Busy week ahead...

Busy times in this movement and all about... I see events and activities where not only fracking but all the fossilised things that should be put in the past, are being discussed, debated and acted against. I get a sense of a surge of awareness and understanding of just how diabolical the situation we find ourselves is and how our system of government has trapped itself into a death spiral with industry and commerce that will not look beyond profit - at the harms to come to communities, families, ways of life and future viability.

In the coming weeks I plan to be part of a whole host of activities that will split my time between PNR roadside and all the essential that that is... and other places for all the usefulness they are - always a tough call but going to try to make it work and apologies to those I share the road with for being split between things x
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This weekend is The World Transformed as part of The Labour Party conference in Liverpool. Panel I'm on is this one:

Disrupting the Status Quo
‘We all want to change the world - working out how to do it is the hard part. Join the conversation as a range of movement activists share their creative direct action strategies and tactics for transformative change.’

Speakers:
Maya Evans - Voices for Creative Nonviolence, and Labour councillor for Hollingdon ward in Hastings
Joshua Virasami - Black Lives Matter UK
Ben - End Deportations, Lesbians and Gays Support the Migrants
Andy Greene - Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC)
Tina Louise Rothery - Anti-fracking Nana

Facilitators:
Jo Beardsmore - UK Uncut
Emma Rees - Momentum and TWT organiser

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REALLY IMPORTANT TUESDAY 9am PRESTON COURT
Sentencing happening for our honourable Truck Surfers who are facing absurd custodial sentences for their actions last year at Preston New Road Rolling Roadside Protest - please try to be there. I recall from my own potential-custody case, just how much it helped and gets you through the tough times <3 span="">

EVENT page: Support the FrackFree4 - sentencing the surfers!

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On WEDNESDAY, following the Women's Call 60... Julie and I off to Manchester to do some outreach at Future Perfect's Russell Howard and Friends:
(huge thanks to Georgina Hoult for making this possible<3 span="">)

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THURSDAY evening it's Lancaster to attend Extinction Rebellion's Climate Change: Heading for extinction and what to do about it. Curious about this as I've not got well informed about it yet...

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FRIDAY late afternoon/evening it's Preston joining a panel organised by They Eat Culture' for Preston Uprising: The Right Time for An Uprising (huge thanks to Helen Ficorilli for making this possible<3 span="">)

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Looking forward to seeing familiar faces and new xxx

*If you can attend ONE thing this week, please make it Tuesday's court support in Preston - so important x
Support the FrackFree4 - sentencing the surfers!

PNR site 19 Sept 2018

19 Sept 2018

The Fatal Disease of Fake Democracy

Thank you to Adeline Thomas for sending me this of what they've gone through over there... it tore at my heart to watch. Quite tearful as I look down now at my list of 'To Do's' in preparation for tomorrow's journey to London with our women of Lancashire - 100Women at Parliament Square - we're still trying so very hard to not having running battles on streets as our baseline normal - although it is becoming so. We still try to knit and sing and dance and engage and share knowledge and remain non-violent and try to keep a grip on who we truly are... but this is big and ugly and threatens to make us into the same :(

I want to change the bloody system that has us all riding on its suicidal journey in support of industry profit. We're headed for a cliff and as more and more of us scream to be heard... the government here shuts down asking the questions they don't want the answers to... greases the wheels of planning regulations so applications to drill and test can glide through unhindered by pesky safety concerns... and now seeks to remove decision making on production sites from the hands of local councils and the people who will have to live with the worst impacts and outcomes - and put that decision into the hands of a faceless, unaccountable government department far-removed from the sites.

Democracy is a fairytale we're misled to believe in because we're engaged with putting an 'X' in a box every 5 years that gives some impression of it being tangible and real... during those terms of office though, we have no power, no influence, no ability to engage with democratic process, no ability to shout STOP! and hope to be heard... during their terms of office, each government opens its doors almost every day to lobbyists - but slams them shut to us.

We don't have a fracking problem or an environmental or social problem - we have a fatal, systemic disease.

Women’s Vote Against Fracking #100Women

So looking forward to taking our voices where they need to be heard... THIS Wednesday 10:30-16:30 100Women at Parliament Square

If you can meet us there - we'd be over the moon <3 span="">

Whether or not you can make it, please please take a moment as soon as possible to write to your own MP with a short message inviting them to meet you/us personally outside for a photocall to show their support.

You can find your MP here https://www.writetothem.com and paste a message on-line or send them an email which you can find here https://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/ ...so quick and easy yet effective if we can show how many do or don't stand with us when it comes to election time particularly:

You can tell them that you will be with (or are supporting online) the women of Lancashire to express your concerns:

Please ADAPT this Draft, copy & paste or write your own :)
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Dear XXXXXX MP

I am a local resident in your constituency, and I have huge concerns about the Government’s support for fracking, and proposals to make fracking even easier for shale gas companies.

I will be joining the Lancashire women for their 'Women’s Vote Against Fracking’ day in Parliament Square next Wednesday 12th September from 11am - 2.30pm,.

I would be delighted if you would join me in a photo call with the group between 1.15 - 1.30pm or 2 - 2.30pm.

I am sure you are aware of the dangers of fracking – I have listed some of my concerns below .

If you are unable to join us please would you in any case help retain local community control over fracking applications., which I gather is being discussed in Parliament that day.

The Government’s proposed changes to planning rules would allow exploratory drilling for shale gas to be considered as “Permitted Development”, removing the need for fracking companies to apply for planning permission and the necessary checks and balances by local authorities who best understand the circumstances in their areas.

This change will prevent communities directly affected from having a say in how, and whether, shale gas exploration proceeds in their neighbourhoods.

Please would you sign the open letter here which sums up the issues. https://gofossilfree.org/uk/let-communities-decide-letter

Best wishes
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Things that could be said

1. Fracking (hydraulic fracturing to extract gas) puts our families and environment at risk with the use of massive amounts of water and toxic chemicals

2. Fracking causes water and air pollution, and causes illness (with particular harms to women's reproductive health and increased risk of breast cancer),

3. Fracking and damage to the landscape and wildlife; it will industrialise our beautiful countryside bringing noise, vast numbers of lorries on rural roads, and job losses in tourism and farming.

4. Fracking has caused earthquakes and adds to the problem of climate change,

5. Across the world, towns and countries have banned fracking, including Scotland, Wales, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, France & Germany as well as states in the USA and Australia. Lancashire’s local councils voted NO to fracking plans, but the government is forcing this industry into the community anyway.

VIDEO