Talking Trident
Trident topped the agenda at a recent Northern Friends Peace Board workshop
Trident was top of the agenda at a recent workshop organised by the Northern Friends Peace Board (NFPB) at Swarthmoor Hall, Cumbria.
Eighteen people attended the event, which was facilitated by Tim Wallis, Quaker Peace & Social Witness peace and disarmament programme manager. The topic was ‘Having More Productive Trident Conversations’. Philip Austin, of NFPB, told the Friend that the subject was especially relevant, given Swarthmoor Hall’s proximity to the shipyards at Barrow-in-Furness, where warships and submarines are built.
Tim asked participants: ‘How can we be both prophets and reconcilers?’ He led them through exercises, fact-finding, role play and sharing hopes and fears.
Participants considered how to prepare for the unexpected – such as a conversation with a friend or neighbour with opposing views – in a way that would open up the space for better understanding and the possibility of changed hearts and minds. Active listening is key, building a link with the other person and affirming them, even though the area of disagreement might seem insurmountable.
The workshop is part of a process of preparation and exploration for engaging with the wider community in South Cumbria on concerns regarding the importance of the shipyards and related businesses as local employers. Philip explained that time for discussion at the close of the day provided some pointers for taking this work forward, including advocating for alternative uses of the skills base currently employed in submarine production at Barrow-in-Furness.
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