Charity No XR28306

News

Here you will find news of some of our major events.

'The people who live in Britain are largely ignorant
of the conflict in the north of Ireland.'

Roy Greenslade
Former Daily Mirror Editor and
media commentator of The Guardian

22.1.07	Police Ombudsman's Office  Released a report giving detailed investigations and proving collusion. http://www.policeombudsman.org//Publicationsuploads/BALLAST%20PUBLIC%20STATEMENT%2022-01-07%20FINAL%20VERSION.pdf
2007	Open the Files Campaign  Members from VAST continue to meet local politicians and representatives from both governments in an attempt to uncover the truth and expose collusion.
2006	Cross Community The overall Ethos of the Trust is the acknowledgement of the necessity to engage with other groups regardless of political or religious persuasion, gender or age. To this end we actively facilitate and encourage respite breaks and meetings that encourage and facilitate dialogue opportunities on a cross community basis.
30/09/06	Irish American Unity Conference A delegation from VAST attended the annual Irish American Unity Conference in Chicago. Marian Walsh spoke at the conference and highlighted the need for collusion to be exposed.
24/4/06	Meeting with Victims Minister, Angela Smith On this occasion Alex Mc Laughlin, whose father Thomas was murdered in 1971 bombing of Mc Gurk's Bar was able to put forward his concerns at the non-investigation by the RUC and the issue of collusion in the bombing between British Forces and the loyalist bombers. Mr Mc Laughlin is hopeful that he will have an opportunity to meet with the British PM in the near future to discuss these concerns.
2/12/05	Lobbying the European Parliament Marian Walsh accompanied a delegation of victims' relatives from the group An Fhirinne on a trip to Brussels aimed at highlighting the need for an independent, international inquiry into controversial murders in Ireland. Involvement between An Fhirinne and VAST is ongoing.
1/12/05	Taoiseach On Thursday 1st December 2005 a group from Victims and Survivors Trust, met with the Taoiseach and several civil servants from the Irish Government. The meeting enabled the group to outline the work of the Trust and to highlight victims/survivor issues.
30/11/05	Justice For The Forgotten On Wednesday 30th November 2005.A delegation from the Trust met with Justice For The Forgotten at their offices in Dublin. The meeting was held to highlight the similarities between the attacks in Dublin and Monaghan and bomb attacks in the North.
12/02/2004	President McAleese On Thursday 12th February 2004 a delegation from the Trust met with the President, Mary McAleese, and her husband Martin at their residence, Áras an Uachtaráin, in Dublin's Phoenix Park. The meeting, which was initiated by Senator Mary White, gave us the opportunity to introduce the Trust and to outline some of the work that we are engaged in. Here's a picture from the visit.   Click it to get the larger one. Pictured from left to right are; Marian Walsh, Karen Walsh, Lorraine McColgan, Brendan Loughlin, Eileen Woods, Martin McAleese, President Mary McAleese, Alex McLaughlin, Ciss Carbine and Martina Moran.
05/02/2003	Belfast Mayor On Wednesday 5th February a delegation from the Victims and Survivors Trust met with Belfast Mayor Alec Maskey MLA of Sinn Féin at his office in Belfast City Hall.  During the visit the Mayor outlined his position on a range of topics and listened carefully to the views and opinions of the group including our wish to have a memorial erected at the City Hall that would be all inclusive.  He did offer much encouragement and stated that he would endeavour to assist the group the whatever way possible.
15/12/2002	Xmas party 160 people (including Santa) turned out for the Trust's Xmas party which was held in the Felon's Club at the top of the Falls Road.    This was our best party ever and was enjoyed by everyone including the 120 children who attended.  Unfortunately, Santa had to depart early but each and every child did receive a present.  We hope to see Santa next year again.
11/11/2002	PEACE II funding success The Trust are please to announce that funding to the tune of over £80,000 has been approved under the PEACE II programme.  This money will pay for a Project Worker and project costs for 2 years and will allow the Trust to extend it range of services particularly in the areas of training and training provision.
23/04/2002	Historic Meeting with Victims Minister In an historic meeting on the Falls Road, Britain's Minster for Victims, Des Brown met with members of the West Belfast trauma group VAST at the VAST Centre. The minister listened to a number of very harrowing accounts from people who have suffered directly during the war and he responded to a series of important issues raised including the scale of the problem and the countering of the hierarchy of victims. This meeting comes at a time when anti-agreement unionists are saying that the IRA ceasefire is under threat and yet a British Minister can walk into the very heart of Republican West Belfast and talk to those who have suffered at the hands of the British Army and RUC. Here's a picture from the Irish News Wednesday 24th April 2002 showing left to right VAST Development Worker, Marian Walsh, VAST Director, Eileen Loughran, Victim's Minister, Des Brown, and VAST Chairperson, Breandan Ó Lochlainn. Here's an article from the Andersonstown News about the event.
17/12/2001	Trauma Support Service Launched Monday 17th December 2001 saw the launch of the VAST trauma support service aimed at helping those who are having difficulties particularly during the festive period.  The launch was officially announced by Sinn Fein's Alex Maskey MLA at the VAST offices on Rockmore Road.  . If you are having difficulties and need someone to talk to then please call our number on 028 90 222181.  Our office opening hours are 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday but you can call any time and leave a message which will be responded to ASAP by one of our Support Volunteers.  All correspondence is strictly confidential.
14/11/2001	VAST make history at Scottish Parliament On Wednesday 14th November a delegation from VAST flew over to Edinburgh to address elected representatives at the Scottish Parliament.  This event, 'Surviving the Troubles' was organised by the local National Union of Journalists Chapter and the Scottish Nationalist Party. VAST Chairperson Breandán Ó Lochlainn gave the main address while VAST directors Mary Thornbury and Eileen Loughran and VAST volunteer Mearaid Uí Adhmaill gave complimentary talks.  We would like to thank all of those whom we meet and especially Mark Hirst SNP and Paul Holleran NUJ for organising the event and the very generous hospitality shown to us..  VAST were the first group of any kind from Ireland to address the Scottish Parliament but we hope we are not the last.
7/8/2001	Fourth Damien Walsh Memorial Lecture This year, as part of Feile an Phobail, VAST organised the Forth Damien Walsh Memorial Lecture.  We were delighted to have long-time Human Rights Campaigners Bernadette Devlin McAliskey and Fr Des Wilson give two very emotional and personal talks.  The event, held in St Mary's University College Falls Road, was attended by nearly 300 people.
30/3/2001	£106,000 funding package announced At a press conference in the Oifig VAST Chairperson Breandan Ó Lochlainn announced that VAST would receive two grants from NIVT and the Belfast Regeneration Office totalling £106,000.   NIVT will contribute £84,000 with BRO making up the rest.  During the conference there were speeches from Breandan, Marian Walsh (whose 17 year old son was murdered by Loyalists) and Alex Maskey MLA, who spoke for the first time about being a victim/survivor.  Alex was the target of numerous Loyalist attacks which resulted in personal injury to himself and the death of a number of his friends.
2 - 4/3/2001	Respite weekend at Ballycastle As part of it's ongoing programme of respite for those who have been traumatised due to the war VAST put on a residential weekend of activities for 54 women and children at the Corrymeela Centre in Ballycastle.  This was a great success and further weekend and day trips have now been planned.
27/2/2001	Springhill Massacre During a private viewing VAST premiered their final cut of a new video that they made regarding the circumstances around the murder of 5 civilians by British Army snipers during 1972 in the Springhill area of Belfast.  No one was ever arrested or convicted for any of these crimes even though compensation was handed out the relatives of some of the victims.   VAST were assisted in making the video by Channel Four filmmaker and media academic Cahal McLaughlin.
31/10/2000	Human Rights Seminar 7pm, Thursday 9th November, St Mary's University College, Falls Rd, Belfast. Brice Dickson, Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission, has been invited to give the main address at the forthcoming Seminar on Human Rights. This event is open to the public and is being organised by VAST in conjunction with the HRC itself. Other speakers from Sinn Fein, SDLP, Alliance, UDP and Women's Coalition will also give an address and members of the public will have an opportunity to query the HRC and the politicians around the new Bill of Rights.
11/8/2000	VAST Amateur Photography Competition 2pm, Friday 11th August, Beech Hall Day Centre, Andersonstown Rd, Belfast. The 2nd VAST Amateur Photography competition results and awards will be presented at the Beech Hall Day Centre on the Andersonstown Road at 2pm.  The competition is open to all amateur photographers, a maximum of 5 prints can be entered and the total entrance fee is GB£2.
10/8/2000	Damien Walsh Memorial Lecture 7pm, Thursday 10th August 2000, St Mary's College, Falls Road, Belfast. The third Damien Walsh Memorial Lecture will take place as part of Feile An Phobail in West Belfast this coming August.  The lecture will be delivered by Gerry Adams MP for West Belfast.  A short video presentation about the 1980-81 H-Block hunger strike will be given beforehand.
14-16/4/2000	Warrington A delegation from the group attended an event at Warrington in Britain organised under the LIVE project.  This allowed both Irish and British people who have suffered as a result of the war to both tell their own story and to listen to others who had gone through similar experience.
25/3/2000	Audio-Video production We are delighted to announce that we have received funding for our newly established video production unit.  This consists of the latest digital camera and computer-based editing equipment.  Anyone interested in finding out more about the work of the unit and how you can participate should contact us at Oifig VAST.
24/3/2000	Official opening of Oifig VAST There was the official opening of our new offices on Thursday 23 March 2000 at 12pm. We were delighted that Gerry Adams MP for West Belfast did the honors.  Refreshments including wine, tea, coffee and snacks were provided.  Almost 100 people attended the event and packed Oifig VAST.
4-6/2/2000	Winter School at Corrymeela We were invited to the Winter School at Corrymeela entitled 'Beyond Victim hood'.  This was a very useful encounter which allowed those who have been traumatised by the war to relate their stories and to explore the issues surrounding moving from being a victim to becoming a survivor.
31/01/2000	New Centre We have moved to new office accommodation at: 1A Rockmore Road Belfast BT12 7PD
21-23/1/2000	CorryMeela Almost 30 people attended a respite weekend at Corrymeela which allowed parents the chance of a relaxing break in the beautiful surroundings of Ballycastle on the Antrim coast.  Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the event especially the kids many of whom didn't want to leave.
7/12/1999	We meet with Baroness Gowdy at our offices and had a useful exchange in which we pointed out the continued difficulties faced by victims/survivors within the West Belfast area.
3/12/1999	The VAST Xmas dinner took place a Jigglers restaurant in Andytown and everyone had a great time.
3/12/1999	We met with Sandra Peak, Director of the trauma group Wave, and discussed possible areas in which we could work together in a mutually beneficial way.
23/11/1999	We met with Gerry Kelly MLA of Sinn Fein at our offices and raised the issue of lack of funds for groups such as ourselves working for the benefit of victims within west Belfast. Mr. Kelly is the spokesperson on victims issues for the party.
19-21/11/1999	A delegation from the group attended an event at Glencree in the Wicklow mountains organised under the LIVE project.  This allowed people who have suffered as a result of the war to both tell their own story and to listen to others who had gone through similar experience.  This was a very useful encounter and a follow-up event has been organised for 25-27 February 2000 at the same location.
15/11/1999	A delegation from the group meet with Health Minister Bairbre De Brun (Sinn Fein) and highlighted the funding problems and the social needs of victims from West Belfast. The minister promised to look at our situation.
5/11/1999	We meet with Sean Neeson (Leader of the Alliance Party) and Eileen Bell (the party spokesperson on victims) at our offices and discussed the type of support that we required to carry on with our work.
5/11/1999	A delegation from the group meet with Relatives for Justice and discussed topics were we could be of mutual benefit to each other.
8/10/1999	We met with Sean Neeson (leader of the Alliance Party) at his request up at Stormont Parliament and outlined to him topics which are of relevance to the work that we are undertaking.
8/10/1999	VAST met with the British Government's Victims Liaison Unit which is run by the Minister for Victims, Adam Ingram, at Stormont House in order to keep each other abreast of developments.
6/9/1999	Our new Development Worker, Clare Morrison, started and has since proved to be an invaluable asset for the group.
5/8/1999	The 2nd Damien Walsh Memorial Lecture took place at the Dairy Farm Complex and was a very well attended event, being part of the West Belfast Festival, with nearly 100 people turning up.  The session was chaired by Danny Morrison with the main speaker being Don Mullan, author of Eye-witness Bloody Sunday.   Contributions were also given from Robbie McVeigh, who runs the Rosemary Nelson campaign,  Christine Bell, who is a commissioner with the Human Right Commission, Paul O'Connor, who runs the Pat Finucane Centre, and Brendan Loughlin, chairperson of VAST. The theme for the talk was 'Truth and the Anglo/Irish Conflict'.

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