"'Medical Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons North West Region' banner" [NMLH.2000.2]

Catalogue Number
NMLH.2000.2

Object Name
Banner

Title
'Medical Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons North West Region'

Place
Didsbury, Manchester, UK

People
Medical Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND)

Events
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament

Date
1970s

Creator(s)
Wimborne, Mrs M.

Description
A blue banner with yellow tassels and writing. On either side of the campaign name 'Medical Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons' is a white pillar with a red snake wrapped around it - a common symbol of the medical profession dating back to the ancient Greeks.


This banner was made by Mrs Wimbourne of Didsbury, Manchester, whose husband was a medic. It was used by the Medical Campaign Against Nuclear Weapons (MCANW) on Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) marches during the 1970s and 1980s.


MCANW was formed in 1980 by health professionals, including doctors, nurses and researchers. The group used medical arguments to make the case against nuclear weapons and warn against the concept of a ‘winnable’ nuclear war. MCANW stated ‘there could be no effective medical response’ to nuclear weapons and predicted ‘The management of casualties resulting from even a limited nuclear attack would be completely beyond the capacity of existing, fully operational medical facilities.’

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