***UPDATE - No Booking for 3CDSE at the Three Counties Showground this Year? THANK YOU Showground! Read the Updates Section for more info..***

We are concerned that an arms fair showcasing some of the world’s largest arms manufacturers is to be held at the premier venue in our region, the Three Counties Showground. (Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire)

The Three Counties Defence and Security Expo (3CDSE), now postponed to November 2021, is sponsored by BAE Systems, whose military exports to Saudi Arabia are implicated in thousands of civilian deaths in the civil war in Yemen.

The arms trade often fuels conflict and oppression. Many churches, universities and others have withdrawn investment from companies engaging  in harmful activities. To host an arms fair is not an apolitical act and this is not a straightforward third-party booking. Such a fair conflicts with the Showground’s charitable aim ‘to promote agriculture, rural crafts and conservation for the public benefit’.

There are surely other organisations which would be refused use of the Showground due to abhorrent activities or views.

We call on the Three Counties Showground to withdraw hospitality from arms fairs, to implement an effective, ethical events and hiring policy, and to maintain its reputation for high quality education and entertainment.

We are delighted that the following groups and people have supported this call so far.  Please join them.

Three Counties Campaign Against Arms Trade

Birmingham District Methodist Church

Bright Earth Buddhist Temple, Malvern

Cheltenham Green Party 

Cheltenham & District Trades Union Council - Simon Smith, Glenn Bayliss, Mike Farmer and Ian Morgan.

Cheltenham Welcomes Refugees 

Chris Dutton, National Education Union Executive Member

Coventry Justice and Peace Group

Diana Toynbee, Herefordshire Councillor

Ellie Chowns, Herefordshire Councillor

Emma Mort, National Education Union Executive Member

Global Justice Gloucestershire

Gloucester & District Trades Union Council - Neil Armitage 

Gloucestershire Area Quaker Meeting

Gloucestershire Methodist Circuit 

Hereford & South Herefordshire Green Party

Hereford, Leominster and Ludlow Amnesty group

Hereford Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Hereford Peace Council

Hereford Quaker

Herefordshire Local Government UNISON Branch

Malvern Quaker Meeting

Martin Davis, Convener, Cheltenham Green Christian

Natalie McVey, Malvern Hills Councillor

Pax Christi, England and Wales

Peace Pledge Union

Rev. Nigel Coke-Woods, South Worcestershire Methodist Circuit

Revd Helen Caine, Revd David Haslam, Revd Phil Warrey  - On behalf of the South Worcestershire and Herefordshire Methodist Public Issues Group

Revd Steve Faber Moderator, West Midlands Synod of the United Reformed Church

Revd Simon Helme, URC Area Minister for Gloucestershire

Sir Richard Eyre, CH CBE

Stroud Woodcraft Folk

Toni Fagan, Herefordshire Councillor

Veterans for Peace UK

XR Peace