‘Israel needs cultural bridges not boycotts (Guardian Letters, 23 October) Cina Zacune has just returned from Gaza and takes issue with those who signed a letter in the Guardian arguing for cultural bridges, not boycotts. Having just returned from two weeks in Palestine it is hard to articulate a response

The local news at present is dominated by the olive harvest which occupies thought and conversation to the exclusion of much else.  Here during the winter the north easterly means clear skies but windy and cold yet everybody harvests the olives with glee and the talk of town, for a

Pat Mood, a founder member of Sumud Palestine’s steering committee, has growing programme of talks to various groups in North Staffordshire and sometimes further afield. There was a large audience of around 75 people at the U3A group in Alsager to hear Pat’s power point presentation on Olive Picking in

  To mark World Conflict Resolution Day, Professor Neil Robinson FMCA convened a conference in Stafford for family mediators across the UK, local and international peace builders and anyone interested.  Sumud Palestine was invited to offer a 12-minute presentation and I was glad to oblige.   Dr Mohamed Keshavjee, a

Welcoming Dr Jeff Halper to Stoke-on-Trent was daunting! Here is someone who is an academic anthropologist rooted in community action, able to bring the insights of the former to inform his understanding of the latter. Someone to look up to! Why did I worry? He was a lovely guest and

Thank you, Pat Mood, for your steady stream of donations from the various meetings to which you take your power point presentation on “Picking Olives in Palestine; A Voyage of Discovery.” You have spoken to a Women’s Institute, a Townswomen’s Guild, Ladies Guild and a U3A group and I believe

Final total of money raised for MAP at the Thornbury Hall lunch on 12 September: £1290. Many thanks to those who attended and to others who, unable to attend, nevertheless contributed.

Parveen Siddique hosted the lunch at Thornbury Hall on 12th September, which was delicious and attended by 54 people. The dining room could scarcely have held more. With the help of a raffle and donations from a cluster of people unable to attend, a total of £1478 was raised. With

Congratulations to the Earl Grey Inn in Leek for its latest donation of £47 for Medical Aid for Palestinians and to Cina Zacune for £135 from the monthly Leek Market Stall and the sale of eggs and plants. These regular small sums mount up!

Travelling around Stoke during August the City seemed to have gone to sleep. It was very quiet! I’m sure that apart from no school traffic this was an illusion. There were plenty of festivals and events all over the conurbation. Nor did Sumud Palestine go to sleep! Two W.Is learned