Radical Routes

Homes without landlords. Work without bosses.

Grassroots control and economic revolution through co-operation

Homes without landlords. Work without bosses.

Grassroots control and economic revolution through co-operation

Menu
Menu

Next gathering

The dates for the next gathering will be

14th – 16th November 2025

Venue:

Bidston Observatory Artistic Research Centre (BOARC) Wilding Way, Prenton, CH43 7RA 

Hosts: Rose Howey Housing Co-op and Gatherings 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 Discord

  • New 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.

Registration deadline:

No later than 5pm on the 3rd of November, 2025 as we need numbers by then for catering purposes.

Financial Literacy Workshop Registration:

Financial Literacy for Co-operatives Friday 14th November, 1.30 – 6.30pm at the gathering.

If you don’t know your Assets from your Equity, you’re confused about cashflow and annual accounts make you awfully anxious, come along and learn the language of finance.

An easy-paced day which will leave you feeling more confident about understanding and working with money in your co-op.

Please book on at finlitreg@radicalroutes.org.uk, with your name and co-op/potential co-op.

This session is run regularly as part of the May and November Radical Routes gatherings and is always free and open to all.

Online Access:

Online access to meetings and workshops:

All meetings and workshops will be accessible over Zoom or meet.coop, except for the intro sessions for new groups which will only run in person at this gathering. All meeting links, time, and live minutes links will be on the shared TeamUp calendar, please refresh the page periodically to make sure you are viewing the latest version. Workshop times and links will be added by 8pm on Friday 15th November, here: TeamUpCalendar

If you need any tech support before or during the gathering please contact techsupport@radicalroutes.org.uk

Venue Information

Venue details:–

The gathering will be held at The Bidston Observatory Artistic Research Centre (BOARC) Wilding Way, Prenton, CH43 7RA 

Venue Information:-

Bidston Observatory Artistic Research Centre (BOARC) is a self-organising study site for research, communality and experimentation. It is not for profit, and focuses on providing a low-cost, temporary work space for individuals and groups so they can come together and take the time needed to develop their practices and projects. This can be in the form of nightly stays for up to a month, or day use of the building.

BOARC welcomes a wide diversity of fields, such as art, music and theatre, to philosophy, bodywork, social activism, environmental science, culture and technology.

Based in a historical landmark, it is a space where discussion can easily flow from the kitchen to the sound recording studio, and ideas can bounce between the domes and basement workspace.

The ground floor is fully wheelchair accessible, with widened doors, and space to manoeuvre a wheelchair. The accessible bedroom and accessible bathroom, plus workspaces, kitchens, movement room and project office are located on the ground floor. Service animals are very welcome.

Access Needs:-

If you have any access needs please register EARLY to give Gatherings And Access Working Group plenty of time to make accommodations. 

Accommodation/Park up:-

There are a limited number of bedrooms – some shared dormitory style and some private/family rooms. There will also be some crash space available (ie floor space in a large shared room – bring your own bedding/roll mat) and plenty of room to park live in vehicles.

This year, the venue have put a limit on how many people can sleep in the building of 70 max. Member co-op delegates and co-ops listed in the agenda as presenting or joining will get priority, after that it will be first come , first served with the remaining crash space.

Delegates from RR co-ops and co-ops listed in the agenda (presenting or joining) will be able to sleep at the venue – please register as early as possible if you need a bedroom! Bedroom allocation will be done soon after the registration deadline, so if you register after the deadline then it’s likely there will only be crash space if anything available.

Any non-RR members/new groups will need to make their own arrangements for local accommodation – we are unable to offer sleeping spaces to anyone other than RR delegates/presenting co ops at this venue. If you are struggling to find anywhere affordable, we will be able to arrange basic crash space at a Liverpool co-op – please email gatherings@radicalroutes.co.uk to ask about this. If there are quite a few people staying in Rose Howey we will organise lift shares/ taxis for people on Saturday evening and Sunday morning back to the venue. 

Travel Information

Directions:-

Bidston Observatory, Wilding Way, Prenton, CH43 7RA 

By car:
On the M53, take the A554 exit, junction 1, towards Wallasey / Birkenhead. Continue on the A554 along Hoylake Road, turn right down Worcester Road and then right again up Wilding Way. The observatory is at the top of the lane, to the left. There is limited free parking available onsite.

Public transport:-

By Merseyrail, from Liverpool Lime street or Liverpool Central on the Wirral Line : Take a train towards New Brighton or West Kirby and get off at Birkenhead North. This journey will take about 12 minutes, then it is about a 20-minute walk to the Observatory, which includes the small hill of Wilding Way.

Merseyrail service starts around 06:30 and finishes around 23:30. If you are travelling outside of these times, you could take a taxi from Lime Street. This will cost around £25 and will include tunnel tolls.

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 PUPA.Education@gmail.com Tarryn (Heartwell co-op) and kidsgroup@radicalroutes.org.uk, we will need help. Thanks.

Timetable

Friday 14th:

Arrive from 4pm(unless you have registered to do the financial literacy training, in which case please arrive at 1.30pm)

Please come straight to the Welcome Desk on arrival so you can ‘check in’, pay for meal tickets, etc.

13.45-18.45:

Financial Literacy Training for anyone and everyone!

Saturday 15th: 

8 – 10am: Breakfast.

10.00am – 7pm: Meetings and workshops. Lunch & dinner.

Sunday 16th: 

8 – 10am: Breakfast.

9.30am-2.30pm: Working Group meetings and workshops. Lunch. Sunday business meeting.

SLEEPING ARRANGEMENTS

Please see venue information above.

What You Need to bring

You’ll need to bring bedding (roll mat and sleeping bag) unless GAWG contact you to say you’ve been allocated a bed – please state your needs around sleeping arrangements on the registration form. Also bring cash for the bar, and a card to make payment for meal tickets.

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.

Entertainment

Social side of things:- 

There will be a bar and some music on Saturday night! 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

Service dogs are welcome.

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