PEOPLE power is the basis for a new exhibition on Oxfordshire’s struggles, past and present.

The county has a vast, radical history spanning from the 17th century Levellers, who defied Cromwell and paid the ultimate price, to cute, placard-waving toddlers of the 1970s, who helped save the county’s nurseries.

And, of course, today’s anti-cuts campaigners – the students, teachers and public sector workers fighting for an affordable education and pension rights.

Now a fascinating glimpse of this history is going on show in a new exhibition entitled: Oxfordshire Struggles: Past and Present.

The exhibition, on display at Ruskin College in Walton Street today from 1pm to 5pm following a run at Oxford Town Hall, has been put together by Oxford & District Trades Council (ODTUC).

A long-term home for the exhibition is set to be announced shortly.

Gawain Little, President of ODTUC said: “Oxfordshire has a strong radical tradition.

“This exhibition tells the story of a few key points in this ongoing struggle. And what these episodes all have in common is the unity and solidarity that was built among local people in their fight to defend and extend their rights.

“We hope that learning the lessons of the past will help us to organise for the struggles of the future.”

‘Lessons’, or rather the threat of losing them, provoked one of the county’s most highly publicised episodes of action, back in 1977, when Oxfordshire Council proposed a reduction in nursery places and the closure of the South Oxford Nursery. The resulting furore saw parents occupying the nursery – and toddlers waving placards in defiance.

Gawain Little said: “Oxford City Nursery Campaign used all forms of protest available to them, including lobbying, running a petition, and finally contacting the Department for Education.

“On March 21, 1978, two days before the end of term, parents came to collect their children early.

But instead of taking them home, they took them inside and stayed there!”

The parents were removed from the nursery almost six weeks later, on April 27.

The county council then announced proposals to close down all the county’s nurseries – but protesters would not give in. A public meeting was called and the Save Our Nurseries campaign was formed.

This was quickly superseded by the Oxon Campaign for Nursery Education, which had solid support across the county. And in July 1979, a delegation met the chairman of the education committee to discuss reopening the nurseries.

One after another, in Didcot, Headington, Banbury, and Botley, the nurseries were saved.

For many parents it was their first collective action and had a lasting effect.

Audrey Mullender, principal of Ruskin College said: “Staff and students of the college are in the forefront of current activism and campaigning, through the trade union movement and beyond, so it is particularly fitting that this radical history exhibition should come to Ruskin.”