The conference is to progress the Atlantic area Interreg IIIB region, approved by the EU Commission, that covers the western areas of Scotland, England, France and Spain, with the region Poitou-Charentes, France, as authority managers.

With the co-operation of local police, protesters encamped outside Windsor Castle, and what a wonderful backdrop it presented!

The grey stone of the Castle walls enhanced to perfection the fluttering Union and St. George's flags, intermingled with red white and blue umbrellas. Held aloft proudly were banners bearing varied anti-regional messages, mingling with French, Danish and Polish banners and flags. These created much enthusiasm and discussion with tourists -- "The euro is no good" remarked an Italian. And Polish students gleefully took a large quantity of leaflets to distribute in Poland.

Added to this, various orators took up the tannoy to transmit the EU take-over of our country, aided by consecutive governments.

At the centre of the protest was a trailer urging opposition to the serious threat of break-up of this country into regions and direct rule by Brussels.

Tony Bennett (speaker) and Dave Capon (driver) interspersed their approach with patriotic music such as 'Jerusalem' and 'I Vow to thee my Country', creating great enthusiasm from pedestrians. A huge banner encasing the side of the trailer, constructed by Maurice Mitford Blackburn, bore a message to the Queen....

Later, great delight was taken in burning a paper EU flag, while Queen Victoria's statute looked on with approval. This action even got reported as far away as the Newcastle Journal newspaper.

Over 4,000 leaflets were handed out in a very short time, as many people approached requesting literature, subsequently there have been telephone queries to join us. Before clearing the site at 1.45pm a letter to Her Majesty was handed to a policeman guarding the gate of the Castle who replied, "That's all right love. I'll see she gets it. She'll be here on Sunday". One can only hope....

At 2.30pm, 40 protesters parked cars and entered the Park at Bishopsgate. The security was heavy and only flags were allowed, no banners.

However, in anticipation, six banners had been secreted under bushes in the Park the previous evening!

A long walk brought us to the Cumberland Lodge gate whereupon a second paper EU flag was set fire.

An envelope addressed to The Chairman was handed to security on the gate that prompted an appearance of the Deputy Principal (Martin Newlan) and Senior Fellow (Dr. Jutte Huesmann). Mr. Newlan instantly defended the conference by denying it was a political meeting, simply a 'think tank'. Controversy instantly erupted, pointing out that the conference title is 'European Regional Politics: A Vision for Europe?', with all forty seeming to have something to say. A list of meetings generated by the conference was swiftly produced.

Cumberland Lodge had been donated by the Queen Mother in 1947 for 'academic and educational conferences', and it was considered an abuse by St Catherine's Foundation to hold a conference that will further the break-up of Britain.

Lawrie Boxall and Mr. Newlan held a lengthy discussion to arrange a conference of sceptic academics in the Lodge to redress the imbalance. Finally, the valiant troopers returned, leaving anti-region banners conspicuously placed either side of the gate.

Jenny Sleep, organiser, would like to express her heartfelt thanks to all participants for their initiatives and stalwart efforts.