Accommodation

The site

This year, we have a beautiful 40 acre site with meadows, ponds and woodland. The land is no longer farmed, but is now a conservation site and focus for local wildlife projects.

Because of neighbouring houses, we’ve agreed not to have a banding party and to try and be quiet after 11pm most nights. Anyway, there are plenty of festivals to go to if you just want to party!

On the site there will be a reception, a comfy library where you can read and relax, a quiet sleeping area, compost loos, running water, spaces for spontaneous workshops and discussions, a healing space and a stall selling books and pamphlets. We're trying to make the site and programme as accessible to disabled people as possible - see our access section.

Commercial stalls are not welcome but remember to bring any information that you have about your group campaign or forthcoming action - as well as some copies of any publications that you produce. It would be great if where possible you could also provide your material in alternative formats, especially in large print.

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Cost

Everybody must contribute at least £10 at the gate, no exceptions (even the organisers!)

This is to cover the costs of organising the Gathering. Costs have gone up year upon year, whereas the gate fee hasn't gone up in nearly a decade. The Gathering is likely to make a loss.

As a result of the rising costs and our loss, it would be really great if everybody could try and contribute at least £12, or more depending on your income. That way the Gathering may break even and there should be enough money to put it on again next year. As it is, Gathering finances are looking increasingly like there won't be enough money to put on a Gathering again. (If it does run next year the price will definitely be at least £12 on the gate.)

If you want to make a donation in advance that would be really helpful and lovely, please make cheques and postal orders payable to ‘Earth First! Gathering’, and send to us at the Gathering address.

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Space

The accommodation is camping only this year, so come equipped. Women (and men!) can set up their own camping spaces if they want to.

There is no space for live-in vehicles - just to reiterate, no live-in vehicles. The landowner's insurance conditions severely restrict the number of live-in vehicles allowed on the site, and these spaces will be needed by those providing essential services (e.g. providing marquees) or who would find conventional camping very difficult / uncomfortable / impossible (i.e. disabled people) so unfortunately we can't be flexible on this one.

If you are providing an essential service, or are disabled, and you need to bring a live-in vehicle, please let us know ASAP, if you haven't already arranged this with us.

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Access

We aim to make the site and programme as accessible to all as we can.

The site will have as level access as possible (though do be aware it's in a field!). We will build disabled toilets, and this year we will provide a hoist for wheelchair users. There will be a power source for charging electric wheelchairs and space for storing them if necessary. (Untrained!) voluntary personal assistance will also be available, and we will provide as much written material as possible in alternative formats.

We really need a BSL interpreter but unfortunately can't afford to pay one. However we do have an induction loop.

We will assist you with camping as much as you want/need, but if you don't want to camp then we can supply a list of local bed and breakfast accommodation. There is no truly wheelchair accessible local accommodation.

We have to be very careful with how many live-in vehicles we can allow on the site, but if you really need to bring a live-in vehicle for disability-related reasons then let us know and we'll see what we can do. No promises with that though.

If you have any special needs, please contact us in advance, so we can plan how to meet them.

If you have any special skills, e.g. Sign Language, care assistant, Makaton etc., please also contact us!

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Food

The Anarchist Teapot Action Kitchen will be cooking Vegan food. You can buy their meal tickets (approx. £3 per day) or you can cook your own. If you are planning on cooking your own, you will need to bring a gas stove as we can't have fires in the camping field.

Veggies will also be providing a provisions store selling a few basic supplies.

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Kids

Kids are very welcome at the Gathering. The site is very child friendly. There will be first aid available on site. Though the Teapot will not be providing food specifically for kids, the food they produce for everybody will be kid friendly.

We will be providing a programme of activities for kids. On site there is a large marquee set aside for the kids, where it will be possible to leave children during workshops (if you have queries about the level of supervision, then get in touch.) Here people will be entertaining the kids - possible activities include teaching circus skills, making things (equipment provided), pond life and nature walks round the site, treasure hunts etc. We also hope to organise visits to local attractions, for example those listed on the Programme page.

We are hoping to make this a good gathering for kids. Please let us know as soon as possible if you are planning to bring children and what ages, so that we can plan activities and workshops to suit them. If you fancy volunteering to help entertain the kids, also let us know.

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Dogs

Don't bring them.

If you really must bring your dog, ie you really can't organise dog-sitting for 5 days, then contact us in advance and we may be able to make some arrangement, if not too many people have already asked for this. It goes without saying that we expect you to look after your dog properly and don't let it cause hassle for anybody.

Any dogs that turn up that haven’t made arrangements with the organisers will be turned away.

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Photos

This is an activist gathering not a press event, so if you are coming as a journalist then you are not welcome. Also please respect the wishes of those who don't wish to be photographed - always ask first.

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