The Student Environmental Network will be having their first gathering on Saturday 7th December, at Manchester Student Union. The purpose of SEN is to link up everyone in the student movement who is working on environmental and ethical concerns. Although People and Planet do really good work on these issues, not everyone is involved with them, and it is proving difficult to move the NUS to take real action. As a result, student activists have formed SEN, in an effort to provide an autonomous space for discussion and co-ordination among students concerned about the environment. We know this is the same day as the FBU protest, but if you're a student consider coming to the conference, and if you can't, get in touch with  sprouting@wildmail.com. There's plenty to do!

Details about the gathering are below:

*******
NATIONAL GATHERING

For students, student groups and student officers interested in
setting up a national communication and support network for
environmental and ethical issues! A fantastic opportunity to meet
like-minded students from across the country, support and communicate
with each other better, increase the power of the UK student
environmental & ethical movement, and have a bit of a laugh.

SATURDAY 7TH DECEMBER 2002
9.30am till 5pm-ish
Meeting Rooms 5 and 6, Manchester University Student Union
(see directions at bottom of email)
Price: Free, plus a donation for food

We have free crashpad accommodation available on the Friday night for
those coming from further afield. There’s also a charity party in the
Union on Friday night to which you’re all invited! We may also be
able to arrange some floor space on Saturday night for those wishing
to stay longer. Food will be provided for Friday night, Saturday
morning and Saturday lunch, for a small donation.

The day will cover:

 What do we want from a national network?
 What form should the network take?
 How will we run it?

We’d also like to have some sort of “Open Forum”, where we can inform
each other about the things we’re currently working on or interested
in, share ideas/experiences, and make links. We’re also planning to
have fun!

WE NEED YOU THERE. No-one is in charge of this idea - the network
will belong to everyone who joins it. Everyone’s input is equal and
vital, and we really want to build something that will benefit us
all. Come along and be a part of it!

If you want to come to the gathering, please send a reply to this
email with the following info:

Number of people coming:
How many want accommodation on Friday night?
How many want food on Friday night?
How many want to attend the Friday night party (in the Union’s Cellar
disco, DJ and cheapish bar, part of the “Lust for Life” student
health campaign week):
How many want breakfast on Saturday?
How many want lunch on Saturday?
All the food will be vegetarian and GM-free, please tell us any other
dietary requirements:
Any other thoughts or suggestions for this gathering:

If this could reach us by the 4th December that would be very
helpful.

If you can’t make it, please pass this email on to anyone else who
might be interested. If no-one at your university/college can come,
then we’d still love to hear your thoughts, suggestions and input on
the network idea – just send a reply to this email, and we’ll take it
to the meeting.

More information can be found at  http://www.umu.man.ac.uk/green/sen
If you have any questions, feel free to contact us by phone or email!

Hope to see you there,

Danny, Jennie and the gang xxx

**********************************

Directions to Manchester University Student Union:

From Manchester Piccadilly Train Station:

The easiest way is to look for a connecting train to Manchester
Oxford Road Train Station. Get on this, it will take about three
minutes. At Oxford Road station, walk out of the main exit, straight
ahead of you and to your right across the plaza thingy are some steps
leading down. Go down them, and you'll come out on a big main road -
Oxford Road. Turn right and walk along this road for 15-20 minutes
and you'll reach the Student Union on your right - it's a big grey
building with steps up to the front, and two vertical red banners
reading "Student Union". It's opposite the Holy Name church. You
can't miss it, honest.

If you can't find a connecting train to Oxford Road, you can get a
bus, thusly:
Leave by the main exit from Piccadilly Train Station and walk down
the big ramp. Walk straight along the main road, past various shops
including a Spar on your right, until you get to Piccadilly Gardens -
a patch of grass, some fountains, and some large pointless concrete
walls. Head left towards the gap in between the walls. Go through the
gap, across the tram lines (look both ways, now), and you'll arrive
at a load of bus stops. Catch any of the following: 40, 41, 42, 43,
44, 47, 48, 141, 142...probably some others too. Ask if they go to
the University. It should cost you 50p, possibly more if it's one of
the more evil bus companies. If the bus driver looks friendly, ask
them to tell you when you reach the Student Union. Otherwise, look
out for a big bridge over the road with "University of Manchester"
written on it - it's the second stop after that. You should arrive
just opposite the Student Union building - it's a big grey building
with steps up to the front, and two vertical red banners
reading "Student Union". It's opposite the Holy Name church. You
can't miss it, honest.

If you're arriving by coach, turn right out of the coach station onto
Portland Street. Walk for three minutes and you'll get to Piccadilly
Gardens - see above.

If you're driving (a minibus or something), the directions on the
University's website (www.man.ac.uk) are probably your best bet.

If you're arriving by plane, then you'll have used up your fair share
of greenhouse gas emissions for the next year already, so you'd
better walk from the airport to the University. Give yourself an
extra day or so to be on the safe side.

Right, you've got no excuses now!