Do you live in a rural area and would welcome receiving a copy of Landworker magazine?

 

Do you live in a rural area and would welcome receiving a copy of Landworker magazine?

Unite is keen to boost the circulation of Landworker and which can now be downloaded for free at:-

We also welcome suggestions for future stories from Unite members, rural community campaigning organisations and individuals.

Not all of our readers are Unite members. Richard Bruce, aged 72, lives on the Isle-of-Wight and has received the magazine for over 25 years. He followed in his father’s footsteps by starting as a farmworker on leaving school. By the age of 42 had worked his way up to becoming a farm manager when he was exposed in January 1972 to a chemical containing organophosphates (Ops) which had been illegally stored and disposed of also in a manner contrary to regulations.

“I was able to stay at work for about a week and I have never worked since as I have never recovered. I have erratic heartbeat; breathing and vision problems; I still get headaches and have no vibration sense in my legs, “ explains Richard, whose subsequent diagnosis of poisoning by Guy’s Hospital was withdrawn by the institution following pressure by the HSE.

Bruce later co-ordinated what proved to be in the long term an unsuccessful group action against pesticide manufacturers – see OPRUS - Organophosphates, Pesticides and Related Ubiquitous Substances (oprus2001.co.uk)

He also supported such as shepherd Brenda Sutcliffe from Littleborough whose campaign to highlight how thousands of farmers and farm labourers were crippled from being forced to use Op sheep dip featured regularly in Landworker for around 15 years up until Brenda died in 2018.

“When Mike Pentelow was Landworker editor I made contact in 1997 by letter and he was good enough to support our campaign by publishing it. (May 1997 – see below) Mike made sure that I got a copy of the magazine from then on and I remain very grateful.

“Landworker speaks truth to power. It has always had some experienced writers. Sadly, one or two, including Mike have died over the last few years.

“It has a strong range of brilliant articles that link back to the Tolpuddle Martyrs that rightly deserve remembering. Land based workers face – and always will – a battle for a Living Wage. The need for better housing – round where I live there are numerous second home owners – and buses is constantly highlighted in the magazine. Charlie Clutterbuck is an intellectual who has worked tirelessly on behalf of working class people. “

tomorrowsworld98.pdf (oprus2001.co.uk)

trouble in store 1998 (oprus2001.co.uk)