Press Release

Local Media

Date 8/4/09

Ravens Island Eco Conference Centre
Portsmouth Rd Surbiton KT6 4HN
(opposite Catherine rd.)

We are negotiating with the council over the future use of Ravens Island
We are currently working on our second proposal which the council has requested to show we are serious about setting up a community centre here. Students and lecturers from Kingston University are helping to design a computer generated plan for a Sustainable Community Island. This vision will shortly be available on our website.

You are welcome to visit every day between 12am to 7pm

Due to the need for urgent environmental action we have set up this eco-conference centre on Raven's Ait. In these times of rising tides, changing weather & melting ice shelves we need all groups to cooperate & take action for a sustainable 21st century. (Ref: Agenda 21 - Rio Earth Summit-www.un.org/esa/sustdev/documents/agenda21/english/agenda21toc.htm. This was signed by 179 countries as a sustainability blueprint and has not been fully implemented; this is why we must take action).

At a recent meeting of 1500 top climate scientists in Copenhagen on March 11th 2009, it was said that the UN predictions made 2 years ago of the worst climate change scenarios, that could come to pass in many decades are happening now. This includes the speed up of glacial ice melt, deforestation etc.


Guided tours, talks, activities and workshops

Mondays – Ravens Ait Island Project Meeting – 7pm
Tuesdays – Music Jam – 6pm to 10pm
Wednesdays – Community Talking Circle – 8pm start

Saturdays – Yoga - 11.30a.m
Eco-Cinema – 7pm start
Sundays – Picnic 2pm in the garden
More to be announced soon, we are working on a full programme of talks, lectures, classes and workshops. For April and May.

We are receiving between 150 -200 visitors each weekend.

Upcoming events: This Easter weekend (Sat 11th and Sun 12th) we are having a Spring launch event,with guided tours picnics on the lawn, yoga, cinema, children's games, easter egg hunt, bicycle powered sounds, workshops, talks and skill sharing, drama and theatre.
Sunday at 4pm we will host a debate on the future of the environment to which we are inviting many eminent speakers and environment groups. There is an on-going discussion “What are the SOLUTIONS to the environmentally critical situation we & our children face? And, how do we implement them locally and globally?”


Monday 13th Sacred songs of the world singing circle 7pm.

Future events Healing Fair - Sat/Sun 18/19 April
Alternative Media Conference - Fri/Sat/Sun 1/2/3 May
Earth Circus Cabaret Theatre and Circus event - Sat 9 May
Breton Dance Masquerade Ball - Sat 16 May.

The future plan we are discussing with the council is to possibly hand over the island in about 6-8 weeks to a steering Committee made up of up to 20 local groups with national and international projects, see our website for info or contact us if your group would like to be involved with this steering committee.

We are appealing through all the media covering this story to raise somewhere around £1.5 million to save this island as a community facility for all generations to enjoy into the future.

For a guided tour, more information on activities or to schedule an event/workshop, please call: Nick 079646729222, Phoenix 07769791387, Rick 07791042078 or Camilla 07900800055.

Check out our website www.ravensait.org.uk or www.circlecommunity.org for latest updates, events and videos and to see our proposal to the council. You can also join our face book group: Ravens Ait

HELP SAVE RAVEN’S AIT ISLAND!

This centre is vital to our community and environment here in London, as well as internationally.
Raven’s Ait is an island for our shared community, with an abundance of beauty and history. It is currently in the process of being sold off by Kingston council to property developers or the council is considering our proposals for community, environmental and social use.

This is communal land set up in ancient times as a place of peace treaties and community use. Ref: Treaty of Lambeth 1217, which was made on Raven’s Ait (highly significant in the confirmation of the Magna Carta, this was not accepted until the treaty made here was agreed, the peace treaty ended 2 years of civil war between the monarchy and the English barons - who became the first seeds of parliament - where power started to be shared around - the rebels got amnesty and land rights - look in the English historical review - Treaty of Kingston or Treaty of Lambeth or go to the British Library). This land is both yours and ours to share as a community & use as a centre for much needed environmental & social change.

Contact Phoenix 07769 791387 for more information.