For the first time, co-operators will convene in a dedicated area at the UK’s biggest green festival. The Green Gathering, a renewably powered celebration of sustainability, has been a feature of the UK’s festival calendar for 20 years.
The 2014 gathering, which takes place near Chepstow from 31 July to 3 August, will feature a special Co-operators Camp. The Radical Routes federation of co-ops has pulled together a 30-strong crew for the event, with representatives from co-ops including the Ecological Land Co-operative, Hackney Co-operative Developments, Seeds of Change, Share Energy, Stir Magazine, Students for Co-operation and Suma.
The crew will host the camp, which will feature information, stalls and displays, along with communal space for meetings, talks and skill sharing. There will be a programme of workshops and discussions until 6pm each day, followed by informal campfire discussions covering topics from land and food to transport and energy.
The camp will welcome festival goers, offering them the chance to meet experienced co-operators and even join a co-op. The Woodcraft Folk will provide activities for children.
Cath Muller of Radical Routes said: “The Co-ops Camp is essentially about people who love co-ops, work and live in them and want to promote them. It’s space for learning about co-ops in both informal settings and more structured workshops. We’d like people from co-ops to come over, say hello and be part of it.”
The camp costs around £2,100 to run, and Radical Routes is offering co-ops the opportunity to help crowdfund it. Contributors are invited to provide displays and promotional materials. They can also provide a flag which will be placed in a circle of co-operative flags surrounding the camp.
• To find out more about crowdfunding the camp, contact Cath Muller at [email protected].
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