Saturday 16th July 11, Little Green Gathering, second day

Not that comfortable a night in the tent, as the position under the trees meant that large random drops of water fell on the tent and the taut material acted as a drum skin, and it was quite loud. 

After breakfast I attended a talk/discussion with Peter Doggett talking about music and politics, initially about the 'revolutionary' 60s, but the conversation also covered mind expanding drugs, punk and some more current themes including the recent stuff about Bono not paying his taxes in the way that some people would like to see him do.

The rain meant that I couldn't use the main stage for my show, so I set up in the Meeting Room and did a 10.30 til 12 slot, which again went well, more of a workshop this time though, as the youngsters who saw me last night were all there again!

At lunchtime I was approached by a woman called Jenny who's husband had overheard my story.  Jenny asked me if I was planning to go and see these people again, and if I was, would I like some support?  She felt that I shouldn't have to have that burden on my shoulders by myself.  I told her that yes, I'd been considering revisiting and yes, I'd be grateful of support.  So we walked round there together.  I told her what to expect, but when we got there and Ella invited us in, it was still a shock. 

Peter was still in the chair, all wet with urine, drunk and semiconscious, there were more flies and the stench was enough to make Jenny retch.  We got a key to open windows, and gently asked Peter if we could help.  He did want help, and Jenny went into 'nurse mode', despite not being a nurse.  She asked Ella if she had some dry clothing, and a nightshirt was found.  With some difficulty his dirty hospital shirt came off and a dry clean one was put on.  However, it took the best part of an hour to get him to agree to change his trousers and pants, and getting him to stand up... it was a nightmare.  Ella provided a bin bag to go on the chair (moisture barrier) and a dry towel to sit back down on.  The trousers and undergarments went in the bin.  The poor man had the beginnings of urine-burns or bedsores.  We couldn't wash him, just put dry pyjama bottoms on, and Jenny asked if the hospital had provided any incontinence wear.  No, nothing, so Ella was persuaded to find some pantie liners belonging to her daughter and Jenny explained that these would help soak up just a little bit of urine, so helping to reduce the re-wetting of the clothes and towel.

Ella showed us a photo frame with photos from just 10 or 12 years ago, with Peter and his young daughter (who we found out was now living with an aunt, because of her parents' alcoholism), and Peter was a handsome, healthy looking guy in his mid to late 40s, a company director.  This was perhaps the saddest thing for me, to see the deterioration into a nearly-dead shell of a person, only in his late 50s. Shocking.

Jenny also talked to Ella about what would be needed to look after Peter, but that care probably wouldn't be easily available until Monday.  I was so grateful that Jenny had come with me, as I wouldn't have been able to do this myself.  We walked back, having promised Ella that we'd come and see them tomorrow, both shellshocked and upset.  Jenny couldn't work out why the hospital would discharge someone with no incontinence provision or wheelchair, as he was incapable of standing up on his own, let alone walking steadily.

The ambulance people had done nothing as this apparently wasn't a medical problem but a social one.  Well as far as I'm concerned, this 'social' problem was rapidly becoming a medical one, and regardless of how these people ended up in this state , they deserve care.

Serena arrived back on site and we spent some of the afternoon together, before my next Fiddlesticks show, at 5.30, which was the first time Serena had seen me at work.  This was followed by a nice vegan BBQ and then an excellent gig from Seize The Day, who are perfect for green festivals and camps.  I really enjoyed them, despite chasing round after Serena's child who wanted to play and climb all over the outdoor classroom building.  Serena was I think quite tired after her gig last night, and rather a lot of driving.

I had a more comfortable night, maybe because I was much more tired so I just slept through the rain and stupid bouncy airbed.

Friday 15th July 11 Little Green Gathering Day One

Had a pretty bad night in the tent due to being cold and not that comfortable on the air bed.  However, I was tired and fell asleep early, but woke at intervals, cold, until I put my fleece on, which gave me added insulation.  But then at exactly 4am, a very loud and weird cock crowed, and woke me again.

However, I had enough energy to respond positively to the request to help put up the main stage.  This was a bit of a jigsaw, and at one stage of the process, we had to undo a load of the marquee scaffolding and redo it.  But the team effort worked, and the little stage was built.

Mid afternoon, Serena went to London to see one of her musical idols, Melanie. She'll be back on site tomorrow.

The Little Green Gathering officially started at 3pm, so soon after this I registered and was given a leaf badge to wear, to identify LGG people, as members of the public also use the facilities.

I did my first show, on the main stage at 5pm, and it went really well with a small but keen audience.

At 7pm it was the first mealtime and as I approached the cafe, there was a woman who seemed to be propping herself up against the building, as if she was disabled or had a painful ankle or knee or something.  I offered her my arm and said would you like some help.  She accepted graciously and I walked her into the building.  I asked her which local Green Party she was from... she wasn't a Green Party member.  I asked her if she was with the Little Green Gathering, and no she wasn't, she just wanted some food. She readily confessed that she was drunk and was an alcoholic.  I said I'd see if I could sort out some food.  I asked Tim and he said yes, ask for a donation, and he suggested £5.  I got the food for the woman, whom I'll call Ella.  The cook said she'd been hassled by Ella earlier and was not happy with her begging food, but I said that she was willing to give a donation and after that I'd ask her to go.

Ella gave me a £10 note so I went to get change from Tim but she didn't want that, and said keep it, money is not a problem.  She ate and I went to get my meal.  After she had eaten, Tim ushered her outside, but she came back in and was drunkenly interacting with people, so Tim said to me, 'You brought her in, please can you get rid of her?'  So I gently took her outside and explained that it was a private event and that it might be best if she went home.  We talked about her alcoholism, and I said I understood as I had a friend in a very similar situation.  She was quite emotional, and moved by my compassion and sympathy.  Some people think that alcoholism is a deliberate situation that people have an option of just stopping, whereas I see it as a mental illness which people accidentally find themselves in, and once in it, it can be extremely difficult to extract oneself from it.  I suggested getting a taxi home but she told me she only lived a few minutes away, so I asked her if she wanted to be walked home.

She was very grateful and accepted.  She took me out of the Sustainability Centre and along to a very wealthy estate, with huge detached houses and manicured lawns, and her house was similar.  She had asked me to come in whilst we were walking to the estate, and I'd said that I'd walk her to the front door and then come back.  She told me her husband was an alcoholic too.  When we got to the house she again invited me in and I said I'd prefer to go back, but she was very insistent so I relented and went in with her, she wanted me to meet her husband. 

She took me through to a living room where her husband 'Peter' was slumped in an armchair, unconscious, his trousers soaked in urine, and the chair, and the carpet around it too.  He had a hospital gown on, and his face was covered in a crusty substance.  The smell was disgusting, and there was a couple of flies showing a lot of interest in him. It was a shocking and sickening sight.

Ella started trying to rouse him, thumping him on the chest, but I told her not to thump him.  He did come round though, and I managed to get some information out of them.  Apparently Peter had come out of hospital a few days back but had sat in this chair since.  This was a situation I couldn't just walk away from.  I asked if they had any friends or family nearby.  They hadn't.  Ella gave me her daughter's mobile phone number and I rang that but her phone was off.

So I was a bit stuck.  I found the number for NHS Direct, but was told there was a four-hour wait... and I didn't fancy hanging around for that.  I asked about the hospital visit, and found the hospital number, but they wouldn't tell me anything about his stay as it was confidential, and I was put through to A+E.  They too didn't think that Peter's situation was worthy of being brought into A+E, but I said I couldn't really just turn my back on the situation.  They said ring 999 for an ambulance. I reluctantly did, and explained that it wasn't an emergency but something had to be done...

When they arrived I explained why I was there and what the situation seemed to be.  They went into action and during this Peter said that he had been diagnosed with cancer 5 years ago and had 2 months to live.  However he hadn't had any chemotherapy or radiotherapy or medication, which seemed odd.

The ambulance chap suggested that I probably couldn't do anything else now and so I said my goodbyes and walked back, feeling shellshocked and tearful.  When I got back to the LGG I went to the live music on the main stage and told a few people about what I'd experienced and witnessed, and started to get back into the relative normality of the camp/festival atmosphere.

The rain got more persistent so I retired to the Hostel common room, and enjoyed live music there and chatted with Katie, a lively activist from London, whom I liked a lot.

Tuesday 18th May 10

First thing I loaded up the trailer with two sacks of mature unriddled compost, and a sample carrier bag of riddled. My friend Dave B asked me to take some round to the Chemistry Department of the University of York, as there's someone there who wants to rejuvenate some old tired growing media in half barrels, and to grow some veggies.

Then I cycled down to Cycle Heaven as my bike needs the back wheel kissing better and the back brake stroking back into working order. When down there I also asked them to replace the saddle, as my synthetic saddle has fallen apart and I have been considering a leather saddle, which should last many times as long.

I was given a nice little Brompton to get back home on, and I called in to the Building Society to put Jenny's cheque in for the compost I took round ages ago.

Then I popped in on my friend who is doing a detox to try to conquer alcoholism, and said I'd visit after lunch.

At about 3, I got a load of compost bagged up for Nick to pick up, as requested. Then at 4, back down to Cycle Heaven to pick up my machine, which has a repaired back wheel and responsive brakes. However, they didn't have the saddle that they wanted to sell to me, so that'll wait for next time.

Then I paid the water bill and came home via Country Fresh, to pick up 3 sacks of compostables.

I got home at about 5 which is when Nick said he'd visit. He gave me £20 for 3 sacks of unriddled and 1 sack of riddled.

Soon after this I had a pastie and salads for tea, and went to the Hull Road Planning Panel, at Tang Hall Community Centre. There were quite a few 'student' related applications, including several registrations of houses being re-designated 'Houses in Multiple Occupation' after legislative changes in April, and a huge 330 bed student accommodation on the Dairy site.

I'd taken the final bag of compost to the Planning Panel to deliver to Julie the Freecycler on the way back. This was a single sack of riddled, and she'd previously had 4 sacks of unriddled. I also let her have a bit of dried fruit... and she gave me £20 as well. So, today I've been paid £40 for compost, paid in a £15 cheque and delivered two sacks for which Dave said he'd give me something! A totally composty day!

During the evening I did a load of washing up and made the decision to go to Durham on the train tomorrow, and cycle the 7 miles to Houghton Le Spring to go to the Houghton Kepier Sports College, where Dan from Ridan is delivering one of his lovely machines.

He intends to be there at 10am, so I think I'll get the 8.30 to Durham, arriving at 9.13, and I should get to the College at the same time... with luck!