Creativity at the Camp

Song, poetry and banner making were all part of daily life at the camp. Songs helped keep women’s spirits up, poetry helped them to process their experiences and a rich language of symbols helped them to create a colourful, positive and empowering identity for the camp.

Craftivism

Craftivism is a combination of craft and activism. It’s a way of using craft to send a message that might make someone stop and reflect. Many people craft together and craftivism is often found at the heart of social movements.

Craftivism is about making something for a cause – it could be a communal quilt stitched in solidarity with a movement or a bright banner. It could be bunting with a message or a zine (a type of mini magazine) that helps spread the word about a cause you’re passionate about or maybe a nature sculpture or poster.

What causes are you passionate about and how could you use craftivism to spread your message?

Banners play an important role in any protest. Sometimes they're funny, sometimes they tell us something about the protestors, for example what group they belong to. Sometimes they tell us about the sort of future people hope we can have.
At the Greenham Common Peace Camps, the women used music and song to create bonds, unite the group, disrupt military activities and to spread their message.
Symbols created a powerful visual language for example spiders webs are both strong and fragile and represented the interconnectivity of us all.
The Greenham Women often wrote poetry about their experiences and to help them process what was happening.

Powerful Poems, Beautiful Banners and Stirring Songs

Explore the impact tree to hear songs and poetry from the camp and discover beautiful banners and creative protests. You’ll also find some activity ideas and lesson plans to help you on your way.

GalleryBanner Gallery
Banners play an important role in any protest. Sometimes they’re funny, sometimes they tell us something about the protestors for example what group they belong to, sometimes they tell us...
ActivityBeautiful Banners
Banners play an important role in any protest. Explore the images of banners from Bridget Boudewijn’s archive for inspiration as you design your own protest banner. It could be a...
ActivityPowerful Poems
People sometimes write poetry as a way of understanding their experiences and emotions, particularly during and after significant moments in their life. Some of the Greenham Women wrote poems about...
AudioWe are the Witches
Listen to this song and take inspiration to complete the Stirring Songs activity! Here are some of the lyrics for you to sing along! We will rise up from the...
AudioThe Base by The Children
Greenham Woman, Armorel Weston plays the base guitar and sings vocals on this song about Greenham. Listen and take inspiration to complete the Stirring Songs activity! You can listen to...
ActivityStirring Songs
Many social and political movements have used song as a powerful tool to speak out against war and oppression. Song was an integral part of life and protest at Greenham...
VideoPeggy Seeger “Carry Greenham Home”
Listen to Greenham Woman Peggy Seeger as she shares her song ‘Carry Greenham Home’ to celebrate the the entry into force of the UN Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear...
AudioPeggy Seeger Oral Testimony Clip
Peggy is a folk singer, songwriter and activist who wrote Carry Greenham Home. Along with other musicians, she sang to the march that was coming through from Wales to Greenham...
GallerySymbol Gallery
Non Violent Direct Action (NVDA) was at the heart of the Greenham Common protests which included an agreement that property but not people could be harmed. Different symbols became important...
AudioAvryl de Carteret and Tembre Carteret Oral Testimony Clip
Avryl, her mum Marlene, her daughter Tembre, her sister, niece, neighbour’s kids and friends all traveled to Embrace the Base from Dorset after hearing about Greenham through a women’s consciousness...

Actions Large and Small

Some women stayed for a day or a weekend whilst others stayed for weeks or months and even years. All the women played an important role and the success of the Greenham Common Peace Camp rests in everyone giving what time they were able. The women caused daily disruption in order to remind the base and the world that they were there. Large actions could bring 30,000 women together while smaller actions might include a few women cutting through the fence.

Find out more here.

Actions Large and Small