London: Tree planted in memory of Bruce Kent

Image ICN/JS

A moving ceremony took place in Finsbury Park, north London, on Saturday, for the planting of a walnut tree in honour of Bruce Kent who died last June. More than a hundred people attended the event, which was organised by local MP Jeremy Corbyn.

Among those present were Fr Udo Chinedu, Parish Priest of St Mellitus, representatives from Pax Christi, Rev Gyoro Nagase from the Buddhist Peace Pagodas, representatives from the Movement for the Abolition of War, the United Nations Association, CND and Westminster Justice and Peace.

In her opening speech, Kate Hudson, General Secretary of CND, described Bruce as "a towering leader of the peace movement."

She said: "Bruce was an inspirational public speaker, witty, sharp, with an extraordinary ability not only to convey his view with clarity and power but to communicate directly with every listener on a very human level. Truly he was not only a great public figure but a man filed with great love for humanity and a determination to do everything that he could to bring change to people's lives on every level."

She said: "Here today we want particularly to celebrate Bruce as a member of this community around Finsbury Park where he and Valerie lived for 35 years... As well as being involved in organising events and campaigning for park improvements the park even played an important role in Bruce's peace campaigning. In 1988 he walked round the park many times to train for his thousands mile nuclear-free Europe walk from Warsaw to Brussels."

Kate said: "Bruce was enormously engaged in local life. He and Valerie were members of St Melitus Church in Tollington Park for over 20 years. There he played a key role in innumerable justice and peace events, outings for refugees, community Christmas concerts and much more. Bruce was also very committed to interfaith work - organising a multi faith peace service on Remembrance Sunday every year. And he gave great support to Whiteman Road Mosque, Finsbury Park Mosque.. when there were under attack..."

She said: "Bruce supported many other local activities including the Catholic Worker House for refugees of Mattison Road, the Kurdish Community Centre, Haringey Green Lanes Traders Association the Campaign Against the Arms Trade in Fonthill Road, and Prisoners Abroad in Finsbury Park. The list is endless."

Kevin Duffy of Friends of Finsbury Park, said: "Bruce loved this park - he encouraged community festivals and was particularly keen to improve facilities and to provide activities for children and young people. He initiated the annual Easter egg hunt.... He also organised safe bonfires for children on Bonfire Night."

"Bruce believed ardently that our parks and trees are the lungs of London and felt passionately the park should be for the rest and relaxation of ordinary people." Kevin pointed out that 80 per cent of local residents have no garden - so the park is their back garden.

In a message read out, Mohammed Kozbar from Finsbury Park Mosque described his long friendship with Bruce which began at the start of the war on Iraq in 2003. He said: "I used to listen to his speeches carefully which mixed between seriousness and sense of humour. Opposing the war and calling for peace. Since then our relationship became stronger and stronger. He used to come and visit me at the Mosque from time to time and I visited him in his flat. To discuss different topics. He never ran out of topics. Always there was something in his pocket to talk about. From Interfaith and theological to community relations, to politics. Whenever I needed advice I used to get in touch with him. And he never said no. He was always honest and frank with his advice. Bruce was a man of inspiration. He always inspired people around him with his personality, his sense of humour, wisdom and commitment. On a personal level I lost a friend, a teacher, advocate for peace and a role model. Rest in peace."

Jeremy Corbyn, who knew Bruce for many years, recalled attending the Hague Peace Conference with him in 1999. He remembered him being "so cheerful, wonderfully witty and so knowledgeable," and "an inspirational leader and thinker with an incredibly broad-minded approach who believed in human love and good and that our wonderful planet can be saved by our actions."

Appealing for peace in Ukraine, Corbyn said: "there has to be a voice for peace to save lives in Ukraine to save lives in Russia to prevent things descending into something much worse - a nuclear war. So in Bruce's memory - lets all strive to sustain this planet."

The last speaker was Welsh poet Mererid Hopwood, who recited her beautiful poem 'Apostle of Peace' dedicated to Bruce.

Before lowering the tree into place, alongside Bruce's wife Valerie Flessati, Jeremy Corbyn said: "let's all strive to build this world of peace.".."Every time we run past this tree - I'll think of Bruce… I'll say thank you Bruce for everything you did for all of us..."

Watch a short film by Clive Carter of Jeremy Corbyn's speech, and the tree planting here:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZ4KBeB0ZCs

Read Mererid Hopwood's poem 'Apostle of Peace': http://bruce-kent.com/mererid-hopwood.pdf