Raising Awareness of Effects of Agent Orange

Created by Alexandra 8 years ago
I miss doing stalls with Len, I am a nurse and I worked in Cambodia in 1998, afterwards I went to Vietnam on holiday, and was shocked to hear about Agent Orange devastation to the countryside and its long term effects on people health.
I helped Len from 2000- until 2013 when I was able to help with stall usually in afternoon bringing tea and cake, often the stalls was next to Belle Harris stall. Belle was a Tower Hamlets councillor and shared many of Len concerns about nuclear weapons and peace. I was pleased to have opportunity, to talk to the public about Agent Orange effects on many of the rural people of south Vietnam. Sometimes we sold a lot of beautiful scarves, and purses, some I bought and gave to friends. Other times Ho Chi Minh badges and keyrings sold very well.

Len and I shared other causes, such as privatisation of the health service, the arms fair, the dropping of drones in Iraq and elsewhere, and we would meet on marches and meetings. He was a committed campaigner, but unlike other campaigners retained an excellent sense of humour, and never got angry. He was generous and disciplined. His attributes would have made him an excellent teacher, diplomat, journalist, historian and researcher.
We joked about being nominated for a MBE, however neither of us would have felt comfortable about this system of honors, if there had been an alternative type of honor I would have nominated him.
He worked for Medical Aid For Palestine before he retired. He also attended meetings of the Medical and Scientific Aid For Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, which is based in Coventry and is continuing to provide medical aid.
Vietnam has benefitted from the number of trees planted that Len helped to fund. Not to mention the wheelchairs, and other equipment that he helped to fund for many of the people who suffered poor health from Agent Orange causing a number of limb deformities.
Thousands of people know about Agent Orange from the website, so many signed petitions, as well as people being informed from the many stalls all over London.
I do hope orbituaries can be printed in newspapers, and radio programmes. His legacy and his friendly personality will live on in my and many other memories. I am pleased I was able to help his valuable work on international health and justice.