It's been an eventful few months since the last CAAT News. Israel's genocidal war in Gaza has continued, and has expanded to a brutal bombing campaign and invasion of Lebanon. On a more positive note, the first cracks in UK foreign policy on Israel emerged, with the announcement by the new government of the suspension of 30 arms export licences to Israel. Your support
for CAAT's work campaigning against arms sales to Israel has been rewarded in some part. CAAT and War on Want issued a Joint Statement on 3rd September. It's on our website, do READ IT HERE.
Thank you for the donations we’ve received towards this work.
Please continue your support!
In this issue of CAAT News:
• Read how Farnborough International Air Show is more horror show than a family day out, and how the Twickenham stadium has punted their arms fair off - to Farnborough!
• Join CAAT staff who went through the looking glass and had a guided tour of the Counter Terror Expo.
• Learn how those arms we sold to the UAE ended up fuelling the frightful civil war in Sudan.
• And, who knew an old-established and reputable paper mill is making components for the F35?
Events
Do keep an eye on the Events page on our website for details of in-person and online events.
An important reminder of our fundraising needs.
Our small CAAT team currently consists of just seven members of staff, assisted by some part-time freelance specialists, and the volunteer non-staff members of our Steering Committee. Staff members each concentrate on a dedicated area of work, and together we manage the organisational parts of CAAT. There is (always) so much to do, and sometimes it approaches the overwhelming; we have no slack or wiggle room.
Much of this you may know already, but it’s important to make sure you are aware of how we are funded to carry out the work we do. CAAT only exists through receiving grants and individual donations.
We receive some grants from foundations to carry out our charitable (education and research) work. We are not a charity ("Peace" doesn't count, apparently) but we can receive funds through a trust, which holds and releases them for charitable purposes.
Supporter donations enable us to carry out our core work – campaigning against the arms trade. There would be no campaigning without individual donations.
Individual donations reach us in two main ways:
First, as - often spontaneous - one-off donations. These typically come in reaction to CAAT News, a report of an action on social media, or by responding to an email. These increased in the first half of this year, and we are most grateful.
Secondly, and most essential for our operations and longer-term planning, are the regular donations we receive by Direct Debit. These are from supporters who commit to giving an amount they can afford and include in their personal budget.
Donations from regular giving have fallen overall in the last couple of years. This is no surprise, as we continue to suffer from the cost-of-living crisis. Currently, this fall is about the same as the increase in one-off donations. But we are concerned about the future, particularly as we are setting our budget for 2025.
I’m asking you – if you can and don't already – to make a monthly Direct Debit to CAAT. | 
