A GIANT human peace symbol will be formed by 75 local campaigners to mark the 75th anniversary of the first atomic explosion on Thursday at the Mirror Pool in Bradford city centre.

The demonstration by Yorkshire CND will remember all lives lost due to the testing and usage of nuclear weapons and call on Bradford Council to formally support the UN Treaty to ban all nuclear weapons across the globe.

The event at 12.15pm will take place under very strict social distancing guidelines, something which has presented logistical challenges for the organisers.

“We had to do something to mark this milestone, but wanted to ensure we didn’t put anyone at risk,” said Mike Barrett a local artist and graphic designer, who mapped out the event.

"The solution we came up with, was to mark out the symbol with painted pebbles placed 2 metres apart. Every participant has been given a specific number ahead of time to ensure we all maintain a safe distance."

Campaigners want Bradford to join the growing list of global cities to back the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear weapons, which now numbers in the hundreds from Manchester to Munich, Sydney to San Francisco.

The group said Bradford has a great history as a city of peace and this will be well evidenced in the 75 local people taking part. They will include religious leaders and local councillors to peace campaigners and representatives of Bradford’s ground-breaking Peace Museum and Peace Studies Department, alongside the myriad groups that have sprung up to support refugees fleeing conflict around the world.

“The UK ranks number three in the world in spending on weapons of mass destruction, how does that help local people in the challenges we face today? We should be investing in health and social care at home and peace building abroad,” said organiser Sue Easterbrook of Bradford Women in Black.