Action Mesothelioma Day 2022

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Every year, on the first Friday in July, asbestos victims hold events across the country to remember all those who have lost their lives to mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer caused by asbestos. The Manchester event is run by the Greater Manchester Asbestos Victims Support Group (GMAVSG).

Our 2022 Action Mesothelioma Day event was held at Lincoln Square in Manchester at 12 noon on Friday 1st July.

74 attended, mostly people affected by asbestos disease, along with trade unionists and anti-asbestos campaigners.

Speeches were made by Rob Rayner of GMAVSG, Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Janet Newsham of the Greater Manchester Hazards Centre, and Mairead Dixon of Mesothelioma UK.

Kate Green MP and Tony Lloyd MP sent their apologies and asked for messages of support to be read out.

Extracts from the speeches can be found below:

Rob Rayner on the Cape Must Pay campaign. To sign the petition to get Cape to pay £10 million to mesothelioma research, click here.

Rebecca Long-Bailey MP on the national emergency of asbestos in public buildings.

Janet Newsham remembering the dead, and fighting like hell for the living.

Mairead Dixon on the impact of mesothelioma on patients & families.

The speeches were followed by minute’s silence, after which doves were released in memory of those who died from asbestos disease. Thank you to everyone who came forward to release a dove.

Many people donate to a charity for Action Mesothelioma Day. This year we raised money for the June Hancock Mesothelioma Research Fund and the National Centre for Mesothelioma Research. £6,255 has been raised so far. Thank you so much to everyone who donated.

Several North West landmarks took part in the ‘Go Blue For Meso’ national campaign, lighting up blue that evening to raise awareness of mesothelioma. A big thank you to Barrow-in-Furness town hall, the Hoad monument in Ulverston, Chorley town hall, and Congleton town hall, amongst others.