The Peace Pledge Union, founded in the 1930s, is Britain’s oldest secular organisation opposing all war. It continues to campaign for nonviolence, education, and remembrance of conscientious objectors.
The Peace Pledge Union (PPU) was founded in 1934 as a response to the growing threat of war and the failure of traditional politics to prevent violence. At its heart was a simple but radical idea: that individuals could publicly pledge never to support or participate in war. The PPU was initiated by Anglican clergyman Dick Sheppard, who invited others to join him in rejecting war through a public letter in the newspaper.
Thousands responded. Soon, the PPU became a national pacifist organisation, drawing support from a wide range of people — Christians, humanists, Quakers, and others of conscience. Its message was rooted not in political ideology, but in a moral and spiritual conviction that war is a failure of imagination and humanity.
During the Second World War, the PPU stood firm in its principles, supporting conscientious objectors and offering alternative forms of service such as relief work. Though unpopular at times, their courage in refusing to bear arms is remembered by many as a powerful testament to peace. After the war, the PPU continued to challenge the glorification of violence and militarism, especially in schools and remembrance practices.
The Union has long opposed conscription, supported those who refused military service, and worked to change public attitudes toward war. They were also vocal critics of the arms trade and nuclear weapons during the Cold War and remain active in such campaigns today.
The PPU is affiliated with War Resisters’ International (WRI), a global network of pacifist organisations committed to resisting war and militarism through nonviolent action. This connection strengthens the PPU’s witness, reminding us that the struggle for peace knows no borders. Together with WRI, the PPU shares resources, training, and solidarity with conscientious objectors and nonviolent campaigners around the world.
Each year on 15th May, the PPU commemorates International Conscientious Objectors’ Day. They organise ceremonies, silent vigils, and public readings of names to honour those who have refused to fight, past and present. These events are held in cities across the UK, including a prominent gathering in Tavistock Square, London, where the stone memorial to conscientious objectors stands.
The PPU remains active in challenging militarism in everyday life. Their current work includes campaigning against military recruitment in schools, exposing the influence of the arms industry in education, and opposing government spending on warfare. They run educational programmes, provide materials for peace education, and support young people who choose to live out a commitment to nonviolence.
Another important strand of their work is challenging militarised remembrance. The PPU offers white poppies as a symbol of peace and all victims of war, contrasting with the red poppies associated with military remembrance. Through this gentle witness, they invite others to reflect on how we remember war—and how we might choose peace instead.
The Peace Pledge Union continues to draw from the deep well of conscience, faith, and reason. It provides a home for those who reject violence as a means of solving conflict, and who believe another world is possible—one built on justice, cooperation, and care. From its early days in 1930s Britain to its present-day work with young people, educators, and activists, the PPU remains a vital thread in the fabric of the peace movement.
In every leaflet, vigil, and white poppy handed out, the PPU offers a quiet reminder: peace is not the absence of struggle, but a different kind of struggle—one that begins with saying “I will not fight.”
Peace Pledge Union badges & campaigns and Peace Pledge Union website (opens in a new tab).