"Beth Nawr?" Now What? Festival

Start: Saturday, July 5, 2025 9:30AM
End: Saturday, July 5, 2025 10:00PM

Our planet is in crisis. Our way of life is increasingly unsustainable and unequal. Meanwhile, there is no shortage of ideas and models for solutions and alternatives to turn things around. Yet, actual application of these ideas is painfully slow. So, we are asking, Beth Nawr? (Now What? in Welsh). This festival brings together community builders and activists, farmers, artists, politicians, food leaders and many more all pioneering practical systems change across the UK and internationally. Through a day of interactive sessions, workshops, and talks, explore how they are doing it and how you too can help leverage change in small and big ways to build a more just and regenerative society. ----------------------------------------- PROGRAMME: On Saturday the workshop programme runs 9.30am – 7pm. There will be four workshop slots, with 2-3 parallel sessions each. In the evening there will be live music at Trigg’s Cafe and an informal campfire social. On Sunday morning we will gather for a walk to explore the BMC farm campus and local landscape, deepen connections we’ve made, and continue conversations we’ve started. All venues are in Talgarth and within short walking distance. There will be ongoing free demonstrations and drop-in workshops organised by our students throughout the day. Morning Sessions: 9:30 – 11:30 • Workshop 1: How to reimagine our relationship to plants beyond the narrative of invasion Tsitsi Mareika Chirikure – Radical Ecology • Workshop 2: How to take back control; land, power and community Chris Blake – The Green Valleys Noon Sessions: 12:00 – 14:00 • Workshop 3: How to start local, future-proof economies and industries Stephen Davies – Social Designs • Workshop 4: How to protect our forests Lina Brunelius – Protect the Forest Sweden and Greta Thunberg Foundation. And Gabriel Paun – Champion of the Earth Afternoon Sessions: 14:30 – 16:30 • Workshop 5: How to centre future generations; lessons from Wales Jane Davidson – #futuregen: Lessons from a Small Country • Workshop 6: How to build community learning infrastructures for just transitions Daniel Blyden and Emily Churchill-Zaara – CIVIC SQUARE • Workshop 7: How to grow food systems for your community Ali Taherzadeh – Splo-down Food Coop and Teasel Coop Sanab Hersi – Green Soul Evening Sessions: 17:00 – 19:00 • Workshop 8: How to reimagine fair food systems for rural communities in Powys Chloe Masefield – Bwyd Powys Food Carwyn Graves – Cegin y Pobl. • Workshop 9: How to protect our rivers Nicola Cutcher – Rivercide and Friends of the River Wye • Workshop 10: How to create education that teaches people to change systems Andre Pusey, BMC Degree Lead BMC Student Society. Natalia Eernstman, HE lecturer and creative practice lead. Live Music: 20:00 – 22:00 (entry £5) Hawk Howard and Michael from Caution Horses An alternative bluegrass band playing ‘Jazzgrass’, Bluegrass and old-time tunes ------------------------------------------------------------------- ACCOMMODATION AND TRANSPORT The nearest train stations are Abergavenny and Hereford – there is a public bus from Hereford to Talgarth. For those arriving to Abergavenny, we will run a free minibus pick up between the train station and Talgarth – see times below. Friday: 18:00 – Abergavenny Train Station -\u003e Talgarth (30 mins) Saturday: 8:45 – Abergavenny Train Station -\u003e Talgarth 11:00 – Abergavenny Train Station -\u003e Talgarth 19:30 – Talgarth -\u003e Abergavenny Train Station Sunday: 13:00 – Talgarth -\u003e Abergavenny Train Station - Accommodation is at your own cost and organisation. Local accommodation options (camping and non-camping) and more transport links can be found by following the booking link.