Thread: Greenbelt 40 - August Bank Holiday, Cheltenham Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.


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Posted by geroff (# 3882) on :
 
I have looked through All Saints several times and we don't seem to have the Greenbelt thread this year.
Greenbelt is 40 this year so there are a lot of things from the past and birthday parties.
Who is going then?
Are there any US Shipmates coming?
What do we think of the line up etc etc??
 
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
We always go and in recent years have camped with friends as a group. I used to have a stall there a few years ago selling cloth nappies and handmade clothes and jewellery [Smile] that was great fun but very hard work! Not looked at the listings yet, will have a peep later.
Will there be a ship meet?
 
Posted by iamchristianhearmeroar (# 15483) on :
 
I'll be there with Mrs hearmeroar and our new baby too. Mrs hearmeroar is 41 weeks pregnant, so we're hoping the little one graces us with his/her presence soon!

We're pretty hardened greenbelters now, and camp religiously. Anyone have any particular tips for camping with a 4 month old at GB? We have an emergency escape plan of a vicar friend who lives about 40 mins from Cheltenham who has offered to have us to stay if everything gets too difficult, but I'm hoping we'll endure (and enjoy!) the camping.
 
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
Congratulations!
We camped with both our kids as babies, the youngest was only 2 months at his first Greenbelt. Do not underestimate how cold it will be at night. We had planned on him being in a Moses basket (not sure why as he usually slept in our bed anyway) but he was clearly getting cold and ended up in our double sleeping bag with us. Other than that no problems, be prepared to feed instantly when he/she wakes crying but there will be loads of other babies in the curfew area so don't worry about disturbing others. I do recommend the curfew area, not being kept awake by youth groups at 2am is very helpful.
In the daytime I often fed Zadok (then aged 7 months) in the performance cafe and them put him under the table to sleep on a blanket. It led to lots of surprised looks from others.
I believe there is a baby bathing/ feeding area these days which would be very useful. We used to bath our in a plastic storage box and people used to come up and take photos!

[ 23. April 2013, 12:42: Message edited by: Heavenly Anarchist ]
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
Yes, I am going. I don't do camping, I am staying in a place in the centre.

Lineup - I know there will be plenty of stuff I will enjoy. I will wait until much closer before I make my choices.
 
Posted by Auntie Doris (# 9433) on :
 
We are planning n going but I think we have decided not to camp. Various reasons, but mainly because all the mud nearly broke me last year!

We need to introduce The Little Mister to the delights of the festival [Smile]

Auntie Doris x
 
Posted by The Weeder (# 11321) on :
 
We are already booked and looking forward to it. A bit complicated this year. After the mud of last year, I have booked into the nearest Premier Inn, for me and the 2 god daughters.

Their Dad will camp, but will bring the Big Tent, in case we change our minds and want to camp after all. We won't.

Their mum will come in daily, with the 2 younger ones.

Mr Weeder will stay and home and ponder on the folly of festival going and camping or hotel staying in general.
 
Posted by SyNoddy (# 17009) on :
 
We'll there, parents in a hotel and teenagers camping. Last year's rain and mud was almost biblical with water running through the marquees and performance spaces, to say nothing of the camping fields. Any babes left under tables would likely have floated away! Greenbelt do have a tent with facilities for babies and small children so I think baby shipmates will be fine.
Special highlights to look forward to for me and mine are Beer & Hymns, FolkOn and Sunday morning communion. Plus the whole experience of the weekend. It's like an all you can eat God buffet!
 
Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by SyNoddy:
...It's like an all you can eat God buffet!

Quotes file!
 
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
SyNoddy, your favourites list sounds similar to mine. Are FolkOn there again? My kids will be ecstatic and I suspect the youngest will want to fulfil last year's promise to make a banner in support of Ernie!
 
Posted by Auntie Doris (# 9433) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by The Weeder:
We are already booked and looking forward to it. A bit complicated this year. After the mud of last year, I have booked into the nearest Premier Inn, for me and the 2 god daughters.

The Premier Inn also has our custom this year!

Auntie Doris x
 
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
It gets our custom for Thursday so we don't have to drive down early.
 
Posted by mark_in_manchester (# 15978) on :
 
I've been volunteering for rather a long time, and was starting to think I might drift away...but I find my attention grabbed by a headline act.

The fact that he is an author reminds me how old I am, and how long I have been going. Still like living in a tent, though.
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
Everyone except me at the Premier. I am at the Central, which, I suspect, is quite a bit cheaper. No breakfast, but I will take some cereal and milk, and be fine!

Having just heard that Milton Jones will be there, I now know my must-see gig.
 
Posted by Auntie Doris (# 9433) on :
 
Each to their own but I find Milton Jones unbearable and I find my teeth go on edge as soon as I clap eyes on him!

Auntie Doris x
 
Posted by Pants (# 999) on :
 
I'm taxi'ing again. [Smile]
 
Posted by SyNoddy (# 17009) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Heavenly Anarchist:
SyNoddy, your favourites list sounds similar to mine. Are FolkOn there again? My kids will be ecstatic and I suspect the youngest will want to fulfil last year's promise to make a banner in support of Ernie!

So I have been given to understand! FolkOn became a firm favourite last year and their CD is required listening whenever we go on family manoeuvres. Will await the Ernie banner with much anticipation
[Yipee]
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
My church (the Order of the Black Sheep) has been asked to do a service. This means we will probably be there after all - our normal meal ticket^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h role there having fallen through.

I'm expecting to find out more on Sunday.

I'm hoping we'll be able to camp as an tOotBS group.
 
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on :
 
Funny after all these years of going to GB I rarely spot what are the 'firm favourites of last year" - what is this FolkOn to which you refer?

We will be at our usual B&B and probably doing something with our friends at Blessed in the big top.
 
Posted by SyNoddy (# 17009) on :
 
FolkOn are Donald, Edmund & Derek - a trio of Costwold folk musicians with a nice line in comedy songs.
Ernie is a slug who meets a messy death in a 'salty bath of shame', Black Beauty is a recently deceased horse and 'I'm in love with a Morris Dancer' tells the tragic tale of young love destroyed by a shotgun toating homicidal father! And that's just a small sample of some of their delights -
All far more jolly than might be thought from the description.
 
Posted by Jengie Jon (# 273) on :
 
I found their website. The second clip is about Ernie.

Jengie
 
Posted by Lucia (# 15201) on :
 
Just booked, sneaking in for the cheaper tickets before the April 30th deadline! We will camp again this year, despite the nightmare of the rain/mud last year. Statistically it's unlikely to be that bad again, right? However have made the decision to go to GB without children this year (Hooray for grandparents!) as we just felt so frustrated last year at missing so much that we wanted to see/hear as it would only have worked for the adults.
Looking forward to it now!
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
Ive just seen that they have Black Rebel Motorcycle Club signed up. Which is pretty cool.
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
My church (the Order of the Black Sheep) has been asked to do a service. This means we will probably be there after all - our normal meal ticket^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h^h role there having fallen through.

I'm expecting to find out more on Sunday.

I'm hoping we'll be able to camp as an tOotBS group.

It's looking quite likely that I will now be there with a guitar hanging around my neck. If I'm asked to play "Shine Jesus Shine" it might get wrapped around someone else's.

I do not have a rainbow guitar strap. And my guitar can play more than four chords [Biased]
 
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on :
 
Following previous post - we should be there with this lot.
The main picture is from the Big Top service last year.
 
Posted by Carys (# 78) on :
 
So no craft tent Karl?

I'll be with the Franciscans

Carys
 
Posted by Miffy (# 1438) on :
 
I'll be venue stewarding again. Same team, different venue place, and name, our old site (according to the GB blog) having been taken over by the relocated Performance Cafe, 'Nuts,' and [Smile] wine bar.

I'll also be with the TO Franciscans as usual.
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Carys:
So no craft tent Karl?

I'll be with the Franciscans

Carys

Alas not this year.
 
Posted by East Price Road (# 13846) on :
 
Will be there. Looking forward to seeing Eliza Carthy. Am hoping there's more to be announced of the line-up.
 
Posted by The Weeder (# 11321) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Auntie Doris:
quote:
Originally posted by The Weeder:
We are already booked and looking forward to it. A bit complicated this year. After the mud of last year, I have booked into the nearest Premier Inn, for me and the 2 god daughters.

The Premier Inn also has our custom this year!

Auntie Doris x

Which one? We are at the one neaest to the Racecourse.
 
Posted by Emma Louise (# 3571) on :
 
We're not for the first time in 10 years! Mainly financial reasons, but we will also have some Australian visitors and will be showing the delights of Dorset instead.

We camped quite a lot with a baby. Can be exhausting if baby doesn't get much sleep but can be great fun waking up and going out on the grass and seeing their enjoyment of it all.

- think about sleeping. As said above can be cold. We've at various times used a travel cot, sleeping ready bed or sort of co-slept. When breastfeeding I think I just latched on and pretty much left her there in order to maximise sleep.

- mine woke with the dawn at Greenbelt - the parents tent was wonderful at that time when you don't want to wake the campsite up. My husband took our little one last year (8 month then) and there were a lot of dad's and babies [Smile] They also set up baths at night and provide you with tea. This is good.

It's a different festival when you have children, but at 4 months they can still be put in a sling/pushchair and come around to whatever you want to do. Next year they will be running around, wanting food etc! Have a fantastic time.
 
Posted by Rev per Minute (# 69) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Emma Louise:
It's a different festival when you have children, but at 4 months they can still be put in a sling/pushchair and come around to whatever you want to do. Next year they will be running around, wanting food etc! Have a fantastic time.

And before you know it, you won't see them from one meal to the next... We're just getting used to Greenbelt without children, more or less - they're now both old enough to go round by themselves all day without parents getting in the way. As our first GB was when the younger one was 18 months, this is quite a change for us!

[ 12. July 2013, 15:54: Message edited by: Rev per Minute ]
 
Posted by Miffy (# 1438) on :
 
I'm very much hoping the current spell of hot weather will last right up to and beyond the Bank Holiday weekend.

Am I being hopelessly optimistic?
 
Posted by Auntie Doris (# 9433) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Miffy:
I'm very much hoping the current spell of hot weather will last right up to and beyond the Bank Holiday weekend.

Am I being hopelessly optimistic?

I hope not. We are camping the week before and I am dreaming of a hot sunny trip. For a change!

Auntie Doris x
 
Posted by ken (# 2460) on :
 
No, please, let it be cooler! Camping is murder in weather like this!
 
Posted by harmony hope (# 4070) on :
 
Can anyone please remember how soon to the Festival weekend they send out tickets? We're about to move house sometime over the Summer and I'm trying to second-guess which address to have them sent to!

many thanks
HH
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
My wristband arrived a couple of weeks ago. Which is very exciting!
 
Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :
 
No wristbands here yet, but we didn't actually get round to buying tickets till just before the end of June, so I'm assuming we'll not be at the top of the list for getting them sent out. Harmony Hope, it might be an idea to phone the Greenbelt office and explain, and maybe they will take pity on you and send you the wristbands before you move (although then of course it's down to you not to lose them in the chaos of moving! [Smile] ).

We're camping, and I really hope it's not this hot. Dry yes, hot no. A few years ago I remember having to get up at about 7 each morning despite being knackered, because the tent was already so hot I couldn't breathe (actually that might have been at Womad rather than Greenbelt, but it's the same tent so heat at GB would have the same effect).

Apart from Amadou and Mariam I can't say I'm overwhelmed by the headliners, but there are quite a few things I'm looking forward to on the line-up. My obscure musical top tip this time is Mama Rosin - I saw them supporting another band a few years back and thought they were brilliant: a Cajun band from that well-known Cajun heartland, Switzerland ...
 
Posted by harmony hope (# 4070) on :
 
Jack the Lass - thank you that's a good idea but they're complimentary tickets via a church agency I did some work for so I'm relying on them to post them on to me!

I think that any type of weather has to be better this year than last year's terrible rain and mud!

Excited now [Smile] (4th year for us)
 
Posted by iamchristianhearmeroar (# 15483) on :
 
GB is starting for feel really close now. Been getting myself over-revved listening to Bellowhead and Duke Special this evening...
 
Posted by Manipled Mutineer (# 11514) on :
 
Am going en famille for the day on the Sunday and would be grateful for some advice. Is there any danger of not getting in if I wait to get my tickets on the day or am I fairly safe to do so? (Could do without more £ on credit card this month if avoidable...)
 
Posted by iamchristianhearmeroar (# 15483) on :
 
I can't remember Greenbelt having sold out in the last 8 years I've been going, but that's not to say it won't of course. If you email the office they might let you know the likelihood of getting tickets for Sunday on the day. Or put up a post on the facebook group?
 
Posted by Laxton's Superba (# 228) on :
 
Does anyone know which day Martyn Joseph is on - I can't see on the GB website, or on his own. Can't afford to come for all of it sadly.
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Laxton's Superba:
Does anyone know which day Martyn Joseph is on - I can't see on the GB website, or on his own. Can't afford to come for all of it sadly.

Sunday and Monday according to his website. Come on the Monday. Last I heard that's when we (Order of the Black Sheep)'ll be doing some worship.
 
Posted by Laxton's Superba (# 228) on :
 
Thanks Karl. Why didn't I see that then?! Yes I will probably come on the Monday. What do you get up to?
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
Hard to describe. It's the first time I've played electric guitar in an ecclesiastical setting without being asked to (a) turn the distortion off, (b) just play the chords, (c) make it sound more like an acoustic and/or (d) play something awful from Songs of Fluffiness. Normally though we don't do live music at our services, so it's all a bit experimental.

That there's been a running joke about wearing "Post Happy-Clappy" t-shirts might tell you something. Our main services are Eucharistic unless our priest is away, and my understanding is that the services we're doing at GB also will be.

Other than that I would expect audio-visual montages dramatising the readings and liturgy.
 
Posted by Horatio Harumph (# 10855) on :
 
I'm in.

Room booked. Ticket sorted.

Looking forwards to it. Had last year off totally, this will be my first year in about 8 being there just as a punter.

cant wait [Smile]
 
Posted by welsh dragon (# 3249) on :
 
Which Premier Inn are you all staying at? After a couple of years missing Greenbelt we have booked into Premier West. (I think there's another one too). Maybe we could have a Greenbelt breakfast corner or something?

Sorry to be missing you Emma
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
Incidentally, if anyone follows me on twitter (@s_cat) I am planning to do a selfie each day so any of my followers there can recognise me.

In the desperate hope that I won't be entirely alone for the whole weekend (self-pitying smilie).
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
I have never been before but this year will be volunteering at the Student Christian Movement stand and camping in the SCM area. Would be nice for Shippies to pop over and say hello!
 
Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :
 
Our wristbands arrived this morning. Now to leave them somewhere unforgettable to avoid last minute panics [Smile]

Jade's post there prompted me to wonder if there will be a shipmeet at all? I know there are little informal ones happening all the time as people bump into people throughout the weekend, but given that sometimes I don't manage to bump into everyone I'd like to, it might be nice to have something arranged. A couple of years ago IIRC we met up on the Saturday afternoon at the Tiny Tea Tent, and people came and went according to whether they were doing other stuff (certainly I was late because I was helping out at the Visions service but there were still plenty of people there when I pitched up), that worked well.
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
TBH, when I have spare time, I tend to gravitate to the TTT, whatever, So I will probably be around there at all sorts of times. Wheterh anyone recognises me or not is a different matter.

Jade - I will come and visit the SCM stand, but i might not know if you are there or not. If I am brave, I will ask for you by your ship name....
 
Posted by Auntie Doris (# 9433) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by welsh dragon:
Which Premier Inn are you all staying at? After a couple of years missing Greenbelt we have booked into Premier West. (I think there's another one too). Maybe we could have a Greenbelt breakfast corner or something?

We are booked into the Premier Inn West too, as are birdie and her family.

Auntie Doris x
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
Due to being an Internet Dunce, my ship name is my real name [Smile] I only got wind of the spare volunteer place yesterday so I haven't arranged my shifts yet - I will know more nearer to the festival, but I'll probably be on the stand most of Saturday.
 
Posted by Auntie Doris (# 9433) on :
 
A Saturday afternoon shipmeet at the TTT sounds like a good idea.

Last time we did it like that it was quite nice to see a variety of different people.

Auntie Doris x
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
I'll be on the SCM stand from 6-8pm on Saturday and Sunday, and 4-6pm on Monday.
 
Posted by Jenn. (# 5239) on :
 
It looks like we (me/husband/2 under 5s) will be doing greenbelt.

This is new for us. Can anyone tell me if there is a place to exchance freeze blocks or somewhere to fill gas cannisters?
 
Posted by The Kat in the Hat (# 2557) on :
 
Don't know about replacing canisters & freeze blocks, but we always use frozen milk (& other freezable food) as blocks - saves space in the cool box
 
Posted by Auntie Doris (# 9433) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Jenn.:
It looks like we (me/husband/2 under 5s) will be doing greenbelt.

This is new for us. Can anyone tell me if there is a place to exchance freeze blocks or somewhere to fill gas cannisters?

There certainly hasn't been either available in the past. There is usually a little shop that sells fresh milk and papaers but not much else.

Auntie Doris x
 
Posted by Miffy (# 1438) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Auntie Doris:
quote:
Originally posted by Jenn.:
It looks like we (me/husband/2 under 5s) will be doing greenbelt.

This is new for us. Can anyone tell me if there is a place to exchance freeze blocks or somewhere to fill gas cannisters?

There certainly hasn't been either available in the past. There is usually a little shop that sells fresh milk and papaers but not much else.

Auntie Doris x

Yes, it was a bit disappointing last time, wasn't it? I seem to remember a much bigger and better stocked shop the first few years I did GB.
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
There's a garden centre or camping shop (can't remember which) up the road that does gas.
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
I'm still a bit in shock over having to book showers (never been to Greenbelt or any other festival before)! *packs lots of wet wipes*
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Jade Constable:
I'm still a bit in shock over having to book showers (never been to Greenbelt or any other festival before)! *packs lots of deodorant*

FIFY
 
Posted by iamchristianhearmeroar (# 15483) on :
 
I shouldn't worry. It's not *too* long a time without. My wife (then girlfriend) and I managed without showers at our first GB eight or so years ago, but admittedly have booked showers every year since. We also managed that first year in a two person tent, which really could house one average size person: I'm 6'4"... The only way we could get any sleep was to spend at least an hour in the beer tent before going to bed!
 
Posted by Miffy (# 1438) on :
 
I don't know... wet wipes V showers, tent sizes...Who wants to lay bets on the appearance of the annual GB toilet debate within the next five minutes? [Cool]
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
There are so many advantages to having a room with a warm shower to go back to each night.....
 
Posted by Pants (# 999) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by The Kat in the Hat:
... but we always use frozen milk (& other freezable food) as blocks - saves space in the cool box

What a great idea.

And Jade, wet wipes are all anyone needs! [Biased]
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
quote:
Originally posted by Jade Constable:
I'm still a bit in shock over having to book showers (never been to Greenbelt or any other festival before)! *packs lots of deodorant*

FIFY
Oh Karl, I thought that would have been obvious!

And we often don't have showers for SCM conference/other events, but they're usually less muddy!

I was going to take powdered milk for morning cereal, but frozen milk in the cool box sounds better - great idea. So far the food plan (only feeding myself) is cereal, milk, a bag of apples, dried fruit and nuts, my favourite Korean noodle cups (just need hot water)....and money for chips [Cool]

What are the food stands like, other than expensive?
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
Food stands are excellent, IMO. It is quite possible to get healthy, tasty food. It is also quite possible to eat really poorly, should you want.

If you eat at slightly unusual times, the queues are usually shorter.
 
Posted by Orb (# 3256) on :
 
So what time are you guys meeting then?

It would be good to touch base [Smile]

(I'm starting a new group called "Greens at Greenbelt" if anyone is interested - 5pm at the beer tent on Saturday and Sunday - chinwag about politics and such!)
 
Posted by Horatio Harumph (# 10855) on :
 
I'm up for a ship meet [Smile]

As for showers: I know volunteers get them free and you just turn up and wait, but it can be quite a wait! Not sure if resource stand contributors come under 'volunteers' though .... might be worth checking out?

As for food, SC is right, amazing variety for all. And some really nice places, personal favs (tho I was not there last year, but assuming they still attend) was the Mash Shack and Nuts.

Healthy/non healthy the choice is yours. All pretty expensive. I'm planning on taking breakfast and food to snack on during the day and buy one main thing for tea.

HH
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Horatio Harumph:
I'm up for a ship meet [Smile]

As for showers: I know volunteers get them free and you just turn up and wait, but it can be quite a wait! Not sure if resource stand contributors come under 'volunteers' though .... might be worth checking out?

As for food, SC is right, amazing variety for all. And some really nice places, personal favs (tho I was not there last year, but assuming they still attend) was the Mash Shack and Nuts.

Healthy/non healthy the choice is yours. All pretty expensive. I'm planning on taking breakfast and food to snack on during the day and buy one main thing for tea.

HH

No, stand volunteers don't get any of the privileges Greenbelt volunteers get! No free showers for us, or food vouchers.
 
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on :
 
Re:food - if you are not veggie Barn Bacon, Nuts and that french stall with the huge vats of sausages and white wine.
We usually spend quite a lot on food (not just at Greenbelt!) and stay at the same B&B year to year. It can be expensive but when I used to camp I used to bring veg and stuff and make very slow stir frys on the (borrowed) camp stove - but I really couldn't be bothered now - one year we left the stove spanner in the car and that was the beginning of finding more comfortable ways of doing GB [Biased]
 
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on :
 
Sorry double post.
I was thinking of posting this in another place -
I think there should be a tee shirt with some sort of seven ages of GB or some such...
When I first went to Greenbelt I sat on the grass for everything, then after a few years getting a folding low chair with a back rest, then an upright chair and then one with arms that I carry on my back everywhere and sit at the back with the oldies - realising i am an oldie but at least I am comfortable here at the back.
There is a similar tale of camping which starts with sharing a 3 man bell tent and ends with staying in a B&B.
 
Posted by Curiosity killed ... (# 11770) on :
 
I bet Dave Walker would produce a cartoon like that if you asked him.
 
Posted by Miffy (# 1438) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by geroff:
Sorry double post.
I was thinking of posting this in another place -
I think there should be a tee shirt with some sort of seven ages of GB or some such...
When I first went to Greenbelt I sat on the grass for everything, then after a few years getting a folding low chair with a back rest, then an upright chair and then one with arms that I carry on my back everywhere and sit at the back with the oldies - realising i am an oldie but at least I am comfortable here at the back.
There is a similar tale of camping which starts with sharing a 3 man bell tent and ends with staying in a B&B.

I've gone the other way - from posh hotel, through hired campervan to little pop-up tent.

I do love my comfy chair though.

HH - I'm fairly sure the Mash Shack wasn't there last year. [Frown]
 
Posted by Dave Walker (# 14) on :
 
Thanks for the cartoon idea - I like it. Too late for a t-shirt sadly, but perhaps scope elsewhere. Will certainly let you know if so.

Dave
 
Posted by mrs whibley (# 4798) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by geroff:
Sorry double post.
I was thinking of posting this in another place -
I think there should be a tee shirt with some sort of seven ages of GB or some such...
When I first went to Greenbelt I sat on the grass for everything, then after a few years getting a folding low chair with a back rest, then an upright chair and then one with arms that I carry on my back everywhere and sit at the back with the oldies - realising i am an oldie but at least I am comfortable here at the back.
There is a similar tale of camping which starts with sharing a 3 man bell tent and ends with staying in a B&B.

My first GB (1989), the accommodation consisted of one of those old-fashioned tents with a large flysheet and cotton bedrooms sort of hung inside. Except that we didn't bother with the bedrooms, and all slept on a groundsheet inside the flysheet. Me on the end, then my boyfriend, then 4 or 5 other male friends. All perfectly proper!
[Biased]
 
Posted by Chorister (# 473) on :
 
I saw something about a Greenbelt app and map - which had Dave Walker stamped all over it, I believe.
 
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on :
 
The 3 man tent was actually the second year I went but I particularly remember it because one of the other two was an Anglo Catholic priest who installed a container (I forget the correct term*) of holy water near to the exit. [Eek!]

Do I get a mention, Dave, on whatever gets drawn?

* That is for the container not the priest [Snigger]
 
Posted by scuffleball (# 16480) on :
 
will there be a beer and hymns
 
Posted by harmony hope (# 4070) on :
 
Ah... the mash shack... wasn't there last year and my daughter and I were devastated...hoping it will be this year!
 
Posted by St Everild (# 3626) on :
 
I suppose the only way left from the B&B would be to stay in an extremely luxurious 4 star hotel with on-site spa, Geroff!!
 
Posted by harmony hope (# 4070) on :
 
Couldn't find it on here but is there a SoF meet at GB this year? I am optimistic that this year's weather will be a vast improvement on last year's... [Biased]
 
Posted by Miffy (# 1438) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by harmony hope:
Couldn't find it on here but is there a SoF meet at GB this year? I am optimistic that this year's weather will be a vast improvement on last year's... [Biased]

I'm still bringing my wellies. [Paranoid]

I'll be bouncing....correction...stewarding in the Sanctuary venue in the Grandstand buildings, probably late evenings, though my shifts may change. Do come and say hello - I'm the woman with short, greyish brown hair and glasses.
 
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on :
 
Further up this thread Auntie Doris was suggesting Saturday afternoon at Tiny Tea Tent - there are loads of things on, on saturday afternoon including Mass in the Big Top and a cake related thing - so how about we make it late afternoon?

There is usually a Friday meet at the Jesus Arms - how about 6pm?
 
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by St Everild:
I suppose the only way left from the B&B would be to stay in an extremely luxurious 4 star hotel with on-site spa, Geroff!!

Probably not - clergy stipend and all that.
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by geroff:
Further up this thread Auntie Doris was suggesting Saturday afternoon at Tiny Tea Tent - there are loads of things on, on saturday afternoon including Mass in the Big Top and a cake related thing - so how about we make it late afternoon?

There is usually a Friday meet at the Jesus Arms - how about 6pm?

Should be OK, but sadly I will have to have soft drinks only - have no ID recognised by the Jesus Arms and I will definitely get ID'd.
 
Posted by iamchristianhearmeroar (# 15483) on :
 
If you have an adult wristband there shouldn't be an issue, should there?
 
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
I'd love to meet up, either venue.
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Jade Constable:
quote:
Originally posted by geroff:
Further up this thread Auntie Doris was suggesting Saturday afternoon at Tiny Tea Tent - there are loads of things on, on saturday afternoon including Mass in the Big Top and a cake related thing - so how about we make it late afternoon?

There is usually a Friday meet at the Jesus Arms - how about 6pm?

Should be OK, but sadly I will have to have soft drinks only - have no ID recognised by the Jesus Arms and I will definitely get ID'd.
You will just have to get others to buy you drinks....
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by iamchristianhearmeroar:
If you have an adult wristband there shouldn't be an issue, should there?

The website says that an adult wristband does not count as proof of ID - only passport or driving license.
 
Posted by Auntie Doris (# 9433) on :
 
I doubt that anyone has ever been ID'd in the Jesus arms!

How about we say 4pm onwards at the Tiny Tea Tent on the Saturday?

Auntie Doris x
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
I will probably be around the TTT Saturday afternoon, and might then have to wander over to the JA a little later if others want to.

II won't recognise anyone though, except for Auntie Doris. If you see someone who looks like they should be me, please go up to them and ask them if they are Schroedingers Cat.

If nothing else, it will provide some strangers with a surreal moment.........

( Oh - the first person to come and ask me this around the TTT, I will buy you a drink! )

[ 18. August 2013, 16:20: Message edited by: Schroedinger's cat ]
 
Posted by Doc Tor (# 9748) on :
 
Roof box on. Spare roof full of crates and bags and mahoosive tent.

I'm just going to be a punter this year (after appearing on stage with Robin Ince last year...) so I've no talks to forget and nothing to worry about. Not even, apparently, the weather [Cool]
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
SC - it should be easy to spot Snoopy, surely? [Biased]
 
Posted by Horatio Harumph (# 10855) on :
 
As someone said Jade, I can not imagine for one moment you would be ID'd in the beer tent.

As for me, I'm for trying to hook up at whatever meet is best for people.

I'm fat, very, with red hair, a black bit at the front, and red glasses.

[Smile]
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Horatio Harumph:
As someone said Jade, I can not imagine for one moment you would be ID'd in the beer tent.

As for me, I'm for trying to hook up at whatever meet is best for people.

I'm fat, very, with red hair, a black bit at the front, and red glasses.

[Smile]

Given that I still get given children's tickets on the bus and I'm 24....

I look about 12. I get ID'd when trying to buy painkillers [Big Grin]
 
Posted by iamchristianhearmeroar (# 15483) on :
 
Might see people at TTT on Saturday afternoon - all dependent on what the mini-roarer is up to! I don't think I know what anyone looks like (unless I've met any of you before, which is a possibility), but I'll be the overweight 6'4" bloke with the 4-month old baby in tow.

Is there much/any crossover with the facebook GB group? I know they're organising a meet as well and don't know the capacity for crossover/clash...
 
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
I also won't know anyone (unless Edward Green is around?).
 
Posted by SyNoddy (# 17009) on :
 
All this talk of blind dates and meeting up with 'Real' people is fascinating if a little scary [Eek!]
I'm now trying to decide if saying I'll be "wearing a red carnation and carrying a folded copy of the Church Times" is going just a bit too far! I can confirm that my wellies are yellow but given the forecast they may stay in the car.
I'm not sure of my movements yet as I am yet to attempt to make a selection from the weekends programme. But I'll be drawn to the JA now on Friday evening and will probably loiter in the vicinity of the TTT on Sat afternoon.
Could we have a password in the style of 'ello, ello'?
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Jade Constable:
I look about 12. I get ID'd when trying to buy painkillers [Big Grin]

So I'm looking on the SCM stand for someone who looks 12. OK.
 
Posted by Miffy (# 1438) on :
 
Every year I try to pluck up the courage to make an ID badge to wear - with my avatar and Ship's logo - and every year I chicken out, not wanting to look silly.

Then I remind myself that you're more likely to look silly at GB by not looking silly, if you get my drift. [Hot and Hormonal]
 
Posted by Miffy (# 1438) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Miffy:
Every year I try to pluck up the courage to make an ID badge to wear - with my avatar and Ship's logo - and every year I chicken out, not wanting to look silly.

Then I remind myself that you're more likely to look silly at GB by not looking silly, if you get my drift. [Hot and Hormonal]

Not to mention worrying about having to field embarrassing questions from my team...
[Hot and Hormonal]
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
I could always wear my SCM t-shirt for in the TTT/JA on Saturday, if that would help people spot me? Navy with a crown-of-thorns thought bubble.
 
Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :
 
Maybe I'm just old and losing my shame, but if (unlikely, given that I've met so many of you before) I got to the TTT and didn't recognise anyone I think I'd just go up to random groups and ask if they were from Ship of Fools. I wouldn't do that at a shipmeet in a (ahem) normal pub or whatever, but lots of people at GB will have heard of the Ship even if they don't use the site themselves, and let's face it the chances of it being the most ridiculous thing they'll have heard all weekend are pretty slim! (Miffy, why don't you make a badge and put it on your bag rather than wear it? That way most people won't notice it as anything out of the ordinary, but Ship people *might* spot it).

I've no idea what we'll be doing as we will wait till we get there to get a paper daily diary, but no doubt we will be along at some point, and I will make sure not to book a shower for 4pm Saturday. Not sure yet if we'll make the Jesus Arms (depends on who else we bump into and what is on the programme) but the TTT is pretty likely [Smile]
 
Posted by Jengie Jon (# 273) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Jade Constable:
I could always wear my SCM t-shirt for in the TTT/JA on Saturday, if that would help people spot me? Navy with a crown-of-thorns thought bubble.

It just depends how many other people are wearing SCM t-shirts at the time. Hey I can think of at least two other shipmates with a SCM connection.

Jengie
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
I didn't think the rest of the team would be in the TTT at the same time! I don't know what I'll be wearing but I'm short and round and have dark hair with a fringe. Flip-flops or pink wellies depending on weather.
 
Posted by Lucia (# 15201) on :
 
I've never had the chance to meet any other ship mates (usually in the wrong country for these shipmeet thingies!) so I may well try and find you in TTT. Saturday afternoon around 4.00ish is it?

I'll be scrutinizing groups of people in a quizzical way while I screw up enough courage to enquire if they are Ship of Fools folk!

[ 19. August 2013, 23:41: Message edited by: Lucia ]
 
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Jack the Lass:
Maybe I'm just old and losing my shame, but if (unlikely, given that I've met so many of you before) I got to the TTT and didn't recognise anyone I think I'd just go up to random groups and ask if they were from Ship of Fools. I wouldn't do that at a shipmeet in a (ahem) normal pub or whatever, but lots of people at GB will have heard of the Ship even if they don't use the site themselves, and let's face it the chances of it being the most ridiculous thing they'll have heard all weekend are pretty slim! (Miffy, why don't you make a badge and put it on your bag rather than wear it? That way most people won't notice it as anything out of the ordinary, but Ship people *might* spot it).

I'm another person willing to harass complete strangers but I've always assumed it was the nurse in me - I'll talk to anyone.
My identifying features are being very short - 4 foot 11 - and having the longest hair anyone will have ever seen. I will possibly have bright woolly dreads too, if it's not too hot.
 
Posted by Tractor Girl (# 8863) on :
 
TTT on Saturday afternoon sounds like an ideal plan.
 
Posted by Jenn. (# 5239) on :
 
I will try to be there, but no promises, children and husband might have other plans! (How rude!) Might make myself a little ship of fools badge to put on my bag. If I don't manage that, I'll find jade and hopefully we'll spot the rest of you!
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
I might round up all the badges I collected from SCM conference and adorn myself with them - there's a reasonably large rainbow-flag Pax Christi badge amongst them - I shall probably get more over the weekend!
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
Just checked the map and the SCM stand is right by the TTT (we're around the Hub/G-books stand) so I will be in the area most of the time anyway.
 
Posted by Yangtze (# 4965) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by SyNoddy:
All this talk of blind dates and meeting up with 'Real' people is fascinating if a little scary .....
Could we have a password in the style of 'ello, ello'?

The moon is rising slowly these days.

Actually that would be a brilliant idea. Shame ITTWACW is so unpronounceable. What else would be a suitably Shippy, "Christian Website" phrase.

The lace on the dalmatic should stop above the ankle?
 
Posted by hatless (# 3365) on :
 
I shall be at Greenbelt for the first time this year, and I'll try to visit the TTT on Saturday to see if I can spot anyone.

There's a picture of me in the gallery.
 
Posted by Mr. Spouse (# 3353) on :
 
Gosh, I remembered my password! Just thought I would have a look to see how many of the old faces are likely to be around at Greenbelt. 4pm Saturday shouldn't clash with my volunteer shifts and we generally gravitate towards the TTT quite a lot so we'll look out for people.

No off site wimping out for us. We're on site. In a motorhome. With shower. [Big Grin]
 
Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Mr. Spouse:
No off site wimping out for us. We're on site. In a motorhome. With shower. [Big Grin]

Aha - I may come and pay you both lots of complements in the hope of scrounging a shower, if the GB shower queues are too long (I just went to book online to find that online booking is now closed). Meanwhile, perhaps I should dig out that waterless soap stuff I bought at Womad the other year (it's not great, but better than wetwipes).
 
Posted by Miffy (# 1438) on :
 
I, of course, have free showers! [Big Grin]

All packed and ready to go tomorrow, badge pinned on bag (thanks for the suggestion, JTL). It looks as if TTT clashes with one of my shifts, but I'll maybe put my head round the door of the Jesus Arms later on or on Fri eve depending.

Have a safe journey, everybody.
 
Posted by busyknitter (# 2501) on :
 
I've missed my chance to book showers as well, so I may take my cossie this year and check out Cheltenham Lido
 
Posted by Dave Walker (# 14) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by geroff:
Do I get a mention, Dave, on whatever gets drawn?

Sorry, going back to a conversation on page two of thgis thread. Geroff - A cartoon including some of your suggestions will be on display in the Bookshop / Church Times tent and also in Friday's Church Times. So thank you. I'm afraid I can't put mentions for ideas on cartoons, but will credit you elsewhere if I get the chance.

Dave
 
Posted by Jengie Jon (# 273) on :
 
Sober Preachers Kid has been a bit quiet lately. I wonder if he is involved in United Church of Canada's Pilgrimage to Greenbelt?

Jengie
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
Might attempt to put my head around the door if I'm not otherwise engaged with sprogs/spouse/desperately practicing for Monday afternoon... (PLUG PLUG when the Order of the Black Sheep will be leading some worship in Aspire PLUG PLUG)

Long haired middle aged scruffy ne'er do well, the sort of person your mother warned you about, with a bald patch. Yeah, I know, that's about a quarter of the punterage at GB...
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
Might attempt to put my head around the door if I'm not otherwise engaged with sprogs/spouse/desperately practicing for Monday afternoon... (PLUG PLUG when the Order of the Black Sheep will be leading some worship in Aspire PLUG PLUG)

Long haired middle aged scruffy ne'er do well, the sort of person your mother warned you about, with a bald patch. Yeah, I know, that's about a quarter of the punterage at GB...

You mean you're Bill Bailey????

(Is it just me who pictures everyone looking like their icon?)

Will be in a floral maxi dress with navy SCM t-shirt over the top, flip-flops or pink wellies depending on weather, red-framed sunglasses if sunny. No, none of my clothes match [Smile]
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
Well this is my Greenbelt t-shirt collection. If you see anyone dressing in any of these over the weekend, it might be me:

1 and 2 , 3 and 4

For Saturday, I will be wearing my Sonar one - the cris-cross pattern.

Today I got out a pile more cash for the weekend. I am now not sure whether it is safer to have the money with me all the time, or leave it in the hotel. I feel the Greenbelt site is probably safer....

[ 21. August 2013, 17:34: Message edited by: Firenze ]
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
Doh. I don't suppose a nice host could sort out the mess of my coding, so I don't look like a complete tosser. thank you.
 
Posted by iamchristianhearmeroar (# 15483) on :
 
Originally posted by Jade Constable:

quote:
(Is it just me who pictures everyone looking like their icon?)
Uh huh huh.
 
Posted by Yangtze (# 4965) on :
 
I'm hugely impressed by all these people who know what they're going to be wearing. I haven't even started packing yet. (And I'm leaving tomorrow morning.)
 
Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Yangtze:
I'm hugely impressed by all these people who know what they're going to be wearing. I haven't even started packing yet. (And I'm leaving tomorrow morning.)

Heh, yes us too! Looking forward to seeing you there.
 
Posted by anne (# 73) on :
 
I'm clearly moving in the wrong direction with my GB accommodation - 3 years in my own home (with roof and bath) then a couple of years staying with kind friends (with roof and bath) and this year, for the first time, camping (with tent and wet wipes.)

I will try and make it to the TTT and Jesus Arms at the right times for the meets. I don't know if it will help with identification, but last week my elderly, fat poodle came third in a "dog who looks most like his owner" competition.

Anne
 
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
We'll be leaving after lunch and staying at the travel lodge tonight. If anyone sees a short plump middle aged woman with woolly dreads, that'll be me [Smile]
 
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on :
 
I kind of look like my avatar!
To find shippies at the TTT - look for a group of people which includes couple with small baby and people using their own chairs. Ask them if they are from the Ship.

It will be easier than it was in about 2002 when I asked two blokes there if they were shipmates and they backed away as if I had suggested a threesome. [Eek!] [Eek!]

[ 22. August 2013, 12:54: Message edited by: geroff ]
 
Posted by ken (# 2460) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Yangtze:
I'm hugely impressed by all these people who know what they're going to be wearing. I haven't even started packing yet. (And I'm leaving tomorrow morning.)

I know what I'm wearing because I just went to Primark and bought half-a-dozen cheap T-shirts, a packet full of socks, and a sort of warmish almost-hoodie top. Less than 30 quid the lot. I won't be winning any fashion competitions. But I hope to be clean and dry.
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Yangtze:
I'm hugely impressed by all these people who know what they're going to be wearing. I haven't even started packing yet. (And I'm leaving tomorrow morning.)

Well I would normally pack today, based on whatever came to hand, but in this case, I simply decided to do this a little earlier.

But I do tend to pack a little earlier than many people. Also, because it is casual wear, not work wear, so it is all ready to go. I am only trying to decide out of the stuff I wear what is the most striking, so that people can recognise me in it.

Of course, it is easier if I always wear t-shirt and trousers - the t-shirt is the main choice in the mornings. It makes it much easier to get going in the mornings.
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
I don't really have huge amounts to pack, being one person with a 2-man tent! Clothes are just leggings with some dresses to wear with them, undies/pyjamas and socks for if I need to wear my wellies. Snackage takes up more room.
 
Posted by Lucia (# 15201) on :
 
Off early tomorrow. Hope to meet some of you there! Excited now! [Smile]
 
Posted by ken (# 2460) on :
 
Wellies. Yes, will be wearing wellies.

It would have been the right thing to do last year.
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
Apparently the weather on Saturday is due to be reminiscent of last year.

Lovely!
 
Posted by iamchristianhearmeroar (# 15483) on :
 
Sat in the queue. Ho hum!
 
Posted by Auntie Doris (# 9433) on :
 
Have just realised Beer & Hymns is on at 4pm so might be late to the meet.

Auntie Doris x
 
Posted by Rosa Gallica officinalis (# 3886) on :
 
I seem to have missed more people than I actually caught up with. T'was good to see the Order of the Black Sheep, and I'm blaming Fat & Frantic for my sunburn.
 
Posted by mark_in_manchester (# 15978) on :
 
I was working on my team and dealing with family, so no time to meet (or indeed to see much) - but now home, and pausing for breath.

Shall we turn this into a 'favourite moments' thread now? Duke Special was rather good, and the Rod Stewart / Faces tribute the night before (also mainstage) were also fun, though not sure why they were there!
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
Had a great time and it was lovely to meet people - shame I didn't get to meet Karl though, and I'd gone home by the time Order of the Black Sheep performed.
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by mark_in_manchester:
I was working on my team and dealing with family, so no time to meet (or indeed to see much) - but now home, and pausing for breath.

Shall we turn this into a 'favourite moments' thread now? Duke Special was rather good, and the Rod Stewart / Faces tribute the night before (also mainstage) were also fun, though not sure why they were there!

Had sadly gone home by the time Duke Special performed - annoyed to have missed them. Loved the London Community Gospel Choir though (and seeing everyone dancing!), Vicky Beeching hosting the talk on what women want in the church - especially the hair/testicle talk [Killing me] , the Tibetan Kitchen and Higgidy pie trucks (food was a general highlight!), Holy Communion and Beer & Hymns.
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
Well, electric guitar, bodhrán and kazoo (yes, really) packed away and back home. My highlights (apart from our worship event which of course was the highlight of the entire festival; see you next year from Mainstage (hahahahahaha!)***) were Martyn Joseph, the Temperance Movement and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Not to mention Backsliderlet #1 telling me how much he likes the aforementioned MJ (bless, he's only 9) and how silly the "Jesus is my mate" songs they were singing in the youth clubby evening thing were. Oh - the Rising was also excellent, and not just because compared by St Martyn of Swansea.

Got dragged to the poetry but was unexpectedly moved.

All three kids managed to puke up at least once in the middle of the night and the tent fell down on Thursday night whilst I was on the cusp of going from "merry"* to "delicate"**.

Missed my usual venue, the craft tent, 'cause it wasn't there owing to the site losing space because of the Recovering 2012 Official Greenbelt Quagmire but it did mean I saw a lot more of the festival than I have for years.

Missed the meet in the TTT on account of being on Child Minding Duty.

***so nice to play guitar in a worship event without having been asked "can you turn off the distortion?", "just play chords, none of that rocky lead stuff" or "can you make it sound more like an acoustic?". Limited only by the feedback dynamics of the hollow body and a fairly cheap amp. [Snigger] [Devil]
*pissed. Blame the Jesus Arms. They open on Thursday night for the Elect.
**hungover

[ 27. August 2013, 18:40: Message edited by: Karl: Liberal Backslider ]
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
Karl, what was your choice at the JA? The Pig Swill cider was like delicious, lethal (over 7%!) apple juice.
 
Posted by SyNoddy (# 17009) on :
 
My best bits (in no particular order):
Beer & Hymns, panto ending to Sunday's communion service, talk by Burundi genocide survivor, the big sing, Folk On, ceilidh, and the sunshine - especially when taking down the tent
Back home now and all unpacked, second load of washing done so now finding some time to reflect on a wonderful weekend.
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Jade Constable:
Karl, what was your choice at the JA? The Pig Swill cider was like delicious, lethal (over 7%!) apple juice.

Porter. Only went once for financial reasons. We had bought some cider from a Somerset cider farm which was also like cloudy falling-over-water.
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Jade Constable:
Karl, what was your choice at the JA? The Pig Swill cider was like delicious, lethal (over 7%!) apple juice.

Porter. Only went once for financial reasons. We had bought some cider from a Somerset cider farm which was also like cloudy falling-over-water.
 
Posted by hatless (# 3365) on :
 
Mark Oakley on R S Thomas was the loveliest, deepest thing I've heard in years.

Sorry I didn't manage to meet any other Shippies.
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by hatless:
Mark Oakley on R S Thomas was the loveliest, deepest thing I've heard in years.

Sorry I didn't manage to meet any other Shippies.

He was also tremendous on a particular Dead Horse on Monday morning.
 
Posted by Miffy (# 1438) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Heavenly Anarchist:
We'll be leaving after lunch and staying at the travel lodge tonight. If anyone sees a short plump middle aged woman with woolly dreads, that'll be me [Smile]

Heavenly Anarchist, I might have spotted you queueing at Callum's Coffee one afternoon - though wasn't 100 per cent sure so chickened out of saying hello.

Saw very few Ship folk around the site this year - apart from Tractor Girl, Pants Esmeralda, Poppy and Arrietty briefly - not even in passing, I was quite surprised.

Jade - I searched G Source for the SCM stall and couldn't find it, only to spot it on Mon afternoon, right next to the TSSF stall where I'd been helping earlier in the festival! Maybe I need new specs. [Hot and Hormonal]

Karl - spotted someone with an Order of The Black Sheep T shirt in the queue for The Sanctuary where I was working, but he definitely didn't match up to your description of yourself - far too young for a start!
 
Posted by Auntie Doris (# 9433) on :
 
The Boxettes were brilliant. Highlight of the festival for me.

Auntie Doris x
 
Posted by Carys (# 78) on :
 
Saw many people, though not many shipmates. I recall Miffy (who was staffing the venue the Franciscans (anglican religious communities) were in on Monday, Ken (in the Jesus Arms) and Orb ( also in the Jesus arms).

Was a good festival with some great memories

Carys
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Miffy:
quote:
Originally posted by Heavenly Anarchist:
We'll be leaving after lunch and staying at the travel lodge tonight. If anyone sees a short plump middle aged woman with woolly dreads, that'll be me [Smile]

Heavenly Anarchist, I might have spotted you queueing at Callum's Coffee one afternoon - though wasn't 100 per cent sure so chickened out of saying hello.

Saw very few Ship folk around the site this year - apart from Tractor Girl, Pants Esmeralda, Poppy and Arrietty briefly - not even in passing, I was quite surprised.

Jade - I searched G Source for the SCM stall and couldn't find it, only to spot it on Mon afternoon, right next to the TSSF stall where I'd been helping earlier in the festival! Maybe I need new specs. [Hot and Hormonal]

Karl - spotted someone with an Order of The Black Sheep T shirt in the queue for The Sanctuary where I was working, but he definitely didn't match up to your description of yourself - far too young for a start!

Oh don't worry, none of our signs actually had our logo on so we had to do emergency signage - although our stand was covered in SCM hoodies and t-shirts [Biased] I only briefly visited the TSSF stand myself though, didn't get to speak to many other organisations aside from Cuddesdon (and Speak who were the other side of us, but Speak along with FOR and Christian Aid do so much with us anyway that I knew everyone there!).
 
Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :
 
We got back last night, it was lovely to catch up with friends we've not seen for far too long (I was particularly pleased that Yangtze joined us for Eliza Carthy & Jim Moray), and to put a few more faces to ship names (Jade, Lucia and Schroedinger's Cat - who I then kept seeing at a distance but never managed to be near enough to say hello to again). There were also a lot of people I know were there but didn't manage to see - I guess that's just the nature of things.

Not a classic GB for me, I thought the programme was a bit thin compared to other years, but I still managed to have a nice time (despite the usual first night festival rituals of losing the tent and having to wander round in the dark and rain trying to find it, and then the mattress deflating. This is why I was rock'n'roll and was in bed by 9 the next night!). I absolutely loved Why? which I think was my highlight. My lowlight was ikon - did anyone else go to that? I'd never been to one of their services before but knew that they were a bit 'out there' and was prepared for something a bit out of the ordinary - so many people I know had seen them in previous years and raved about them I thought I'd try and see what the fuss was about. I'm still wondering - that's an hour of my life I'm never getting back. Maybe I'm just getting old...
 
Posted by welsh dragon (# 3249) on :
 
hello, we had a very good time, we were sorry to miss the Black Motorcycle Club but it was Just Too Late for the kids as was Duke Special. Nonetheless, Son of Dave (who is 5) has decided that he loooves Greenbelt.

We met quite a few people from the Ship.. but then, we did stay at the Premier Inn.
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
Well I think overall, there was less that I really enjoyed this year, but there were somethings that I would mark as some of my all time best experiences of Greenbelt.

And I managed to meet up with a bunch of you, which was great. It is always good to put faces to names, and it reminds me that there are actual people behind the avatars.

Highlights - Milton Jones, so good. So funny and so right-on with his talk, I thought. The idea that he has his job, and his faith is shown through his work. Also Grace Petrie and The Temperance Movement - both excellent performances, both artists I would go to see again.
 
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Miffy:
quote:
Originally posted by Heavenly Anarchist:
We'll be leaving after lunch and staying at the travel lodge tonight. If anyone sees a short plump middle aged woman with woolly dreads, that'll be me [Smile]

Heavenly Anarchist, I might have spotted you queueing at Callum's Coffee one afternoon - though wasn't 100 per cent sure so chickened out of saying hello.

Could be, I do like my coffee.
I've very sorry I didn't make the meet, a complete timing fail on my part as I thought the kids' thing I was in would only last half an hour and we'd get to the tea tent afterwards but it was way over an hour long and very tedious indeed! We didn't get out til past 5pm.
I do think I might have spoken to Karl inadvertently though, in the queue for the Playhouse on Saturday. Was it your son advising on the use of the Diabolo? It didn't occur to me until afterwards by which time you had gone - I recognised you from when I had my stall (if indeed it was you and not some random other person I remember). I was the lady with rust coloured dreads who spoke to you.
 
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
I don't think the music was as good this year on main stage, though I did enjoy the performance cafe (I also saw Grace Petrie) and liked the new venue with wine bar. There seemed less drama and dance than usual, one of my favourite Greenbelt things, I suspect due to an expansion of children's performances. I did enjoy the Hip Hop Shakespeare Company and would have liked more of that.
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Heavenly Anarchist:
quote:
Originally posted by Miffy:
quote:
Originally posted by Heavenly Anarchist:
We'll be leaving after lunch and staying at the travel lodge tonight. If anyone sees a short plump middle aged woman with woolly dreads, that'll be me [Smile]

Heavenly Anarchist, I might have spotted you queueing at Callum's Coffee one afternoon - though wasn't 100 per cent sure so chickened out of saying hello.

Could be, I do like my coffee.
I've very sorry I didn't make the meet, a complete timing fail on my part as I thought the kids' thing I was in would only last half an hour and we'd get to the tea tent afterwards but it was way over an hour long and very tedious indeed! We didn't get out til past 5pm.
I do think I might have spoken to Karl inadvertently though, in the queue for the Playhouse on Saturday. Was it your son advising on the use of the Diabolo? It didn't occur to me until afterwards by which time you had gone - I recognised you from when I had my stall (if indeed it was you and not some random other person I remember). I was the lady with rust coloured dreads who spoke to you.

No, wasn't me. Random Other Person [Biased]
 
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider:
quote:
Originally posted by Heavenly Anarchist:
quote:
Originally posted by Miffy:
quote:
Originally posted by Heavenly Anarchist:
We'll be leaving after lunch and staying at the travel lodge tonight. If anyone sees a short plump middle aged woman with woolly dreads, that'll be me [Smile]

Heavenly Anarchist, I might have spotted you queueing at Callum's Coffee one afternoon - though wasn't 100 per cent sure so chickened out of saying hello.

Could be, I do like my coffee.
I've very sorry I didn't make the meet, a complete timing fail on my part as I thought the kids' thing I was in would only last half an hour and we'd get to the tea tent afterwards but it was way over an hour long and very tedious indeed! We didn't get out til past 5pm.
I do think I might have spoken to Karl inadvertently though, in the queue for the Playhouse on Saturday. Was it your son advising on the use of the Diabolo? It didn't occur to me until afterwards by which time you had gone - I recognised you from when I had my stall (if indeed it was you and not some random other person I remember). I was the lady with rust coloured dreads who spoke to you.

No, wasn't me. Random Other Person [Biased]
[Hot and Hormonal] I will try to not forever picture you now as random other person from the ship who once bought from my stall [Big Grin]
 
Posted by welsh dragon (# 3249) on :
 
Oh hello, that might have been us [grin]
 
Posted by ken (# 2460) on :
 
Missed TTT meeting as I was about two and a half hours out of synch with clock time (literally - I went to what I thought was a 2.30 talk and only found out later it had been at 12.00)

Saw quite a few shipmates - at least a dozen - but most only in passing.

Highlight of the festival this year: shapenote singing.

Also Beer and Hymns was wonderful, tho in its new rather more organised and formal format it has come a long way from the spontaneous singalong all those years ago. As so often it was easily the worship highlight of the festival for me. By far and away the most spiritual thing going.

I never know what shape my trajectory through a festival like this is going to be before it happens. With the shapenote singings and B&H, and the Big Sing, and singing along to LCGC and Graham Kendrick, and the retro choruses at the Communion, and the Taize evening prayer, this was a singing Greenbelt. Really quite wonderful.

And of course, Garth Hewitt sings the Chartist Hymbook! Unmissable. [Smile]
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
One comment from this year is how expensive it was. I spent some 50% more than I expected to, and actually ran out of money.
 
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by welsh dragon:
Oh hello, that might have been us [grin]

Was that in reply to me? [Smile] if so, hello there and I wish I had introduced myself!
 
Posted by welsh dragon (# 3249) on :
 
AH, I think we would have liked a lot of those, Ken - that is Dave and I, not the littlies. I have encountered the Sacred Harp stuff before - is that what you mean by Shapenote? - and would have like to have gone to that, but we were running around after toddlers in the Orchard at the time. The Gospel choir was just a bit late for the kiddies and we didn't reckon on being able to entertain them and keep them quiet through the Big Sing (which is a shame because I think Dave would have loved to get to that again). Likewise Beer and Hymns, I don't think they are up to appreciating Wesley yet.

We did really enjoy some of the Mainstage stuff though, great having it at lunchtime, so the kids could run around in the sunshine while we listened. And I was pleased that the communion service started so late that we could listen in from the car park as we trudged to the service at toddler's pace.
 
Posted by Auntie Doris (# 9433) on :
 
I think I had a conversation with Son of Dave most mornings at breakfast. He's a very entertaining little chap.

Like Jack the Lass I wasn't that enamored with the line-up, especially on the Sunday when I just felt there wasn't anything I wanted to go to. I ended up having a sleep in the Orchard as I just couldn't keep my eyes open!

Auntie Doris x
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
Wasn't Sunday the Temperance Movement and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club? Best night of the festival that one. My only problem was Martyn Joseph overlapped with the latter so I didn't hear the whole BRMC set.

Heard the practicing from Mainstage for the communion service and that was enough to deter me. I'm no fan of Graham Kendrick but he hasn't done anything to deserve what I heard them doing to the Servant King. Haven't been to a GB mainstage communion since Methuselah started shaving TBH; well, not for more than ten minutes before running screaming.
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Schroedinger's cat:
One comment from this year is how expensive it was. I spent some 50% more than I expected to, and actually ran out of money.

Jesus Arms.
 
Posted by Jenn. (# 5239) on :
 
We went, spending most of our time in the play house, orchard and the village hall. The only grown up sessions I went to we're lcgc (who were awesome) and the what women want one. Good festival, not what I had expected. Tried to make the meet, but had promised to take a little to the village hall...
 
Posted by Uriel (# 2248) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Schroedinger's cat:
One comment from this year is how expensive it was. I spent some 50% more than I expected to, and actually ran out of money.

The food stalls were very expensive this year, so I did a couple of evening trips to Sainsburys to get fresh and comparatively much cheaper food for our group of happy campers. Saved a fortune, and will probably become part of our Greenbelt routine.

Otherwise, hung out with my kids a lot and largely ignored the programme, as usual. A great weekend.
 
Posted by Karl: Liberal Backslider (# 76) on :
 
They were expensive, but they always have been. I don't think they were any worse this year than previous years.
 
Posted by welsh dragon (# 3249) on :
 
Oh and we really missed the Nuts cafe, we were going into salad withdrawal.
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by welsh dragon:
Oh and we really missed the Nuts cafe, we were going into salad withdrawal.

I would have loved a salad stand! Actually some kind of farmer's market stand would be wonderful for those doing their own cooking - pasta, stews, dhal etc is easy to do with tinned and storecupboard items but tinned veg is horrid! Maybe we need a camping cookery thread in Heaven next year [Smile]

Breakfast is easy to DIY though - cereal bars, apples, oranges, bananas, cereal (frozen milk in the cool bag or powdered milk if no cool bag), cartons of juice and tea/coffee. Those little pots of fruit in juice are good too. I only had breakfast from a food stand once and Jenn bought me that! [Smile]

Will maybe be adventurous next time and do my own cooking! Will have to have at least one trip to the Tibetan Kitchen if it's still there though.
 
Posted by chukovsky (# 116) on :
 
Well I enjoyed my 12th Greenbelt and the 30th anniversary of the first one I went to! We were in a rented campervan again and Baby Spouse enjoyed it more than he had previously. I now have excellent calf muscles too, I think I walked about 5 miles a day, mainly pushing the buggy.

I met quite a few old lags properly, I saw Carys in the distance and had a couple of "hellooo! Must Dash!" encounters too. Of those who I at least recognise, I didn't spot ken at all but I believe he was there.

I was also a bit disappointed by the music, I would have really liked to see Eliza Carthy and Dukes Special but they were just too late for our earlier to bed child, but I and he both enjoyed Boxettes and Folk On, and happily also Carrie Rodriguez and Thea Gilmore with afternoon sets in the Performance Cafe.

Weather was more or less perfect, and I also had a good nearly-nap in a contemplative prayer session, and a good Big Sing. I think I probably broke the record for least number of sessions attended but that's not surprising with a small baby and a volunteering spouse.
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
chukovsky - it was excellent to finally meet you, having known you on the ship for many years. Putting a face to the name after 10+ years is great!
 
Posted by Rev per Minute (# 69) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by ken:
And of course, Garth Hewitt sings the Chartist Hymbook! Unmissable. [Smile]

That was a highlight for me, too, coming from Newport. May try to work out how to get them into the commemoration service for the Chartist anniversary in November...

PS chukovsky - I managed to sleep on the Grandstand steps listening to a talk, and I have no such excuse!

[ 31. August 2013, 20:15: Message edited by: Rev per Minute ]
 
Posted by scuffleball (# 16480) on :
 
So - I think it might be okay to speak a little personally here?

Greenbelt was what I needed. Not what was comfortable - in fact it was distinctively uncomfortable - but what I needed lest I be lulled along "the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts" into a sort of white, middle-class, heteronormative, patriarchal existence in some suburban semi. I suppose you could call it the agency of the Holy Ghost. I suppose there are more mundane explanations for it too.

And so, I suppose I rediscovered where I came from, from a tradition of dissent, for one can dissent within the C. of E. and there has been dissent therein.

You see, having spent time at university I had been largely heard complaints that Greenbelt was both aesthetically unpleasing and heretical, and I had come to believe it on both points, much like this -




And so I came to learn that perhaps there was more heresy in you or I than we admit at times. And as for aesthetics, you see, Greenbelt may not be pictureesque but it is certainly grounded in the here and now; count the number of times you hear "incarnational"! You see, Greenbelt is more than a church about keeping its cogs turning, about a church that is relevant to its own time and place, about a church that is fundamentally relational.

And perhaps the church must thus forgo the privilege of aesthetics, much as it must forego other privileges too, like civic religion. I have been reading a lot of Garrison Keillor of late - it is interesting to see his description of growing up in a tradition of seeing civic religion as pharisaical, and how religion aught to be told rather than shown. And perhaps he is right, in a way. You see - what Keillor likewise stands for is "No Splits" - that the perfect expression of Christianity is more deeds than "thoughts of compassion divorced from cries of pain."

And much like Bill Bryson leaving the Bradford IMAX after "This is Cinerama" and stepping into the rain and looking for a curry, so I feel strange leaving it, to a town in a phase of transition whose civic institutions seem to be maintained by those who have moved on from it and find myself wondering - "so now what?"

So many tunes there are still in my head -

"I shall not turn against my brother
For his creed or for his colour
Nor the one he takes his lover
Or his class
You that beckon me that way, you shall not pass" from Grace Petrie,

the Chartist Hymnal of Garth Hewitt,

and those from the Big Sing -

"O bless the Lord and never forget his love,"
"As long as we live, there is a future for creation,"
"The truth that sets us free,"
"Alleluia praise the Lord, Praises, High Praises"

I'm still not sure whether it is racist cultural appropriation for white people to sit around singing African songs; it seems a thin line from that to white people dressing up in Nigerian clothes for a Kwanzaa party. But I already started a thread on that I guess.

Ken said that
quote:
A lot of what you see at Greenbelt (a lot of what you see on this website) seems to be based on the idea that the churches are more socially and politically conservative than they in fact are. (I'm talking about politics here, not theology). So, as someone said, people feel radical or alternative just by turning up, But in fact they are expressing views that are pretty mainstream.
Okay - try standing up in the pulpit and say the sort of thing you hear at Greenbelt about the Wall in Palestine, or about the fact that irrespective of what you think about same-sex marriage or sexual activity, that perhaps the church has a responsibility to include people who are attracted to people of the same sex rather than making them too frightened to admit the fact publicly, vel. sim. for immigrants, or something to do with the housing crisis and homelessness in London.

Or try singing "Inspired by Love and Anger" or "The Truth that Sets us Free" in church, or any Iona Song that suggests people might have faith through spiritual doubt or that challenges the social order as well in a political sense as a spiritual one, for I have never seen these things done.

And I'm not sure Ken's Anglicanism-as-Shinto is quite as dead as we think either - at university I did encounter a fair few people who were baptised and went to public schools where they got confirmed because, well, that's what "decent people" do, and heard a sort of Christianity-and-Water at their school chapel, and continued to go to chapel at university by reflex. So Anglicanism-as-Shinto isn't quite dead, but it persists in the middle-class.

One thing that I love about Greenbelt is the "No Splits" - the idea that the the church is too broad to be trapped in a spiritual box. Because even in England, not to mention the US, the church has a horrid business of doing "Othering" - treating society as an "us and them" type thing whereby the church slowly slides into a social club with Jesus tacked on. And I'm not talking about churches of any particular denomination or colour. So often the church stands for an apathetical attitude to the existing social order, a sort of - "let's hum along and do things the way we always have. So what." I once heard someone say in the neighbourhood in which I grew up - "well there are so many non-white people in our neighbourhood I don't suppose they would want to go to our church."

It wasn't an expression of malice so much as bizarre ignorance - you could still probably call it racism. I often encounter opinions against the free movement of people and goods in Europe in that church from the congregants, and a lot of folk-music-nationalism from them too.

And yet the two things that prevailed from this were things that set it apart from the leftyness I knew at university -


The entire thing seemed a little less radical than before - no Philys Tickle, no Brian McLaren, no Billy Bragg, no Accord, far less Transcendence and enChant. But there were more people and smaller venues due to the mud issue on Centre Course so they were all very crowded. It all seemed very chaotic - Taizé overran by 15 minutes calibrating the sound system. Having to cancel going to Taizé at the last minute, it was good to go to the prayers. And people there knew Taizé-the-place too - it seemed quite like the real place to me, short of silence posters, and I even saw a little Frère-Maxime-Clapping (let the reader understand). Unfortunately this meant I missed the Les Mis mass.

In fact, without Philys Tickle and her Band, but with Mark Oakley on a certain dead horse and the church times cartoons actually gave me hope about the church as an institution, even the C. of E. in its slowness to change. Perhaps Greenbelt yoyos a bit from one extreme to the other on this, whilst staying very much in the tradition of dissent.

I was sorry to have missed so much of 10x9, which unfortunately went unrecorded. Siku certainly knows his audience better than in '08 or '09 when he gave a talk along the lines of "manga is just a medium that can be as wholesome or unwholesome as any other," perhaps from an experience of more conservative-evangelical crowds, to which the reaction was a certain dull "well duh, we know that already." This time he gave a fascinating talk about universal narrative - it's a shame it wasn't recorded.

In fact, it was a shame that the long talk about universal narrative had to be cancelled due to personal reasons, as Greenbelt seems to be starting to get a hang of this as an idea, even in politics where it seemed previously to be a bit sluggish about moving away from the '70s one-size-fits-all template top-down model of changing politics through protest and parliament towards a more testimonial, narrative, community-organizing-based, paradigm-changing one - an equivalent of "Fresh Expressions" for politics, perhaps.

The meditative reflection on content creation vs consumption was an interesting one too. To a degree I am happy to be a content consumer - this is cheap with iPlayer and public libraries, and blogs (and this very chatroom!) help me to be discerning and seek out obscure content in a way I would have been unable to do so without the internet. Then there are the likes of Irina Rempt who draws and writes a little, but we have only seen a fraction of her content thus far, and I have written a little music that gets nowhere and no-one sees. So bee it.

Having said that, I still wonder whether the church has gotten to grips with the difference between recognizing the need of something to be done and recognizing the person in the community capable of doing it, though. The "Be Bold" attitude to evangelism certainly is useful in encouraging laypeople to take a part in evangelism but I sometimes wonder whether it leads to people doing rôles because they like volunteering, not because they are good at the rôle.

It was interesting to see "the Atheist church," that is, the Sunday Assembly as part of Last Orders. I thought it was interesting to see them introduced as "but we still think they need to Jesus" which may have been intended as a joke but was perhaps slightly uncharitable. As much as they claimed not to be a cult they did seem to have inherited a lot of the less palatable elements of charismatism - manufactured emotion ect. It certainly wasn't the wooly liberal humanism with syncretic cultural appropriation à la Unitarianism I was expecting though.

I kind of expected Clare Balding to be fairly run-of-the-mill and establishment after JLB's BBC-bashing, but turned out to be surprisingly thoughtful. I think she too was quite taken aback by the exact nature of Greenbelt. Hmm, lots of thoughts there about women and LGBTQ people in sport and broadcasting.

The namechecking of the decidedly transphobic Germaine Greer was a bit of a facepalmy moment for a supposedly LGBTQ-friendly place, though. Where have we come in 40 years? We're certainly far better at recognizing the environment, sure, and LGBTQ people and women. Our society has become perhaps more xenophobic*, anti-European, commericalized, aspirational**, classist and politically apathetic.

What for the future of Greenbelt?

*Note - not necessarily racist, though
**Becoming more aspirational has both positive and negative effects, mind.
 
Posted by scuffleball (# 16480) on :
 
Also it's nice to see so much of the 2010 Big Sing has made it into the new Iona song book.

It was nice to see Greenbelt growing into a family of festivals - One in Scotland, one in the US and one in the West Bank, with rumors of a fifth in Canada.

Speaking of which, how refreshing to have the Canadians with us, whether or not SPK was one of them! Just - if you make a similar festival in Canada, could it please be ecumenical?

It was good to have them lead Sacred Harp too, even if their leader was so flustered by the numbers! I wouldn't be half-surprised if JLB had had a hand in that too - he put a form of Antioch - that he had extensively fiddled with, unfortunately - in Common Ground, and it fits in with his ethos of participatory singing. Ken - I could have been sat next to you.

Perhaps in future rather than two workshops and a scratchperformance we could possibly have a workshop for those who know very little music and a singthrough for those more familiar?

IIRC Økumenischer Kirchentag is something similar for the German-speaking world, with more focus on talks and liturgy. Maybe GB could touch base with them too? Irina Rempt had a FOSS stall there, interestingly - now how about that?! A FOSS Stall at Greenbelt!

[ 01. September 2013, 20:24: Message edited by: scuffleball ]
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
Oh, I did meet some of the (very lovely) Canadians - some SCM Canada members were amongst them and joined us for our picnic. SCM Canada are incredibly cool [Cool]
 
Posted by SvitlanaV2 (# 16967) on :
 
scuffleball

You mentioned some of the non-Christian speakers and groups at Greenbelt, and I'm a bit curious about them. Obviously, they've been invited because the organisers feel they have something to say that Christians will be interested in. But what do you think these speakers themselves get out of Greenbelt (apart from their fee)? Why did the Atheist Church want to be there?

I've only been to Greenbelt once. It was enjoyable and interesting. A liberal alternative to the evangelical festivals, I suppose.
 
Posted by Yangtze (# 4965) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by SvitlanaV2:
...Obviously, they've been invited because the organisers feel they have something to say that Christians will be interested in. ...

Not everyone attending Greenbelt is, or would define themselves as, Christian.

Had a great Greenbelt. Did a lot more worship / spiritual stuff this year. Loved the Chapel which I only found on the last evening.

Did have some lonely moments - as the friends who in years gone by would have texted or called to say 'where are you, we're doing XXX, let's meet up' by and large all have partners to do things with now and whilst they're happy to have me contact them and say 'I'm free what are you doing' or have me hang out with them if I happen to bump into them they don't proactively get in touch with me any more. I guess I'm going to have to learn to deal with this.

Highlights: beer and hymns, the talk on Benjamin Britten, meeting Clare Balding (briefly - I signed her in!)
 
Posted by Doc Tor (# 9748) on :
 
First day back home from the Grand Tour of the South, taking in Greenbelt as its midpoint. We've now reached the stage where the Torlets are old enough to go around by themselves, and the friends we camp with had their church youth group and additional hangers-on, so we were about 20 in all.

It was my 28th Greenbelt. Back in the early 80s, we used to sleep till midday and camp out at mainstage for the music - I find myself increasingly back at mainstage as I approach my 50s. The set by the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club has to be the stand-out for me - filthy dirty beats, a wall of sonic grunge that made me feel like I needed a shower at the end. Fat and Frantic's 90 mins on the Monday was excellent, as were the couple of bands I caught at the Performance Cafe. I took in some talks - Milton Jones was brilliant, Steve Chalke unexpectedly good. Also unexpected was simply chatting with folk I'd never met over a cup of tea. A classic Greenbelt for me, taking me back to my distant youth...

quote:
Originally posted by scuffleball:
Also it would be nice to have a fantasy author or two. There seems to have been a little overlap between Fantasy authors and Christianity (esp. Roman Catholicism, as discussed elsewhere on this chatroom.) It would be nice to have a back-and-forth with real authors about that.

I do that most years, but was being 'rested' by the lit coordinator. It's not much trouble to wrassle up some authors and get them to talk - stopping them talking is much harder... I could suggest something for next year.
 
Posted by Miffy (# 1438) on :
 
Forgot to mention you, Carys, sorry - though I tend not to think of you, Aelred, Poppy and Arietty as 'Ship,' folk any more. [Smile]

Yangtze - I guess you were volunteering, as well. For goodness sakes next time get in touch with me beforehand - I'd be happy to meet up between shifts.

Chukovsky - Think I might have walked past you at one point -a gain not 100 per cent sure. If it's one of our venue's contemplative prayer sessions you nodded off in, I'm not surprised; it was like a sauna in there at times! You deserve a medal for bravery.

Highlights? None, really, I just enjoyed anything I managed to get to as a bonus. If pushed - Sue Pickering's first session about spirituality and ageing on the Fri evening was most useful. Must write up those notes. Barbara Brown Taylor, (shame there's no recording available); had a great chat with one of the Canadian group while we were waiting for her talk to start. Steve Chalke too, challenging would describe it best. Boy did I feel sorry for him afterwards with that long line of people lined up to grill him.

I managed to catch most of Christopher Jamieson's last talk on contemplative prayer as I was stewarding for that session. What an amazing sight - watching hundreds of people deep in meditation amidst all the noise and bustle. That'll stay in my memory for a long, long time.
 
Posted by SvitlanaV2 (# 16967) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Yangtze:
quote:
Originally posted by SvitlanaV2:
...Obviously, they've been invited because the organisers feel they have something to say that Christians will be interested in. ...

Not everyone attending Greenbelt is, or would define themselves as, Christian.


The website does describe it as a Christian festival, though. Perhaps it's likely to become less Christian in time, reaching out to a broad range of increasingly unaffiliated spiritualities.
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by SvitlanaV2:
quote:
Originally posted by Yangtze:
quote:
Originally posted by SvitlanaV2:
...Obviously, they've been invited because the organisers feel they have something to say that Christians will be interested in. ...

Not everyone attending Greenbelt is, or would define themselves as, Christian.


The website does describe it as a Christian festival, though. Perhaps it's likely to become less Christian in time, reaching out to a broad range of increasingly unaffiliated spiritualities.
The expression they often used is that it is Christian based festival of arts and music. the truth is, the foundation of the festival is Christian, but this is quite a broad term. There is no expectation that people coming will take the label Christian, or that the speakers will necessarily take that label.

What is significant is that the speakers have something to say to the issues of justice and faith. For those who come, there is also an expectation of not being judgemental towards others. There is an openness towards learning and growing.

The real difference between Greenbelt and the other festivals is that at Greenbelt, you can ask the questions like "Does God really exist?" and find people to discuss them with you. And also, you can get great music like Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, which was very powerful from the front row....

Greenbelt is the place you can say anything you want. And find people to discuss it passionately.

[ 03. September 2013, 16:19: Message edited by: Schroedinger's cat ]
 
Posted by SvitlanaV2 (# 16967) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Schroedinger's cat:

Greenbelt is the place you can say anything you want. And find people to discuss it passionately.

Rather like the internet, then.

For me its main appeal is simply that there are so many different things to do. My former minister likes it because he can take a break from ministering to others and be ministered to himself.

Greenbelt seems to fill a very interesting niche, that's for sure.
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
SvitlanaV2 - the point is "discuss", with passion and intensity, but also openness. One of the problems with the internet, as a whole, is that you can find someone to disagree very easily, but finding people who will properly discuss is harder.
 
Posted by SvitlanaV2 (# 16967) on :
 
So Greenbelt provides a better quality of sparring partner. That figures.
 
Posted by Carys (# 78) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Miffy:
Forgot to mention you, Carys, sorry - though I tend not to think of you, Aelred, Poppy and Arietty as 'Ship,' folk any more. [Smile]

[Grins] I nearly forgot you for similar reasons. You were in the TSSF block not the Ship block!
quote:
Chukovsky - Think I might have walked past you at one point -a gain not 100 per cent sure. If it's one of our venue's contemplative prayer sessions you nodded off in, I'm not surprised; it was like a sauna in there at times! You deserve a medal for bravery.

Indeed. At the WCCM I had to give up on my chair and lie on the floor where it was cooler otherwise all I was thinking was 'I'm too hot' which isn't the usual mantra! I found it much more bearable on the Monday thank goodness (seeing as I think all the things I did on Monday were in there!), though the fact that for the Franciscan ones I was sitting by the fire escape probably helped!

quote:

I managed to catch most of Christopher Jamieson's last talk on contemplative prayer as I was stewarding for that session. What an amazing sight - watching hundreds of people deep in meditation amidst all the noise and bustle. That'll stay in my memory for a long, long time.


 
Posted by Carys (# 78) on :
 
[Posted by accident before I'd finished]

That was indeed an amazing session. Very powerful stuff. Am I right in thinking though that Sanctuary doesn't record anything? I wish it had been. I can remember a fair amount of the talk, but would love to repeat the prayer exercise.

Carys
 
Posted by scuffleball (# 16480) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by SvitlanaV2:
scuffleball

You mentioned some of the non-Christian speakers and groups at Greenbelt, and I'm a bit curious about them. Obviously, they've been invited because the organisers feel they have something to say that Christians will be interested in. But what do you think these speakers themselves get out of Greenbelt (apart from their fee)? Why did the Atheist Church want to be there?

I've only been to Greenbelt once. It was enjoyable and interesting. A liberal alternative to the evangelical festivals, I suppose.

In the interest of equal time, I suppose.

But I made the mistake of getting it into my head that GB was "about Christianity but not Christian per se" which couldn't be further from the truth.

Also, some people like Billy Bragg and Peter Tatchell who are usually quite antipathetic towards religion said it changed their perception of Christianity.
 
Posted by SvitlanaV2 (# 16967) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by scuffleball:
I made the mistake of getting it into my head that GB was "about Christianity but not Christian per se" which couldn't be further from the truth.

Can you explain what you mean?

quote:

Also, some people like Billy Bragg and Peter Tatchell who are usually quite antipathetic towards religion said it changed their perception of Christianity.

That's interesting. I imagine that many people, especially from working class backgrounds, normally have little if any exposure to radical liberal Christianity, and Greenbelt is one of the few places where that kind of Christianity feels brave enough to promote itself and engage a bit with popular culture.
 
Posted by iamchristianhearmeroar (# 15483) on :
 
Big announcement at midday today about GB2014...
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
Well - not Cheltenham.

I have booked myself into the Holiday Inn Express nearby for the weekend. In case any other shipmates want some luxury (comparative).
 
Posted by welsh dragon (# 3249) on :
 
ooh, Premier Inn or Holiday Express?
 
Posted by Jade Constable (# 17175) on :
 
I can commute! But being a sadsack who really loves the sound of rain on tent, I will be camping again, or dating someone with a trailer tent [Big Grin]

Any recommendations for good beds for camping? My problem is that I like a firm bed which just doesn't seem to exist in an air bed.
 
Posted by Jenn. (# 5239) on :
 
The ground tends to be fairly firm. I just used a bedding roll :-)
 
Posted by Jack the Lass (# 3415) on :
 
Although the new venue is less than 7 miles from my parents' house, I've never been there, but it does look like a lovely site. We are most likely to go to Solas (as that's not too far from where we live), but depending on annual leave, other family commitments, and the GB lineup, this move does mean that GB next year is a possibility (like Jade we would camp too, but it does mean that if it chucks it down and the place becomes a swamp we have somewhere we can escape to!).
 
Posted by Schroedinger's cat (# 64) on :
 
Holiday Express. It is just opposite the site, so assuming they have a back entrance, it should be a short walk to get there and back.

If not, it will be a reasonable drive....
 
Posted by Jay-Emm (# 11411) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Schroedinger's cat:
Holiday Express. It is just opposite the site, so assuming they have a back entrance, it should be a short walk to get there and back.

If not, it will be a reasonable drive....

Will they be doing stuff that side of the A43? I'm not vastly far away so I'll take a gander sometime over see how walkable it is (and what looks like it might be a venue)

There's definitely a gate near Weekly Church and a sort of lodge on the A43 (Google shows it as a road, but I don't think it is public) when [the house and grounds have] been open the signs take you to between Geddington and Grafton underwood. But they own tonnes of fields (and most of Scotland)

[ 13. November 2013, 18:48: Message edited by: Jay-Emm ]
 
Posted by welsh dragon (# 3249) on :
 
that would be premier inn corby then
 
Posted by welsh dragon (# 3249) on :
 
Ah I will check again with Dave. It would be nice for him to be able to walk back in the evening. Hmm Dave thinks it doesn't look walkable.

The family room in the Premier Inn looked a better bet, see, and the kids liked the buffet breakfast in the one in Cheltenham...
 
Posted by welsh dragon (# 3249) on :
 
Dave commented also that it looks like there is an awful lot of land around the grand pile, so theoretically walking in might involve quite a hike...
 
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on :
 
Boughton House (pronounced Bowton, Bow as in front of a boat) is a great place. Here is the Boughton website which gives a glimpse of the amazing and weird restored landscape.
It is not usually open to the public except for odd days in July.
We have booked a nice B&B just 5 miles from the site - I was the first to ring up for Greenbelt so I had to explain it to a very interested owner who has now put it on her calendar.
 
Posted by geroff (# 3882) on :
 
I am not sure i would want to walk along the A43 at night - also they may not let us in at the A43 end.
 
Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :
 
How very convenient [Big Grin] if the weather is a complete disaster we can commute.
 
Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :
 
As there is now a shiny new thread up to discuss Greenbelt 41 I'm going to close this one otherwise we will all get too confused!

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