URGENT support needed at Yorkley Court Farm

Reclaim the Fields | 23.06.2014 16:54 | Ecology | Free Spaces | Social Struggles

**Support needed now - Please get the the site**

Bailiffs attempted an illegal eviction at Yorkley Court Community Farm this morning & are still there and its likely they will try something on the bottom strip tonight.

More people are urgently needed to defend the land.

Even if you can just get there for a few hours, it helps to have as many people as possible on site.

Background:

In the early hours of this morning, police and private security thugs decended, without prior Notice (a legal requirement), upon the peaceful peasants living on the land, and growing food at Yorkley Court. This outragous, competely unlawful act of aggression came without warning, whilst Yorkley Court Farm are fully engaged with the District Council in their planning process, and were looking likely to be granted the initial stages of planning permission during the coming weeks. We're not sure what exactly the Council, no doubt in colusion with certain private business interests think they're doing, more information as we get it. Please come and help us stop this illegal eviction attempt

http://yorkleycourt.wordpress.com/

How to get there: Head to Yorkley, near Lydney in Gloucestershire. See a map below.

Site mobile: 07784887895

Reclaim the Fields

Additions

evening update STILL NEED HELP

23.06.2014 17:48

after the mental situation we found ourselves in this morning - bailiffs in our kitchen/living room building and also in the farmhouse, inside occupant's bedrooms and live-ins, we managed to re-secure and barricade the main yard, hangar and living room/kitchen buildings, and re-possessed the top floor of the house.. after a while we convinced the bailiffs (slightly) that they were acting illegally, and they retreated to the main gate. at the gate we found contract builders setting up a large spiky fence and gate. we retook control of the gate and some of the heavy machinery, and after some confusion amongst the builders, we dug up their fence and gate and loaded all of their kit back onto their lorries. they seemed up for leaving site but then the private security goons wouldn't let them out.... since then we've been building loads of barricades, blockadeing all our gates with vehicles and locking on. there has been little activity from the security since then but they are still here, looking pissed off. we think this siege will continue for days, so any help/food/padlocks would be amazingly useful. please come down, we need everyone who can get here xxx

yorkley court farmer
mail e-mail: adeptaizza@gmail.co.uk

Update

24.06.2014 07:51

The situation here is still urgent as of this morning; large numbers of security are currently trying to get on site.

Hereward
mail e-mail: rankingalex@gmail.com

Comments

Hide the following 12 comments

Oathkeepers

24.06.2014 15:07

Maybe this group can help, or can help find a group like them in the UK?

http://oathkeepers.org/oath/
.

Myst Wolfsong

Update

24.06.2014 15:28

Looks like we are in for a long-term seige. We need people and resources such as food, bedding, technological equipment etc.

Hereward
mail e-mail: rankingalex@gmail.com

Legal????

24.06.2014 18:49

A legal requirement to give you notice they the authorities are going to evict you from, errrr, someone else's property where you don't have permission to be??? Hmm

I'm not a legal beagle, in fact a computer consultant who grew up in that village, always paid my taxes and worked for a living. My parents still live there. If any of the villagers cow tow to this request then all I can say is, quiet and contained as they have been and live and let live, then shame on you. The Forest is a very special place and, maybe behind the times, but always home for me and if you are 'Eco people' who care for the environment, then stop illegally tapping into the electric supply which someone else is paying for (btw did you know electric is generated by NUCLEAR or fossil fuel power, hardly environmentally friendly that is it!! Oh the irony....) and show respect for the laws of his land and someone else's (whoever that may be's) property.

Suggest the next stop maybe Lydney job centre or maybe the forces recruitment offices in Gloucester...do something worthwhile! Btw why weren't I at Stonehenge fir the solstice this weekend????

Chippy

Many in the village support the farm people!

24.06.2014 19:42

further to the last comment, I also grew up in Yorkley and my parents still live there. My parents along with a great many others support the people on the farm. They were there by invite from neighbours. The land ownership isn't proven. They want to form a community land trust and have a lot of backing. They are involved in the school and welcomed by them as they share their gardening skills. I understand also that they don't use mains electricity, but generate their own renewable source. I don't think they claim dole either. They grow crops and sell them at a low price, which benefits the community. Given the choice of the current residents or a housing development, I know which I'd choose... every time!

former yorkley resident
mail e-mail: oo.adams@gmail.com

Can I help?

24.06.2014 20:46

Hi I admire your stand against this unwarranted attack on your rights to live and work where you do.I work weekdays but am available any evening after 4.30 starting now and some weekends from 6th July after 21st July I am free workdays as i work in school so have holidays x Could a facebook based petition help? I could look into it it if would help :) anything I can do to stop this nonsense x

Ali
mail e-mail: Sagna
Homepage: alichats@hotmail.com

Update Tuesday Evening

24.06.2014 21:15

There has been a 48 hour stand off between private security contractors and residents & supporters of Yorkley Court Community Farm.

Legal updates
The legal injunction against the security firm could not go through this morning because there was not a judge with sufficient qualification/power/experience to make a decision
It is likely the injunction will go through just after 10am tomorrow

Policing & Security
There was a larger police presence today
Roadblocks on both ends of the road managed by the police to reduce traffic passing the side
New shift of cops at 8pm & shift change 8am

The site is well defended with barricades & other tools. There are growing numbers of people but more are needed.

What you can do in solidarity

Get to the site if you can!

Bring food/snacks/water

Donate:

http://www.gofundme.com/aonxpo

Reclaim the Fields

DODGY SECURITY COMPANY Swift Credit Services LANDLINE

24.06.2014 22:32

http://www.swiftcredit.co.uk/?q=removal-travellers

01685 352400 the expensive number that they make money on is 0844 546 6910

They are mostly Cardif and Merthy tid bouncers and anyone else who doesnt care what they do for some cash. There was even the owner of Willow farm (close to Blakeney forest of dean) was there for the eviction on the security side and this man runs a Community festival on his farm called Spring Willow and was allowing travellers to live on his farm land for money for years.

supporter

Photo Blog About This Project

25.06.2014 10:00

I just wrote a blog about the situation on Yorkley Court and about my experience of visiting the site with my camera over the past two years.

There are lots of pictures:

http://www.furnessphotography.com/blog/on-the-road-defending-the-forest

Lisa Furness
Homepage: http://www.furnessphotography.com

More company details....

25.06.2014 14:17

The swiftcredit website is registered to the following address - possibly residential though and not an office:
2 Penydarren Road
Merthyr Tydfil
CF47 9AH
United Kingdom

Other possibly linked address I found: (unconfirmed)
CLIFTON HOUSE
FOUR ELMS ROAD
CARDIFF
CF24 1LE

Anon

Even more info!

25.06.2014 14:22

Sorry to post again so quickly, but I found more info just now, like the name of their managing director. More possibly to follow later, but here's a full dump of everything I have so far -

http://pastebin.com/6rdThrYu

Anon
Homepage: http://pastebin.com/6rdThrYu

Addition - Final Update

25.06.2014 15:46

We have won! The court has ordered an injunction against those that hired the bailiffs and security, in force upon key areas of the farm, for 12 months. This is a historic victory. The decision is being appealed but another emergency situation is unlikely, at least for the near future. Thanks so much to everyone who gave their support. We may put more information up here soon.

Hereward
mail e-mail: rankingalex@gmail.com

Addition - People still needed on site for peaceful occupation

25.06.2014 18:14

The legal situation has now been clarified, and while we have rid the land and our gates of the hired security, possession of the land is still vital. We welcome anyone who can help us peacefully occupy the land for the next two weeks, while certain legal proceedings take place. Thank you again.

Hereward
mail e-mail: rankingalex@gmail.com