The 1984/85 Miners Strike remembered as Winters draws it's breath

Haunting image of the 1984/85 British miners strike. We should never  forget the brave men and women  who stood up to the Thatcher Government. And never forgive the police who brutalised

 the working class men and women.

30 years ago they had been on strike  for about 9 months and were ready to face Christmas on strike. The propoganda  from the government, Coal Board and the police was relentless. Many were suffering real hardship. But were to stand solid for a further 3 months. With friendship and solidarity, despite the unbelieavable significant hardship and relentless harassment  they refused to be broken. United by struggle, united by belief,  generating images  of strike action that remain powerful today
It was difficult to get  by at any point  in the strike, but it is difficult for anyone who was not there to imagine what Christmas was like  for  the many mining communities, as parents relied on their unions, charity and the goodwill  of strangers  miles away  for presents for their kids.
The bitter  legacy of Thatcher is  that 20,000  people die in the UK every winter because they cannot afford heat, yet the  very industry that could have sustained people was crushed, and closed down. Resulting in  20,000  people dying every  year  in the past  30 years  because of Margeret Thatchers's cruel twisted policies. Lest we forget

  
                                            Notice the boarded up fireplace.