From Creative Drop-Ins to Community Defence: See how our members build community through creativity, mutual support, and strategic organising.
A Day in the Life of Food & Solidarity
From Creative Drop-Ins to Community Defence
See how our members build community through creativity, mutual support, and strategic organising.
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This week showcased the full spectrum of what we do: our new School Hours Drop-In launched in Fenham, creating space for creativity and connection. We held a crucial meeting to plan our community response to far-right protests targeting hotels in Newcastle. And as always, we distributed our weekly household parcels, ensuring our neighbours have what they need. Read on for details about each initiative and how to get involved.
A Creative Start: Widening Participation in Fenham
On Tuesday morning, our new "School Hours Drop-In" kicked off at the Fenham Association of Residents (FAR) hall. "It was a lovely September morning, and as the sun streamed in, so did our members. First two, then three, then four, then five arrived, some with little ones in tow." Jo - F&S Member
We settled into the clean, comfortable room, opened the windows to let the fresh air flow, and got to work on our art. The room filled with talk and laughter, accompanied by the happy sounds of babies. As we grew our pictures, we began to dream about next steps—perhaps a banner for F&S, or a project weaving together stories and poem lines.
Over tea, coffee, and biscuits, we chatted about making the session work for everyone and decided to start a little later next time. A huge thank you to the lovely manager, Mark, for hosting us. So, mark your calendars: our next drop-in will be Tuesday, September 23rd, from 10.30am to 12.30pm. Find details and RSVP here. It was a truly great start; we cleared up, some took the lift with the prams, others took the stairs, and a few even took their art home to continue. We hope you can join us next time!
Responding to division: Planning for Community Safety
Later that same day, our focus shifted to a serious and urgent matter. Members came together to discuss a Community Response to Hotel Demonstrations. The discussion was broad, comradely, and productive. We spoke about the rise in hate crimes and the fear many members of your community now feel moving around our city.
"Last night F&S members held a very well attended community meeting, exploring what a community-led response to the far-right demonstrations in our city might look like.
Each weekend right-wing demonstrators have gathered outside a Newcastle hotel where people seeking refuge and asylum are housed. Their demonstrations are intended to intimidate vulnerable minorities and have created fear in our communities.
Politicians and the press stoke anger and fear by attacking one minority group after another because the way things are now suits them just fine, but they also don't want you to blame them when things get worse - they always find a scapegoat."
The current protest/counter-protest often feel like a stalemate, with police curiously not using the Section 14s that they have previously. There seems no pathway to recruitment here, while the counterprotesters seem to include the same groups we see at all these events the hotel protesters are able to bring (mainly young) male passersby into their ranks (although this is minimal in reality).
Key Discussion Points
- This isn't new, and this attempt at division isn't going away.
- The use of hotels to house people was used as a rallying cry as far back as the 1970s; it is effective at mobilising people in times of economic uncertainty.
- Our response must be smart, sustained, focused, and based on organising principles.
- We must challenge narratives that legitimise hatred while tackling material conditions that allow fascism to grow.
"F&S members take direct action to improve conditions in our communities day-to-day: preventing evictions, forcing landlords to do repairs, improving access to fresh food, building Solidarity from the ground up. This year alone our members have forced the council to adopt an F&S policy to scrap the 2 child benefit cap and NRPF.
Our members are building solidarity and working together to meet the moment. Another World Is Possible."
Questions We're Asking Ourselves
- How do we best support our members directly affected?
- How do we keep our members safe?
- How do we dissuade members of your community that might be sympathetic to this narrative?
- How do we do all this while using our core strengths of organising and direct action?
This meeting was just the start. A dedicated WhatsApp group is being set up to strategically plan our next steps, focusing on action, not talk.
Want to help with this specific issue? If you want to be part of this focused effort, please email us.
The Constant: Our Weekly Household Parcels
And of course, just a few days before on Saturday, we were at our regular weekly parcel distribution. This is the steady heartbeat of what we do. Unlike a traditional food bank, our project operates on a collective model , everyone is equal and everyone can access the same irrespective of what they put in.
People can choose what they need from a shared store, prioritising dignity and choice over charity. It's a practical act of solidarity, ensuring our neighbours have what they need to get by.
How Our Parcel System Works
- Collective model: Resources are shared, not means-tested
- Choice-based: Members select what they need
- Dignity first: No referrals or vouchers required
- Weekly distribution: Every Saturday, rain or shine
Direct Action & Community Organising
Beyond our weekly parcels and creative sessions, Food & Solidarity members engage in direct action to address the root causes of poverty and inequality in our communities.
From picketing the offices of Mears (Home Office contractors) to challenging unethical letting agents, we believe in tackling the systems that create poverty and division, not just addressing the symptoms.
This is What We Do
This is Food & Solidarity in action. It's about creating spaces for creativity and connection, like our Fenham drop-in. It's about standing up to protect our community with strategic, thoughtful action. And it's about the weekly work of material support, making sure no one is left behind.
These efforts are connected by a common thread: a belief in a community where everyone has enough, everyone belongs, and everyone is safe.
Where your contribution goes:
- Essential household parcels for members
- Community spaces and creative projects
- Community defence resources and organising
Become a member today
Join your neighbours building community power.
Secure membership process. If you have trouble, contact us via the website contact page.
