Earth First! Winter Moot

Earth First! Winter Moot

Dates: 22nd-24th February, 2019
Location: Halton Mill, Hill Lane, Halton, Lancaster, LA2 6ND
Nearest Station: Lancaster

A weekend of campaign updates, networking, planning, solidarity and socialising in Lancaster – in solidarity with Lancashire anti-fracking resistance. Involved or want to get involved in ecological resistance in Britain & Ireland? Whether you are fighting fracking, opencast coal, fracking, GM, nuclear power, new road building or quarries. The Winter Moot is for you.

Workshops

The gathering includes a programme of diverse workshops, from practical and outdoor skills to discussion-based workshops and campaigns round-ups.

(For an idea of what to expect, see our 2018 Summer Gathering workshop programme)

Practical Information

Suggested donations

  • £10 for vegan meals (£5 per day)
  • £10 – £50 suggested donation

No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Programme

Arrive Friday evening (from 6pm) for evening meal, leave Sunday (ends by 4pm). It will be an indoor floor sleeping space so bring a warm sleeping bag and mat too.

Travel

The mill is 3 miles (1 hours walk) up the River Lune from Lancaster railway station but 49 bus goes to Halton (last bus 7pm). See Getting to Halton Mill for details.

Trains

The nearest station is Lancaster (bus details below). Regular trains from London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh, although these are expensive if you do not book well in advance. There are some direct trains per day from Leeds (via a very picturesque line through the Dales); it is normally cheaper to use this route than the alternatives via Preston. From the north east, the best way is via Carlisle.

None of these services are affected by engineering work on the Moot weekend, except for a short period overnight Saturday-Sunday south of Preston.

Coaches

There is one National Express coach a day to Lancaster (Bus Station) from London, Milton Keynes, Manchester and Preston. There is also a night service from Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester and Preston (south) and from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Carlisle (north).

There is also one Megabus coach a day from London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow, but this only goes to Lancaster University, which is on the wrong side of town!

Local Buses

The 49 bus runs to Halton from Lancaster Bus Station and Carnforth, Monday-Saturday, up to 7pm. Get off at Halton War Memorial just by the mini roundabout. Walk down the hill and turn right just past the Greyhound pub. Turn left just before the narrow bridge over the River Lune, into Mill Lane. Turn right at the t junction, and follow Mill Lane to the end. You’ll see Halton Mill straight ahead of you.

Cycling

Halton Mill is a 3-mile ride along a flat, traffic-free, well-lit, cycle track from Lancaster.
Directions: Join the cycle track at Sainsburys (Cable Street) or on Caton Road/Ladies’ Walk. About 500m after the motorway bridge you’ll come to a small road (Denny Beck Lane). Turn left and you’ll cross a narrow bridge over the river, then turn immediately right onto Mill Lane. Turn right at the T-junction, and follow Mill Lane to the end. You’ll see Halton Mill straight ahead of you.

Driving

There is very limited parking. If you are coming by car, please offer lifts. There is a Facebook lift-sharing group ‘Halton Mill LA2 Lifts Offered and Wanted’. Disabled parking spaces are strictly disabled only.

From north/south M6: Come off the motorway at junction 34.

From the south: Go straight across at the traffic lights at the end of the slip road, then cross the River Lune and you’ll come to a roundabout.

From the north: Turn left at the traffic lights at the end of the slip road, heading towards to Lancaster. At the next traffic lights turn right, signposted to the M6 North and Morecambe. Cross the River Lune and you’ll come to a roundabout.

Then take the third exit signposted to Halton. Drive through the village until you come to a mini roundabout. Take the third exit down the hill, and turn right immediately after the Greyhound Pub. Turn first left into Mill Lane. Turn right at the T junction and follow the road to the end where you will see Halton Mill ahead of you. Take exit signposted to Halton (right-turn from north, left-turn from south). Drive through the village until you come to a mini roundabout. Take the third exit down the hill, and turn right immediately after the Greyhound Pub. Turn first left into Mill Lane. Turn right at the T junction and follow the road to the end where you will see Halton Mill ahead of you.

Kids Play Space at the Moot

To make the Moot more accessible for people with children, we’re creating a kids play space! This will be a safe, comfortable and fun area where kids and their carers and hopefully some volunteers can play and hang out together. There’ll be books, toys and some kids snacks and vegan kids’ food at child friendly meal times.

It won’t be a creche for children to be dropped off – this is for safeguarding and capacity issues. At times it might be ok to ask other adults if they are able to look after a child while you go to a workshop – if all involved explicitly agree and feel comfortable with that.

Please note that we are not able to DBS check any adults helping in the play space. We need you help to make this space happen! If you are bringing children, please email us at efgatheringworkshops@riseup.net as soon as possible and let us know how many children you are bringing, their ages and dietary requirements. This is important as we have a few different options for kids spaces that cost different amounts and a lot depends on how many kids come and what their age range is.

We also need some volunteers – to play with children, put on some activities or cook kids meals. If you are up for this, please get in touch.

Contacts

For all other info or offers please e-mail site@earthfirstgathering.org

Latest info on the EF! website