Earth First! gathering, 4-9 August, programme & location announced

5 days of workshops, skill sharing and planning action, plus low-impact living without leaders.

Meet people, learn skills, take action.

For latest details, see  http://www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk/

Want to do something to stop our planet from getting trashed?

EF! is about direct action to halt the destruction of the Earth. It's about doing it yourself rather than relying on leaders, governments or industry. Direct action is at the heart of it, whether you're standing in front of a bulldozer, shutting down an open-cast mine or ripping up a field of GM crops.

We're a loose network of people, groups and campaigns coming together for ecological direct action.

Join us for 5 days of workshops, networking and planning actions, run without leaders by everyone who comes along. The gathering is also a practical example of low-impact eco-living and non-hierarchical organising.

What's happening?
Over 80 workshops, discussions, planning, strategy and 'where next' sessions:

*Share and learn skills for kick-ass actions on land and water.
Small boat handling and blockading using kayaks / Blockading - tripods, lock-ons/ Fences / Climbing skills / Action reconnaissance / Security for Activists / Strategy and tactics / How to research corporations /

*Network current campaigns against ecological destruction
Open-cast mining / Genetic engineering / Agrofuels / Saving Iceland / Climate actions / Pipeline resistance in Rossport / Anti-nuclear / Airport expansion/ Tar Sands

*Think about eco-centric ethics and alternative ways of organising
Deep green ethics / Anarchist economics / Anarchist history / Radical Politics / Working without leaders/ Consensus decision-making

*Practical skills for ecological restoration and sustainable living.
Introduction to Ecology / Restoration ecology / Flora and Fauna identification / Vegan Cake making / Power from solar and wind / wild food / Squatting / Bike maintenance

As well as international campaigns round-up, networking and planning for future actions.

Cost and practical things
£20-30 according to what you can afford.
The gathering is in Derbyshire, the exact location will be announced the week before. More info on our website.

Find out more and join in!

Email us if you can offer a workshop, want to help out with the gathering or if you would like posters and leaflets to distribute.

We have now a stack of freshly printed posters advertising the gathering. If you'd like to send you some to stick up in your area or to take to events, festivals and the like, please email us. Alternatively you can also download the files and print your own. They are fairly large files! EF! gathering poster (A4)  http://earthfirstgathering.org.uk/2010/efposter.pdf

We are now looking for people to run workshops and discussions at the gathering. Please contact us if you can offer something. Have a look at our programme page  http://earthfirstgathering.org.uk/2010/programme.html to see the kind of thing we're looking for.

We can now announce that set-up will begin from around 2pm on Saturday, 31 July. Marquees, tools and construction materials will be arriving on site from Saturday morning so there will be plenty to do. You will be able to camp on the site from Saturday and there will be skeleton facilities (water, basic kitchen) from that time.

We also have a mobile number for setup which is 07766 947852. This will be on-site from Saturday lunchtime, and may well get answered in the few days beforehand but please don't try ringing until then - e-mail will remain the main contact point until nearer the time - summergathering -{at}- earthfirst.org.uk

What we need to know:

*Please can you let us know when you are coming? - this helps us plan foods, facilities and what jobs to do when.

*It is also helpful if you can let us know if you have any particular skills or interests with respect to set-up - we might need drivers, so if you are over 25, hold a clean licence, are confident driving a 3.5 tonne Luton AND can bring along both parts of your driving licence please let us know.

*Similarly if you are arriving in a vehicle and could potentially provide lifts, transport equipment en route or run errands from site once you arrive please let us know. In this case it is very helpful if you are able/willing to supply us with a contact phone number.

How to get there

As you maybe aware that we do not announce the exact site of the gathering until one week before the main event, this means directions will be available on the website  http://www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk/ from Wednesday, 27 July. We realise this will be short notice for people arriving on the Saturday, however to make things easier we will e-mail directions to set-up crew on that day (that still 4 days to check a map!).

The nearest train station is Derby if you want to pre-book train tickets, you will also need to take a local bus service from Derby (these are frequent). We are aiming to have a vehicle on site that can assist if people have difficulties between Derby and the site, so hopefully everyone will be able to get there okay.

There may be a very small number of lifts available from the Nottingham area across the weekend of Saturday 31st July/Sunday first of August. There may also be lifts from the Leeds area first thing on 31 July. Let us know if this may be of interest to you.

What to bring

*Everything you need to the gathering, tent sleeping bags etc. and especially a torch

*It may be wise to come a bit more self-sufficient in food and snacks than you would need to for the main gathering - we will have a basic kitchen but Veggies and the tuck shop are not arriving until Wednesday

*If you are able to bring any tools, especially for basic carpentry, these are often useful

Big thanks for offering to help out

Do get in touch if you have any questions

Love & rage

The EF! Gathering crew

The Earth First! Summer Gathering is being held at:

Bradley Nook Farm, Hulland Ward, Ashbourne, Derbyshire DE6 3EL
OS Grid Reference for the gate: SK 226475

First sessions start on Wednesday morning, 4th August so arrive on Tuesday evening to attend the full gathering. If at all possible stay for at least some of Monday to help clear up, lunch will be provided on Monday.

 http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ie=UTF8&ll=54.162434,-4.042969&spn=7.541366,18.413086&z=5

Public transport

The site is 18 miles north-west of Derby, which has the nearest mainline train station. The train station nearest the site is in Belper, 8 miles away, to the north of Derby. There are buses from Derby and Belper to within half a mile of the site and both trains and buses between Derby and Belper. Derby Train station now has ticket barriers in operation, so hold on to your ticket.

If you are using the bus it is cheaper to catch the 109 service from Derby as you are only using one bus company and if you are stuck waiting, about 300 meters on the left from the bus station, as you head to the Council House is the Co-op run Sound Bites who do Vegan food shop and a cup of tea.

Service 109 from Derby runs at the following times:

* Derby Train station (stop S1) 0740 0955 1255 1455 1730
* Derby Bus station Bay 3 0748 1000 1300 1500 1735 2240

See full timetable here  http://www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk/2010/bus_109.pdf

Ask to be let off on Ashbourne Road at the junction to Gorse Lane, known as 'Bradley Nook' (2km west of the village Hulland Ward)

Trains between Derby and Belper run every hour at 10 minutes TV our until the last two trains at 2056 and 2216 a full timetable can be seen here.  http://www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk/2010/Train_Notts-Matlock.pdf

From Belper take Bus Service 133; from King Street Stop B (map here).  http://www.derbysbus.info/images/belper.pdf

 http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=embed&hl=en&q=King+St,+Belper,+Derbyshire,+United+Kingdom&sll=52.99415,-1.486845&sspn=0.01196,0.027595&ie=UTF8&cd=2&geocode=FRgSKQMdcWPp_w&split=0&hq=&hnear=King+St,+Belper,+Derbyshire,+United+Kingdom&ll=53.023974,-1.481867&spn=0.015126,0.035963&z=14

There are buses at 0909 1109 1225 1409 1619 1739 Monday-Saturday , see full timetable here.  http://www.earthfirstgathering.org.uk/2010/Bus_113_from_belper-ashbourne.pdf

Taxis: Belper Cars: 01773 828 384, Red Line: 01773 828 828

To get to the site by foot, take the footpath and cross Dayfield Brook. Please visit the gate tent (by the wooden gate on Ridge Lane) first though.

Hitching/Cycling/Driving

Cycling from the station heading north towards Field Lane, turn left at Field Lane and follow this to Bridge street (which is the A6), about 200 yards along the A6 the road forks becoming Bridge Hill/A517 to the left, follow this around 8 miles and you will join up with the sketch map above & can use the driving directions below.

For drivers the site is on the A517 between Ashbourne and Belper. Gorse Lane is eight miles West of Belper, and four miles East of Ashbourne. Once on Gorse Lane, take the first left into Oak Lane. Continue to the crossroads. Ridge Lane is the left-hand turn and will be signposted

Please get in touch (in advance if at all possible) if you have mobility needs which mean you need help getting to the gathering. If you encounter difficulties getting to the site please contact the site mobile

If you are in trouble, stranded or lost call the site mobile:

Site Mobile: (07788) 591766 (active from July 31st)

This year's programme is available in PDF format