World Earthday chosen for lecture in memory of Labour firebrand.
Thirsk & Malton Labour Party have revived the tradition of organising a lecture in memory of Joan Maynard (1921 – 1998) who lived, worked and died in the Thirsk area. From the humble origins of a poor tenant farming family, Joan Maynard became a towering figure in the Labour and Trades Union movement of her time.
Becoming Vice President of the National Union of Agricultural Workers and Deputy Chair of the Labour Party, Joan was elected as MP for Sheffield Brightside but never forgot her rural roots and returned to Thirsk after standing down from Parliament. She is credited with the abolition of the tied-cottage system. Far ahead of her time, Joan campaigned on high welfare standards for livestock, health and safety of farm workers and the dangers of organophosphates.
She believed ‘The earth is honest. It gives back to you what you put in.’
It is fitting that the 2023 lecture to be given in her memory will be on World Earthday and by Noga Levy-Rapoport on ‘The Art of Campaigning – How to Fight for a Just & Sustainable Future’.
Noga is a young climate activist, organiser, and speaker who led the school climate strikes across the UK and internationally. Often called the UK’s Greta Thunberg, Noga has worked on numerous campaigns pushing for education reform, youth empowerment, a Green New Deal and been involved with sustainability community projects including Gaia’s Garden and #SeaOurFuture.
Named as one of the most influential Londoners by the Evening Standard, a Forbes Top 100 Environmentalist, and a recipient of the 2021 Diana Award, Noga should prove to be an excellent and stimulating speaker. The lecture will touch on the climate strikes, empowerment and the importance of defending the freedom to protest for the planet.
John Gibbins, local Political Education Officer for the Labour Party says ‘Protecting our environment is a big issue today, but sometimes people don’t really know what to do. Sometimes we need to get away from our phones and screens and talk to people who are out there doing things. That’s what EarthDay is all about and it’s great that, in Noga, we have a young, inspirational campaigner here in Thirsk. Just like Joan Maynard, love or loathe the politics, Noga is worth hearing.’
The lecture is at Thirsk Town Hall, 2.00 pm on Saturday 22 April. It is free and seats can be reserved by emailing to: secretary@thirskandmaltonlabour.uk.
Previous memorial lectures were given by Tony Benn, Rodney Bickerstaffe, Gerry Adams and Hilary Benn.