The fourth of five camera rolls in which Ingrid Sinclair from Trade Films joins women from the Wearmouth Miners Wives Support Group as they march from Gateshead to Newcastle protesting against the cutting off by the North-Eastern Electricity Board (NEEB) of power supplies to their homes. With a representative of the protest speaking with NEEB officials inside, outside interviews with demonstrating miners wives about their evaluation of the NEEB demonstration and their views on the miner’s...

The fourth of five camera rolls in which Ingrid Sinclair from Trade Films joins women from the Wearmouth Miners Wives Support Group as they march from Gateshead to Newcastle protesting against the cutting off by the North-Eastern Electricity Board (NEEB) of power supplies to their homes. With a representative of the protest speaking with NEEB officials inside, outside interviews with demonstrating miners wives about their evaluation of the NEEB demonstration and their views on the miner’s strike. Back outside a report is given on what was discussed and an argument breaks out with what was said. BBC Look North reporter Ian Proniewicz continues to speak with the representative of the NEEB on the steps of Carliol House. Julie Ross and six other members of the protest head into the NEEB office to cheers from their supporters. The camera follows the group into the building but are asked to leave. Back outside on Market Street everyone waits on the return of their colleague’s with people standing around chatting. More banners can be seen, one reads ‘Don’t Knock Off our Power, Get Maggie Out of Power’ while another reads ‘No Extortionate Electric Bills’. A third reads ‘Thatcher Twists More than Torvill and Dean. Save Our Mines’ with the woman holding the banner being asked by Ingrid Sinclair how the protest today has gone. She thinks it has gone well but could have done with more support. Another woman from Durham believes it’s the cost of getting to Newcastle which may have put people off. One of the women holding the Wearmouth Miners Wives Support Group banner is asked if she thinks the [miners] strike is political, she believes it is as no one is giving in and thinks Margaret Thatcher has gotten away with too much. She talks about other aspects of the strike and support from other unions. She hopes today goes well otherwise they’ll all be in the dark. As the group continues to wait another woman is asked to stand in the NEEB doorway with her banner She is asked what she thinks the strike is about to which she replies jobs. She doesn’t believe the pits are unprofitable rather mismanaged. She explains how it could be changed with more investment and subsidies. She doesn’t believe nuclear power is safe enough and will fight to keep to keep it out of Druridge Bay. She also believes miners wives are becoming politically aware because of the strike and hopes to continue the action group after the dispute to help other industries in the area. She describes her group as self-sufficient and not part of the national support groups. She gives details of the kind of work they do to support their miners with the likes of providing meals for pre-school children who don’t get free school meals and single men. Another woman joins the discussion talking about the support they’ve received from local shopkeepers. She smiles when asked about the media representation of the support groups as there hasn’t been much until recently. On the group being asked about the media’s representation of the strike they all believe that they have not been telling the truth. Until you’ve actually seen what’s going on, one woman says, you’ve actually no idea of what’s going on. They go on to talk about issues they had with the police at a recent London rally and how the event was portrayed by the media. None of the women believe the police are un-biased and the strike has become more political. The television crews stand on the steps of the NEEB offices preparing to shoot those coming out. Several people exit, but none are part of the protest group. Julie Ross and the rest of the group come out to the cheers of the other protestors. She makes a speech about the meeting in which she was told that the miners can’t be considered ‘a special case’ and suspend payments. An argument breaks out with some in the crowd about what can be done especially with regards installing pre-pay meters. A chant of ‘Miners Will Never Be Defeated’ begins.