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Earth First! Summer Gathering 2013

http://efgathering.weebly.com/

EARTH FIRST! SUMMER GATHERING 2013

a place for people involved in radical green direct action to come together....
to talk....share skills....learn....listen....play....rant.... find out whats going on....
scheme....live outdoors....hang out....laugh....
experience non hierarchical, low impact, family friendly living.

Watch this site for up-to-date information about this year's gathering!

WHAT IS IT? -

• an activist camp that spans 5 days and consists of a programme of workshops throughout each day facilitated by people like you and me who think they have a skill or a level of knowledge in a subject that is valuable to share with others to improve their activism. You can facilitate a workshop by using the contact form. All workshops are optional - go to what you want/think will help you develop.

• The camp is run on the principle of consensus decision making

• We are ALL crew and participants - the person writing this is a volunteer and pays to get in like you do - you will be expected to help run the camp, with jobs needing to be done announced in a camp-wide morning meeting. This will also make you feel like a core part of this camp...because you are and it literally couldn't run without you!
• Everyone is really friendly, you don't need to come with friends - you'll make them, and it's a chance to link up with like-minded individuals for planning future actions - whatever they may be...
• Is this camp for you? Whether you're just starting out in the world of direct action or you're an old (glued and paint-stained) hand at it, you're welcome here. See our Safer Spaces policy or email us if you've got any doubts/concerns.
• No direct actions are planned by the camp - this is about you getting the skills/knowledge you need to become more effective in whatever direct action you involve yourself in.

Painting you a picture of what the camp looks like:

Welcome Tent: The first thing you'll see coming to the site will be the Welcome Tent. This is your info point - they will welcome you to the site, give you the information you need to be part of the camp, answer your questions and take your donations to the running of the camp. This is also where you'll buy meal tickets from. You'll be given a programme that'll tell you some EF!Gathering background and a timetable of all the workshops.

Main Meeting: There will be a main marquee in which the site-wide meetings will be held daily - a chance for all of us to come together to discuss what the camp is all about, make important decisions collectively, raise any points or concerns, identify jobs to be done and volunteers to do them, and update everyone on any workshop changes.

Workshops: There will be additional marquees of varying sizes to accommodate the days of workshops, some of which run simultaneously to other workshops, giving you a choice which one to attend to (descriptions will be in a programme that'll be handed to you at the Welcome Tent). Just rock up to whatever workshop takes your fancy - and try to be there from the start so the facilitator doesn't need to repeat the beginning 5 times.

Camping: An area of the field will be set aside for you to pitch your tent with everyone else. Sometimes campers designate a space that makes them feel more comfortable e.g. queer space - that's fine and can be facilitated via the Welcome Tent.

Taps: There will be hand-washing and tooth-brushing mains-water taps, likely to have a sink attached for added luxury. We will supply anti-bacterial handsoap.

Toilets: will be compost toilets - usually infinitely more pleasant to use than portaloos, and definitely better for the environment. We'll supply toilet paper but if you know you'll get through loads, maybe bring your own roll as we won't have much to spare.

Breakfast/lunch/dinner: Breakfast consists of bread and spreads, and cereals from around 9am served buffet style, lunch and dinner is served from the kitchen tent, line up cafeteria style then sit with friends/random people to enjoy it in any one of the marquee spaces or outside on the grass.

Seating: generally consists of strawbales with a few chairs around - let us know if you have any additional requirements in this respect way in advance so we can accommodate that.

Evenings: Once workshops have finished people there isn't much planned - people generally sit/lay around chatting to each other, making new contacts/friends or catching up with old ones. The bar tent is usually pretty busy, but with other people opting to sit around an open fire-pit whilst someone plays a guitar, or reading quietly to themselves. Usually one evening is an open-mic night where some campers unveil their hidden talents - there's been dazzling ones in the past. Do bring/organise any games or activities you want for the evenings - it's something which could be done better and given that we're all crew, do it! Great excuse to talk to people too if you bring a board-game etc.