Women's Aid for Peace

The collection includes papers, minutes, correspondence, emails, truck information, insurance documents, delivery notes, leaflets, press cuttings, photographs, reports, statement of accounts, faxes, newsletters and personal accounts which all represent the daily business of the organisation and the planning of trips and delivery of aid.

In the Autumn of 1992 women in Britain got together and contacted women working for peace/anti war in Slovenia and Croatia. Response of the contact led to 8 years of aid deliveries, thereby building up contacts and knowledge of post war effects of misery, poverty, discrimination etc which affects all involved. Work in Britain involves appeals, talks, sorting and packing and logistics of delivery, finance and paperwork, customs etc for 4 deliveries each year.

Summer 1999 – As post war period lengthens needs change. Decision is made to cease material aid deliveries as main focus but to maintain commitments and contacts and to try and support (mainly financially) emerging community projects.

Spring 2000 – Two women go on visit to Donji Lapac, small, utterly destroyed town in Lika region of Croatia – to discuss possibility of WAfP doing some basic reconstruction work to help the community.

Summer 2000 – 14 women and 1 man spend 8 days camping in Donji Lapac (in a truck depot) and work to refurbish rooms and toilets in disused and trashed secondary school – set up space for women to meet and work together – loom, sewing and knitting machines and materials and chairs, cups and coffee donated.

Autumn 2000 – By email WAfP hear that the rooms are being used, costumes have been made for local dance groups, women also make things for themselves. The rooms are also being used for computer classes. WAfP then met monthly to discuss various ways to support and gather information.

January 2001 – 18 sewing machines, 1 mending and 4 knitting machines (all overhauled) sent to the new group together with 180kg wool for Lapac – sent out via ADRA

February 2001 - £1,500 sent to groups in Lika region for seeds and seed potatoes also preparing to send donation to help organic veg growing in Pakrac.

A meeting held on the 9th September 2001 it was resolved that WAfP should be wound up.

The collection is currently box listed in the order the material was received.

Open to view by appointment, please email: archive@phm.org.uk

A box list is available in the Labour History Archive and Study Centre search room.

No appraisal has taken place.

The collection was donated to the Labour History Archives and Study Centre (LHASC) at the People's History Museum in 2018.

No accruals are expected.