If you missed yesterday's Singalong-A-Frackoff in Balcombe, no worries - there's going to be another Belt It Out in Balcombe in 3 weeks time, Sunday 1st September from 2pm to 4pm. That gives you time to learn the words to "And did they frack in ancient times?" downloadable from the excellent website of local Balcombe poet Simon Welsh (www.simonwelshpoetry.co.uk and www.facebook.com/simonthepoet). Simon's website also shows on video how local residents and visitors have joined together to oppose Cuadrilla's drilling.
Yesterday was my first chance to visit the Balcombe Frack-Off site and in hot sunshine I found a bit of a party going on; the road closed for two hours, at least 40 tents on both sides of the road, a good 200 hundred people singing and dancing, and of those a high proportion of local residents. Local support for visiting campaigners remains high. The previous weekend (3rd August) over 120 residents processed down London Road to sing the anti-fracking anthem to the campers and dispel media stories of disunity.
A weekend party is one thing; the weekdays are another. That's when police sometimes outnumber the campers, when trucks come and go to the drilling site, and more help would be welcome, even if it's just a stopby to offer moral support. There's free tea for visitors! Generally the campers are being kept well supplied with food by local donors but there is a regularly updated wish list at the Information Point. This week donations of olive oil, milk, butter/margarine and sugar would be appreciated, along with stuff like firewood, camping torches,mugs, large bowls, mains chargers, sleeping bags, and ear plugs. The site phone number is 07152 319761 and the postal address is Balcombe Community Protection Camp, London Road, Balcombe RH17 6JH. If you want to visit and take something with you to help the campers, you can phone to find out what's on the wish list that day.
See you on Sunday September 1st??
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