The Bhopal Medical Appeal

Love your bike? Fancy a challenge? Sky ride organise group cycle rides of various sizes throughout the UK and we’re looking for people to take part and fundraise for the BMA.

Teaming up with British Cycling, Sky rides were created to get a million more people riding their bikes regularly – and everyone’s invited. Whatever your age or ability, and whatever kind of bike you ride, they’ve created a whole range of ways for you to get involved. From big traffic-free events in towns and cities, to local neighbourhood rides; from women-only bike rides and support, to routes and workshops; there’s something for everyone.

For our Scottish Friends on the 15th July 2013 we are holding a Water Wheels Canal Cycle from Falkirk Wheel to Edinburgh Quay. This  32 mile cycle ride will start at 10am and head along the towpaths of the Union Canal passing over pretty bridges and aqueducts, before finishing at Edinburgh Quay. There will be an opportunity to break off and cycle past Grangemouth for those who want to.We ask participants to raise a minimum £50 sponsorship for the Bhopal Medical Appeal. For more information and to sign up please email Ingrid Neil at ingridneil@bhopal.org

Want to take part in a sponsored event for the BMA? We’d love to hear from you! Email us here or call us 01273 603278.

Fiona on her foldaway ‘Brompton’ Bike

Fiona who is 73 years old from Oxford is undertaking a bike ride from Dieppe to Versailles in June to raise funds jointly for The Bhopal Medical Appeal and The Iraqi Association.

Fiona’s route, devised by Donald Hirsch will be a low-traffic route covering 120 miles. Fiona will pay all of her own expenses.

Fiona has a passion for cycling as well as worldwide equality. Sickened by materialism, she considers that no one should have to live in poverty. In particular, she believes that every child has the right to a good childhood. “I would not normally tackle such a long journey by bike, but I want to try and achieve this in order to raise money for needy children” said Fiona.

“Please don’t expect me to go as fast as Sir Bradley Wiggins! At my modest 8mph I anticipate covering 25 miles a day, so the journey should take 5 days”

You can sponsor Fiona online here

Thank you Fiona!

Caitlyn Schuchhardt and other campaigners in solidarity with the ICJB protest outside the Dow AGM in Michigan.

Last week, protesters gathered outside Dow Chemical’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Dow headquarters in Michigan to urge Dow to take responsibility for the ongoing tragedy in Bhopal, India.

In December 1984, 27 tonnes of deadly gasses leaked from a Union Carbide pesticide factory in Bhopal killing 8-10,000 people instantly. An additional 1000,000 people have died as a result since. The abandoned factory has not been cleaned up and continues to leak toxic chemicals into the water supplies of many of the city’s poorest residents.

Union Carbide has been a wholly owned subsidiary of Dow Chemical since they took over the company in 2001. Since the take over, protesters around the world have challenged Dow Chemical over the outstanding liabilities within the Indian Courts and for allowing Union Carbide chairman Warren Anderson to continue to abscond from justice.

Concordia College graduate and International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal (ICJB) advisory board member Caitlyn Schuchhardt who organised the AGM protest told us; “people don’t realize it is still going on today. There is lots of ongoing water contamination. There are medical issues of children still being born with defects.”

Although the Bhopal disaster happened almost 30 years ago, the protest must still go on, Schuchhardt said. “This issue is not going to go away. People really do care about this and want to see them do the responsible thing,” she said.

In light of the Olympic sponsorship deal between Dow Chemical and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Dow Chemical’s moral reputation has been widely regarded as controversial at best.

Last year’s 2012 Olympic Games in London prompted significant protests over the corporate sponsorship of the event and Schuchhardt doesn’t see the Bhopal protests going away.

“The backlash from last year’s Olympics was awful, absolutely awful for Dow,” she said. “I feel like if they want to do something about that, that they could really use the Olympics as a way to kind of turn this around and address the Bhopal disaster. They could turn this around and make it look good for themselves if they want to, but that does involve admitting responsibility and stepping up and doing what’s right and what’s ethical. We would love to see them do that.”

You can visit the International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal (ICJB)’s website here

Photographer Francesca Moore visited Sambhavna from December 2012 and January 2013 to photograph flora & fauna in the medicinal herb gardens.

Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus) on Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) and Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)

Danaid Eggfly (Hypolimnas misippus)

Hibiscus flower (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)

Aloe Vera

Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus)

Medicinal Garden, Sambhavna

Purple Sunbird (Cinnyris asiaticus)

Medicinal Garden, Sambhavna

Asian Honey Bee (Apis cerana) on Garden cress, known as ‘Chandrasur’, (Lepidium sativum)

Plain Tiger (Danaus chrysippus) amongst garden cress (Lepidium sativum)

Ashy Prinia or Ashy Wren-Warbler (Prinia socialis)

Thank you for the beautiful photographs Francesca!

Last week Giles Clarke spoke to students at the British International School in New York

Last week Bhopal Medical Appeal supporter Giles Clarke gave his third talk to students at the British International School in New York.

Giles has traveled to Bhopal on numerous occasions and has taken some stunning and dramatic pictures which can be seen here. After seeing the problems in Bhopal first hand, and after getting to know some of the many children born sick, or disabled, as a result of Union Carbide’s poisons, Giles knew he had to help spread the story in as many ways as he could.

Giles has two young sons and had told them many tales of the children of the Chingari Rehabilitation Centre. At this amazing clinic, funded by The Bhopal Medical Appeal, children come every day for various therapies, treating their physical or mental disabilities, and helping them to lead a more normal life. Giles had told his children many times that, despite their problems, and the poor conditions that many of them lived in, that the children at Chingari were fun-loving kids just like themselves. They laugh, cry and play with each other just like children all around the world.

Giles’ sons both go to the British International School in New York, a small school on the East River in Manhattan, and the school has allowed Giles to speak to it’s students on numerous occasions. The students were captivated by Gile’s tales and have been also inspired to do what they can to help the children of Bhopal.

The picture above shows Giles giving a talk to students last week but this is now the third year that the school have been kind enough to invite us to address their students and, each time, they have held a fundraising coin drive event for us.

A big thank you to Giles and to all of the teachers at the British International School in New York. We can’t thank them enough, for taking us to heart in this way, and for their continued support and generosity.

Is your school interested in teaching your students about Bhopal? Or would you like to hold a fundraising event for us? We’d love to hear from you! Get in touch here

Come and watch the extremely talented guitarist/ singer/ songwriter Dick Gaughan in this exclusive performance for Scottish Friends of Bhopal at the Pleasance Cabaret Bar in Edinburgh.

Tickets can be purchased from Word Power Books priced at £15/10.
For more information or to buy tickets via email contact ingridneil@bhopal.org

Ed Page on his way to completing the Marathon

Congratulations and thanks to all of our runners for all of their hard work in training and fundraising for Sunday’s Brighton Marathon. It was a great day with plenty of sunshine for the runners as they attempted the 26.2 mile route across the city.

Sian after finishing this year’s Brighton marathon

This year we had 12 runners who have raised over £5,000 with more yet to come in. You can sponsor them on our Justgiving page here

Tara ‘Ratty’ running for the BMA

Inspired? We still have places in this year’s London 10K run which is taking place on Sunday 14th July 2013. For more info or to sign up get in touch here or call us on 01273 603278.

Rupert who works for the BMA completed his 4th marathon on Sunday.

Our sincerest condolences go to the family and friends of Sam Harper Brighouse who sadly passed away whilst running in Sunday’s Marathon.