Apologies
Penny Wyrd sent apologies.
Also Rowena Stone
Brian is in America

Summer Solstice Access
Tim suggested that large public celebrations at the Jubillee had changed perceptions of what was possible.
Paul said in contrast the Alternative Society felt excluded by the Jubilee, there had been 41 arrests at an anti-monarchy gathering.
Police were estimating 20-25 thousand, if parking was orderly there was space for 10,000 vehicles. Additional parking would probably be needed in future years.
Kasia asked about public transport, she was told there wasn't any, but might special buses be provided in the future?
Nora asked if performers can pass the bucket. Tim said no point discussing this without English Heritage.
Roy asked how we can facilitate positive activities. Shamus Joy is organising a poetry corner.
There will be two braziers.
George said he had notes of the Round Table meeting, Design for two braziers approved they are being built and will go in two spots South of the stones, they will have movable windbreaks and trained fire wardens. The lights will be at 8 meters, twice as high as before, they will be switched off before dawn, although the generators will remain on, in case the emergency PA is needed. There was a discussion about access routes to the National Trust land - this will be signposted. Fire jugglers will be prevented, except for The Kings Drummers who need to fufill authorisation requirements, negotiation was proceeding. English Heritage was seeking 8 official employed stewards. Clews needed a copy of the Peace Stewards badge. Some observers can attend the police briefing 8PM at Larkhill.
Roy replied to a question saying English Heritage would have at least 120 stewards. Charles Bromley-Carson is responsible for security in the car parking area. There will be two gate checks, one leaving the carpark and the other on entering the stones.
Thomas asked what official training the car parking stewards have had?
Gerry confirmed that they had a good track record. He said if there was antisocial behaviour it was best for voluntary stewards to make the first intervention. But then hand over to officials if they could not resolve the situation. We need to talk people out of being silly.
Maria asked what arrangements for liaison between police and Peace Stewards.
Roy said there would be two radios which should work this year, and there should also be an informal mobile phone network.
George asked Thomas to produce a briefing letter for the Peace Stewards.
Roy passed a paper for people to log their mobile phone numbers.
Thomas raised the question of numbers of Peace Stewards, do we need 20 or 100?
Roy thought we wanted as many as possible.
George said the target of 100 was arbitrary but it was a number he thought he could handle the registration.
Tim said after the briefing, police English Heritage & volunteers should do a walkabout together.
Kasia said that if serious incidents arose at the end of the night, most people would be exhausted and ineffective. We need two staggered shifts.
Thomas said it would be useful if there was a contribution from police at the Peace Stewards training. Gerry said this was difficult, it would be easier to give an input in writing.
A letter from Rowena Stone was passed to Roy, with a draft of a coloured flyer designed to promote positive feelings. Roy said Jonathan Caine had agreed to fund a print run. A paper was passed round for people to comment on the design.
Paul said the voluntary stewards should discuss what to do at the end game, when some people don't want to leave, should the stewards stay or go?
Roy said there should be a group at that time in touch with police & EH security.
Thomas, asked is Rollo doing his magical stewards.
Roy said Yes.
Thomas said it would be appropriate to have some liaison with them.
George suggested Thomas was an appropriate person to arrange this, and he agreed, being the Peace Officer of the Council of British Druid Orders.
George said he was happy to register Peace Stewards whose main activity was the Goddess Project or performing, including musicians.
George had been surprised at the plan to prevent spontaneous fire jugglers English Heritage wanted to limit danger, if anyone was injured they were responsible and could be sued.
Thomas said voluntary peace stewards should be dressed in white shirts.

Working Party One
George reported on the history. This initiative had been to invite people to discuss the feasibility of a legal gathering in the future. For the first time there was a willingness from within the community to work this way and a willingness from landowners councillors and police to allow it to happen, provided all the regulations were in order. This was a great opportunity. The group had gone on to investigate whether there could be land this year limited to a park-up.
Tim said a park up after Stonehenge would quickly turn into a park up for everybody who couldn't get to Glastonbury.
George said it was easy to talk up the numbers and say 50,000 would arrive. Many would be deterred from coming by the security measures and others failing to get in would catch the train home. It was impossible to say exactly what would happen, but a number of 5,000 was not unreasonable.
The efforts to locate a park up had led to some misunderstandings.

Working with others - difficulties of perception
George read an email message from Brian.
Brian yielded to the suggestion people might think the box in the flyer inserted in the Stonehenge Campaign newsletter, might have been written by George, but otherwise he didn't know what the fuss was about.
Tim said he didn't think Brian's email helped clarify the issue.
Raj had been accused by landowners of claiming to be English Heritage or working with Wiltshire Constabulary, and misrepresenting himself, with Mr Hares and at Sturton and Kilmersdon. George read an email from Raj.
Tim said Brian should put his communications under his own name.
Roy said there needs to be estabilished ground rules.
Tim wanted assurances from Brian that he won't publish anything from the TRC without consulting fully.
People misusing the name of the TRC and other bodies, without consent, undermines the group's achievements.
George said the group must work together, we were all volunteers, and should try to establish peaceful, trusting joint working.
Gerry said he would have a problem working with a group where an individual is using his authority inappropriately. One incident might have been a misunderstanding, but three was too much.
Thomas asked if the brief of the TRC included the iussue of the Festival.
Nora said it was not our job to be involved with a festival, but with a pagan celebration day at the stones.
Kasia said it was impossible to do a pagan preparation camp unless the wider demands for celebration were met.
George said a legal gathering might ease congestion in the stones. The TRC was helping to facilitate the group, which had to do the management and licensing itself.
Roy suggested we dissociate ourselves from any misrepresentations that had been made.
Tim suggested the TRC should apologise for any upset and damage that had been caused.
Thomas put this to the meeting and it was generally agreed.

National Trust - a Historical Exploration
Mike is the Warden of the National Trust land. He said the Trust acted to prevent camping, fires and amplified music, but beyond that the land was open to the public, to use and enjoy.
Mostly his job is liasing with the tenant farmers. Once acquired by the Trust, land is automatically subject to the by-laws. They own about 2,000 acres of land around Stonehenge.
Tim asked what happened to land ownership and the by-laws if the new road is being built?
Paul said camping is only forbidden by by-law if without the permission of the Trust.
Scott Green is the Property Manager.
Trust - funded by the membership.
Members of National Trust also have vote at the AGM. English Heritage members don't.
They are going to return the area to downland, said Mick.
George said they made an injunction to stop the festival, this led to the police operation in the Beanfield. National Trust Press Release mentioned damage to barrows. George had been asking for fifteen years for the documents. Barrows were opened and pillaged by Victorians. The festival field was ploughed during the "Dig for Victory" campaign during the war. The Trust had allowed the Cursus to be eroded by a herd of bullocks.
Gerry commented that documents of that age were often destroyed.
It was proposed and agreed that George had the backing of the TRC to pursue enquiries into the decisions that had been made.

Acts of Reconciliation
George said this had been opened up at the last meeting, but in possibly a confrontational way, as there were demands for others to make an act of reconciliation. It would be better if at some stage we went round the table, and each person made a contribution as to what act of reconciliation they had made, or planned to make.

All Party Parliamentary Group for Peace and Conflict.
Maria reported on this initiative. Thomas suggested everybody log their MP's name and lobby them to attend.

Acts of Reconciliation & Peacemaking
Nora had been contacting the Green Party but was disappointed with their response.
Roy was using astrology to get people to understand and accept each other's individuality. He was committed to continuing work with the TRC and Round Table.
George was reviewing what he had been doing recently. Following an attempt to explore the history of the Stonehenge Peoples Free Festival he'd found everybody had a personalised and mythological view of the Festival, to try to investigate it objectively caused irritation, he'd published a webpage on this. Somehow everybody had to redirect their focus into the future rather than dwelling on the past. He also had to look at the methods he'd been using, how effective or otherwise they had been.
Andy said the Festival was an experience of total freedom for him, it was good and bad, bizarre and fascinating. Looking to the future towards an event which would essentially be spiritual and good.
Maria said she was a newcomer to the process, wishes to listen, hear and contribute to its development.
Thomas said his IIPSGP (International Institute of Peace Studies and Global Philosophy) continued work, including the All Party Parliamentary Group. Personally, he is introducing pagan and ancient religions into his Religious Knowledge teaching in school. He will be at the Solstice and hopes to contribute to its success.
Tim said he wanted to focus on consolidating the success of recent years, not forgetting the unexpected, and lot to lose sight of the bigger picture.
Kasia had a sick and aged father in a nursing home an this may affect her ability to contribute at the Solstice this year. She wants to see appropriate spiritual energy encouraged at the Solstice.
Kathleen is working with the Churches and with Traveller & Gypsy communities. A special chaplain Roger Reading has been established by the Diocese. Tim suggested he be invited to the Solstice. This was agreed.
Paul had nothing to add.
Adrian thinks it important to get the historical record straight.
Paul agreed.

Next Meeting
The date 13th July is proposed but is to be confirmed.

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