No Drilling in the Weald: Campaigning and Skill-Sharing Meeting

Host: The Weald Action Group

Venue: Park Barn, Horsham Park, North Street, Horsham, West Sussex, RH12 1RL

Date and time: Sunday 16 October 10:15-16:00

Rail: The venue is 5 minutes by foot from Horsham train station and opposite the Capitol Theatre.

Parking: £1.50 car parking fee for the whole day

Refreshments: Tea and coffee available throughout. There is a café next door or please bring lunch to share.

Contact: info@frackfreesurrey.com

Please only register for this event if you are confident that you can attend, as numbers are very limited. Many thanks.

The drilling and fracking companies are gearing up, encouraged by the Government attitude and the decision at Kirby Misperton, Yorkshire (Judicial Review pending) and Lancashire Public Enquiry announcement by the Secretary of State expected early October. The Weald is but one of the targets and we need to be clear about what we can do, how to do it and work together.

Join us in Horsham, West Sussex for a campaign planning and skill sessions for South East groups and campaigners opposed to fracking and drilling. 

This is great chance to join the dots in our campaigns in the South East, whether it be unconventional or conventional oil/gas extraction, to share campaign ideas and to put a strategy in place for each of our areas, and support each other with these.

Licenced areas across the South East/ Weald include Horse Hill, Billingshurst, Balcombe, Markwells Wood & Isle Wight, Leith Hill, Brockham, Bletchingley & Albury in Surrey, all at threat of unconventional or conventional drilling. Regardless of what the industry are drilling for, all fossil fuels should be kept in the ground. We need to be strategising and combining our campaigning skills to stop this polluting industry.

Whether you are involved in transition, climate action, divestment or community energy groups, an experienced campaigner or one with no experience, if you would like to see how you can get more involved, this is it! 

Doors open at 10:00 for a prompt 10:30 start.

MORNING 

UPDATES and TIME LINE TO 2020

Status updates on each site and local group will be posted around the room so that people can view these in the breaks and add information, offer to help and so on. Please fill in and bring summary sheet about your group/site with you.

10.30-10.45 WELCOME 

Introductions 

STRATEGY

10:45-11:00: Strategy introduction 

We have been very successful in preventing fracking for the last 5 years, however the government is as obsessed as ever with developing the wrong kind of energy. This session looks at how we can make the shift from holding our own to getting a complete ban on exploiting new fossil fuel resources in the UK. We will also be planning our strategy on opposing the recommencement of drilling and testing that will occur over the next few months, 

11.00-12.00: Breakout groups with facilitation to look at the following areas 

Messaging – Can we broaden and improve our messaging, for example economic aspects, cheaper renewables?

Targets and Tactics – Can we find more effective targets, for example government, suppliers, waste sites? Could we use more diverse tactics?

What next for the Weald – Look at what's coming up in the near future and how to prepare for it. 

12.00-12.30: Summary of morning – drawing up an Action Plan 

12.30-1.30: Lunch – bring your own food to share 

AFTERNOON

WORKSHOPS

Three workshops running parallel in the afternoon. You do not need to attend the meeting in the morning to take part in any of these 2 hours skill sessions.

13.30-15.30: Skill sessions

Know Your Rights (Netpol & Green Black Cross)

Making Effective Use of Your Local Media (Friends of the Earth)

Campaigning Skills (Seeds for Change)

15:30-16:00: Summary – Winding up the Day 

Information stands from Frack Free Sussex, Friends of the Earth, Frack off and others.