Viva! Bradford, minutes of final meeting 24^th May 2022

Present: Bob Sproule, Ludi Simpson, Maria Perez, Chris Selsby, Carole Moss, Lola Tomas-Tello, Andrew Pick, Bridget Maguire

Apologies: Brenda Brown, Paul Brown, Annabel Page, Ruth Charlton, Judy White

Bob welcomed everyone to the meeting and gave out the minutes of the last AGM, a financial report of the year and a summary of the talk given by John Perry at the last AGM. It was agreed that they were accurate records.

Bob gave a review of the history of Viva Bradford. The first meeting started with a film and later Skype links to Venezuela and led to the forming of the group. Over the years we held a festival, put on several films, made contacts with people in many progressive Latin American countries, and had many visiting speakers including Fidel Narvaez, Ecuadorean Consul, Richard Burgon MP, Chris Williamson then MP, Bernard Coard who was Deputy Prime Minister in the Grenadian People’s Revolutionary Government in the 1980s, Colin Burgon, Labour Party politician and MP until 2010, Nick Macwilliam, journalist and co-editor of Alborada, Oliver Dodd, researcher and journalist, John Perry, British academic and resident of Nicaragua, Patrick Foley co-ordination of Brazil Solidarity Initiative, Guizell Morales, Nicaraguan Ambassador. Members of Viva also gave talks after visits or on particular connections with Latin America.

Bob then talked about wanting to give up the role of chair and how when he had raised this informally no-one had wanted to take it on and instead had suggested that perhaps the organisation had reached a natural end for various reasons including the impact of the pandemic and various changes in the lives of previously active members. Bob then read a formal motion on the ending of the organisation which was agreed.

In winding up the organisation It was decided that after subscription cheques had been cashed for this year any remaining money would be divided between the various solidarity groups that had been supported up until now. Two organisations have been slow to cash their cheques which were sent some time ago and Ludi suggested that they be reminded to cash them within a set timescale after which that money would be added to the remaining sum to be divided between all of the groups. To wait too long would hinder the winding up of the accounts.

The flags are to be given to Bob for possible use at Clarion House and the liberation festival banner to Ludi. Lola requested that if anyone is still in possession of a Don Quixote tin or musical box which she donated to a stall but may not have sold please could she have them back.

The website and Facebook page will announce the decision of the meeting and direct interested people to the national solidarity groups. After the final minutes have been sent personal emails on the mail chimp will be deleted.

Questions were asked about the Tisma twinning group which has also been less active and has had less contact with people in Nicaragua since the pandemic. This group is separate to the Viva group and not directly affected by decisions of this meeting but those members will also be holding a meeting to consider the future of the group.

There was some reminiscing about the actions and solidarity that has happened over the years primarily in the Bradford district. Carole talked about her role as Home Office Refugee Liaison Officer with Chilean refugees in the 1970s. It will be the 50th anniversary of the coup next year and she is planning to do a radio programme for BCB radio about those times. She still has contacts with many of the Chileans and also the host families. Ludi showed a series of photographs from groups and activities in Bradford over the last 40 years. It was agreed that although the group was folding for now that, as has happened over the years, should there be new developments in Latin America people in Bradford would come together once again in solidarity