News
If the Cowfolk are doing it, this is where it’s at…
St Pauli AntiRa 2023
The St Pauli AntiRa will be held in Hamburg at the Millerntor Stadium from 9th to 11th of June 2023.
For those who don’t know this is an amazing anti racist football tournament, organised by the St Pauli Fanladen, which is a group set up 30 years ago by supporters / fans of the club. It’s played at the actual St Pauli football Stadium, Millerntor. It’s a fantastic wknd of football, music, political talks and a big demo / march through the streets of Hamburg. The tournament alternates between being played in Hamburg and then a host country every other year.
Next year (2024) is the 20 year anniversary of the AntiRa …but sadly St Pauli have said they can’t have the tournament in Hamburg as the Millerntor is being offered as a training ground for the men’s euros…this is a very contentious issue for the Fanladen but has meant the tournament will be played in stadium this year and I’ve no doubt it will be extra special.
There is a WhatsApp group for those that want to plan travel and accommodation. Text Soooooz or comment here if you want in. Some folk have already booked train tickets.
Talk: Three Months in Hebron – Life and the Occupation
This Tuesday, we have Peace from Bristol talking about his fourth trip to the West Bank which he returned from a few months ago.
He was a volunteer English teacher with the Red Crescent and also assisted a grassroots NGO called HIRN (Hebron International Resource Network) who help the most disadvantaged communities especially in Area C in the South Hebron hills and H2 in Hebron.
He will share his experiences and photos and give you a first-hand insight into life in Hebron: the beauty of the Palestinian people, the harsh reality of the Israeli occupation, and all points in between.
This works best with your involvement: comments, questions, discussion, etc.
Free entry.
You are welcome to bring your dinner and something to drink.
Donations welcome. https://www.amostrust.org/palestine-justice/partners/hirn/
This a Palestine Museum 10th Anniversary event and is supported by Bristol PSC.
Palestine Museum, 27 Broad Street, Bristol BS1 2HG
Cricket BGM
There is a B.G.M. For the Cowfolk Cricket Club on Monday 6th February at 7.30 – 9.30 at Easton Community Centre.
Please attend as the season will soon be upon us and we need more people to get involved as players and in organising.
For more information go to Easton Cowfolk Cricket club facebook or text 07743484299 to join the whatsapp group.
Cricket – players wanted!
In 2018 the then membership of the Easton Cowboys Cricket Club voted to leave the Easton Cowboys/Cowgirls Club and form the Easton Cuttlefish Cricket Club. This left the Club with a number of players but no organised cricket team.
Now after a couple of years and the intervention of Covid we have a team. The Easton Cowfolk Cricket Club was formed in 2022 to reastablish a cricket team to represent the wider club. After having had a year of net sessions and a few friendlies, we have now entered The North Somerset Cricket League for the 2023 season. The League is a Sunday league of 40 over games that takes place from April to September. The home pitch will be at the Rose Green centre in Whitehall.
We are looking for players to join whether it be just for nets, a few games or the whole season. The League is an adult league for over 14’s, however we are happy for under 14’s to attend nets with appropriate adult supervision. Membership is open to all genders under the Easton Cowfolk Clubs principals of anti- racist, anti-sexist, anti-fascist, anti-homophobic and anti-transphobic. We respect the rights, dignity and worth of every person and will treat everyone equally regardless of age, ability, gender, race, ethnicity, religious belief, sexuality or social/economic status.
Absolute beginners welcome!
For more information go to Easton Cowfolk Cricket club facebook
ECCSSC statement on Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup
ECCSSC STANDS AGAINST ABUSES COMMITTED BY THOSE INVOLVED IN ELITE-LEVEL FOOTBALL IN THE PURSUIT OF PROFIT
With the mens World Cup in Qatar upon us, the Easton Cowboys and Cowgirls Sports and Social Club feel the need to add our collective voice to the many others that are speaking out about what this tournament represents.
We believe passionately in football and sport in general as a force for good, and in its ability to catalyse change. It is why we exist as a club. However, there is no escaping the fact that football has long had its murkier side – from racism and violence in the stands to corruption and abuses of power reaching to the highest levels of the sport. Previous World Cups have had their fare share of controversy – many of our members remember Argentina 1978, Spain 1982, Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018 as examples.
Qatar 2022 seems to have taken this dark side to new levels, the most shocking being the deaths of possibly thousands of migrant workers brought in to build the infrastructure needed to host an event of this size in what is effectively a desert. That on top of a country with an appalling human rights record, especially on LGBTQ+, women’s and disabled rights, being awarded the right to profit from a sport which should be inclusive for all to enjoy.
In the face of such overwhelming corruption, exploitation, oppression and abuse we have to ask ourselves how we stand up effectively against it, and in solidarity with those affected. As a club, as individuals and our home the Plough Inn have done some soul searching as to whether to boycott watching the event is enough or indeed effective. The conclusion was that this should be an individual decision, and that as a club we will focus our efforts on raising awareness, funds and on adding our collective voice to calls for accountability, compensation and change.
As a club, we must also look at ways we can become more proactive rather than reactive on issues such as corruption, oppression, exploitation, racism and homophobia before they become big news. We must define a longer term strategy that means we keep standing up against these issues long after world cup fever has died down, and ask what similar abuses are going on in our own communities which may not be as high profile. We will always keep fighting.
In compassion, solidarity and power,
Easton Cowboys and Cowgirls Sports and Social Club (ECCSSC)
Bristol, UK
www.amnesty.org/en/petition/its-time-to-pay-up/
secure.avaaz.org/campaign/en/make_fifa_pay_locked/
#notmyworldcup #fuckFIFA #makeFIFApay #boycottqatar2022
Don’t Pay energy bills campaign
At the cowgirls meeting I spoke about the “Don’t Pay” campaign asking us to withhold paying our energy bills en-masse, especially as prices are set to rise again in April: https://dontpay.uk
I would really encourage you all to have a look at the website, especially the FAQ’s, and sign up. They will only ask people to strike when 1 Millon people commit.
I was initially dubious as I have anxiety about debt, missed payments and bad credit. But the FAQ’s really reassured me. Even if you withhold your payment for a few weeks (before it effects your credit) this will still have a huge impact.
In the past these campaigns have worked. One example would be the resistance to the Poll Tax: more than 17 million people refused to pay and it became impossible for the government to force people to pay. Even then many people were scared to act and not pay the tax. But as confidence grew and local Poll Tax Groups were formed to support each other, it became socially acceptable to not pay. Tens of thousands of liability orders were issued forcing people to pay – but people refused and eventually the Poll Tax was scrapped.
A more recent example was the non-payment campaign against Southern Water in Kent in 2020 after they were fined £90 million for dumping raw sewage into the sea. Outraged by those costs being passed onto consumers, a non-payment campaign took off and eventually residents won by getting 50% taken off their bills.
Take the pledge here: dontpay.uk/pledge-to-strike. You can also download and print posters/stickers etc from the website to help spread the word.
Soooooz.
UPDATE: The strike is currently planned for 1st Dec
Boycott FIFA 2022 meeting
There’ll be an informal meeting on Weds 26th at HQ to discuss everyone’s thoughts on boycotting the Qatar World Cup as well as plans for a fun family tournament on the 18th December to coincide with the final. Please come along if you’re interested. If you can’t make it, you can comment your thoughts/ideas on this post, message Soooooz or email using the contact form on the website.
Cowfolk film night – Rojava
The Cowfolk invite you to join us for two informative and inspiring film nights to learn, discuss and reflect upon two very important causes close to our hearts.
Friday 4th November 6.30-8.30pm – Palestine
Short films made by our very own Cowboy Jesse, Cowgirl Harry, and Blu from Republic Internationale that document Cowfolk football tours of the West Bank of Palestine in 2011, 2014 and 2018. We also have a short presentation from Peace talking about his recent volunteering experiences in the West Bank this year. Becs will also talk about an opportunity to go to Hebron and Bethlehem in March next year to join the Bethlehem Marathon (There is also 5k, 10k etc and lots of people walk!). Finally, we will open up a Q&A and open discussion about future football tours to Palestine.
Saturday 3rd December 6.30-8.30pm – Rojava
Heard of the Rojava revolution but not sure what people are talking about? Come check out this introductory chat and film screening and learn a little about the Democratic experiment created by the people of North and Eastern Syria! We will be screening a short documentary called ‘Blooming in the Desert’ which tells the story of three women from Raqqa that after war and devastation are creating a new life in their home city. Afterward a cowgirl will be giving us an introductory chat about the Rojava Revolution and will be answering any questions.
We really want to encourage all Cowfolk (and friends) to come to both of these nights. In the new year we will be planning to meet again to talk about both Palestine & Rojava and discuss the connection between the Palestinian struggle and the struggle for liberation in Kurdistan and how European Nation state capitalism and colonialism still effects the region as a whole.
Cowfolk film night – Palestine
The Cowfolk invite you to join us for two informative and inspiring film nights to learn, discuss and reflect upon two very important causes close to our hearts.
Friday 4th November 6.30-8.30pm – Palestine
Short films made by our very own Cowboy Jesse, Cowgirl Harry, and Blu from Republic Internationale that document Cowfolk football tours of the West Bank of Palestine in 2011, 2014 and 2018. We also have a short presentation from Peace talking about his recent volunteering experiences in the West Bank this year. Becs will also talk about an opportunity to go to Hebron and Bethlehem in March next year to join the Bethlehem Marathon (There is also 5k, 10k etc and lots of people walk!). Finally, we will open up a Q&A and open discussion about future football tours to Palestine.
Saturday 3rd December 6.30-8.30pm – Rojava
Heard of the Rojava revolution but not sure what people are talking about? Come check out this introductory chat and film screening and learn a little about the Democratic experiment created by the people of North and Eastern Syria! We will be screening a short documentary called ‘Blooming in the Desert’ which tells the story of three women from Raqqa that after war and devastation are creating a new life in their home city. Afterward a cowgirl will be giving us an introductory chat about the Rojava Revolution and will be answering any questions.
We really want to encourage all Cowfolk (and friends) to come to both of these nights. In the new year we will be planning to meet again to talk about both Palestine & Rojava and discuss the connection between the Palestinian struggle and the struggle for liberation in Kurdistan and how European Nation state capitalism and colonialism still effects the region as a whole.