Lancaster weekend non-school at the Old School

[PartisanZ]

Fri June 21 to Sun 23 at the Quaker Old School, Yealand Conyers, Carnforth, Lancaster

Following informal and unofficial discussions in and around Fircroft and London in recent years along the lines of ‘putting the social back into socialism’, Lancaster branch is organising an experimental ‘social weekend’ for members, in which we arrange a cheap residential self-catering venue in an attractive rural location near a good pub and invite Party members simply to come along and enjoy some quality time without resorting to the respectable intellectual pretext of Party talks or business agendas etc. The weekend will involve practical activity by arrangement, organising cooking and shopping together, perhaps some country or hill walks or a tour of Lancaster, definitely some going-down-the-pub-time, and perhaps also some conversation about future Party meetings or workshops or other creative ideas for stuff to do.

Accommodation will be basic, no more than a sofa or a mattress on the floor, similar to dossing at head office, so you???ll need a sleeping bag, but there will be washing facilities (so bring a towel). There’s a bus stop right outside for buses into Carnforth and Lancaster.

There’s space for up to twenty people (non-members are also welcome) which would make the cost ??20 per person, but the branch will pay if you can’t afford it. The branch is also willing to contribute to travel expenses if you need that. This is partly being financed by a legacy from our late comrade Bob Beckett so this weekend is also kind of in memoriam.

The Old School is in the rural village of Yealand Conyers, just outside Carnforth and about six miles from Lancaster. It’s a very pretty area with lots of walks and there’s a country pub about half a mile down the road. You can see the Old School on Google street view at https://tinyurl.com/yxrhzw8b and if you follow the road downhill you???ll find the pub too (the pizzas are very good!). We are allowed to take drinks into the Quaker place but obviously we don???t want to make a mess and ??? even more obviously ??? annoy the neighbours by making too much noise.

Anybody arriving by train, we can pick you up from Carnforth if we know when you???re arriving, and there is also a bus. If a lot of people are driving we???ll need to scope out some parking places as the roads are quite narrow.

We???d like to get an idea of who???s going to come so we know how much dinner to make on Friday night, so please get in touch using our branch email: spgb.lancaster@worldsocialism.org (that???s just so I get all the emails in one place). Late arrivals, we can put out some cold food. My mobile is 07510 412 261 if you get lost in the Lakes or drive to Lanchester by mistake.

Hope you can make it!

Paddy

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