News
If the Cowfolk are doing it, this is where it’s at…
EASTON COWBOYS & COWGIRLS 30TH ANNIVERSARY WEEKEND!!!!
29th to 31st July
Portland, Dorset DT5 2NA
Ahoy, Me Hearties!
It’s nearly time and we’re all very excited to welcome you down to the (hopefully) sunny
coast of Dorset. The site will be open from 12 noon on Friday and if you haven’t bought
your ticket for camping yet please try and do this before you come:
www.tickettailor.com/events/eastoncowboyscowgirls
It’s only £20 for adults (over 16) and £10 for kids (5 and over) for camping for all 3 nights:
This covers camping and entry. You can pay when you get down if you’re a last minute
decider. If you can’t afford the camping fee get in touch and we can pay for you.
If you’ve booked a hotel room already you don’t need a ticket. The hotel is now full.
Day tickets are £10. Please pay at the merchandise stall.
Here’s all you need to know about the weekend of the decade…
What to bring…
– Plates, cutlery, cups… we’re trying to reduce waste so please bring these if you can.
– Your fancy dress outfit for Saturday night. The theme is UNDER THE SEA.
– We need (ideally sea-themed) shit prizes for the competitions – bring your best tat!
– Do you have any old t-shirts, kit, posters, flags, scarves etc? Bring ‘em down to decorate the history tent! We’ll make sure you get them back, or you can donate them to HQ to be immortalised forever.
– You’ll be able to pay by card for entry, food, drinks and merchandise. Maybe bring a bit of cash in case other teams/bands have merch stalls with no card payments.
Where to head to…
The campsite: Sweet Hill Farm Camping, Sweet Hill Road, Southwell, Portland, DT5 2DS
The hotel: Admiralty Hotel, Southwell Business park, Portland, DT5 2NA
Once you get here…
– If you are arriving at the campsite you will be able to collect your wristbands at the entrance. Alternatively, if you’ve booked a hotel room, you’ll get your wristband on check-in. Adults won’t be served at the bar without one so if you arrive when there is no-one on the entry gate get your wristband from the bar.
– The gate stewards will show you where to park for camping when you arrive. There is also parking around the hotel and industrial estate for those not camping.
– The main bar will open from 2pm on Friday. The full entertainment schedule can be found in the programme and by the main marquee. Friday will be a more mellow vibe as we have noise restrictions to adhere to as part of our licensing agreement with the council, so please help us with this by keeping noise down after 12am.
– There will be food in the hotel, campsite and by the pitches, including vegan and gf.
– There will be water, showers and washing up facilities on the campsite. Hot showers are £2 for 6 minutes. There are free cold showers (not in cubicles).
– There is a full programme with all the details you should need for the weekend (plus much more!) so please purchase one from the merch stall. £3 (if you can afford).
+ We’ll be showing the womens Euros final at 5pm Sunday. England v Germany dream!!!!
Health and safety…
– Portland is currently on high wildfire alert. Please don’t light fires. Camping stoves/BBQs are ok.
-There are steep cliffs just beyond the site (beyond the coastal path) so please be
cautious if you are wondering around these areas drunk at night.
– Covid levels are currently quite high in the UK, so please try to be aware of this. The
highest risk areas will be in the marquees at busy times, especially during the
mass-karaoke! Please try to test before travelling, and stay away from others if you
feel unwell. There will be hand sanitiser at various locations for you to use. We know
we haven’t seen each other for years and will be super excited to see each other again
but please remember that some people may be vulnerable and/or less comfortable
with close physical contact, so check before you dive in for that massive hug!!
KEEP UP TO DATE WITH LATEST INFO ON THE FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE
Call on UK clubs to end their association with Puma
From the Palestine Solidarity Campaign:
| Over the past year, we’ve seen an unprecedented eruption of solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice, and equality – as apartheid Israel has escalated its violence against Palestinians. As part of this solidarity, tens of thousands in the UK have demanded PUMA end its sponsorship of the Israeli Football Association (IFA). The IFA includes teams in illegal Israeli settlements on stolen Palestinian land, sustaining Israel’s ongoing dispossession of the Palestinian people. We know PUMA is feeling the pressure from our international protest. That’s why we must continue to take action. Click below to write to UK football clubs sponsored by PUMA, asking they drop the brand until it stop supporting Israeli war crimes. And on Saturday 12th February we’re mobilising for an international day of action- with protests and pickets at PUMA stores and stockists across the UK. Protests across the world are working. A leaked internal memo showed PUMA admitted its celebrity ambassadors and business partners are increasingly questioning its support for Israeli apartheid, while a PUMA lawyer told the campaign it was making their lives “miserable.” We’ve got to keep up the pressure, and make 2022 the year PUMA ends its partnership with Israeli apartheid. So join us in taking action by writing to football clubs….. and we’ll see you on the streets on Saturday 12th February. James PSC Campaigns Officer |
Here’s an edited version of the email relevant to our club. Please feel free to use it in place of the suggested text:
I am writing to you about your clubs business relationship with sportswear manufacturer Puma, and their complicity with Israel’s abuses of Palestinian human rights.
Puma is the main sponsor of the Israel Football Association (IFA), which, as documented by Human Rights Watch, includes football clubs based in illegal Israeli settlements on stolen Palestinian land.
All Israeli settlements are illegal, and, as noted by Amnesty International, “key acts required for the establishment of settlements amount to war crimes under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.” Israeli settlements are illegal land grabs that form an integral part of Israel’s occupation infrastructure – pushing Palestinian families off their land, destroying their houses, robbing Palestinians of natural resources and essential supplies such as water and medicine and denying Palestinians their right of movement. My football team, the Easton Cowboys and Cowgirls based in Bristol, have visited the West Bank and played with both men and womens teams there. We have seen first hand the injustice and cruelty that the Isreali forces are perpretrating on the Palestinian people, and since then have vowed to share their stories to a world that often doesn’t want to listen.
Football has the potential to do tremendous good in bringing communities together, and can be an effective way of delivering social justice. Supporting justice and equality means being proactive, and choosing not to do harm. This is why I implore you to be on the right side of history regarding the Israeli apartheid of Palestine and to commit to end your business relationship with PUMA while they contribute to the violation of Palestinian rights.
The IFA has refused to take measures to end its complicity in Israeli crimes, despite being repeatedly condemned by senior UN officials, parliamentarians, civil society and human rights groups representing millions, and notable public figures. As one of the world’s top athletic apparel makers, Puma’s sponsorship brings international legitimacy to the IFA and helps keep its direct involvement with violations of human rights and international law. Don’t not let your club have its reputation tarnished through association.
In order to discuss these matters further, I would encourage you to meet with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Please get in touch with them by emailing campaigns@palestinecampaign.org
I look forward to your response
Easton Cowgirls on the tragic death of Hajj Suleiman
For a moving account of the events leading up to Hajj Suleiman’s death and his funeral, see here.
Republica tournament
An invite from our buddies in Leeds…
Hello! Hope you’re all keeping well.
As we were unable to do our normal May Day tournament this year, Republica are planning to hold a 5 a side tournament on Saturday August 7th. The plan is to kick off the tournament at midday at the Caribbean Cricket Club and continue the party on there. We will be getting in lots of delicious local ales and will be putting on food for after the tournament.
We will be raising money for Andy’s Man’s Club and Leeds Survivor Led Crisis as we usually do at the May Day tournament. Entry will be £5 per person.
This will be a mixed tournament with the requirement of at least 3 female players in 7 a side team with all genders on the pitch at all times. For teams who can’t field that many men/women then we will be able to help out with swapping players to make the ratios work.
For teams coming from further afield, a few of us at Republica are happy to host and this can be for the Friday too if needs be so let us know in advance if this is what you want!
This will all be Covid restrictions permitting but wanted to put it out now so you can save the date. Please let us know as soon as possible if you’re up for attending and rough numbers. We’re really looking forward to finally meeting up again. Any questions then contact Alice or Molly from Republica via email or Facebook messenger (Pam La Brinth on Facebook).
We hope to hear from you soon! Republica
Boycott Puma day of action
There’s a Boycott Puma national day of action on 10 July:
https://www.facebook.com/events/930078910891897
Help us send a message to Puma that they must end their sponsorship of the Israel Football Association (IFA). The IFA operates in illegal Israeli settlements on land stolen from Palestinians. Every settlement is a war crime under international law – pushing indigenous Palestinian families off their land, robbing natural resources, and denying Palestinians their right of movement. By sponsoring the IFA, Puma is complicit in supporting these crimes.
Bristol action is happening outside Sports Direct in Broadmead at 2pm. Bristol PSC are organising and we are planning to attend in our kits and have a kick about outside Sports Direct. Soooooz has made two large placards for the action and Sensi is coordinating. We will also make leaflets to hand out. Please join us.
Support needed for local lad to remain in UK
Hello everyone. I’m trying to drum up support and perhaps get some advice for a young fella who is in danger of being deported.
He was a close friend to our family many years ago and really is a lovely guy…he has been in UK since 6 years old and no-one thought of getting his papers sorted, or getting citizenship. He is now fighting to stay in UK and has a solicitor but you all know the score, unless he manages to get some ‘support’ or manages to get the right advice the Home Office could well deport him to Jamaica.
He has a video on youtube (very well produced) which sums up his case. I’ll say it again, the guy is a diamond and so if ANYONE wants to contact me privately with some tips or ideas, or an offer of help in any way, I’ll pass the info on to him. Please reply in the comments below. Respect, Mick C
PLEASE EVERYONE SIGN THE PETITION to the home office to stop his proposed deportation here. The court will decide on his case in July.
https://www.change.org/p/the-home-office-stop-the-deportation-of-anthonell-peccoo
Bristol Refugee Rights crowdfunder
Bristol Refugee Rights, Borderlands, Project Mama, Refugee Women of Bristol, Bristol Hospitality Network, Aid Box Community and British Red Cross Refugee services are asking for donations in order to provide £10 a week to an individual or a family for food, transportation or phone credit to reach vital services.
Support the crowdfunder here.
A letter from Jasper
I would just like to say a big thank you to everyone who has sent messages or made a donation to me and my family after my recent cancer diagnosis. We are totally overwhelmed by it all and we only now appreciate what kind and good people we are surrounded by. As most of you know the Cowfolk have been a big part of my life since the mid 90’s when I was press ganged on a ship called the Thekla and ended up on a bus heading to Stuttgart, I never looked back and it has influenced much of what I have done ever since.
I played in the first Sunday teams,on the Downs for many years and laterly the casuals league. I have travelled the world, played football in Mexico, Morocco, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Poland, amongst others and made friends everywhere. I am also proud to have been involved in Kiptik,Cackk, Organising tournaments, the Alternative world Cup, driving trucks and tour buses, being chair, Treasurer and the failed Plough Co-op, all of which helped with my personal development and gave ever lasting memories . I even got quite good at putting marquees up !
Its not all been plain sailing, we lost a few good ones along the way, Binz and Martin Brown spring to mind but I have so many positive memories and stories to tell. I am also proud to be involved in a club that puts itself out there politically, our links with Palestine, The Zapatistas, St.Pauli and the anti fascist movement in Europe along recently with the BLM movement as well as being inclusive to everyone, apart from Coppers, Christians and Jugglers of course 🙂 I have felt very comfortable being a Cowboy……But most of all its been a pleasure hanging out in our spiritual home the Plough with like minded people and getting to know you all.
Big love, Jasper Beese
Protection and Resistance to Genocide Network Brazil needs help!
From our friend Danilo, a member of Autônomos FC, a brazilian anarchist team that played in Europe some years ago:
“Well, as you may know, the political and pandemic situation in Brazil is awful. We are living under a neofascist government, which means that violence against the poorest, that was aleady huge, is even bigger. I’m a member now of a network called Rede de Proteção e Resistência ao Genocídio. Translating: Protection and Resistance to Genocide Network. We give social and juridical assistante to young people (and their family), usually black, from the poor neighborhoods of São Paulo, that got killed or falsely acused and imprisoned by the police – or the police militias, that are growing exponecially over here. At this moment, there are at least 140 cases that we are dealing with, and we do not have people enough to deal with all the cases – the total number is much much bigger.
Besides the State violence, these neighborhoods are the most affected by the pandemic. So, we are doing a campaign to raise money to buy masks and protective equipment, and to spread information about how to protect yourself against the virus. Vaccination here is very slow, only 20% of population got the first dose, and there are no dates for people under 55 yet. I’m reaching out to you basically to ask for donations. Our currency is very devalued, so any doantions in foreign currencies will become much more money over here.
Please feel free to contact me if you need or want any more information. My email is the same I use for PayPal and, if you use Twitter, I’m @kadjoman on it.
Thanks in advance, Danilo”
To donate, send to Danilo on PayPal.
The money will be used to buy masks and protective equipment, and to produce flyers and other materials to be used at social centres, schools etc about how to prevent infection.
For more information, see the webpage, instagram, facebook or twitter.
And a note from Cowboy Jesse…
“Hey up cowfolk, some-one who hadn’t met Danilo from Brazil asked me recently if I vouch for him in terms of sending money for the project that he mentioned… (they help people in an a poor area, predominantly of colour, victimised and often murdered by facist police and militias. Now they need money to help tackle corona virus in the same area as their governement is letting people die). So I thought I’d write this in case anyone else was wondering who the fuck this Brazilian asking me for money is?! I defintely do vouch for him, he’s totally kosher and that money will get to that good cause if you send it. I lived on his sofa and in his spare room for 3 months when skint, he charged me nothing nor paulius from FC Vova, nor the people who came and went from couchsurfers website, his mates stayed when they were stuck and we all lived with a stray dog that Danilo had rescued from the streets. Point is he’s definitely not interested in money, just a very committed anarchist who believes in sharing and helping and is constantly up to something along those lines. So if your wondering whether to send anything to him it’ll be fine. Cheers all, Jesse.”
Copas Lindo & Sandino 2021!
Dear Futbolista,
Hope you are enjoying the Euros! After much careful consideration and discussions with Ashton Park sports centre, Bristol Link with Nicaragua has decided to proceed with this year’s Copa Lucrecia Lindo (women’s) and Copa Sandino (mens) tournaments on SUNDAY 25 JULY. Matches will start at 10:30am.
It will be at Ashton Park secondary school and we will maintain as COVID secure a tournament as is possible with your support.
Several teams have expressed an interest to play so we will aim to have 10 teams on two pitches with teams staying within their bubbles when not playing. We will move the food area nearer to the pitches and allocated women’s toilets will be in the sports centre. Sorry no showers and no barbecues!
Viva Nicaragua,
Viva Nicaragua, Alix
