Greenpeace Non Violent Direct Actions involve a whole range of different roles, from the decoy team, to legal support, to drivers, to leafleters, to researchers, to people locking on and on occasion to people climbing structures and driving boats.
We run a training program for both climbers and boat drivers, aimed at individuals who actively volunteer with a local Greenpeace network, who have completed the basic NVDA training course, and who have taken part in several non violent direct actions.
This week the teams held a joint training exercise, here's Phil's account
The first challenge was to climb an old disused crane on the Thames. After being dropped off by the RIB's we clambered up the easy bit, the ladder and stairs to where the operator used to sit. From here four long metal poles projected up from the tower to a point where a rusty chain dangled, towards the water below.
Climbing the poles was far from easy, the metalwork was so widely spaced that it was hard to reach anything to hold onto, the poles were too wide to get a proper grip and at 45 degrees the metalwork lacked enough friction to walk on.
Our way up involves putting pairs of straps around the structure, you clip onto the first one and position the second one. You shift your weight over and then move the first one. Then repeat, many, many times. The process is exhausting, heaving yourself forward inches at a time, while your climbing harness cuts off the blood supply to your legs. This is the least appealing bit of being on the climb team.
Doing this 20 metres above the hard jetty wasn't making me nervous, you get used to the height as you learn to trust your equipment and your ability to use it. The crane may have been disused and as rusty as hell, but experienced climbers had checked it out. As it shuddered and bounced with every move you do start to wonder if it's about to topple into the river, with you attached.
Then half way up, and exhausted, I wondered whether I was actually up to it. With no way back the only option was to just get on with it. As the structure narrowed it became easier to negotiate and to use a different set of leg muscles which was more than a relief.
Finally by the time I reached the end, to abseil 25m down a climbing rope into the RIB approaching below, I was bloody glad to get off that crane. As the entire team made its way down, the day was done. Until tomorrow.
Phil volunteers with the Oxford Greenpeace network
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