This special edition of the newsletter has updates on all our upcoming actions!
Stop Rosebank
In order to avoid clashing with the Green Fair (where we will have a stall – come say hello!) and the National Demonstration for Palestine, our Stop Rosebank action has been postponed by one day to Sunday 26th November, 12-2pm.
Our government recently approved drilling in the huge Rosebank oil field in the North Sea, in spite of overwhelming opposition from experts. A successful campaign forced Shell to pull out of the Cambo oilfield – now we need to STOP ROSEBANK. Join us on Cornmarket in Oxford City Centre to talk to passersby and encourage them to support the campaign! We need people to hold banners, placards and beautiful giant roses and to help with outreach. Bring placards, flags and your voices for chanting!
COP28
Our actions working group and affinity groups have been hard at work on a plan for multiple actions throughout COP28. We’ll be drawing attention to the hypocrisy of a petro-state hosting a climate conference, which has recently been found to be breaking its own ban on gas flaring, and asking people what they can do to help. Join us on Cornmarket from 12pm on each of these days:
- Thursday 30th November – opening day, outreach and banners.
- Saturday 2nd December – drumming and oil pouring with the Canaries (contact canariescoordinator@gmail.com)
- Tuesday 5th December – outreach with Headington Fringe (contact headingtonfringecoordinator@gmail.com)
- Wednesday 6th December – silent sit with the Meditators.
- Saturday 9th December – family friendly with the Geese and Swallows (contact soxgeese@gmail.com)
- Tuesday 12th December – last day, die-in with messaging on COP outcomes.
Climate Choir
The next Oxford Climate Choir rehearsal has been moved forward to Saturday 2nd December 2.30-4.30pm at South Oxford Community Centre, Lake Street. Join us to sing for a better world! Oxford Climate Choir is part of the growing Climate Choir Movement and takes part in peaceful protest performances in Oxford and elsewhere. This month we will be practising songs for the next Climate Choir action, in the City of London on Monday 4th December. Songs are taught by ear, with music also provided for those who would like it. All are welcome regardless of experience. There is no charge for attending, but we would appreciate a donation of £3 per person to cover room hire.
Winter Social
After all that campaigning, come along and spend some time together on Saturday 9th December, 7:30-10:30pm at Florence Park Community Centre, OX4 3NH. All welcome, whether you’re a seasoned hand or recently joined. No agenda other than being together at the end of another challenging and hardworking year. As we go into the winter, let’s share each other’s company, stories and memories. There will be a bar, and bring and share food.
Online Actions
If you can’t make it to our in-person actions, you can still help by joining one of these campaigns!
Dirty Water Wave 5
Dirty Water Wave 5 has launched. The latest action to confront water companies for destroying our precious rivers is Don’t Pay For Dirty Water.
- Water companies pour 11 billion litres of raw sewage every year into UK rivers and seas. That’s 350 litres every second.
- This raw sewage is making us sick. It’s closing our beaches and ruining our rivers.
- Not one single river in England has received a clean bill of health. The Government will not even meet their own water quality targets.
- Water companies paid out more than £1.4 billion to shareholders in 2022/23 alone
Why pay for a service you don’t get? Act quickly and with as little risk as possible – they can never cut off your water supply.
Find out how to join the campaign here
Letter to King Charles
King Charles will deliver the opening address to the COP 28 summit, which begins on 30th November. Whatever any of us may think about the limited effectiveness of writing letters, or indeed about the limitations of the COP conference itself, this is undoubtedly an opportunity to influence what our UK ‘head of state’ says to the conference AND to demonstrate to him the strength of feeling among UK citizens about the need for urgent and radical action.
Find all the details in the XR Waverley newsletter.