the press is against you. All the build up to beginning to have cople's morale. The Christmas appeal has helped • tarn the tables. I reckon we'll have the most fanatic Christmas ever.
aristmas but a community Christmas'.
This was how Doreen kamber from the Mansidld action roup described the reacto the first cheque om the Miners' Families Jaristmas Appeal. Similar - orons have been comas in unimes. Soh fam we ve munities. So far we' ad 10,000 responses.
Sometimes the propeds have helped support oups to reach a target had set for Christmas.
Durham for instance, e sere determined that ary miner s table. Toe miner's table.
al has made sure there be.
In Wales the appeal iped maintain morale.
tary of the Cardiff sup- Nigel Bevan, scr'I know peogroup:
who have been a bit lately and this apgiven unen rk, a bit of fire, to the support is ding up'.
The idea of a highan etfect on It'll not only be a family profile national appeal for strıking mıners and their families came up durin the week of the NCB Christmas bonus. A few friends were talking gloomily against the backgrouna ol the unrelenting fight for the drift back to work.
askee ourselves how could we help to give cla Doosi lo otond support?
The ad in national newspapers had a somewhat surprising list of names. Sir Moses Finlay, the American professor of ancient history Cambridge side by side with the Fiying Pickets, Spike Milligan the moderator of nudged United Reform Church of Wales, how turned on a flood of DUllI support from people not reached by levies and local support They ranged from over 200 pensioners giving their Christmas bonus, to company directors, doctors and professors giving cheques TOI £1000 of 'respect for the miners' fortitude'. People cvcl thanked us for giving them the obportunitv to contribute.
The total" balance so far about £290,000. Another donation Jonn raul welty Il and we'd reach half a million!
O CaS ot which administers the letters and cheaues - which are still coming in at a rate boc g00 ap. We hand tad Is an ac hoc group. money over Women Against Pit Closures distribute.
Clearly the appeal should continue in the New Year, in a way which will turn this support into Icemal comuncul The hardship will continue and the seam of goodwill amongst Guardian, ObMirror, Statesman, and even a few Spectator readers is not by any means exhausted.
* Anv ofters of support welcome, Whittley Street London SE8 8SL