Campaigning
Our pre-launch meeting at Westminster on 2/12/14 was covered by Farming Today, Farmers Weekly, Farmers Guardian,, Southe East Farmer prompting an editorial from Emma Penny and columns in WMN from Anthony Gibson and Chris Rundle.
2015
Our first meeting on Feb 12th at the Stirk House Gisburn, Lancashire with guest of honour Brenda Sutcliffe was reported in Farmers Weekly and Farmers Guardian
We put in a Freedom of Information request for HSE's 1990 sheep dipping report but were told it was not available. However a well-wisher sent us a copy which we published on the website here on 22/2/15
On 25/2/15 we received an e-mail from HSE saying they had now found a copy of the original report which we publish here. They offered sincere apologies for any confusion caused and in return we express our gratitude to them for finding it.
press coverage in Guardian 27/4/15 , Telegraph 25/4/15 Wales on-line 25/4/15, FG 24/4/15, Guardian 20/4/15
p.18/19 of the Spring edition of Multi-Chemical Sensitivity magazine here
June 10th: Westminster Hall debate here (from 16.00) Hansard here
July 3rd: The Farmers Union of Wales support calls for an inquiry: http://fuw.org.uk/fuw-president-throws-weight-behind-op-inquiry/
Aug 24th: Following a FOI request we have received another 14 previously unpublished documents from HSE relating to data from Guys Poisons Unit in early 1990s (as mentioned on Countryfile here)
November 19th a dozen of us met with farming Minister George Eustice at DEFRA after which he issued a statement saying he recognised acute OP poisoning can have long term effects. He also said he would look at the archives from 1992 to see if compulsory dipping was halted because of health and safety concerns.
Jan 2016 HSE release their 1992 dipping survey here and here with our response to it here.
10th Feb 2016 our request for an EFRA inquiry can be found here.
Request by PAN for an OP inquiry by the Health Select Committee (chaired by Dr Sarah Wollaston MP) can be found here.
17th March 2016 We have been told by George Eustice that an answer to the question we put last November is "expected shortly".
From April most use of organophosphae chlorpyrifos now banned
EFRA's letter to George Eustice and his reply
The Guardian report 18/5 on delay in replying to our questions.
Letter from George Eustice and his summary of meeting Nov '15
Our reply to George Eustice
14th June 2016 publication of Guys 1992 blood tests
23rd August 2016 publication of Guys 1993 blood tests
Aug/Sept Farmers Mart pages 16-19
Sept 2016 Farmer Weekly on Guys results
Oct 2016 Northern Farmer front page and editorial
Nov 2016 Our call for EFRA inquiry in FW and FG
Dec 2016 Answers to EFRA's questions here and in FW
Jan 2017 Sadly the year did not start well with the deaths of Elizabeth Sigmund, Rod Knight and Brenda Sutcliffe, (obituaries to follow). We met with United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights and hazardous substances, Baskut Tuncak , who later said he was troubled to learn of the lack of support available to those affected by compulsory dipping, more here.
Feb 2017 With regret we have also been informed of the death of Neil Ryder who has done so much to help.
April 2017 esitorial in Northern Farmer
2018
with great sadness we have to report Margaret Percival, the founder of the Sheep Dip Sufferers Support Group, passed away on March 20th. Her funeral was held at Ellenbrook church, Worsley on April 9th
Book of the year award goes to Marie-Elsa Bragg for 'Towards Mellbreak', a novel about four generations of sheep farmers in Cumbria.
[spoiler alert: it is revealed at the end that their health problems were caused by OPs] review at http://bookoxygen.com/?p=7296
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