On the eve of the 138th Durham Miners Gala and 40 years on from the Miners Strike, organisers have launched a fundraising appeal to help meet rising costs.
Tens of thousands of people are expected to pack the streets of Durham tomorrow (Saturday 13 July 2024) for an event hosted by the Durham Miners Association (DMA) since 1871.
The year-long strike began in March 1984 as miners and their families across the country fought to preserve their jobs, their industry and their communities. Within a decade of the end of the strike, every mine on the Durham coalfield had been closed, having a devastating economic and social impact on the region.
The theme of this year’s Gala is ‘Solidarity Forever’, a popular slogan and song during the strike. The Gala has survived and is thriving again, but costs of hosting the event – which is free for all who attend – have risen sharply this year. Organisers are appealing to everyone who values the Gala, which is free to all who attend, to chip in.
For more than a century, the Gala was funded by the county’s working miners through their subscriptions to their trade union, the Durham Miners Association (DMA).
Following the closure of the collieries, the DMA worked in solidarity with the trades unions to create the Friends of Durham Miners Gala (FODMG). Today, the Gala is funded by the donation and subscription through FODMG. Those who contribute are known as ‘Marras’ – a Durham miners’ term for a trusted friend who can be relied on in times of need.
FODMG chair Dave Anderson, a Durham miner who became the MP for Blaydon, said: “It is remarkable that the Gala has survived the 40 years sicnce the strike and the subsequent destruction of the coal mining industry. This is due to the solidarity shown by the people who were determined it must continue.
"Our costs of are higher than ever and rising sharply.. The Gala needs the solidarity of the people more than ever.
“I urge everyone who values the Gala to chip and join our band of Marras.”
People attending the Gala can also support the event by visiting the Gala shop on the Racecourse where official Gala t shirts, tote bags, enamel badges and posters will be on sale. Every penny will go to fund the Big Meeting. You can also shop online here.
To join the Marras, or for more information, please click here.