Shame on you Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy and Climate change

Friday the 27th Nov - Doncaster climate hearing, more like doncaster green wash! This event was organised by oxfam, some very good people attended and its fantastic that local people are addressing issues that we all face and talking about ways to be sustainable, unfortunatley there was 'a wave' of insincerity from a few but this doesn't matter working together does! 

we love the earth centre campaigners went along to pose the question to our mp for climate change and energy -

Why has a multi-million pound sustainable living education centre been left to rot for five years?
Our friend, Mark 'Mozez' Wallis RIP questions miliband - http://www.youtube.com/user/thepixiecrew#p/a/u/1/fpeu5RSyJXo

another reponse from Miliband the climate change spinning nuclear puppet and future prime sinister - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQjtfXqDxi0

From Mr Miliband's response it seemed strange that he showed very little knowledge of the Earth Centre, curious since we've contacted his offices and his colleague, Denaby MP Caroline Flint, neither has responded. Considering Milband's job title you would think that he would have recognised the significance and true potential of this amazing resource and beautiful space. Also you would think that he would be aware that the MOD are looking to aquire a sustainable living education centre in his area, however he is from oxford!!

Local community projects in Denaby struggle to access funding because the Earth Centre swallowed up the quota in the area and this still has reprecusions five years on. Resources were mysteriously flying out of the Earth Centre in the end and we would like to know where they went too as millions were spent on them.

We say reopen the Earth Centre and allow the community to benefit from its resources rather than having to watch the Police and MOD training with guns and dogs and wargame enthusiasts running about with pretend machine guns and smoke screens.

Ed Miliband this is a time for truth, no more greenwash!

Public meeting to decide the future of the Earth Centre all are welcome its to be held at the Denaby and Cadeby Miners Welfare Club, Tuesday 15th Dec at 7pm. Please come and have your say :0)

Public meeting - people unite and have your say!

Public meeting regarding the future of the earth centre and the peoples campaign to reclaim the land and our rights to make decisions on community issues

Tuesday, 15th December 7pm at the Denaby Miners Welfare Club - see you there!

As many local people will know, the Earth Centre, a multimillion pound project funded at huge cost by the public with clear aims to be used as an educational facility for the community, has been squandered and left to rot. It is currently been used by war-game enthusiasts and as training ground for the MOD and the Police, the image of grown men running about shooting each other on children’s playgrounds and in the forest gardens simply makes us sick.

The site was closed down because it was not breaking-even. This was mainly due to the over-reliance on the project being a tourist-mecca, but also the mis-spending of money throughout the project's existence, as vast sums were squandered on consultancy fees and extravagant, unaccountable spending. If the centre had been run with more involvement of local people and less emphasis on money and big corporations, it may not have turned into the white elephant it is today.

Our civilisation is witnessing its own collapse, with new military technology that can cause freak weather patterns and more war and environmental disasters, while world leaders sit negotiating insincere deals to reduce environmental damage worldwide, we strongly feel that a project which demonstrates alternative energy systems that society needs to switch to, at both the regional and household level, is something worth sustaining.

We see the Earth Centre as a world class environmental facility for all to utilise and enjoy. We want this facility open particularly in South Yorkshire as we think that it can make a difference here the most with people given training in new working skills such as the installation of solar-panels, wind generators, ground-source heat pumps and high-tech building solutions.
The Council has refused to hold a public meeting with regards to the future of the Earth Centre. They have blocked requests from local community groups to harvest the fruit and medicinal plants and have effectively turned their backs on this opportunity to safeguard our children's future. We have a duty to them and the planet to encourage the community and the wider public to gain knowledge of the significance of new energy-saving technology and other aspects of sustainable living

The people are holding their own meeting on tuesday 15th december 2009 at 7pm at the denaby main miners welfare club. Please come along and support the campaign to reclaim our rights to decide what happens in our own communities. Have your say, power to the people, together we can make postive change!

Love and respect

Pixies

Proposal for earth centre site to be - uk's centre for climate change

This is for distribution contact thereismore2lifefolks@yahoo.co.uk for a copy

To attendants of the Doncaster Climate Change Hearing,

I would like to take this unique opportunity to propose a new use for Doncaster's
former Earth Centre project at Conisbrough.

The Earth Centre was originally conceived as ‘an exhibition of sustainable development practices and an international centre for related research and education’. Unfortunately, as we all know, the project lost its way and closed down five years ago even though its fortunes had finally begun to change for the better. The site is still home to some of the most advanced sustainable technology currently available (near silent wind turbines, an advanced 'living machine' sanitation system, solar canopy, extensive allotments & forest gardens, etc.), but it is currently being used by a corporate 'war-games' company and as a film set – hardly ideal uses considering the potential that this site and its existing resources has to offer.

I would like to propose that the former 'Earth Centre' should become the UK's 'National Centre for Climate Change'.The location is central to the rest of the UK and a highly sustainable infrastructure already exists. I feel that the former Earth Centre should once again be used as an international research and education facility with 'Climate Change' as its central remit. The main building could be be used for research and development; whereas some of the grounds, gardens and the former shop could be handed over to local community to encourage the development of grass-roots climate change initiatives. I have been working on a more detailed proposal but for the sake of brevity I will not expand on the idea at this time. Hopefully I have said enough to whet your appetite.

Oxfam could invite other major Climate Change charities to support the proposal and North Doncaster MP - and local climate hero - Ed Miliband could liaise with Doncaster Council to save the site from the developers. The fact that the buildings and resources already exist means that a conglomeration of charities could assume joint management of the centre at greatly reduced costs to all involved - as long as the political willpower exists. I firmly believe that a national research, development and educational centre could be of immense benefit to all those concerned with the devastating effects of climate change. I also believe that such a facility could be beneficial to Doncaster. If you feel the same way please get in touch and lets push for real and lasting change in our region.

Kind regards,
Warren Draper

Doncaster Climate hearing - fri 27th nov - lets make some noise

This is pure genius nice one! Doncaster Climate hearing this coming friday meeting details can be found here - http://www.doncastercvs.org.uk/events/eventsitem/120

hope to see as many people there as possible this is a great opportunity the mayor has held private meetings this week about the earth centre our calls for a public meeting have been denied so together we will hold our own details will be announced soon

following letter courtesy of a nice green man.....

Hi,

I am a resident of Doncaster who will, hopefully, be attending the Doncaster Climate Hearing in Bentley on Fri 27th November.

I would like to take the opportunity to put forward a proposal regarding Doncaster's former 'Earth Centre'.

The Earth Centre was originally conceived as ‘an exhibition of sustainable development practices and an international centre for related research and education’. Unfortunately it lost its way and closed down five years ago even though its fortunes had finally begun to change for the better. The site is still home to some of the most advanced sustainable technology currently available (near silent wind turbines, an advanced 'living machine' sanitation system, solar canopy, extensive allotments & forest gardens, etc.), but it is currently being used by a corporate 'war-games' company.

I would like to propose that the former 'Earth Centre' should become the UK's 'National Climate Change Centre'.The location is central to the rest of the UK and a highly sustainable infrastructure already exists. I feel that the Earth Centre should once again be seen as an international research and education facility with 'Climate Change' as its central remit. The main building could be be used for research and development, whereas some of the grounds, gardens and the former shop could be handed over to local community to encourage the development of grass-roots climate change initiatives. - I do have a number of other ideas which can be discussed further if Oxfam decide that they may be able to help :-)

Oxfam could invite other major Climate Change charities to support the proposal and North Doncaster MP - and local climate hero - Ed Miliband could liaise with Doncaster Council to save the site from the developers. The fact that the buildings and resources already exist means that a conglomeration of charities could assume joint management of the centre at greatly reduced costs to all involved - as long as the political willpower exists.

Friday's meeting would seem to provide a unique and opportune moment to put this proposal to the people who can help bring it to fruition. Together lets put the idea forward?

and the freedom of information response (typical)

Thank you for your Freedom of Information request dated 30 October 2009 for information
about the Earth Centre. Please find below Doncaster Council’s response to the questions
you have raised.

1. I would like to know the deadline date for submitting proposals to the DMBC
regarding use of the Earth Centre site.
The Council has not formally invited proposals from interested parties for the Earth Centre and hence a deadline has not yet been set.

2. I would like to know the details of any proposals already submitted regarding the
Earth Centre site.
The Council has received expressions of interest from a number of parties but as stated above the council has not formally invited proposals.

3. I would like to see a copy of the agreement between the Millennium Commission
and DMBC regarding the transfer of ownership of the Earth Centre site.
There was no transfer of ownership to the Millennium Commission. The Council was and still is the freehold owner and granted leases to the Earth Centre; when the EarthCentre entered receivership the leases were disclaimed and vested back to the
Council.

I hope that this information is useful to you.
Reviewing any decisions made:
You can ask us to review any decisions made about your request. You do this by writing
to:
Doncaster Council
Regeneration Department, Blue Building, 38 – 40 High Street, Doncaster DN1 1DE
Freedom of Information Manager
Council House
Floor 2
College Road
Doncaster
DN1 3DA
e-mail: FOIAppeals@doncaster.gov.uk
You can apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision about our compliance or
otherwise with the Freedom of Information legislation. Please contact the Commissioner
for details on how to do this – Telephone: 01625 545700, Address: Information
Commissioner, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF. Website:
http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/
Yours sincerely

although the questions could have been worded better this response is just what we expected our intentions are to shed truth on the obligations of the council to maintain the site for educational purposes we urge you to ask more questions everyone is entitled and the truth will out!

People call for a public meeting!

We ask you the people to contact doncaster council and your local community and demand a public meeting regarding the future of the Earth Centre, again the people responsible are trying to exclude us from having any say in what happens to this space. We think that the earth centre should be run as an autonomous community garden and eco village maybe you have your own ideas too but the only way we can ensure that its not lost to corporate greed is to unify and stand up!write to the Mayor, please send your letter/email to:

Peter Davies, The Mayor of Doncaster
Floor 1
Council House
College Road
Doncaster
DN1 3AJ

Email: themayor@doncaster.gov.uk
Telephone: 01302 862225
Fax: 01302 862232

This is the letter we recieved from the council.........

Thank you for your recent correspondence in respect of the Earth Centre. The Mayor, Peter Davies, has asked me to respond on his behalf.

Please be assured your continued interest has been noted and I would advise you that the Council has received a number of other expressions of interest. These parties, like you, are also keen that a resolution is reached enabling a move forward. As you will be aware the Council is currently reviewing potential options for the future of the site and will be asking for expressions of interest in the site shortly. All interested parties will be contacted and asked for further details of their proposals.

Whilst writing I would mention that I am aware of your Freedom of Information request which I can also confirm is receiving attention. In addition I am also aware of your recent requests to run an educational workshop for the community on the site and to also pick Ginko leaves. Unfortunately these requests are declined as the Council is unable to permit open access to the general public due to security and indemnity insurance considerations.

I hope this explains the current position and answers your queries.

Yours sincerely,

SCOTT CARDWELL, Assistant Director - Regeneration

And our response is........................................................

Dear Mayor, Scott, Pauline, whom it may concern,

All we want is to pick some leaves at the front entrance why is that such a difficult task when you allow people with pretend guns to run amock allover the childrens play areas and all over valuable plantlife and wildlife spots. The Local Police and your own Neighbourhood Management team offered to help surely this would be sufficient security if you really are concerned.

Scott and The Mayor, I understand that you are new to the earth centre and may not have experienced its value to the community and nature as a whole. If we consider that together we need to raise awareness of Agenda 21 from the Rio Earth Summit of 1992 which is as poignant now as ever, it was the precursor to the Kyoto Summit, focusing our minds towards the important decisions to be made in Copenhagen Summit, this December ‘09. These meetings of world leaders are the evidence that we all need to make changes to the way we live our lives in order to sustain our environment and protect the lives of future generations, animals and our earth. We see the earth centre as a world class environmental facility for all to utilise and enjoy. We want this facility open particularly in South Yorkshire as the area has high unemployment, very low average income, racial tension along with drug and alcohol problems and displaced youth. We think that it can make a difference here the most and it already has a connection with the area. Following our research especially over the last year it is apparent that South Yorkshire does not have sufficient facilities for alternative education and skills. The area has been hit by climate change very recently and many people were affected, they were mostly reliant on local authorities to respond and it is clear that people require knowledge of alternative methods of living that can impact less on the environment and save money.

I request on behalf of the community and the wider world that is aware of the reality of climate change and its social implications, that you hold a public meeting to discuss the future of the earth centre a multimillion pound project paid for by public funds with clear aims to be used as an educational facility for the community.

The public expect a response!

Thank you

Teenage Mutant Nuclear MP

So local MP for Doncaster and Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband announces to a undisturbed public that Britain shall have ten new nuclear power plants by 2018.

Tumble weed............

Well as far as we're concerned if you support nuclear you must be stark raving mad, the men responsible for these plans have no concern for the health and survival of this planet or anything on it. It might only be a film but for those of you that have seen 'threads' a film set in sheffield post nuclear disaster you will know the terrifying dangers of these monsterous mutant machines.

How and why are these decisions getting through parliment without any consultation with the people of the land, they have utter disregard for nature and wildlife and the future of our race.

The earth centre is an ideal spot for uniting communities to stand up and have their say, we urge you to take action and stop this greedy regime.

dont despair just do it th'sen

The land at the earth centre has been worked by many hands we remember the miners and their strength in hard times

I have visited your website http://www.freewebs.com/yorkshiremain/ and found it too be a very good guide and particularly enjoyed the documented photo's. I am part of a group that is currently working with the space on top of the former cadeby colliery, the derelict earth centre. As you may know the designers of the earth centre had a hideous party with public funds that saw a small number of already very rich people paid alot of money to create an educational space that they then walked away from and have left to ruin. Its fair to say they pulled a fast one on an already kicked community, the earth centre during the time it was open was used by many locals and also provided a significant number of jobs.

Now derelict for 5 years the council leases it to a wargame company that run about on the childrens play areas shooting each other and the police use the space for training. None of these activities benefit the community or the landscape. The council now plans to sell the site and we are not going to let them. We see that the land belongs to the people and that we have a right to maintain it and use its resources to live a sustainable lifestyle. We aim to reopen its buildings to the community groups and schools that can then benefit from what was once a valuable community resource. With the spirit of the miners that lived it deep in the pits we will not leave this alone and we invite all to show solidarity in this time of political treason and depleting landscape.

Don't despair just Do it th'sen! we welcome you all to meet at the welcome point of the earth centre every sun 1pm we're all very friendly x

amazing school visits

It is a crime to let the earth centre be lost to more greed and destruction, please see

http://www.townfield.doncaster.sch.uk/pages/welcome.htm

huge respect to the school for their outstanding guide to the earth centre

x

too little too late dmbc

doncaster council said today that the fruit was still mostly rotten and they will contact the group to organise a walk around the centre for just one group member sometime soon

we say no way!

apple action

Earlier today a group of activists took apple action and liberated a haul of delicious fruits from the abundant forest gardens at the derelict earth centre. Weeks of meaningless promises and blatant lies from Doncaster Council led the group of harvesters to take action.

This may seem like a small feat but as numbers and support grows the move to reclaim the land at the earth centre is getting closer!

Doncaster council first responded to requests to harvest the fruit three weeks ago they said the fruit was simply too 'rotten and infected by wasps'



After consecutive lies and fobbing off from the local authorities it became clear that action had to be taken, the extent of waste involved in the earth centre scandal goes deep and we are here to expose the truth and heal the wounds of the land



we met with local development trust workers that shared their experiences of the earth centre saga and expressed their dissapointment and frustration at its demise

we want local people to be proud of this space and work together to care for it without the suffocating ties of red tape and greed

we welcome anyone that wants to be involved - reclAim the earth centre!