Next gathering
The dates for the next gathering will be
15th – 17th August 2025
Venue:
Wild Peak, The Peak District
Hosts: Wild Peak Housing Co-operative and the Gatherings & Access Working Group.
Purpose of Gatherings
Radical Routes business – decision-making and discussion, reporting on work done and allocating tasks to do
Introduction to how RR works and how to participate in it
Keeping up with each other’s co-op news – meeting new members, helping with problems, celebrating achievements
Socialising, skill-sharing, inspiring each other – building relationships of trust so we can work together well
Meeting new people and spreading consciousness of radical co-operation as a tool for re-making our world.
Who can come?
Gatherings are open to everyone:
Delegates of member co-ops
Other co-op members, associates and friends who want to participate in the network
People from new or existing co-ops who are interested in joining
Random other visitors or interested people.
What happens there?
Delegates of member co-ops need to attend business meetings on behalf of their co-ops
Anyone at a gathering can attend any meeting
There are workshops (consensus decision-making, facilitation, how to set up a workers co-op), trainings, discussions
at a physical gathering, there are lots of things to do outside meetings: putting up and taking down marquees, hanging out, food prep, kids group, queer space, banner-making, etc.
attending gatherings online, some gatherings offer support for blended access, with business meetings and workshops accessible via online video link and space to socialise on DiscordNew groups should attend the ‘New Groups’ meeting, and new people should attend the introductory sessions
Gatherings are usually quite intense, with lots of people trying to share a lot of information and make lots of decisions in a relatively small amount of time. If you particularly want to communicate with a specific person you don’t know, feel free to ask someone who knows what’s going on for help.
REGISTER HERE:
Use this link to register:-
Registration deadline:-
No later than 8th August 2025 at 5pm – we need numbers by then for catering purposes!
Venue Information
Venue details:–
The gathering will be held at Wild Peak Housing Co-operative in the Peak District
Venue Information:-
We are a rural housing co-op in a very beautiful part of Derbyshire. The whole site is in one fairly flat field although slightly bumpy to walk over so please bring sensible shoes. It can get quite cold and damp at night, more like autumn temperatures even in August. Please make sure you have warm clothes for the evening and enough warm bedding. There is very little indoor sleeping space so please ask in advance if you need this. Our water is a private supply which comes off a spring. It is double filtered and UV filtered and we don’t use chlorine,
if this might be a problem for you please get in touch.
As we’re next to a ground nesting bird reserve, sorry no dogs.
Because of the extremely dry weather. it’s unlikely we’ll be able to have fires, and if we do, they will be restricted to our fire pit. There will also be designated smoking areas with waste receptacles.
Access Needs:-
If you have any access needs please register EARLY to give Gatherings And Access Working Group plenty of time to make accommodations. If you are unable to camp for access reasons and need to stay in B&B accommodation in Belper we can help with the costs, so please get in touch with Gatherings and Access Working Group by emailing gatherings@radicalroutes.org.uk
Camping/Accommodation:-
We will be camping, so bring your tents, sleeping mats and bags, torches. The field is large and fairly flat with lots of space for live in vehicles. Seating will be mainly hay bales and benches so please bring chair/s if you are able to!
Toilets:-
Two compost loos up steps, two field level urinals (one is sit down), and the pootle trailer which has two loos up a ramp.
Travel Information
Directions:-
Venue address: Wild Peak, Lawn Cottage, Wyver Lane, Belper, DE56 2EF. There are 2 properties with this postcode and they are not easy to get to from each other, so if using a sat nav make sure you are coming to LAWN COTTAGE and not Wyver Farm. We are down a shared use single track lane which is regularly used by pedestrians and cyclists, so take it slowly if you’re driving. It gets VERY lumpy at the end where the tarmac runs out. Please note there is NO parking ANYWHERE on Wyver Lane, continue through the two gates to get to the venue, where there is ample on-field parking. Due to the nature of the lane, please try and avoid using your vehicle again once you’ve arrived at the site. There is a long-stay carpark at the train station (Field Lane Car Park) if you’d prefer not to navigate our track.
Public transport
There are national rail services as well as very regular bus services to Belper which is a few miles. A 40 minute walk or a 15 minute cycle. There are also taxi companies in Belper. We will be looking for people coming in vehicles to do lifts between the venue and the station so please get in touch with Gatherings and Access working group if you can do this.
KIDS
IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU TELL US IF YOU ARE BRINGING CHILDREN. Please fill out information about children you or your coop are bringing when you register for the gathering on the google form and email PUPA.Education@gmail.com
Please register as early as possible so we can plan appropriate activities. We are very glad that you are bringing children to the gathering and we are looking forward to spending time with them.
(The kids’ space is run by the Kids Working Group. We are a voluntary group of people who are members of co-ops within the network.)
We will be there for the kids while meetings are on but we ask that you come and supervise the children you are responsible for at lunch and dinner so we can eat too. Kids space does not continue into the evening. We will organise child-friendly food/snacks. Food & snacks will be kid friendly & vegan.
Please bring clothes for all weathers for your child as we are hoping to go outside!
Kids Group Volunteer Recruitment Procedure
If you are interested in volunteering for Kids group please get in touch as early as possible with Max at star8uck@riseup.net Thanks.
Timetable
Friday 15th
Arrive from 3pm. Please come straight to the Welcome Desk on arrival so you can ‘check in’, pay for meal tickets, etc.
Saturday 10th
9.00am: Breakfast.
10.00am – 7pm: Meetings and workshops. Lunch & dinner.
Sunday 11th
9.00am: Breakfast.
9.30am-2.30pm: Working Group meetings and workshops. Lunch.
SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS
Please see venue information above.
What You Need to bring
What you need to bring:
● tent and bedding
● torch
● power bank for phone charging
● outdoor/warm clothing and footwear
● card to pay for meal tickets
● cash for the bar/cake stall
● hot water bottle if you feel the cold
● camping chair if you can carry one
You can contact GAWG at: gatherings@radicalroutes.org.uk
Food
Three meals a day plus hot drinks will be provided, and all food will be vegan. It’s best for us if you pay for the whole weekend when you arrive (new groups and individuals who are not members of an RR co-op need to pay for food in advance, details will be emailed when registrations are received). Card payment for meals is hugely preferred please! If arriving Friday evening, it will be £20 for the weekend. Alternatively if you’re only having a couple of meals they can be paid for individually at £3/meal plus £2 for hot drinks. Kids eat free. If you have any special requirements ie. gluten free, nut free please state on the registration form.
Cake: Bring cash to pay for cake!
Entertainment
Social side of things:-
There will be a bar! Bring songs to share.
NEW GRoups and People
If you’re new to Radical Routes (whether you’re a new member in an existing co-op or you’re a new co-op looking at Radical Routes), there is a series of workshops designed to introduce you to the workings of Radical Routes and Co-ops in general. They’re informative, exciting and essential! If you’re from a new group, it’s essential that you register your presence with Co-op Support Group by attending the New Groups meeting . This is so that they can confirm you have attended the gatherings as required, arrange joining visits and generally keep you on track.
Donations:- If you’re attending as a new group/non-member co-op/interested individual, we would be grateful for a donation if you can afford it, to help cover the costs of putting on a gathering – suggested donation from £5 to £50 per person. We don’t want this to be prohibitive and it is absolutely not compulsory if you’re not in a financial position to do so. There will be a cash collection tin on the Welcome Desk for this.
DOGS
Dogs:-
As we’re next to a ground nesting bird reserve, sorry no dogs.
Other info
Please come and see us at the welcome desk if you can facilitate, co-facilitate or minute take for meetings or workshops – there will be a sign up sheet.
There will also be a sign up sheet for help needed in the kitchen, washing up rota etc
If you would like a buddy to help you navigate the gathering come and see us at the welcome desk. If it’s your first gathering it can be a lot to take in, but there’s a lot of friendly folk around who’ll be happy to help.
SEND US YOUR WORKSHOP/ SKILLSHARE/ DISCUSSION IDEAS! It’s a really good idea to timetable them. Gatherings@RadicalRoutes.org.uk
Any other questions? Please email Gatherings@RadicalRoutes.org.uk