Oxford Meeting 2010-03-22

TVCA Oxford meeting on 22 Mar 2010

Agenda

AP from last meeting

Fortnight of Shame

The Fortnight of Shame working group had a meeting last night, and came up with a list of roles/tasks broken down into different areas.

Strategy Day

Tar Sands Proposals

At the last meeting, it was felt that a decision to commit TVCA to a year-long programme of action would be inappropriate without pre-advertising that on the list/Crabgrass, and the discussion was postponed to tonight’s meeting.

TVCA Statement

Since the strategy day, the proposed TVCA aims statement has made it onto Crabgrass, and, err… two people have chipped in. Any more?

Community Engagement Group

Needs to set Working Group meeting.

Comms group update

Process questions from UK Climate Camp

Q1. How we organise

“A fourth proposal was postponed until the next gathering. What are your region/local group’s thoughts on the proposal:”

To support wider dialogue, proposals for the national gathering are brought predominantly by regional groups or working groups, as opposed to individuals. Exceptions can be made from time to time.

“Any other proposals on how we organise our UK and regional process would be welcome.”

Q2. Our political statement

“A working group has produced two drafts of a political statement for the Camp. The aim of this is to bring together the fundamental political positions that unite us as well as outlining the areas of diversity within the network.”

“We are asking for feedback on these statements from regional groups, with proposed additions and amendments, in the hope that a final statement will be agreed at the April UK Gathering. We’ve put the text from the working group as an appendix to this document.”

Q3. Skill-sharing

  • What skills already exist within your regional group?
  • What skills do you feel your regional group needs to develop more?
  • What steps can be taken on a regional level, and how can the wider UK Climate Camp network best support your group?

Q4. Process group

  • Does your regional group have participants in the process group?
  • If not, who’s up for joining?

Q5. UK gatherings

  • What do people think are the most urgent themes/issues that need to be addressed at the next UK gathering in April? (Eg: Strategy, Politics, organisation, activities, etc)
  • More generally, what purpose(s) do people see UK gatherings having in the long term? (Eg: Planning UK-wide projects, co-coordinating regional activity, skill-sharing, etc)

Q6. Updating the Website

“It would be great if regions and local groups can provide us with up to date content for the website. Take a look at the Get Involved section to get an idea: http://climatecamp.org.uk/get-involved”. A suggestion has been made.

Q7. Local Group contact

“It would be great to get an up to date contact for all local groups. Email and phone number would be great, and we won’t spread this information around publicly. This is someone who can be a messenger between the Process Group and local group, and can be rotated as often as you wish. It just stops us falling back on the same old people.”

Meetings Discussion

Concerns have been raised in meetings, on the list and in general about some issues relating to our weekly meetings. Things mentioned have included:

  • The apparent lack of time to discuss everything on agendas
  • Drinking during meetings
  • People not being able to make Monday nights and not being able to come to any meetings

Ratcliffe 26 Gathering, June 5th+6th

  • Support needed

Announcements

  • Reminder from last week to research local action prospects
  • From Oxford Greenpeace: We have an opportunity to help the Greenpeace Nestle/palm oil campaign. On Sunday the 28th March we (Greenpeace Oxford) are organising a ‘photo shoot’ in Cornmarket, this will involve getting members of the public to photogenically express their opinion about Nestle’s role in the destruction of the rainforest habitat of the Urang-utan.

Minutes

Fortnight of Shame

Feedback from meeting on Sunday

  • 2 week campaign focussed on BP 1-15 April (fossil fuels day – date of BP AGM).
  • Small events might happen in run up to TARmageddon on 10 April
  • Event of 10 April 12 noon – TARmageddon – big, spectacular event in Cornmarket.
  • List of roles has been developed – can you take on any of these roles? The roles are …
    • Site
    • - Tripods?
    • - Reconstruction of tar sands (installation art type thing)
    • - Tat-down – making sure everything gets taken away
    • - Police liaison? TARmageddon not intended to be spiky in any way. Might be worth getting in touch with them and informing them about the event. Could tell them because they probably already know. On the other hand, shouldn’t tell them on principle. Maybe just have somebody/people doing liaison on the day.
    • - Banners – making, putting up, etc.
    • Media
    • - Co-ordinating mainstream media, getting journalists etc. there.
    • - Making a film
    • - Photographers
    • Activities
    • - ‘Booth’ to send messages (e.g. videos, in writing) to BP and/or indigenous peoples.
    • - Stage co-ordination – getting equipment, sound system
    • - Getting people to use the space – bands, poetry, etc.
    • - Theatre co-ordination
    • Food & Fundraising
    • - Supply food & ask for donations
    • - Tar sands films night
    • - Fundraiser in city centre
    • Publicity & Outreach
    • - Find opportunities to visit other groups
    • - Co-ordinate speakers
    • - Getting leaflets, etc. to hand out on the day
    • - Having a pre-event meeting with lots of other groups
  • Co-ordination meeting on Wednesday 24 April in OARC

Community Engagement

  • Meeting tomorrow Tuesday 23 March 7pm in OARC.
  • What do we mean by community engagement? How do we do it? Let’s develop a strategy.
  • Come along and contribute.

TVCA Statement

  • At the strategy day we adopted two statements for the ady.
    • PGA Hallmarks
    • TVCA statement
    • - A couple of people went away to work on TVCA statement. Two people have contributed. Would be good if more people got involved. The TVCA statement is on Crabgrass.
    • - Having a statement is useful to explain what TVCA is to other people.
    • - People from Reading haven’t had a chance to discuss yet.
    • - How are we going to agree it?
    • - Perhaps having the discussion is more important that coming up with a final statement.
    • - PROPOSAL We agree a working version (to be agreed at a future meeting), publish that – but acknowledge that it will always be ‘work in progress.’ CONSENSUS!

Process questions from UK Climate Camp

  • 17-18 April is next UK gathering.
  • What does the process group do?
    • Looks at who we (UK Climate Camp) organise, make decision, and communicate.
    • Process group maintains an overview of the structure and makes sure it all works together (e.g. making sure gatherings are happening, that groups, etc. can contribute).
  • There wasn’t much time to discuss these points. Agreed that it will be a priority at next meeting. BECCY will bring printed copies of documents. CARL will put on Crabgrass.

Q1. How we organise, Q2. Our political statement, Q3. Skill-sharing, Q4. Process group, Q5. UK gatherings all to be discussed at next meeting.

Q6. Updating the Website

  • National web site has been updated to reflect regional gatherings, local groups.
  • GRAHAM to contact web masters.

Q7. Local Group contact

  • Somebody who can be personally contacted (by phone) by the process group.
  • DANNY is willing to do it, but would be happy for somebody to be less busy.
  • JESS for Reading for a couple of months.

Oxford Meetings Discussion

  • What are the issues?
    • Diversity imbalanced, esp. gender has been highlighted.
    • Drinking
    • Too many meetings (esp. with emerging working groups)
    • Often starting meetings late (but have had better attendance with frequent meetings, and might be useful for new people)
    • Perhaps need to think about what the Monday meetings are for.
    • Some people can’t make such big time commitments – so don’t feel involved
    • Perhaps fortnightly meetings
    • Haven’t done an action for ages – action ties the groups together
    • Need to make sure being involved in TVCA isn’t just about
    • Shouldn’t be too hard on ourselves – some of these concerns are throughout the network, and some progress is being made in TVCA – at least we’re looking at the issues.
    • Perhaps a monthly Oxford & Reading meeting?
    • Many meetings have been low energy – need to keep our energy high. People can be aware of this, and try to energise each other.
    • We’re quite a big group, breaking up into smaller groups last week seemed to work quite well. Think through facilitation in advance.
  • BECCY, STEFAN, DANNY will go away and think about how to move this forward for future discussion.

Announcements

Comms group.

Ratcliffe 26 Gathering

  • Almost a year ago 114 people, including several from Oxford, were arrested in Nottinghamshire on conspiracy changes.
  • 26 people will be on trial for conspiracy to commit aggravated trespass.
  • Trial in autumn.
  • Going to High Court.
  • 5-6 June the 26 will be having a gathering in Oxford. If you want to support and show solidarity email BRAD, DANNY or JON (or get in touch via oxford [at] climatecamp.org.uk).

From Oxford Greenpeace

We have an opportunity to help the Greenpeace Nestle/palm oil campaign. On Sunday the 28th March we (Greenpeace Oxford) are organising a ‘photo shoot’ in Cornmarket, this will involve getting members of the public to photogenically express their opinion about Nestle’s role in the destruction of the rainforest habitat of the Urang-utans.

People should keep an eye out for the next Climate Camp email – they’re some really good stories in there. Go to Climate Camp web site to sign up.

OARC meeting on Thursday 25 March 7pm in OARC

Next meeting

  • Friday email – JAKE
  • Key holder – BECCY
  • Book OARC & promoting – JAKE
   
c
2010-03-22

W.r.t. the Tar Sands proposals — as the publicity hasn’t yet happened, we probably can’t make that decision tonight either. :(