We’ve got exciting plans for our 2025 Annual Gathering in Guildford on 1 February. We’ll be using both Zero Carbon Guildford and Holy Trinity Church, giving us more space for table discussions and displays as well as the plenaries. You can book tickets for the day here.
Our theme is 2030: A Call To Action, focusing on how far local activist groups, councils and the national government have got in reaching our targets for reducing carbon emissions and reversing biodiversity loss, and what still needs to be done.
Speakers are expected to include Pippa Heylings MP, Liberal Democrat spokesperson on Net Zero and co-sponsor of the Climate & Nature Bill, Sara Osman, Climate Change Officer at the South Downs National Park Authority, Ben McCallan from Zero, and a youth activist. Surrey Climate Commission chair Richard Essex will chair the panel discussion. We expect to run a workshop for young people, and one on the Circular Economy, as well as table discussions on a whole range of topics.
The provisional timetable for the day is:
11.30: Registration opens at Zero Carbon Guildford
11.30-12.45: Networking, visiting table displays, lunch
1-2.30: Speaker Forum in Holy Trinity Church
2.30-4.30: Breakout groups/workshops
4.30-5.30: Closing plenary in Holy Trinity Church
Host a table discussion
Table discussions are one of the most popular parts of SECA Annual Gatherings. They are a chance to raise an issue that’s close to your heart and share your thinking with other like-minded climate activists. We are looking for volunteers to suggest topics to cover, and to lead the discussions.
To align with the overall theme for the day, we’ll be asking table leads to focus their discussion on coming up with a “Call to Action” on that topic: some concrete steps that SECA members can take to bring about positive change in that area. The headlines will be fed back to others in a rousing final plenary session so that we leave with some positive actions to give us a much needed sense of purpose in the face of increasing global challenges.
Would you like to suggest and lead a table? If so please contact Pat Smith at pat2africa@yahoo.co.uk.
Bring a display
And for the first time this year we will have space for participants to put up a display on the work they are doing, so do get in touch if you’d like to reserve a space to publicise your group. Zero has alcove spaces suitable for displays (shown in the picture below) with a fixed table measuring 1.25 x 0.75m, and a wall behind for posters etc.
We’ll provide tea and coffee, and the Zero cafe will be open for snacks. Please bring your own lunch, or there are a number of places near the venue to buy food: we recommend zero waste cafe Solar Sisters. Guildford station is a 15-minute walk from Zero, or there is car parking five minutes walk away in the Tunsgate or Castle car parks.