Glossop Amnesty International Group, which was founded in 1992, will be holding its final meeting later this month.

But John Hewson, who led the group for many years, stressed that its members remained committed to human rights in a world where they are under grave threat both at home and abroad.

Speaking to the Chronicle, he said that this included the group’s annual ‘Write For Rights’ campaign, where people send greetings or messages of support to those imprisoned or victimised for their human rights belief or speaking out against authorities.

Held in the run-up to Christmas, the group invites people to a special greeting card signing in Glossop, where they can send a message to these victims.

John, an active member of the group together with his wife Jane, said: “This year’s signing is in Glossop Parish Church from 10am on Saturday 19 November. People can either send a Christmas greeting or a message of support.”

Amnesty International groups worldwide hold similar events at around the same time, which could result in hundreds of thousands of cards going to prisoners of conscience or those suffering after speaking out on human rights restrictions.

John believes that the victims who receive the cards know that people are thinking about them.

Their captors also become aware of the huge amount of world-wide feeling about persecuting them.

John and Jane say that although the group is being formally disbanded, the work will continue and events will happen.

On Saturday 23 July, in Glossop Labour Club at 7.30pm, Glossop Ukulele Band will be playing for Amnesty. 

John says there were many reasons for the decision to close. Locally it had become difficult to sustain the committee structure demanded by an official Amnesty group, especially after Covid where members became used to not having face-to-face meetings.

* For more reasons why the group is disbanding and how to support Amnesty International, you can read John's letter in this week's Glossop Chronicle on page 20. 

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