Movement for the Abolition of War
Annual General Meeting Saturday 11 November 2023
Who’s who and candidates for election
President: Professor Paul Rogers. We are delighted and honoured to have Paul as President of MAW. He is Emeritus Professor of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford and has worked in the field of international security, arms control and political violence for over 30 years. He lectures at universities and defence colleges in several countries and is a regular commentator on global security issues in both the national and international media.
Vice-Presidents:
Colin Archer – Secretary General of the International Peace Bureau 1990-2017. MAW Vice-President since 2012. Active with CND and Global Campaign on Military Spending (UK).
Martin Bell – a former BBC war reporter, MP for Tatton 1997-2001, currently a UNICEF UK Ambassador. MAW Vice-President since 2006.
Christine Blower – General Secretary of the NUT 2009-2016 and now International Secretary of the NEU. A Labour Peer since 2019. MAW Vice-President since 2013.
Diana Francis – former President of International Fellowship of Reconciliation, now a Council member of Rethinking Security. MAW Vice-President since 2018.
Mererid Hopwood – Academic, poet and lifelong campaigner for peace working particularly within the International Fellowship of Reconciliation in Wales. Instrumental with others in creating the Academi Heddwch Cymru – a peace institute within the Welsh universities. MAW Vice-President since 2020
Candidates for election or re-election to MAW’s Executive Committee:
Officers.
Chair: –
Vice-Chair: Tim Devereux – MAW Chair 2014-2017; Vice-Chair 2018-2019. Re-elected Chair 2019-2023. He also maintains our website and is a member of Pax Christi and Yorkshire CND.
Treasurer: –
Secretary: Sally Reynolds – first joined the Executive Committee in 2001 when MAW was founded. Vice-Chair 2013-2014; Secretary 2014-2018; Acting Secretary 2018-20. Secretary since 2021 and willing to continue. Also MAW Resources Secretary. Active member of Abingdon Peace Group and various environmental groups.
Membership Secretary: Gill Hurle – committee member and Membership Secretary 2012-2016 and 2017-2021. Co-opted 2021 to continue as Membership Secretary and to represent MAW at Rethinking Security. Re-elected 2022 and took on the role of acting Treasurer due to the illness of the elected Treasurer. Is also Treasurer and Membership Secretary of Kingston Peace Council/CND.
Ordinary Members.
David Collins – member MAW Executive Committee 2018-2022. Co-opted 2022 in order to continue his important work for MAW on highlighting the connection between military activity and the climate crisis. Is also an international member of Veterans for Peace.
Hilary Evans – member MAW Executive Committee 2010-2014 and 2015-2019. Vice-Chair 2019-2023. Active member of Kingston Peace Council/CND and UNA-UK and has long-time strong environmental concerns.
Sue Gilmurray – served as Chair of the Executive Committee 2009-2011. Committee member 2010-2014 and 2016-2020. Co-opted 2021 to represent the MAW Creatives group. Re-elected 2022. Has gathered and arranged MAW’s collection of anti-war songs for choirs. Active member of Anglican Pacifist Fellowship.
Helen Horton – committee member since 2021. After a career in teaching and teacher training, is now MAW’s representative on the Peace Education Network. Deputy Vice-Chair Amnesty International UK and active with VSO.
Heather Speight – a long-time member of MAW. Member of the Executive Committee 2014-18, then served as Vice-Chair until 2020 during which time she produced MAW’s booklet of quotations ‘From War to Peace’. Also active in Peace Action Durham.
Arthur West – a long-time supporter and member of MAW, Arthur was elected to the Executive Committee in 2022 on the understanding that he can only participate online (attendance at London-based meetings would not be feasible). He was Chair of Scottish CND from 2011 to 2019, is currently Secretary of Ayrshire CND and is active in the Scottish Peace Network and Don’t Bank on the Bomb Scotland Network.
Abolish War team.
Editor: Helen Riley – has edited our newsletter Abolish War since 2012 and is willing to continue although not to be on the Executive Committee.
Proof-reader: Valerie Flessati – has proof-read Abolish War since 2015.
