Programme

What will happen?

This depends on you and anyone else who has contacted us in advance, to offer ideas and skills, and what everyone will volunteer during the gathering. I.e. to coin a cliché "We are all crew".

The first workshops start at 1pm on Wednesday 4th August, but people will be on site setting up from Thursday 29th July, so please arrive early to help if you can. Help is needed setting up before the gathering and packing away afterwards.

From Wednesday lunchtime to Monday there will be a series of workshops and Gathering-wide discussions relating to ecological / direct action issues, and to the Earth First! movement / network / community. In the evenings there will be entertainment to suit all tastes (no banging party though!).

In general:

• Over 90 workshops which will focus on sharing ideas and skills, talking about what we are and where are going as a movement, how we connect to other forms of resistance in the UK and globally, planning campaigns and networking for all aspects of ecological resistance.
• Round-ups of national and international radical activity - find out what groups around the country and further afield are up to.
• Practical activities, skill-sharing and training, such as climbing, self-defence, wild food foraging and arrest role-play.
• Evening entertainments to suit all tastes, including films, speakers, a quiet café, ceilidh, comedy and an open mic night.
• A kid's area, where it will be possible to leave children during workshops. See the Kids section for more information.

Five days of workshops...

There is now a list of workshops that people have offered to give or facilitate this year. There are now over 90 being offered.

If you can get the chance to read up on issues you're interested in before the gathering, it'll make it easier for everyone to move from discussing information to campaign planning in workshops. To that end, there is a page of issues that may be discussed at the Gathering.

If you don't have the chance, don't worry - there'll be information on issues available at the Gathering, and there'll be the chance to ask questions and discuss issues.

Of course, the outline for the gathering is just what the organising collective thinks would be good, but the gathering can't happen without your input! If you have any ideas for discussions or activities you'd like to happen, then please let us know. Also, if you can help out setting up or clearing away or want to get involved then please contact the gathering collective.

Entertainment

In the evenings there will be a variety of things going on. There will be an open-mic night of music, poetry and more, a ceilidh, as well as film showings on struggles from around the world. You can also chill out in the quiet café or library. Please remember though that this is a gathering not a festival.

Things to do locally...

There are plenty of places to go close to the Gathering site. Perhaps if you arrive early on the Wednesday, or at some point on the Monday, you might like to visit some of the nearby points of interest - more information nearer the time.

If you have any other ideas, do contact us!