A national gathering to inspire and train all those opposed to the destruction of our planet
Earth First! Summer Gathering 2005
Wednesday 17th — Sunday 21st August
Peak District
Phone: 0845 355 0111
http://www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk/
Earth First! is not a cohesive group or campaign, but a convenient banner to work under for people who share similar ideas. The general principles behind the name are non-hierarchical organisation and the use of direct action to stop, and eventually reverse, the forces that are responsible for the destruction of the earth and its inhabitants.
Since 1992 many of the people under this banner have come together at gatherings to meet, socialise, discuss and organise direct action. This year’s gathering will take place in the Peak District. Here, in our first national park, is some of Britain’s most spectacular landscape.
“In the future our generation will be remembered for having the last opportunity to halt mass extinction, unprecedented even by the dinosaurs. Now is the time to gather and form an ecological resistance before the last great forests and life-support systems of the earth disappear forever. There is no turning back it is literally up to you.”
Sessions will cover a range of practical skills and struggles. Those already planned include self-defence, nanotechnology, blockade tactics, Gleneagles G8, navigation, Iceland Dams, action First Aid, indigenous resistance, climbing, ID cards, road and airport expansion, primitive skills, organising actions and campaigns, climate change, and ecological restoration. We’ll put more details up on the website as and when sessions are confirmed.
One day of the gathering will be an away-day out in the Peak District. As well as a chance to explore the local bioregion together, there’ll be practical sessions up in the hills and a visit to Nine Ladies, a direct action camp blocking quarry expansion in the Peak District National Park ( http://pages.zoom.co.uk/~nineladies ).
There will be a reception tent, vegan catering by Anarchist Teapot ( http://www.eco-action.org/teapot ), a café by Veggies ( http://www.veggies.org.uk/ ), a reading library, a womens’ space, and a camping area including a quiet sleeping area. Re-pressed (http://www.re-pressed.org.uk/ ) will be running a stall selling books and pamphlets. Commercial stalls are not welcome, but remember to bring any information about your group, campaign or forthcoming action.
Getting there: The nearest mainline station is Derby. The exact location of the site will be announced a week before the Gathering. For a map and travel details (including trains and buses close to the site), check the website or send a first-class stamped, addressed envelope marked GATHERING MAP to the address below. We will post it back to you so that it arrives on August 10th. Alternatively, check the website from that date. We’ll run pickups from the nearest train station a couple of times a day: ring the phone number for times. Details of any regional transport contacts will be put on the website.
Arriving and leaving: The first sessions start at 1pm on Wednesday 17th August, so aim to arrive by the evening of Tuesday 16th if you want to come to the whole event; the gate will be open from 12 midday. The last session will end on Sunday 21st at 6pm. After dinner there’ll be films and a ceilidh.
What to bring: Come equipped: bring shelter, warm waterproof clothes (just in case), and boots. You’ll need money for the gate and for food from Anarchist Teapot unless you’re catering for yourself. Do photocopy and bring any ‘how to’ guides you think might be useful.
Site crew is everyone who comes along. In order for us to have the gathering, vegetables need to be chopped, young people need to be entertained, washing up needs to be done, the gate tent needs to be staffed and compost toilets need to be maintained. Sometimes this is the best way to meet new people, have great conversations, and learn how to do new things. Come prepared to volunteer. You can sign up for shifts when you get there.
Cost: At the gate, we’ll be asking for £10 for every adult (including everyone helping out in any way) to cover the cost of organising the gathering.
Camping: The accommodation is camping only, so come equipped. A women-only camping space will be provided. We aim to be as fully-accessible to all as we can. If you have any special needs, contact us. A limited number of live-in vehicles are welcome: check with us in advance to see if there’s space.
Kids: Children are welcome. Please let us know how many kids are coming and how old they are. There’ll be a kids’ space, and some events for different ages, but you’re still responsible for the children you bring.
Dogs: There is a strict limit on the number of dogs we can have on this site, so please arrange beforehand for friends or relatives to look after your dog. If this is really not possible you must contact us beforehand, as any dogs not already booked will be turned away at the gate. Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times, and exercised off-site.
Food: The Anarchist Teapot mobile action kitchen will be cooking GM-free vegan food. You can buy their meal tickets for £3.50 a day, or bring your own food to cook and a camping stove.
Cameras and press: This is an action-orientated gathering, not a press event, so if you are coming as a journalist then you are not welcome. Please respect the wishes of some people not to be photographed and leave your camera at home.
NO COPS, NO JOURNALISTS, NO CAMERAS
Set-up and tat-down: We’ll need some people to help out on site for a few days before and after the gathering. If you can help, phone us on the number below.
Earth First! has no central office, no members, no paid workers, and also no money. Any donations will be appreciated. Make cheques and postal orders payable to “Earth First!”.
Earth First! Gathering 2005, 6 Tilbury Place, Brighton, East Sussex, BN2 2GY
Phone: 0845 355 0111
Email: summergathering @ yahoo.co.uk
Website: http://www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk/
