Big Green Gathering
Encyclopedia
The Big Green Gathering was a festival
with an environmental focus which happened during most summers between 1994 and 2007. It was held at various locations in Somerset
and Wiltshire
in England
. A successor event, the Green Gathering, is taking place at Piercefield House
, Chepstow
, Monmouthshire
in July 2011.
.
And in their turn, the Green Fields at Glastonbury Festival had evolved from an earlier series of Green Gatherings held from the late 1970s until 1983 at two Somerset venues, some being formally associated with the Ecology Party, as the UK Green Party
was then named.
The first BGG was held in 1994 at Watchfield
, north east of Swindon
. In 1995, the BGG moved to a site at Lower Pertwood Farm
, about 10 miles (16 km) south of Warminster
, in Wiltshire
, and the event was repeated at that site in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 2000. The next BGG took place in 2002 at Winchester Farm on the Somerset Levels
in Cheddar
. In 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007 the BGG was held at Fernhill Farm, a 160 acre (65 hectare) site which can hold up to 20,000 visitors, in the Mendip Hills
. No festival was held in 2008 due to financial problems.
In 2009 the festival was scheduled to return to Fernhill Farm. Two days before it was due to open the organisers voluntarily surrendered their license to hold the event, following the threat of injunction proceedings in the High Court
by Mendip District Council, supported by Avon and Somerset Police. Organisers were unable to fully refund all ticket holders.
A successor event, the Green Gathering, was arranged to take place in July 2011 at Piercefield Park, near Chepstow in the Wye Valley
.
have a presence at the festival.
In 2005 featured former Environment Minister Michael Meacher
, Bruce Kent
from CND and Tony Juniper
from Friends of the Earth
.
On the festival site there are several distinct areas including:
Although the BGG is not a music festival, there is extensive live music performed at the festival. Past performers have included 3 Daft Monkeys
, Damien Rice
, and Banco de Gaia
. The 2011 event at Piercefield will feature Thomas Dolby
.
Festival
A festival or gala is an event, usually and ordinarily staged by a local community, which centers on and celebrates some unique aspect of that community and the Festival....
with an environmental focus which happened during most summers between 1994 and 2007. It was held at various locations in Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
and Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. A successor event, the Green Gathering, is taking place at Piercefield House
Piercefield House
Piercefield House is a largely ruined neo-classical country house designed by Sir John Soane, located near Chepstow in Monmouthshire, south east Wales. Its extensive surrounding park overlooking the Wye Valley includes Chepstow Racecourse...
, Chepstow
Chepstow
Chepstow is a town in Monmouthshire, Wales, adjoining the border with Gloucestershire, England. It is located on the River Wye, close to its confluence with the River Severn, and close to the western end of the Severn Bridge on the M48 motorway...
, Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire is a county in south east Wales. The name derives from the historic county of Monmouthshire which covered a much larger area. The largest town is Abergavenny. There are many castles in Monmouthshire .-Historic county:...
in July 2011.
History
The event grew from the Green Fields area of the Glastonbury FestivalGlastonbury Festival
The Glastonbury Festival of Contemporary Performing Arts, commonly abbreviated to Glastonbury or even Glasto, is a performing arts festival that takes place near Pilton, Somerset, England, best known for its contemporary music, but also for dance, comedy, theatre, circus, cabaret and other arts.The...
.
And in their turn, the Green Fields at Glastonbury Festival had evolved from an earlier series of Green Gatherings held from the late 1970s until 1983 at two Somerset venues, some being formally associated with the Ecology Party, as the UK Green Party
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
was then named.
The first BGG was held in 1994 at Watchfield
Watchfield
Watchfield is a village and civil parish in the Vale of White Horse, about southeast of Highworth in neighbouring Wiltshire. Watchfield is about north of the village of Shrivenham. Both villages used to be on the main road between Oxford and Swindon, which is now the A420 road...
, north east of Swindon
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
. In 1995, the BGG moved to a site at Lower Pertwood Farm
Pertwood
Pertwood is a very small village, former civil parish, and manor, near Warminster in the county of Wiltshire in the west of England. Its land and houses now lie in the parishes of East Knoyle and Sutton Veny and have fewer than twenty inhabitants....
, about 10 miles (16 km) south of Warminster
Warminster
Warminster is a town in western Wiltshire, England, by-passed by the A36, and near Frome and Westbury. It has a population of about 17,000. The River Were runs through the town and can be seen running through the middle of the town park. The Minster Church of St Denys sits on the River Were...
, in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, and the event was repeated at that site in 1996, 1997, 1998 and 2000. The next BGG took place in 2002 at Winchester Farm on the Somerset Levels
Somerset Levels
The Somerset Levels, or the Somerset Levels and Moors as they are less commonly but more correctly known, is a sparsely populated coastal plain and wetland area of central Somerset, South West England, between the Quantock and Mendip Hills...
in Cheddar
Cheddar
Cheddar is a large village and civil parish in the Sedgemoor district of the English county of Somerset. It is situated on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills, north-west of Wells. The civil parish includes the hamlets of Nyland and Bradley Cross...
. In 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007 the BGG was held at Fernhill Farm, a 160 acre (65 hectare) site which can hold up to 20,000 visitors, in the Mendip Hills
Mendip Hills
The Mendip Hills is a range of limestone hills to the south of Bristol and Bath in Somerset, England. Running east to west between Weston-super-Mare and Frome, the hills overlook the Somerset Levels to the south and the Avon Valley to the north...
. No festival was held in 2008 due to financial problems.
In 2009 the festival was scheduled to return to Fernhill Farm. Two days before it was due to open the organisers voluntarily surrendered their license to hold the event, following the threat of injunction proceedings in the High Court
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
by Mendip District Council, supported by Avon and Somerset Police. Organisers were unable to fully refund all ticket holders.
A successor event, the Green Gathering, was arranged to take place in July 2011 at Piercefield Park, near Chepstow in the Wye Valley
Wye Valley
The Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an internationally important protected landscape straddling the border between England and Wales. It is one of the most dramatic and scenic landscape areas in southern Britain....
.
Events
The BGG is described by its organisers as"for people who care about health, the environment, sustainability, our children's future and life in general. It is a celebration of our natural world and our place within it." Several ecological and anti-war groups such as GreenpeaceGreenpeace
Greenpeace is a non-governmental environmental organization with offices in over forty countries and with an international coordinating body in Amsterdam, The Netherlands...
have a presence at the festival.
In 2005 featured former Environment Minister Michael Meacher
Michael Meacher
Michael Hugh Meacher is a British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Oldham West and Royton since 1997. Previously he had been the MP for Oldham West, first elected in 1970. On 22 February 2007 he declared that he would be standing for the Labour Leadership, challenging...
, Bruce Kent
Bruce Kent
Bruce Kent is a British political activist and a former Roman Catholic priest. Active in the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament , he was the organisation's general secretary from 1980 to 1985 and its chair from 1987 to 1990...
from CND and Tony Juniper
Tony Juniper
Tony Juniper is a British environmental campaigner, author and commentator most recognised for his work as Executive Director of Friends of the Earth, England, Wales and Northern Ireland and Vice Chair of Friends of the Earth International from 2000-2008.Juniper was the Green Party's parliamentary...
from Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth
Friends of the Earth International is an international network of environmental organizations in 76 countries.FOEI is assisted by a small secretariat which provides support for the network and its agreed major campaigns...
.
On the festival site there are several distinct areas including:
- AMARE (Alternative Media and Renewable Energy)
- The Village Green
- Healing Field
- ESP (Earth Spirit and Philosophy)
- GAMA (Green Access and Mobility Area)
- Earth Energies & Divinatory Arts
- an extensive Kids Area
- Permaculture Area
- Crafts Area
- Campaigns Field
- Tipi Village
- Green Crafts
Although the BGG is not a music festival, there is extensive live music performed at the festival. Past performers have included 3 Daft Monkeys
3 Daft Monkeys
3 Daft Monkeys are a world music-influenced acoustic band from Cornwall, UK, consisting of Tim Ashton, Athene Roberts, and Lukas Drinkwater...
, Damien Rice
Damien Rice
Damien Rice is an Irish singer-songwriter, musician and record producer who plays guitar, piano, clarinet and percussion....
, and Banco de Gaia
Banco de Gaia
Banco de Gaia is an electronic music band from England, formed in 1989 by Toby Marks .The music of Banco de Gaia is best categorized as ambient dub, but Marks works to cross genres, often using Arabic and Middle Eastern samples against a bass heavy reggae, rock, or trance rhythm to produce deeply...
. The 2011 event at Piercefield will feature Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby
Thomas Dolby is an English musician and producer. Best known for his 1982 hit "She Blinded Me with Science", and 1984 single "Hyperactive!", he has also worked extensively in production and as a session musician.-Early life:Dolby was born in London, England, contrary to information in early 1980s...
.