Helen Barnard shares ‘smart’ tips for activists campaigning for a better future. Her advice is to: seek common ground, not the high ground; use language the public can engage with and let those with lived experience lead. Helen is also one of our Explainers
Chris Chalkley talks about art and activism as a tactic and the People’s Republic of Stokescroft, which provides spaces for artists in Bristol to create public artworks and share their work, engaging with community around a range of social and political issues.
Jane Wheeler tells the story of founding Living Song CIC, rooted in Newham, East London, and centred around singing. By providing opportunities for young people from diverse backgrounds to develop a sense of self and connections with each other, Living Song builds community through the belief that singing is for all and helps people unite, with their differences.
Kiren Shafiq describes being part of Islamic Help in the summer of 2020. The group helped to deliver food and other basic supplies to people of all communities in Birmingham and other cities in the West Midlands in response to panic-buying at the start of the pandemic.
Rosemary and Brian tell the story of a group campaigning to save the 65 Bus route in Monmouthshire. They lobbied councillors and MPs, started a petition and encouraged support by talking to the community about rural isolation and climate change. Today, the bus remains vital for those who are isolated or vulnerable, and is now popular with other residents and visitors.
Sam Spong and John Ratomski of Fans Supporting Food Banks used various creative tactics to organise foodbank collections at the West Ham and Charlton Athletic football stadiums. By galvanising the community through the medium of football, significant amounts of money, food and other basic provisions have been donated to foodbanks in the UK.
Pam Warhurst is the founder of Incredible Edible in the UK which has inspired thousands of people to create local groups. She tells the story of encouraging people to grow food in unused places and share what grows to create more connected communities and sustainable living.
Paul Rutherford tells the story of how he and his wife Susan fought to overturn a policy that would have seen housing benefit reduced if you had a spare room, dubbed the ‘Bedroom Tax’. The family, who needed the room for an overnight carer to help look after their disabled grandson, took their case to the High Court and won.
PSOOL was established in 2012 by eight women who had been political activists to bring a legal case against the Metropolitan Police for deploying undercover police officers into their personal lives, including deceptive intimate relationships with them. It began as a support group and expanded to campaigning for justice and change to prevent such deception.
Dr Adam Elliott-Cooper offers tactics to prepare people when they are approached, stopped and searched, or arrested by the police. He advises people stopped on the streets, in a vehicle, at a protest or any situation that the main priority is to de-escalate the situation and ask for representation from Police Action Lawyers if necessary.
