A group of concerned North Dorset residents have organised a free film showing and information evening to raise awareness of the fracking threat to North Dorset.
The event will take place at the Corn Exchange in Blandford Forum on Sunday 31 January 2016, to coincide with a national day of events entitled ‘No Fracking Way’, and is supported by North Dorset Green Party.
There will be an introductory talk, followed by a free showing of the 2015 film ‘Voices from the Gasfields’. Described as the film that the UK & Australian Governments DO NOT want you to see, Voices from the Gasfields documents the accounts of families living with the fracking industry as a neighbour in Australia. This hour long documentary reveals the day to day pollution these people live with – pollution of water, air, light and noise.
The evening will also provide information and displays, discussion about next steps and refreshments. Campaign materials will be available to take away.
Similar events will be taking place across the UK on the same date.
The event has been organised in response to the announcement that The Oil & Gas Authority, an Executive Agency of the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), had issued nine licence blocks in Dorset including three that would impact directly on communities in North Dorset.
Areas affected include the south of Wimborne Minster, Bere Regis, Merley, Corfe Mullen, Broadstone, Sturminster Marshall, Winterborne Kingston, Milborne St Andrew, Puddletown, Piddlehinton, Piddletrenthide, Corfe Castle, Studland and Swanage.There is a 10km potential impact zone around all licence blocks.
Licences were issued for 159 blocks in total, across the UK. The licenses apply to all forms of oil and gas extraction and are not specific to the type of resource or extraction method, but could include fracking.
Some 22 licence blocks have been issued across Dorset, Wiltshire and Somerset and these could impact on many sensitive and designated areas, including the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, Poole Harbour and Dorset heathlands.
The event is free of charge, but voluntary donations towards the hire of the venue and materials would be much appreciated.
Amanda Williams
