Cosy Nestlings!  

The nights have almost drawn all the way in and the Yuletide holidays are right around the corner… Our first Community Meeting for Nest 2018 is but hours away... We’re going to be taking a break from our regular communications over the festive period so for our last proper Nest News of 2017 we’re going to leave a flavour of the season and reconnect us all with what it means to ‘Nest’.

Immediacy 

Our community is incredibly special. It’s built on the foundations of values and a set of principles we share with Burners from all corners of the world. We love how connected everyone is becoming through the facebook group – please visit to ask questions and keep in touch. It’s growing at a delightful rate, so to maintain your online safety and happiness we’ve created a set of guidelines to help you support each other in your interactions. The other thing we’ve done is start putting all the Nest News pieces on our website, so you can refer to previous information and have everything in one place, whenever you need, immediately. Helpful, right…? So, I’m a bit tardy with this weeks message; apologies for that. Life can get in the way and, as you know, Nest is run and created by volunteers. Which brings me nicely onto…

   …You.

Participation 

There’s lots of excitement about Nest itself already and in the New Year, we’ll be ramping up the encouragement for you all to collaborate, join in, participate and give of yourself to make this amazing event happen all over again. You’ve got a few weeks over the holidays in between mince pies to think about what that might look like.

Gifting

A lot of you have been asking about Gifting and transferring of memberships. We are pleased to announce a formal process for this is being hatched so you can manage direct transfers and gift membership.

All information will be with you as soon as it’s up and running. Please bear with us.

Our end of year traditions are synonymous with Gifting, something that we Burners inhabit naturally. So when you’re at Nest, what will you bring? Rather than MOOPy stuff, why not use this wintery break to warm your cockles with ideas of what your gift to Nest and everyone there will be. Art? Music? A camp? Workshops? Vegan bacon…? All of the above?!

Radical Self-Expression

And for you new to Burning Nest, or burning altogether, we’re radically inclusive so you will not be left out in the cold. Maybe you have some Self-Expression you want to create and contribute? Perhaps you are a Sculptor and you want to exhibit your work in a breathtaking setting? Are you the lead singer of an awesome new band and you need a free stage and a very appreciative, supportive audience? A daring choreographer, with a troupe of dancers and a penchant for fire? All are welcome and it doesn’t matter if you’ve not been before. We can’t wait to see what you’ll bring. The incredible amount of funding raised through membership so far means we’re able to open applications for Art Grants of over £800 on 11 December. Deadline for application is 8 February. We will provide full guidance on the Art page of our website in preparation for the application start date. Get thinking now.

Radical Inclusion

Every single one of you is crucial to creating Nest; we simply cannot do it without each and every person. It is through inclusion that we will make Nest warmer and better and brighter than before. We’re keen to share our community with a good amount of Newbie Nestlings for 2018. In particular we welcome families and we are always excited to have those who bring experiential brilliance, radical thinking and amazing hugs. So current Nestlings, do you have friends outside of our community who would love Nest as much as we do? Let’s welcome them! There are still a few Super Early Bird memberships left - the perfect way to entice new folks!

Communal Effort 

Our membership subscriptions have shown us that a lot of you are very keen for next year’s Nest. We’re so thrilled so many of you are coming to the Community Meeting in London TOMORROW and we’re even more thrilled that for the first time we have regional Community Meetings being scheduled and new Burning Pubs springing up around the country – Nest and our sister Burner events are truly becoming Home for everyone across the UK. All of us at Nest Core are buzzing from the whole community’s early enthusiasm. We’ve got some incredible new Core Team and Event Support Team members and the organisation doesn’t rest just with us. It’s a tremendous privilege to be part of creating Nest and January will mark six months til we’re all in our Home again together. Our early Participation drive is very important - we haven’t actually got long left! It’s time to start building our Nest once again. And that starts with all of you. <3 See you either in person or via live stream at the Community Meeting tomorrow! Toasty love

~ Siren ~