up. * On the spot pregnancy testing. * Welfare Rights advice - a Welfare Rights worker is available to help you with all aspects of state benefits every Tuesday, l-3pm. * A representative of SAHARA Asian Women's Group is available for information and advice every Thursday afternoon, 2pm-4pm. All the above services are free, and there is no need to make appointments. Single Mothers' Support Group There's going to be a Single Mothers' Support Group to be held weekly at the Women's Information Centre, where women and children can get together at teatime to share food and meet and relax together. For further information contact Maureen at the centre. Lots of volunteers are needed to help run the centre, pop in and look at the rota. Reading Women's Centre Collective gratefully acknowledges the help it has received from Reading Borough Council. Reading Rape Crisis can be contacted through the Women's Information Centre. However, women wishing to make use of the telephone counselling service should continue to ring:- Reading Rape Crisis Line on 55577, Wednesday evenings and Sundays, 7.30-10pm. An answer phone is-available at all times. Well-Woman Association The Well-Woman Association for West Berkshire (WWAWB) is a voluntary organisation which aims to provide a Well-Woman service for the area. WWAWB has a room of its own in the Women's Information Centre which serves as its office base. WWAWB is responsible for the women's health side of the information resource at the Centre, and volunteers are often available to talk to visitors about the work of their organisation and health issues generally. WWAWB also organises talks, workshops and events covering various aspects of women's health, and promotes the formation of self-help health groups. Well-Woman sessions are run by WWAWB twice a week from the clinic in Queen's Rd, where women can come for information and support. Hopefully, a doctor and nurse will also be available for consultation soon. The Association always needs more volunteers to staff both its premises, and all its meetings are open to all women. For more information' contact: 6, Silver St, telephone: 311940 or Queen's Rd Clinic which is open Weds 9.30am-12.30pm & Thurs 6.30pm-9.30pm. Telephone: 503157 W.I.C. also provides office and meeting for women's groups. Give us a ring to find out details. W.I.C. is run by a team of volunteers and is co-ordinated by Reading Women's Centre Collective. The Collective meets every Tuesday at 6.30pm as well as on the first day of every month at 8.00pm, for those who cannot attend the weekly meetings. All the meetings are open to any woman interested in the work of the Centre. Please feel free to come along. We are also always happy to receive offers of help. If you'd like to volunteer some of your time to help staff the Centre, or help out in any way, please let us know! - - - LIVE AND DIRECT Well hello again everybody and a happy March to you all. As the snow falls gently outside my window, let us cast a glance over the entertainments on offer in fair Readinq for the rest of the month... Thursday 12: * Cap & Gown - Pressgang Club with The Tennessee Three (Mighty Ballistics by another name) £1 before 9.30 / £1:50 after. The venue with the smallest PA in Reading so electronix house will be disappointed. * SHP - The Subway - local bands 8-11; £1:50 or 75p for the unwaged. Friday 13: * Cap & Gown - The Raildogs. £2 entry. * After Dark At The Paradise Club - Pressgang (nouveau folk) and Hook Line & Silverfish (danceable pop) £1:50 before 10.30. The new look Paradise has very fine potplants. Saturday 14: * Cap & Gown - Out of the Blue. £2.Whooooooo??? * Christchurch Rd - Reading Bach Choir concert at Christ Church 7.30: Bach, Maxwell Davies and Schutz are on the bill. * University Great Hall, London Rd - Univ Choral Orchestral Soc's concert. Tel 55771 * Basingstoke - Caribbean Association, Priestley Rd. Joint Promotions (runners-up in the name of the month contest) present My Bloody Valentine and Earthlore. £3 with UB40 discount. Sunday 15: * Happy 1st weeks birthday to the new Womens Centre, 6 Silver Street. * Hex - The delights of Wokingham Choral Soc. * Radio 210 - Off The Wall with Jonothan Richards, 7-8pm. Local bands & gig revs. Monday 16: * After Dark at the Paradise Club - The After Dark All Stars - 4 regulars and an open invitation to jam! Jazz/funk, latin, & other dance musics. Sounds a bit different.. Along with The Beat Back Band (big band soul) Tuesday 17: * Well, there's so many good things on, I don't know where to start... * HEX - The Syd Lawrence Orchestra & Singers. Grrrrrooooooooooooooooo. * University - Ents Easter Ball. Not another aged bloated corpse from the heady days of glam rock??? * Turks Head - jazz; gets crowded so take an oxygen bottle. * Majestic - DangadangadangaKerranngggg; yep it's Evvymettal nite at the Domestic and on the bill are Vow Wow (Japanese heavy metal) & Excalibre (or Excalibur). £3:50 adv from Listen or £4 on the door. * Cartoons - Juliets Eyes. 8pm free. * SHP - jazz - The Ian Hmaer Quartet. Sorry, Quintet. Dick Morrissey on tenor and Spike Wells on drums. £2:75/ £l:75 UB40. * Cap & Gown - Turks Bottom folk club. Wednesday l8: * Cartoons - Winners of this issue's name contest: The Walter Swinburn Story (who have been compared favourably with REM) play at Cartoons, 8pm, and free. Nice to have a free venue, innit? * Hex - Wednesday Night is Music Night with the Reading Symphony Orchestra and the Aldershot Brass Band. Sponsored by Telecom. Is this what they use my bill for? Thursday 19: * Cap & Gown - Pressgang Club with The Onan Bros. £1 before 9.30pm, £1:50 after. * SHP - local bands 8-11pm in the Subway Club. Friday 20: * After Dark at the Paradise Club - Roots and Creation inna Hungerford style with 6 bands for the price of one. Milisurp RDF (Military Surplus) (Radical Dance Faction), Chocolate Teapot: The Revelationaries (dub); Cosmic Cupboard (I kid you not); Touch The Earth; Mel Calhoolie & the Carrot Machine(...) All from the Kaya Collective in Hungerford. £2 before 10pm, £3 after, doors open 8pm, for an 8.30 start. * Cap & Gown - Beyond The River. £2. * Abbey Gateway, The Forbury - a talk on Gt. Eastern Railway Architecture at 7.30. Saturday 21: * Bloody 'ell - copy deadline for the next Red Rag. All copy to box 79, Acorn, please. * Cap & Gown - HookLine & Silverfish, £2. * Basingstoke - Caribbean Club, Priestley Rd - Joint Promotions present The Krewmen (very good rockabilly blues) and the utterly horrendous Coffin Nails; stroll on... * Hello Sofia! * Late News Flash ie an excuse for adding something I forgot before... The Larkins are playing at the Cap & Gown toooooooooooooooo. Sunday 22: * Radio 210... closer to you etc. Off The Wall at 7 features local bands, demo tapes etc. Monday 23: * After Dark at the Paradise Club - The After Dark All Stars again (they play every Monday) but with The Barbel Brothers as the main band. They play sort of latin dance music, (ad lib). Tuesday 24 : Paradise / After Dark etc etc - Tie Conspiracy present Leon Rosselson (anarchofolkie, lots of red and black beans, dead sharp with it) and Where's The Pleasure (who recently supported The Poison Girls here, under the name of You And I - excellent!) £2 UB40 / £3 rich people. A benefit for the Reading Campaign Against Benefit Cuts. Sorry about the typnining. * Majestic - XMal Deutschland and All About Eve £3:50 advance (Listen Records & venue) or £4 on the gate. * Cap & Gown - Turks Bottom folk club. Get thee to the After Dark. * Cartoons - Crosstown Traffic (jazz/funk) 8pm free. * Turks Head - jazz and sloane students. * SHP - Pete Allens Cellar Bar 5 play trad jazz in... the Cellar Bar! Wednesday 25: * Nino's, Duke Street - a new gig venue. Well, in amongst the cool dudes you'll find La Tariffe and International Rescue, who are a garage r'n'b experience. * Cartoons - Sometimes Sartre - 8pm and free. * Hex - Richard Digance In Conversation. Thursday 26: * Cap & Gown Pressgang Club, £1 before 9pm. * SHP - local bands night 8 - 11pm, £1:50/75p UB40s. Friday 27: * Is There Anybody Out There??? a wacky hypnotist gives a demonstration and lecture. * Park United Reform Church, Wokingham Rd: a talk on "The 18th Century Apprentice & The Family". 7.00 for 7.45pm! * After Dark at the Paradise - The Gathering & support. £1:50 before 10pm / £2:50 after. * Cap & Gown - Clock Tower. £2. Never heard of then but don't let my ignorance stop you. Saturday 28: * Hex - Wowwwww, it's The Hollies! The Hollies, you know... they did that one, um, oh you know it, you used to have it. Oh, that was mine was it? 0h. * Cap & Gown - Cracking The Pain. £2 * Basingstoke - another Joint Promotion. Sunday 29: * If all there is on is Off The wall on 210 then I'm not getting up on Sundays any more. Monday 30: Hex - The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader, the sequel to The Lion The Witch & The Wardrobe. Starring the legendary Eustace Clarence Scrubb (til 4th April). At 10.30am, 2pm and 7pm. * After Dark at the Paradise Club - The After Dark All Stars in their Monday dance residency, with a guest local band too. Tuesday 31: * Cartoons - the gathering, 8pm, free. * SHP - jazz with Human Chain: Django Bates on keyboards and tenor horn, and Steve Arguelles on percussion. £2:75/£1:75 UB40 Coming Soon... * 1 April: The Barbel Brothers at Cartoons. * 3 April - The Magic Mushroom Band, (ommm), & Van Gogh's Ear & support. Paradise Club. * 15 April: The Mushroom Band again, this time supporting the Pink Fairies (old hippy nite) at The Majestic. Cos-mic. * and... 1 April: TV Smith (from The Adverts - remember Gary Gilmore's Eyes??) and The wonderful Mudcats (garage blues and rockabilly). At The Paradise Club. A Conspiracy evening. (Some late additions) 11 March * 0ld Town Hall - "Red" Ken Livingstone leads a Labour Party Jobs Not Brains Meeting with contributions from the Party's 2 election hopefuls, Martin Salter and Mike Orton. 7.30 start. Bring a pillow. 15 March * Univ - (oops) - Labour Party Young Socialists fundraising do, 2pm-llpm, with The Neurotics (Labour voters?), Mighty Ballistics, (dub mixtures), Namoza (fast and funky), City Limits(....), Pressgang (new folk in old bottles), and Sometimes Sartre. Looks like a doozie of a time, comrades. 18 March * Ninos, Duke Street - Robbed In Rome & Airdance * Majestic - Parisian Living and the Mudcats (good garage garbage blues) £2:50 20 March * 0oo Noo, not a single designer outfit to be seen etc etc. Rag Doll hold another one of their Grand Sales at St Lukes Hall on Erleigh Rd, 7-8pm. 25p to get in. Stock up on summer thermals! 1 April * Ninos - Killlng The Rose and Romany (sound like Abba, believe it or not!) - - - (paid ad) READIFOLK Folk Song Club Apr 5th 1987 Sunday 8.00 pm present June Tabor Martin Simpson at The George Hotel, Reading For more info on "Readifolk" ring Phil on Reading 587632, Dennis on Reading 597364. Tickets: £3:00 / £3:50 - - - (paid ad) MAJESTIC Reading Big Brute presents:- Tues 17th March:- (Japanese: 'ard'n'eavy) Vow-Wow & Excalibur Tues 24th March:- Xmal Deutschland & All About Eve Wed 15th April:- The Pink Fairies & Magic Mushroom Band Tues 21st April:- Zodiac Mindwarp (and the Love Reaction) Tickets: Listen & Majestic box office - - - INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY It was lovely to have something special to do on International Women's Day, and that was to go to an all-day tea party at the new Women's Centre. I hadn't seen inside before and it was a great opportunity to have a good nose-around. The place was jam-packed with women and had been so all day, apparently. Lots of new faces, and many familiar ones too. The atmosphere was good (and all the cakes were wonderful!), and the centre looks so bright and airy - the amount of work that's gone into it is incredible. Thanks to all the women who've put so much time, effort and thought into providing all of us Reading women with a new Women's Centre - I look forward to using it. Liz K Reclaim The Night Last Thursday night about 20 women marched around the campus shouting, bearing banners, carrying candles and generally Reclaiming The Night. The University campus is a notoriously dangerous place for women at night, with an extremely high rate of attacks. The aim of the Reclaim the Night march is fairly self-explanatory: as women are afraid to walk alone at night a virtual curfew is imposed upon us. As a protest against this we got together and marched through the campus and the halls of residence, generally causing a rumpus and gaining a feeling of strength by being a group of women together, powerful in the night. The Reclaim the Night march roused a fair amount of interest. A photographer from the Evening Post was there to immortalise the event. Ah, fame at last! Also, some fellow students of the male variety became offensive and started shouting at us when we went past their hall. We replied to this by shouting back even louder. From then on there was no stopping us. The march ended up in the bar as all that shouting is thirsty work! We were left with a feeling of great satisfaction at having braved the rain to reclaim the night. J What is International Women's Day? Why should we celebrate it? Because all too often the achievements of women themselves, for the communities and their countries are ignored or denied. Over 60 years ago women in America first designated March 8th as a day to mark the special contributions women make to society. International Women's Day is now celebrated in countries all over the world in USA, Soviet Union, Chile, India, Ethiopia and Britain Greenham Women Are Everywhere Greenham, the wimmin, the camps, the struggle continues. The fence continues to barricade those within engaged in protecting the monster in its lair. Endless processions move in and out of the base fused in a daily ritual of obedience and service to that which threatens as it demands their total allegiance their trap of ignorance & fear. Outside wimmin move freely in their own space & time. They have named the demons & confronted them a long time ago and are now journeying with a vision of the future! They shape this vision with other wimmin travelling the same road & the vision expands to encompass us all. Those who are seeking to destroy the spirit look to find a way to break the finely sculptured web which embraces the camps stretching far beyond reaching wimmin in other places & times. With militarized precision they ritually set about destroying this space. But with no recognizable enemy their military machine breaks down unable to destroy what it cannot identify. There is no recourse to an alternative strategy, they faithfully, obediently, repetitively re-enact the same rituals, minds & spirits deadened. This is their order. But outside the fence wimmin still move freely, individually & collectively, unfolding their vision of the future. The journey continues. We have fought & won the right of passage. Ann - - - FOLK FOLK FOLK Thurs 12: Pressgang Club at the Cap & Gown, Kings Rd: The Tennessee 3, blues, & reggae & country, they tell me. £1 pre-9.30, £1:50 after as usual. Maidenhead at the Rose, King St, 8.15pm: Alan Courtney, "a big voice and good guitar arrangements on mainly traditional songs". Fri 13: You could try for the Bhundu Boys, Zimbabwe tradition-based electric, at the Town & Country, Highgate Rd in Kentish Town in London, tho' it might be sold out. Ring 01/735/7112 to find out. Nothing local to my knowledge. Sat 14: Bracknell in the Cellar Bar at South Park Arty-Farty Centre: a singers' night. Sun 15: Readifolk at the George, on the corner of Broad St: Irish Night with Oxbow Bash and Irish Dancers. Mon 16: Irish session at the Kennet Arms, Pell St. Friendly and often very good. (Every Monday) Nettlebed, at the Bull in the High St: Harris, Bradley and McLearie. Harmonies. Tues l7: Turks Bottom Club at the Cap & Gown, Kings Rd. Singers' Night. Performers free, everyone else 50p I think. Oxford Acoustic Music Club, resurfaced at the Football Supporters Club, Abingdon Rd nr Folly Bridge in Oxford, are having an Irish night too. £2 concessions, £2:25 full price. Wed l8: There'll he something at the Drones club at the Plough in Long Wittenham nr Didcot and at Eversley Cross in the Toad & Stumps. This is more like a tour of the Thames Valley than a music column so far, isn't it? Thurs 19: Maidenhead are having a singers' night. Pressgang have the Onan Brothers again, energetic, electric, good lyrics, dead cute, plus some sketches from the Spaniel in the Works theatre group. Interesting! Sat 21: Bracknell have Scotch Measure, a trio of expatriate Scots, Jim & Sylvia Barnes (of the lovely voice) and Andy Lavery who recently played the Turks with Dave Fenner, yes? Anyway, very stylish; one of the few outfits that use keyboards to my taste. Sun 22: Readifolk: Vin Garbutt, who's famous and about whom I know next to nothing, but a self-confessed ageing folky who claimed not to be easily moved reckoned this one could do it. It'll probably be crowded so don't be late. Mon 23: N'beds Amos and Rocks, a male Scottish duo who the club have asked back only 6 months after their last visit. They reckon they're "absolutely knockout". Cor! Tues 24: A singers' night will probably happen at the Turks (meaning the Cap & Gown), but it behoves us all to go down the (done up flash lotsa mirrors & palm trees) Paradise Club in London Street, near the top end on the right going uphill, to see the legendary Leon Rosselson, together with Where's the Pleasure, doing a benefit concert for the Campaign against Benefit Cuts. He's not been to Reading for years, during which time his cutting and loving songs have been discovered by a whole new range of people including the ubiquitous Billy Bragg, so now he's actually trendy apart from quite simply excellent. This gig's been brewing for a while and it's great that the Conspiracy who run so much round here are prepared to book a man with an acoustic guitar. 9pm kick-off, £3/£2. Thurs 26: Pressgang have got Terry Clarke and Lost Weekend, who are all good (country & western). Probably means it'll be lousy weather. Has been every time they play there! Coming soon, Red Shift at Faraham Maltings on April 5th except really you'll want to stay in Reading & see the utterly splendid June Tabor & Martin Simpson at Readifolk. There are some people at whose feet it is appropriate to sit and wonder, and these are of those. Also this week will be a gig worth keeping a look-out for, sadly no venue at time of going to press but don't miss Mark T & the new expanded Brickbats, impossible to define, but a musical delight. Details of anything else to Liz on 53437, or drop into Box 79, at Acorn Bookshop, 17, Chatham St. - - - (paid ad) READIFOLK Folk Song Club Spring Programme 1987 Mar 1st Singers Night 8th Bob Fox 15th St. Patrick's Night with Oxbow Dash and Linda Lleneglian's Irish Dancers 22nd Vin Garbutt 29th Singers Night Apr 5th June Tabor and Martin Simpson 12th The Journeymen 19th Red Jasper 26th St George's Night - Singers plus Kennet Morris Men May 3rd Martin Carthy at The George Hotel Reading every Sunday at 8.00 pin for more info on 'Readifolk' ring Phil on Rending 597532 or Dennis on Reading 597364 - - - (paid ad) READIFOLK Folk Song Club Mar 22nd 1987 Sunday 8.00 pm present Vin Garbutt at The George Hotel Reading for more info on 'Readifolk' ring Phil on Rending 597532 or Dennis on Reading 597364 Tickets: £2:00 / £2:50 - - - RED RAG CLASSIFIED! (Paid ads) PARADISE Friday Night Live The Kaya Music Co-Op Showcase Milisurp R.D.F Chocolate Teapot Revelationaries Brad Calhouly & the Carrot Massacre Touch The Earth & Cosmic Cupboard Hungerford Scene 20th March '87 Admission £3:00. 8.00-late. £2:00 before 10.00 112 London St. Reading - - - Harris Arcade, Station Road, Reading 588425 Designer Knitwear, Fashion Jewellery, T-shirt printing FOR SOCIALLY UNADJUSTED PEOPLE - - - THE FRUITS OF THE EARTH Trader's Shopping Centre, Station Road, Reading Specialists in Organic, Caribbean, African and S. American Fruit & Veg, Herbs, Spices, Pulses at Competitive Prices. Delivery & Wholesale Supplies Available. Telephone Reading 587660 - - - Come along to the NEWS ON SUNDAY PUBLIC MEETING Monday 23rd March, 7.30pm, Kennet Room Civic Centre, Reading Red Rag readers need News on Sunday - Britain's first national radical newspaper for a generation. For more information ring Reading 587529 - - - BREAKING THE LAW The new Public Order Act is now in force. On January 3rd 1987, one thousand people defied the new laws on the CAPR March against the Public Order Bill. However, one thousand people is not enough. We made the laws unworkable once, but thousands more people will suffer if the new powers are not revoked. The Campaign against Police Repression is skint. Producing their newsletter and publicising four marches has left them broke. There is a need for a more widely based organisation to campaign specifically against the new laws Therefore, the Campaign Against the Public Order Act has been formed. At present this consists of 22 groups who attended the public meeting on January 21. Meetings are held fortnightly from January 28; phone 121 Books on 01-274 6655 for details. Campaigning groups, and particularly the Trades Unions cannot afford to ignore the Public Order Act any longer. Peaceful picketing and demonstrations can be banned or at least rendered ineffective by the police. New offences have been introduced to criminalise dissent and convict undesirables. Together with the 1984 Police and Criminal Evidence Act the new laws are a frightening increase in police powers. The Public Order Act is an exercise in social control. As a protest, the CAPOA will be organising another march: 4th April. The More Than Slightly Illegal March Against The Public Order Bill Meet at University of London Union, Malet Street at 1pm. (Tubes: Euston / Goodge St /Russell Sq.) The march will pass through Trafalgar Square, finishing at Speaker's Corner in Hyde Park. During the next few issues Red Rag will be publishing a guide to the Public Order laws: what you can do and what you can he done for. There will also be at least one benefit for the CAPR in Reading soon. See you on the 4th! Take care. Love, Brian Damage * London CAPR meets every Tuesday at Stoke Newington Community Centre 7.30pm. Everybody welcome * City Anti-apartheid Group's demo on March 14. National march and mass rally. Starts Whittington Park, Archway at 12.30pm. * More information for fans of the Metropolitan Police is in LSPW's Policing London, available free from LSPU, 20 Vauxhall Bridge Rd London SW1 (01-633 5944 ). - - - A GUIDE TO SAFER SEX (Extracts taken from The New Internationalist) Don'ts 1. Avoid any sex that can tear or break the skin - even the most minute abrasions provide ready points of access to the bloodstream for the virus. This means no biting, no sex toys (dildos, vibrators, etc) which might damage sensitive membranes and no rough or violent sexual practices such as 'fisting' (the insertion of the hand into the anus). 2. Avoid 'water sports' - peeing on your partner or having your partner pee on you - and avoid contact with faeces. The urine and shit of an infected person both contain large amounts of the AIDS virus. 'Rimming'- oral contact with the anus - is very likely to transmit the AIDS virus. 3. As far as possible avoid penetrative intercourse of any kind. Anal intercourse is a particularly effective way of transmitting the AIDS virus (probably because the anus is not 'designed' for intercourse and is lined with muscular tissue that is much thinner than the lining of the vagina and much more easily damaged). This makes anal intercourse very unsafe sex indeed. 4. Never come in your partner's mouth or allow him to come in yours. 5. Genital or mouth sores increase the likelihood of transmission of the AIDS virus. If you have sores, avoid sex until they have cleared up. 6. Avoid having sex with prostitutes either male or female. Prostitutes, with their large number of sexual contacts are very likely to be infected with AIDS - in some African cities as many as 80 per cent of all prostitutes are now carriers of AIDS. In New York and Hamburg the rates of infection amongst female prostitutes are approaching 50 per cent and are far higher among male prostitutes. Do's 1. Do try out some of the safer sex suggestions on these pages, and do invent some others of your own. As long as you avoid exchanging body fluids - particularly sperm and vaginal secretions - then you can be confident that what you are doing is safe. 2. Do try to get to know your partner and to work out what his or her sexual needs are. Do try to meet these needs - as far as possible within the safer sex guidelines - and do try to communicate to your partner what your own needs are. This kind of mutually caring approach to sexuality is more likely to be possible in a stable relationship that gives itself time to grow and develop than in a series of one-night stands. 3. Do use a condom if both you and your partner find that you wish to have intercourse. Use of water-soluble (not oil-based) lubricants make it less likely that the condom will break. 4. If in any doubt, do get your blood tested for AIDS - and encourage your partner to do so as well - before going on to have unprotected intercourse (ie. without a condom). Remember, however, that the test is not always accurate. False positive and false negative results are surprisingly common and it is also probable that existing tests do not 'recognise' all strains of the virus. The psychological impact of a positive result can be very damaging so the decision to have the test should only be taken as a last resort. Since no cure is available, a commitment to safer sex removes much of the point of having the test at all. - - - (paid ad) The MAGIC MUSHROOM BAND Van Gogh's Ear The Ray Sisters Live at the Paradise Club Friday 3 April - - - READING REVIEW REVIEWED Around the 11th, 12th and 13th of Feb some Budget Consultation meetings were held by Reading Borough Council to which the public were invited. Unfortunately, the leaflets publicising the meeting were distributed with the freebie Standard (and that evermore exciting read, the Property Week), so most people probably took the leaflets as the usual advertising gumf, binning them pronto, I suspect. Now the Reading Borough Council has started a newspaper called the Reading Review, issue 1 of which was also delivered with the Standard, and so the same problem occurs - prompt binning. The reason by the way that this paper plus the earlier leaflets were delivered with the freebies is because the wage paid for these extra deliveries was 25p for 100 leaflets and the following week £1:02 for the hundred papers. Hardly adequate payment for the paper girls/boys/women/men to make separate deliveries. Anyway, if you've missed the Reading Review, here's the bits of interest and/or relevance it contained, and if you want a look yourself there are some copies at Reading Centre for the Unemployed. Borough Council meetings for March were listed (are they at last going to start publicising meetings regularly, or is this a token effort?) see Events for details of what's being discussed when. There was news of "Leisure Passports" which will give free use of sports and leisure facilities to senior citizens, disabled people, the unemployed and all on low income. Application forms are available from public information points (try Butts Centre and RCU) and they're also being sent through our doors (so scan the freebie gumf before binning or sending back!) check it out. There was also an article on the council's efforts to "get tough with rogue landlords", and they are asking for info about harassment, overcrowding, high rents for crap accommodation etc. Contact the Special Health & Housing team on 55911 (I wonder if this gets you anywhere?) A survey aptly entitled "Your views for a change" is going on, apparently by an independent voluntary organisation. If you want to know more, or take part, check it out via Safe Neighbourhood Unit c/o Chief Executive & Team, Clerks Dept, Reading Borough Council, Civic Centre, Reading. RG1 7TD. Other useful contact numbers mentioned are: * Cllr June Orton Chair Equal Opportunities Subcommittee at same Borough Council address * Number for leaving message to your councillor (??!!) - 55911 ext 2300 (ext 2119, 2016 or 2300 to check who your councillor is) * Bus Pass info, ext 2165 - free travel permits for blind, disabled & handicapped and OAPs. Numbers of all Councillors and which area they're responsible for are listed on the back page of the Reading Review. That's all from the Anarchist Papergirl(!) (Keep sending those freebies back!) Stop Press - Leisure Passports being issued at RCU from 16 March for 2 weeks, 10-12 Mon-Thurs, 12-2 Fris. - - - APOLOGIES from Clive, no file & video this issue... apparently been in Paris for a video festival - alright for some!! - - - THEATRE REVIEW Reading University Performance Artists doing "Un Jeu de Folie" in the Students Union coffee lounge 4.3.87, celebrating Gay & Lesbian awareness week. The performance was energetic, spontaneous, uninhibited and... funny. What was it about? Difficult to say really except that it involved dancing, mime and doing absurd things with balloons, oranges / durexes to assorted bits of music. As for meaning well you could read in to it what you wanted or nothing at all - the large student audience enjoyed it regardless. It was worth seeing whatever it was, so don't miss their future performances - they will be guaranteed... interesting. Claire N - - - THEATRE Wokingham Theatre 13-21 March 7.45 pm "A Severed Head" by Iris Murdoch £2:50/£3 - tickets from Lee's, Peach Street, Wokingham or 785363 (eves) South Hill Park - Box Office (0344) 484122 Wilde Theatre 12-14 March 7.30 pm Janet Smith and Dancers £4 (£2:50) Studio Theatre 12-13 March 7.30pm Meeting Ground Theatre Company presents Demon Lovers by Stephen Lowe £3 (£2) 20-21 March 7.30pm Kaboodle + Fusion present Rasputin - The Forbidden Story £3 (£2) highly recommended Wilde Theatre 24-27 March 7.30pm £2 Assorted productions by school and youth groups in Berkshire Hexagon 9-14 March 8.00 pm Oxford Playhouse Co's The Rivals by Sheridan £5:50 (concs) see last Rag reviews Reading University Theatre Faculty of Letters 9-14 March 7.30pm + matinee 12 March 2.30 Dept of French Studies presents Eugene Ionesco's Le Roi Se Meurt, avec Jean Tardieus "Ce que parler veut dire" Ian PS Coming up soon Bulmershe College students drama productions, but I have no details as of yet. - - - RECLAIM THE NIGHT Despite the rain, about 20 women turned up last Thursday for the Reading University Women's Group Reclaim the Night march. The purpose of the march was to make people more aware of women's safety on campus and to protest against the virtual curfew imposed upon them after dark. The campus is notorious for attacks on women because of appalling lighting and isolated paths. After a brief encounter with an Evening Post reporter we set off, trying to keep our candles alight in the rain. We went around the halls of residence singing, shouting and chanting, a little half-heartedly at first. We were surprised to come across so much verbal abuse from men both in the halls and those we passed. However this did inspire us to become more vocal and confident and the group really came together as a result. We found it hard to understand how men can be so abusive about such an important issue. Mind you we were encouraged by the support a great many women gave us along the way. Towards the end of the march the rain eased off, our candles went out and our voices grew hoarse but we still managed to draw attention to ourselves as we walked past the library, the end of the route. All in all many people heard us, if not saw us, and hopefully we made more people, aware of women's safety. Sioboin and Sarah - - - RAGDOLL & ALLSORTS Giant Sale of Period Clothing, Bric-a-Brac, Jewellery St. Luke's Church Hall, Erleigh Rd, Reading Friday March 20th 7pm - 8pm Admission 25p All items 50p or less - - - $Id: //info.ravenbrook.com/user/ndl/readings-only-newspaper/issue/1987/1987-03-10.txt#3 $