Dates for your diary from the January meeting

Here are dates for your diary and news updates following our meeting last week in The Cornubia

In brief:

• Sat 14^th Jan – South West Skillshare
• Sat 21^st Jan – VW campaigning Whiteladies Road           http://bit.ly/ygnpSX
• Sun 22^nd Jan – VW campaigning Tobacco Factory          http://bit.ly/z9Dvhl
• Fri 3^rd Feb – Thali & Beer Social                                     http://bit.ly/y35GhN
• Thursday 9^th Feb – MEETING
• Sat 18^th Feb – potential campaign date
• Thurs 8^th Mar – MEETING
• Sat 10^th Mar – Stop Hinkley
• Sat 24^th Mar – Thornbury Food Fair
• Thu 12^th April - MEETING
• Fri 18^th-Sun 20^th May – Goblin Combe Away Days/Southbank Art Trail
• Sat 2^nd – Sun 3^rd June –  Gordano Scout Jamboree, Wraxall
• Sun 17^th June – Bristol’s Biggest Bike Ride

If you are interested in any of the above events get in touch!    The default contact is Richard L:  r.lancaster@blueyonder.co.uk  / 07505 990595.

In detail:

Here are the notes from our meeting last week, big thanks to Cordelia for chairing the meeting and writing up the notes.

Held in the Cornubia and attended by Adam, Carol, Cordelia, Greg, Ian T, Ian T2, Laurence, Mark, Nat, Paul, Richard B, and Sue, with apologies from Fi, Lauren and Richard L.

Hot off the Press

Richard B informed us that today (12^th Jan) Greenpeace polar bears visited the VW stand at the Brussels Motor Show to protest about the impact VW and the rest of the car industry is having on our climate and the Arctic.

Past events

Sat 17^th Dec 2011, Stokes Croft Winter Fayre   Nat and Sue took turns as Stormtroopers (with the breast plate on backwards, according to a Star Wars “expert”), assisted by Carol, Laurence, Richard L, Richard B, and Stacy. They got 335 signatures.

 Future events

Sat 21^st Jan -  VW campaigning –  4 available - RB to co-ordinate

Sun 22^nd Jan - VW campaigning – 5 available – CO/CD to co-ordinate

Fri 3^rd Feb – New Year’s Social at Thali Café – CD to book table

Other possible events

Everyone asked to be alert suitable local events where we could campaign (if necessary in the vicinity or on the approach). Cordelia gave as an example, Thornbury Food Fair Sat 24^th March 2012, when local food producers will have street stalls.                                       

“Greenpeace at 40” - Agreed to seek suitable venues / dates for  ”Greenpeace at 40”/VW film  outreach events, reporting back at next meeting.

Political Lobbying training - Cordelia, Ian, Nat and Sue expressed interest.

June 2^nd/3^rd 2012 - Gordano Scout District - "Gordano Rocks" Jamboree. 500 scouts descending on the North Somerset Showground in Wraxall. We have been invited to assist with the introduction of a District Environmental Award. Carol, Cordelia and Richard B interested in helping in some way. It was suggested that the polar bears  (borrowed from Fi) and Stormtrooper (if still campaigning against VW) costumes may be useful to attract interest!

Other news:

Fracking Greg asked if we can find out Greenpeace’s latest research on this.

VW CampaignSome of the shortlisted films from the VW campaign competition were shown, thanks to Richard B and Carol. These films capture the real spirit of VW, exposing the facade of its “Green-wash” advertising.  We also watched a local masterpiece about a stormtrooper making New Year’s resolutions: 

http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/groups/bristol-east/blog/stormtrooper-brian-and-resolution-tree

'To SaveThe Whale' Gavin Newman 

We ought to promote this, which is “the real story” of the Greenpeace Anti Whaling Campaigns. Winner of the Edinburgh Documentary Film Festival the film has received critical acclaim at film festivals worldwide. The film has just released on DVD and the film makers will donate 20% of the DVD price from all orders made through this link: 

http://www.underworld-productions.com/styled/page0.html 

Further details and a trailer for the film can be found at:  http://www.whalingfilm.com#

Since the Meeting 

Exeter Skillshare A number of attended the skillshare in Exeter at the weekend – a full report will be given at the next meeting but one of the things it was agreed we would do was to help with running a ‘Meet Greenpeace’ event in Taunton probably in late March – further details later. 

2011 Highlights CD put together this East Bristol 2011 highlights video

http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/groups/bristol-east/blog/greenpeace