I spoke briefly about the foundation of Amnesty - to campaign for the first prisoners of conscience in Portugal - and its historic campaigns against apartheid and Soviet oppression, through to present day challenges to human rights including in Russia and China, as well as the glimmers of hope from the Arab Spring and in Burma. The Esher Branch of Amnesty was founded in 1986, and I paid tribute to the local group for helping to keep the flame burning bright in the campaign for basic freedoms across the world.