Our biggest annual event open for bookings

Karen Liebenguth

27 June 2011

I'm pleased to announce that bookings for our biggest annual event are open. I've been planning our annual conference since January - opening the bookings means it's real, it's out there, and it's going to happen. It's very exciting.

Each year in September Friends of the Earth local group members, staff, volunteers, colleagues from our international network and guest speakers come together. We celebrate our achievements and look at how our campaigns can help make positive changes for the people and the planet.

This year we're also celebrating our 40th anniversary, an opportunity to look back - and to look forward. To help us with that we have invited four of our ex-directors: Jonathan Porritt, Tom Burke, Charles Secrett, and Tony Juniper, as well as Kate Picket, author of The Spirit Level and Nnimmo Bassey, poet, activist and chair of Friends of the Earth International.

We're now only 2 months away from this inspirational event. I'm happy and at the same time a little apprehensive, as there's still a lot to get on with. There's finalising our programme of workshops and training and making sure our 40th birthday party on the Saturday evening is extra-special. And deciding on prizes, music and MCs for the Earthmover Awards Ceremony - that's when local groups celebrate their campaign successes.

And last but not least, we've decided on this year's conference title: Journey to 2050: The next 40 years. It will all be happening from 9-11 September 2011 in Nottingham. Bookings are open. Places are limited so make sure you don't miss the party.

Karen Liebenguth, Organisational Development Team