RADICAL LEARNING

Radical Education Network Inaugural meeting Saturday 19 April 12pm - 4pm

This will be the first of several meetings to establish the Radical Education Network, with a plan to hold meetings in other parts of the country. The Network is not restricted to party members and is open to others who are interested in developing radical education in Scotland. The session will look at what is meant by Popular /Radical education and how it could be used in practice in Scotland. If you can’t make the meeting but want to join the Network let me know. The intention is to set up an e-group of Network members as well as plan future sessions.

Future Sessions

Thursday 24 April 7pm-9pm
Workshop How to build left political parties in the 21st Century Using an article written by Hilary Wainright we look at the main issues facing activists†­internationally- †who are building socialist and anti capitalist parties. How to marry effective organisation with democracy and the role of social movements in building new parties.

Saturday 26 Apri1
12pm - 4pm Workshop How to win Free Public Transport Now we have almost won Free Prescription Charges, Free School Meals and Abolition of the Council Tax - all SSP policies -†what is it going to take to win Free Public Transport? This workshop looks at policy, strategy and building the campaign through activity. It will be part classroom based and part street activity. If you would like to take part let me know.

Thursday 1 May 7pm - 9pm
Workshop How to Organise an SSP branch, the good the bad and the inspirational! With Kevin McVey who has seen it all. Kevin from Cumbernauld has been the branch organiser of; his trade union branch, the Scottish Socialist Alliance branch, and his Scottish Socialist Party branch, over the last 15 years. This workshop is aimed at branch organisers, chairpersons, Voice organisers and treasurers, his Scottish Socialist Alliance branch and his SSP branch. It will be a practical workshop aimed at sharing our skills.

All sessions take place at:
Department of Adult and Continuing Education Glasgow University St Andrew’s Building 11 Eldon Street Glasgow G3 (Across from the STUC building, Kelvinbridge Underground or 5 mins walk from Charing Cross up Woodlands Road.)

Tea, coffee & biscuits will be provided. Contact Frances Curran: frances.curran@ntlworld.com or 07882 472 429

OBITUARY
Rowland Sheret
1945-2008

by David Fowler

IT was without doubt gratifying to all friends and family of Rowland Sheret who gathered at Falkirk Crematorium on 4 April to celebrate the life of this exemplary comrade to see such numbers attending this commemoration.
Rowland had discussed with friends prior to his death the manner in which he wished this, his final meeting, to be conducted, and faithful to his lifelong atheism there was no religious element to the proceedings.
Instead, we joined together in singing Scots Wha Hae and Auld Lang Syne, to symbolise Rowland’s commitment to an independent socialist Scotland, and, the Internationale and Avanti Popolo, to remind us of his deep seated internationalism.
Between the songs there were short reminiscences of Rowland and particularly moving were the words of Chilean exiles Patty and Pedro who spoke eloquently of Rowland’s work, not only supporting exiled Chileans in Scotland but also in securing the twinning of Stirling with the town of Calama.
According to these comrades, there are many today in Calama who would have starved but for this act of solidarity.
In honour of this a Chilean flag draped his coffin.
After the committal, the celebration of Rowland’s life continued in Stirling with the reading of poems, music, messages of condolence from the many comrades unable to attend, and further tributes.
One of these pointed out that from the Vietnamese Solidarity Campaign, through the miners strike, to G8 and the campaign against the privatisation of Stirling’s council housing, Rowland was always there, sometimes to the detriment of his own health.
Another, that Rowland was one of those rare people who managed to combine trade union militancy and political activism.
I first met Rowland, as a callow youth, in 1972 in the wake of the protests against the Queen’s visit to Stirling University.
When the university authorities attempted to victimise some of those who participated in this demonstration that so enraged the unionist press at the time, Rowland was tireless in his solidarity.
Later, at his prompting I started to read the socialist classics.
At times it was difficult, but one concept - the Leninist idea of the worker intellectual - gave me no problems at all, for I had the living embodiment before me.