North West England – Page 34

Call for workshops at the Earth First! Summer Gathering 2007

This year’s gathering is from 18 – 22 July in Norfolk, near a mainline railway station.

The focus is on practical skills, but there will also be many of the regular diverse and interesting workshops.

This year’s gathering is from 18 – 22 July in Norfolk, near a mainline railway station.

The focus is on practical skills, but there will also be many of the regular diverse and interesting workshops.

The idea is to have multiple workshop sessions, e.g. four two-hour slots spread over four days building up skills in a particular area, so people can learn the basic skills to actually do the job at other mobilisations, events like the climate camp – or wherever. For example plumbing, electrical skills, medics…and whatever else people want to do… It’s not just about the practical skills but also about getting to know each other and starting to work together.

If you would like to offer a workshop please write to:
martinshaw64@riseup.net

Thanks – the EF! summer gathering collecting
General contact details etc at http://www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk/

please forward to people you think would be interested.

documentary: Reclaim Power – voices from the camp for climate action 2006

In the summer of 2006, 600 people convinced that there is no time to waste set up a Camp for Climate Action in the shadow of one of the biggest C02 emitters in Europe: Drax coal-fired power station in Yorkshire / UK. Cine Rebelde produced a documentary film about the camp.

Climate change is now a reality. Leading scientists across the world agree that in a ’business as usual scenario’ we have no longer than 10 years to prevent 2-3 degrees of additional global arming that will lead to irreversible climatic changes with dramatic consequences for our planet.

However, in a world driven by profit and committed to unlimited economic growth, humanity seems very unwilling to change the course of the fossil fuel economy.

In the summer of 2006, the 5th hottest year ever recorded in recent history, 600 people convinced that there is no time to waste set up a Camp for Climate Action in the shadow of one of the biggest C02 emitters in Europe: Drax coal-fired power station in Yorkshire / UK.

With over one hundred workshops on a wide range of topics, the 10 day camp was a space of collective learning, sustainable living and taking direct action on the root causes of climate change. The gathering that showed practical low energy solutions in action, culminated in a day of protest and mass direct action in an attempt to shut down Drax.

DVD 62min + extras
English with subtitles in English, French, German and Spanish
reports on indymedia UK: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2006/climatecamp/

Trailer download: 2:58 min
http://www.cinerebelde.org/site.php3?id_article=356〈=en

a cine rebelde production in cooperation with http://risingtide.org.uk and http://climatecamp.org.uk

indymedia reports of the Camp 2006:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/actions/2006/climatecamp/

Pictures, information and film orders:
orders@cinerebelde.org
http://www.cinerebelde.org

DVDs will also soon be available from rising tide, climate camp groups and at the meeting in Bristol.

* * * * * *
Preparations for the Camp for Climate Action 2007 are in full swing. The upcoming meeting will be in Bristol on March 17th /18th.

Rising Tide North America is currently doing a Road Show. Check out:
http://risingtidenorthamerica.org

The Campaign Against Prison Slavery

The Campaign Against Prison Slavery is a group set up to try to expose the reality of prison labour, how little of it teaches skills that can be used after release and which could help reduce the chances of re-offending.

We also seek to expose the private companies that have contracts with prisons that are making huge profits using prisoner labour while the prisoners are paid pennies an hour, any loses incurred by the prison industries contracts are covered by the tax payer.

CAPS now has a new website www.againstprisonslavery.org and the contact details are:

Campaign Against Prison Slavery
P.O. Box 74
Brighton
BN1 4ZQ
E-mail: againstprisonslavery@riseup.net

Manchester Critical Mass and benefit gig

Friday 23rd February. Meet at 6pm as usual by the central library for a bike ride round our city which will then go to the Rampant Lion, Anson Rd/ Upper Brook St, Victoria Park (paralel to wilmslow road) starting at 8pm

Bands include Sweating Cobs, Burnst, Run Like Hell, Cash for Your Stories, Stray Dog Cafe and MC Flipflop. Plus DJs playing ska, reggae and d+b til 2am.

Djs playing reggae, punk and ska til 2am a £3 donation to critical mass would be lovely

Critical Mass is a bicycle ride that happens every last Friday of the month at 6pm from Central Library

We cycle round the city to celebrate the bicycle:

It’s for anyone that rides a bike;
Its a celebration of getting round the city without polluting it;
Its about every journey being an adventure instead of just sitting
on a boring bus or in a stressful car;
Its about cyclists riding together to demand more respect from other road users;
Its a way to meet other cyclistas;

also at that time on friday hundreds of cities around the world do the same thing…all get together for critical mass. its beautiful to know that as you ride with your mates through your own city that all around the world thousands of people are doing the same thing..

30 shut down Manchester petrol station

10.02.2007

Yesterday, 30 climate activists shut down an ESSO petrol station on Upper Brook Street in Manchester for 2 hours. The action aimed to highlight the link between the oil industry and global warming.

10.02.2007

Yesterday, 30 climate activists shut down an ESSO petrol station on Upper Brook Street in Manchester for 2 hours. The action aimed to highlight the link between the oil industry and global warming.

ESSO is a direct contributor to climate change by burning fossil fuels. It still actively looks for more oil. At the same time, ESSO is the last oil company to deny the link between burning fossil fuels and climate change. It has consistently sabotaged international agreements on the issue. Although it announced a £20bn annual profit last week (the largest one in US corporate history), ESSO does not spend a penny on renewable energy.

30 people blockaded the two entrances to the petrol station, using bits of fencing and traffic cones. As a symbol against car culture, three people locked themselves with D-locks to bicycles. Two others were locked to concrete based signs. Two large banners were displayed reading “no.1 supplier, no.1 denier, no.1 profiteer” and “closed for denying climate change”.
Police attended the scene, but were generally supportive. Passers-by and car drivers gave an overwhelmingly positive response, many honking in support.

Media attention was high. Camera teams from both Channel M and ITV Granada interviewed activists. A photo journalist from Manchester Evening News was present. The BBC asked for footage to be sent in.

After two hours, hundreds of leaflets had been given out and the blockaders voluntarily re-opened the station. No arrests were made.

manchester@climatecamp.org.uk

photos of Manchester carbon footprint stencils

7.02.2007

Last Thursday, to coincide with the IPCC report, a group of Manchester climate activists decorated the pavements outside flight centres, petrol stations, supermarkets and a humvee garage with carbon footprints.

Roughly a dozen stencils appeared Friday morning in various city centre locations. The stunt followed a number of other awareness raising actions in Manchester, such as the blockade of the humvee garage a few weeks earlier.

Manc protest against ESSO this Friday, 9th Feb

A protest against ESSO and its role in the environmental crisis will take place this friday (9th feb), meeting outside Manchester University Students Union at 5pm. All welcome, lets increase the noise on climate change around manchester!

ESSO (Exxon mobil) is the world’s single largest emitter of CO2, as well as the world’s most profitable company. It has been funding numerous groups attempting to misinform the public over the causes of climate change (see www.exxonsecrets.org), and recently offered scientists $10,000 to write articles discrediting the latest IPCC report. Come and protest against ESSO’s reckless behaviour, and raise the noise levels on climate change around Manchester!

All welcome, starting at 5pm, Friday 9th of feb outside Manchester University Students Union, on the Oxford Road…seeyou there!

Next national climate camp organsing gathering Feb 17/18 in Leeds

The next national organsing gathering will be in Leeds on Sat and Sun Feb 17th/18th. It will be at The Common Place in Leeds city centre and vegan food, accommodationand creche will be provided (please contact us with accommodation, creche or any other needs though so we can plan ahead).

Climate campers are at it again! More than seventy people from around the UK met in Leeds in January and decided to organise another Camp for Climate Action this summer from 14th to 21st August. As many of you know, for ten days last August hundreds of people gathered in the shadow of Drax coal-fired power station in Yorkshire to share knowledge and inspiration to tackle the greatest threat to life on Earth, live an example of more just and sustainable alternatives, and confront one of the UK’s biggest polluters in a day of mass direct action.

Following on from this success, Camp for Climate Action 2007 will take place near to a target relating to aviation or the coal or oil industries. The location will be chosen over the coming months. Organising outreach,
fundraising, site practicalities and workshops is underway. Self managed camping, eating and living neighbourhoods around themes and geographical areas are also being planned, contact details are on the website.

There is loads to do, and everyone is invited to get involved – no experience necessary! The next national planning meetings will be held in Leeds at the Common Place, on the 17th and 18th February, and then in
Bristol on the 17th and 18th March.

See www.climatecamp.org.uk for more info. There are lots of ways to get involved without coming to national gatherings, but coming to them is a great way of really feeling part of the whole process, we work with consensus decision making and collective responsibility, everyone gets their say in how the whole thing goes.

For a 20min film of last years camp get
V For Video Activist – SchMOVIES DVD Collection 2006 OUT January 2007
– £6 (including P&P). Contact the SchNEWS Office 01273 685913 or schnews@brighton.co.uk

leeds@climatecamp.org.uk
http://www.climatecamp.org.uk

Some Jan Critical Mass reports – London, Leeds, Manchester (& I Bike Mcr festival)

You never know what the police are going to do next on the London ride. They clamp down on some things and relax on others from one month to the next and from one part of the ride to another. ‘Shambolic’ is perhaps the word that best describes their behaviour. They seem at times to behave more like Anarchists than the riders. You would think with their radios they could at least arrive at some sort of a consensus. In addition to our usual police overkill the Forward Intelligence Team were also in attendance at the South Bank, poking their cameras in people’s faces. All this just because of a bike ride!

This time the cops decided to get tough with riders without lights and those who go through red lights and also with sound systems in the SOCPA zone. Did you know, it is OK for someone with a car to play their sound system in the vicinity or Parliament but not for a cyclist with a sound system? How discriminatory is that? Anyway, the cops allowed an extra long ‘bikes high’ stop in Oxford Circus but no stop whatsoever in Picadilly Circus. Those riders who were pulled for going through red lights are now facing a £30 fine, despite the fact that some cops were actually ushering other riders through red lights!

One of the highlights of the ride was storming through the Aldwych underpass, something the police normally prevent. We had a fun time with Brian Haw in Parliament Square, he led the “More bikes less cars!” chants on his megaphone and seemed in a very good spirits. The ride split up after that at around 9pm, going off in all directions and leaving our yellow coated retinue behind, chin-wagging among themselves.
http://www.criticalmasslondon.org.uk

Quicktime video version – video/mp4 8.3M
Windows video version – video/x-ms-wmv 8.6M

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45 people rode around Leeds for just under an hour last night, with no police interventions. The largest ride for some years, its hoped that this is the beginning of reversal in the downward trend of recent times.

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critical mass manchester last friday and the next one..

Critical Mass on Friday was absolutely amazing. We stood around chatting outside the library for ages just chillin and socialising and meeting the many newcomers to the mass. People making the I Bike MCR did some filming for part of the film and someone taking photos for the bicycle exhibition in March.

Then the 40 or so of us took to the streets, riding around the city centre and down past the station right down Grosvenor street and onto oxford road where masses of students waiting for some gig cheered us as we rode by the union. We rode through Rusholme and then up to Withington and back , hardly any negativity at all instead we were greeted with cheers and friendly beeps and waves from car drivers and pedestrians… woooo!
After the ride we all went for a nice cold beer..mmm

Join us on Friday 23rd Feb for the next one, which will end at the rampant lion on upper brook st/anson rd where we will have our very own celebrate critical mass party with bands and dj’s playing reggae, ska and punk..

email us at: mcrcriticalmass@yahoo.co.uk
be our myspace friend: http://www.myspace.com/mcrcriticalmass
see our website: http://velorution.x21.org.uk

Manchester I bike Mcr festival:

From 30th March to 20th April the I Bike MCR festival takes place in
Manchester. It is a grassroots festival organised by cyclists for cyclists
with diverse events that will entice any cyclist. From Bicycle Polo
classes and matches to Alleycat racing to a Bicycle Art Exhibition,
there’s something for everyone.

Those involved in organising the event are cyclists from different walks
of life including cycling instructors, daily commuters, bicycle
messengers, Critical Mass advocacy group members and bicycle mechanics.

Timetable

Friday 30th March
6pm Critical Mass bike ride, meet at Central Library to celebrate the
bicycle over car culture.

8pm Exhibition Opening at The Basement, 24 Lever St. The opening event
will be one to remember and will feature the premier screening of new
Manchester bicycle film “I bike MCR”. We shall also be showing other
bicycle films and having a roller race (an indoor bicycle race- on
rollers) with lots of prizes to be won! Local acoustic bands will be
performing including the amazing Cooper Jones and Dr Butler’s Hatstand
Medicine Band

Saturday 31st March
1pm Platt Fields Park Bicycle Polo class. Oxford bicycle polo team are
coming to teach us how to play the sport. Please email to reserve a place.
(they return 2 weeks later to play a match: Manchester vs Oxford)

Sunday 1st April
2pm Central Library April Fools Day Bicycle Treasure Hunt. A fun treasure
hunt around our city.

Wednesday 4th April
Moonlight Pub Ride Start 7pm Sandbar, Grosvenor St (off Oxford Road/opp.
All Saints Park. A night ride out and around the outskirts of Manchester
stopping off at some lovely pubs for a drink on the way.

Friday 13th April
Hell Of The North West Alleycat
Fixies and roadragers ride the alleycat for a fast race round our city. £5
entry, amazing prizes to be won. with some donated by the wonderous Twin
Six and Keirin Culture
Email to register

Alleykitten
Shoppers, bmx’s and silly bikes ride alleykitten for a random race full of
games and nonsense round our city centre. £5 entry, amazing prizes to be
won. Email to register

Saturday 14th April
1pm Platt Fields Park Bicycle Polo Match: Manchester vs Oxford.

For more information see the website: www.ibikemcr.org.uk or email
info@ibikemcr.org.uk

Critical Masses This Friday (& others)

This is the first critical mass of 2007. Lets start as we mean to go on and make it a big one!

We cycle round the city to celebrate the bicycle:
It’s for anyone that rides a bike;
Its a celebration of getting round the city without polluting it;

This is the first critical mass of 2007. Lets start as we mean to go on and make it a big one!

We cycle round the city to celebrate the bicycle:
It’s for anyone that rides a bike;
Its a celebration of getting round the city without polluting it;
Its about every journey being an adventure instead of just sitting on a boring bus or in a stressful car;
Its about cyclists riding together to demand more respect from other road users;
Its a way to meet other cyclistas;
At roughly the same time on Friday hundreds of cities around the world do the same thing…all get together for critical mass. its beautiful to know that as you ride with your mates through your own city that all around the world thousands of people are doing the same thing…

Rides in the UK this Friday include:
* Brighton – Gather 18:00 at the Level (BN2 3FX)
* Cambridge – Maybe gather 18:30 Cambridge Market Square
* Leeds (This month’s callout) – Gather 17:30-18:00 Millenium Square
* London – Gather 18:30 Waterloo Bridge, by the National Film Theatre
* Manchester (videos of previous rides) – Gather 18:00 Central Library
* Nottingham – Gather 17:30 Savoy cinema on Derby Road in Lenton
* Oxford – Gather 17:45-18:00 Cornmarket end of Broad Street outside The Oxford Story
* Reading – Gather 17:30, Reading Town Hall

Please leave a comment if your ride has been left off (or is incorrect).
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York Critical Mass

In order not to clash with other rides in the vicinity, York Critical Mass is on the first Friday of every month meaning that the next ride is next Friday on 2nd February. Assemble at 5pm outside Costcutters at the University or 5:30pm outside York Minster. See you there!

Birmingham Critical Mass: Friday, February 2nd

Brum’s critical mass is also on the first friday of the month, Friday 2nd February.
We meet up at Pigeon Park (St. Philip’s Cathedral) at 5:30pm and set off at 6pm.
The rides are getting more popular and more creative. There’s now a mobile soundsystem and for winter critical mass’ riders bring along fairy lights to illuminate the ride.
Subscribe to the list below if you want to get more involved!
http://lists.riseup.net/www/info/brumcriticalmass

Glasgow CM

This Friday at 5:30, George Square.
http://www.citystrolls.com/strolls/pages/critical.htm
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For list of UK rides & links, see also http://criticalmass.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_Critical_Mass_rides#United_Kingdom