Category: News

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I hope you’re not feeling too overwhelmed with info. I’ll do my best to outline some suggestions of things you could do next.

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Step 1: Read your Stroud rebellion guide

I’ve worked on a guide to all of our local and upcoming national actions between 28 August and 5 September. This page will be kept up-to-date with all the events you can attend locally as well as what we’re planning to do as a Stroud group in Cardiff. You can view your Stroud rebellion guide here.

Step 2: Organise your training

All rebels should come to rebellion with knowledge of their rights, what to do if someone is arrested and how to deescalate a situation. You should complete NVDA, arrestee support and know your rights training before coming to rebellion (even if you don’t intend to be arrested).

Find out about training options here.

Step 3: Join a Stroud affinity group

It’s essential to have people to rebel with that will keep an eye out for you while rebelling and have the same goals for rebellion in mind.

There are currently affinity groups for:

• Stroudies going to Cardiff
• XR Samba Stroud
• Rebels interested in spicy actions
• Rebels staying in Stroud to support wellbeing

If you’d like to join any of these groups, drop your request in our main Whatsapp chat, contact me or reply to this email and I’ll put you in touch with the right group.

Step 4: Come to our next bandstand meeting

Thank you to everyone who came to our bandstand meeting on Wednesday, we all really enjoyed seeing you in person so we’ll have another meeting at Stratford Park bandstand on 26 August at 6:30pm.

We are planning an outdoor meeting on August 15 to organise affinity groups and other rebellion planning for the August and early September rebellion.

We’ll kick this off with an XR stall in Stroud on Aug 8 to raise awareness and encourage other non members to come. Additionally, XR Samba Stroud will be playing for some of this stall time between 10am and midday. Please contact us if you are interested in helping run the stall. Or just come along on the day it would be lovely to see you.

Want to know more about the upcoming rebellion?

Then use this link to sign up for XR Southwest updates on Telegram.If you aren’t sure what it is, Telegram is an encrypted messaging app with a bunch of handy features, and is also XR UK’s primary method of communication across the country, within regions, and within local groups too. The link above, provided the app is installed, will automatically take you to the broadcast channel and ask you to join.

For those that don’t have Telegram (don’t worry it’s a free app) and you can get it on your phone and desktop too on:

• Apple store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/telegram-messenger/id686449807
• Google play store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.telegram.messenger&hl=en
• Desktop download: https://desktop.telegram.org/

A very happy new year to you dear rebel. I hope we can all have a happy and healthy 2020 together. We’ll certainly persevere with whatever the year brings.

Our first 2020 meeting

If you’re feeling despair about the world right now, and you need some recharge, our first XR Stroud meeting will be on Wednesday 8th January at the Old Convent. Here’s how to find us if you’ve not attended before. As always we’ll have a shared meal at 6:30pm for a 7pm start.

The start of a new year offers so many opportunities for what we can achieve together as a group. Please come along and meet us if it’s your first time, or return to us dear rebel (we’d be over the moon to see you again).

A new year offer for XR supporters

Hannya Melrose is offering half price TRE (Trauma Release) sessions for XR supporters on Saturday 1st February 4.30pm to 6pm at Stroud yoga space.

We’re taking a break from meetings so we can recharge and focus on the Christmas period.

Our next meeting at the Old Convent will be on the 8th January at 7pm.

We’ll have one final social meeting at Curio Lounge Wednesday 11th December at 7pm. See you then!

Hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.

For those returning home and adjusting to life after the October Rebellion, make sure you read this article: Post-Rebellion Blues: a practical guide to coming down to earth, the diagram below points to us being in the ‘sunset’ of the rebellion – a time to share stories:

Next week’s debrief

Next Wednesday (30 October) is Post Rebellion Debrief, 6:30pm to 9:30pm at The Convent, Beeches Green, in Stroud. Facilitated by Jo McAndrews and Andy Raingold. Bring and share food, for 7pm start.

This debrief session is about ‘hearing the stories in a held space; time for gratitudes, and celebration, grief, anger, confusion – acknowledgment of each other and our part in things. The rebellion is over, for now…come and gather to reconnect and share stories and experiences from the last few weeks. We will hear, tell, acknowledge and witness – all emotions and experiences welcome’.

We will be sharing and gathering specific/practical feedback the week after this, 6th Nov. This is all part of the overall debrief process along with the reconnecting and grounding work that’s already been happening.

Another two thousand of these ‘Stroud District Council’ climate emergency information leaflets have been printed. They are great for general leafleting but people have also been taking a bundle so that they can leaflet their own street/s. There are two boxes at the Beacon: please help yourself and make a note in the book of how many you’ve taken and which streets you are doing.

The blanket section 14 is being challenged in the High Court and that may result in about half the arrests in London being declared unlawful, see article on Gloucestershire Live here.

Crowdfunder to support arrestees

Extinction Rebellion action is proving effective, but as the fight is taken to the courts our legal costs are already substantial.

We need your help to create a central Extinction Rebellion fighting fund. To cover legal fees in longer or more complex cases, to appeal verdicts and sentences to help protect the rights of future rebels, and to act as a safety net for rebels whose local group fundraising needs support.

Please donate anything you can, and share this crowdfunder link widely with your friends, family and on social media.

Crafting for social change

Finally, if you’re interested in discovering how crafting can be used for social change and gentle protest, join activist and presenter Sarah Corbett from the Craftivist Collective for a seminar on ‘changing our world one stitch at a time‘. Sarah believes that craftivism is for everyone from skilled crafters to burnt out activists, and those people who want to challenge injustice in the world but don’t know what to do, where to start or how to prioritise their energies and time.

Date: Wednesday 13th November, Time: 3:00pm – 6:00pm, Place: Churchdown Community Centre, Parton Rd, Churchdown, Gloucester, GL3 2JH – parking available on site

Link to more info here.

Rest well dear rebels.