Cymraeg 
It’s just a couple of weeks until the AGM and Winter Gathering, and as we finalise the programme, we wanted to give you a sneak peak to whet your appetite! We are really excited to share with you a sneaky peak of what we’ve got lined up.
The AGM is a vital part of the year and a vital part of our democratic processes as a union – but it is actually only a small part of the programme!
We’ve got a wide variety of sessions from members and the LWA staff team, fun activities, spaces for connection and conversation, as well as some great food, music and entertainment!
It’s the first time in 4 years that we’ve been able to hold an in-person Winter Gathering and AGM, so we want to make this a special one! It’s really important to us to have representation from across these isles and from across the breadth and diversity of our membership there to help shape the future of the Landworkers’ Alliance. So please do think about coming along!
This is an opportunity for members to gather, exchange stories and lessons from the year, shape our union and guide our work over the next year, and celebrate and build our community.
The tickets are sliding scale from £65 to £125. Grab yours here.
A ticket includes:
- Access to the whole weekend of talks, workshops, skill sharing and celebration about our work together as the LWA.
- Two nights of indoor accommodation on Friday and Saturday.
- Five fully catered meals from Saturday breakfast to Sunday lunch including a Celebration Feast on the Saturday evening with a two course meal, live music, dancing and all round joyousness
The Programme
Whilst an important and core part of the weekend will be the LWA AGM, it by no means dominates the programme, which is full to the brim with a great choice of sessions offered by LWA staff and members.
The actual AGM part of the programme runs for one and a half hours on the Saturday morning, and all member attendees are encouraged to join in. The rest of the weekend promises interactive workshops, illuminating sessions, fun, movement and opportunities to connect with your fellow members. Whether you want to deep dive into the LWA’s democratic processes or explore how to better tell stories for change, hear about the 8th International Conference of La Via Campesina or be part of the conversation about traineeship standards, there’ll be something to interest you. There will also be practical sessions, like learning how to make string from scrap fabric and old clothes, and a crop planning spreadsheet bring and share.
There’ll be open spaces for discussion, and spaces spaces for regional groups to come together – Cymru, Scotland, Northern England, East Anglia, Midlands, Southeast England, Southwest England and Northern Ireland – and a BPOC meet up for REAL (Racial Equity, Abolition and Liberation) members.
Music & Dancing….
On the Saturday night, we’ve got a couple of music options. We’ve got queer Sheffield-based band @lucyandhazel, who write feminist, anti-capitalist folk and sing lush harmonies and rousing choruses with equal parts love, rage and humour!
Or there’ll be a bring and share acoustic music session with Robin Grey & Emmy Broughton in the Yurt. Bring an instrument, a song or just come and listen in a relaxed cosy space by the wood burning stove.
All of this will be followed by DJs playing an eclectic mix of Dub, reggae, funk & soul, hip hop, DnB, punk, jungle and more to get us moving and back in the body!
The Venue
This year’s 10th anniversary AGM and Winter gathering is heading up to the North of England, to Conisborough, and the inspiring learning and meeting environment that it Dearne Valley Outdoor Centre. We’ll be early near to Sheffield, and to the hills of the Peak District.
The programme will be spread over a few different spaces across the centre, and the facilities provide an immersive, green environment for us to gather for these important conversations and joyful celebrations!
The nearest train station to the centre in Conisborough, just a short walk from the centre. Otherwise, do make use of the LWA WhatsApp groups to arrange lift shares from where you are in the country. We are also offering travel bursaries to those who might struggle to get together the funds to get to the AGM. We can support small groups of members travelling together by covering fuel costs. If you’d like to organise this then get in touch with Clem Sandison – clem.sandison@landworkersalliance.org.uk. If you don’t know other members near you wanting to come we can try and match members up to travel together. There is also a self organising lift share system that ticket holders can access once you’ve got a ticket.
The Food…. and the drinks!
When we all arrive in Conisborough on the Friday night, we’ve arranged for local pizziolos Sunshine Pizza Oven to be on site selling delicious wood fired pizzas from their custom-built pizza van. They use a combination of the finest organic flours, organic tomatoes and top quality ingredients to make delicious Neapolitan style pizzas to cater for all tastes and dietary requirements at affordable prices.
You can wash this pizzas down at the bar with some living drinks, from living soil, from our friends at Old Tree Brewery!
CREDIT: Sunshine Pizza Oven
CREDIT: Old Tree Brewery
As a social enterprise, the sale of drinks supports the Old Tree mission to regenerate soil and connect people to nature with forest farming and fermentation. Old Tree support emerging networks for regenerative agriculture – composting and foraging to build community and cultural resilience in response to ecosystem collapse. Many of you will know their unique bar offerings from the Land Skills Fair, Oxford Real Farming Conference and many other land-based events! They’ll be serving alcoholic and non-alcoholic, fermented drinks from the bar on both Friday and Saturday night!
Breakfast and lunch on Saturday and Sunday will be provided by the incredible Two Trees Catering, whose culinary creations highlight the best of local produce, the seasons and a sustainable, local harvest in colourful and delicious ways! They’ll also be cooking up a big spread for our Saturday evening Winter feast! (All meals on Saturday and Sunday are included in the ticket price).
Two Trees Catering have cooked for many people in many different settings, for many years, including a range of events over the last 10 years; from wedding feasts for up to 200 people to full festival catering for 500 people and conference buffets for 150. They’ve fed thousands of hungry activists at actions like Climate Camp, too. They’re motivated by the desire to build and look after our communities by sharing nutritious and delicious food, and by fostering close connections to nature, seasons and sustainable harvests.
We really hope you’ll think about joining us for the AGM and Winter Gathering in a couple of weeks! You are such a valued part of our membership and will help to make it a vibrant celebration of our movement and 10 years of the LWA, a fertile knowledge exchange and movement building opportunity and a fun weekend with friends old and new! We’ve still got tickets available, so it’s not too late!
