Hi all,
This is a thread for co-op newsletter edition three. If people have content ideas or finished articles they’d like to share, please post them here. The total wordcount of the paper should be around 1,000 words. Let’s discuss here!
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When’s the deadline for submitting articles?
I think because the final text has to be ready by Wednesday morning, articles should be posted by Tuesday morning at latest, so there’s time to edit on Tuesday evening.
I haven’t been able to work on this much but here’s a few ideas for content:
-another participants writing about their experience (can anyone come forward? @Lak17 @loreid @LeonSH ) - 200 words
-chef describes ‘a day in the kitchen’ @Ciara @Paul @Seb - 300-400 words
-recepient discusses their experience or issues in the lives due to corona crisis (I have an idea on who to ask but we could start asking bckroom 1 to ask about this too) - 200 words
- Red Gym on community self-defence @ben @nick (from Sean’s thread Newsletter article suggestions ) - 300-400 words
One of the participants (@SimonP) is writing a short piece on food sovereignty, material autonomy, or something along those lines. Around 250 words and simple language. It might be ready for the next issue.
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I’ve written the following, with the idea to introduce the ideas of Food Sovereignty and autonomy. It might be a bit long (330ish words), so I’d be happy to try and edit it down if that helps. Also could follow up with other little pieces in future newsletters on similar themes.
The Coronavirus pandemic has really shaken up food and farming. It seems bizarre, but farmers are throwing away food while more and more people are going hungry. This isn’t surprising - supermarkets aim to make profits by keeping costs low and selling only to those who can afford it. But that means many miss out - and governments, charities and mutual-aid groups are only able to fill some of the gaps.
But what would it take for groups like Cooperation Birmingham to not only fill the gaps, but to become a normal way of distributing food? How can we create a system where everyone has access to good, healthy food regardless of their ability to afford it? How can we reconnect food producers and consumers in fairer and more ecological ways? These are questions about Food Sovereignty - about people having control over food and farming.
In today’s society, we all need money to survive. Farmers need money to buy seed, pay rent or mortgages, hire workers and so on. Cooperation Birmingham’s chefs, drivers, coordinators also need money to pay their rent and cover their food bills. With the food system as it is, food cannot be provided without somebody, somewhere paying for it. The usual response to this is to do what charities do - ask for donations. Cooperation Birmingham has done this too. But what if there were a better solution?
An alternative approach is to build autonomous networks of reciprocity and exchange, in which money becomes less and less relevant. Cooperation Birmingham could work with local farms and allotments to access food. It could work with participants to reduce their expenses (e.g. advocating for social housing, lower rents, better wages) that enable them to contribute more time to the Kitchen. If the people who grow, prepare, distribute and eat food can be freed from the need to spend and earn money, a fairer food and farming system is possible.
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We have this piece Dave Stamp wrote about Red Gym for Momentum which we can adapt a bit for newsletter perhaps? It currently stands at 409 words. I think we could lose the first couple paragraphs or maybe even change them to discuss police brutality as well since that is topical? We are light on content so we might want to keep this and piece above a reasonable length to compensate:
Birmingham Punches Up!
Times are grim. The far right is on the ascendancy, and growing in confidence on the streets. That confidence has asserted itself with a number of attempts to intimidate and attack the Left and organised workers. Just a year ago, the fascists of Britain First attacked and abused striking Home Care workers in the city centre, while hate crimes against Muslims, Asians and the LGBTQ+ community have risen nationwide by more than 40% in recent years.
In response to the division and misery of this resurgent fascism, a network of ‘Red Gyms’- martial arts clubs with an explicitly leftist, inclusionary, working class ethos- have sprung up all across the UK, from Solstar in London to Manchester’s 0161 Community Gym.
In Birmingham, a group of comrades has come together to form Punch Up- a sports club providing boxing and Muay Thai training to people of all ages, abilities and genders in a determinedly non-macho, non -homophobic environment. While it’s early days, still, we have managed to raise money for gloves and pads, and to identify a venue, where we train together once a week. In doing so, we bring our politics into our everyday lives, building relationships of trust and confidence with other activists, and developing community links in defiance of the hopeless individualism of late capitalism.
We want to provide a comradely, accepting - and while we’re at it, enjoyable- environment for working class people to get involved in sport, where people can build skills, strength and confidence together, away from commercial High St gyms. We are planning to hold a launch event and social in , raising money towards the costs of roll out mats and so helping us to incorporate elements of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu into our training.
Putting our words into action, we are looking at setting up solidarity membership rates, where we can subsidise the involvement of members of marginalised groups- such as undocumented migrants and those subjected to the violence of the DWP’s sanctions regime- not as a gesture of charity or pity, but as an act of practical solidarity.
We are also aiming, under the umbrella of Athletic Community Action Birmingham, to bring this socialist ethos, where we work together to build one another’s skills and capabilities, to a broader range of sports, from football to athletics to- well, you name it .
Join us! To find out more, go to https://www.facebook.com/BrumPunchesUp/ .
A fascist worked out today. Did you?
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Seb is writing about being a chef and his experiencing cooking in squats in Poland 200-300 words. He can get it to us tomorrow evening.
I think if everything is kept roughly the same length then we could fill the newsletter mostly with these three pieces. Maybe a short 100 word filler?
Yeah, I think these 3 pieces and a short filler should be enough. I can work on the filler and provide it tomorrow afternoon.
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Actually @Sergio can I make a suggestion I just thought of? Could we include something brief about George Floyd and black lives matter solidarity?
And then @sean_f perhaps we can use the graphic of either the Warehouse window with the solidarity message or some other solidarity image?
Yes, that makes sense!
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You can still write it tho 
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This is my edit of Simon’s piece. It’s at 300 words now. I want to edit the Red Gym piece to 350 words, and then we should have space for the third article + filler:
The Coronavirus pandemic has shocked food and farming. It’s bizarre, but farmers are throwing away food while ever more people are going hungry. This isn’t surprising – supermarkets aim to make profits by keeping costs low and selling only to those who can afford it. But many miss out and governments, charities and mutual-aid groups are only able to fill some of the gaps.
What would it take for groups like Cooperation Birmingham to not only fill the gaps, but to become a normal way of distributing food? How can we create a system where everyone has access to good, healthy food regardless of their ability to afford it? How can we reconnect food producers and consumers in fairer and more ecological ways? These are questions about Food Sovereignty – about people having control over food and farming.
Today, we need money to survive. Farmers need money to buy seed, pay rent or mortgages, hire workers and so on. Cooperation Birmingham’s chefs, drivers, coordinators need money to pay their rent and cover their bills. With the food system as it is, food cannot be provided without somebody, somewhere paying for it. The usual response to this is to do what charities do – ask for donations. Cooperation Birmingham has done this too. But what if there were a better solution?
We could build autonomous networks of reciprocity and exchange, in which money becomes increasingly irrelevant. Cooperation Birmingham could work with local farms and allotments to access food. It could work with participants to reduce their expenses (e.g. advocating for social housing, lower rents, better wages) that enable them to contribute more time to the Kitchen. If the people who grow, prepare, distribute and eat food can be freed from needing to spend and earn money, a fairer food and farming system is possible.
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Ok, I’m not very inspired tbh, but I tried to write a filler. Feel free to edit it or write something else if you think it’s not appropriate:
From Cooperation Birmingham we want to express our anger about the brutal murder of George Floyd and the structural violence that black people and other racial minorities are suffering. Let’s be clear, racial discrimination and oppression is also happening here in the UK, where it is linked to a colonialist past and present (let’s not forget Jimmy Mubenga). We are an openly anti-racist organisation and we are glad to see the chain reaction that is sparking protests for racial justice all around the world. We want contribute by joining the local protest and giving food and drinks to participants in solidarity. We hope to see you all there!
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Hi everybody. This is my tekst. Needs checking. I dunno but if it sounds childish (or, like, over the top) in some parts, just tell me 
After Poland participated in the US-led illegal invasion on Iraq in 2003, using as an excuse the US-fabricated evidence that Iraq produced and stockpiled WMDs and was involved in WTC terrorist attacks, an anti-war movement in Poland took a momentum. Several anarchists engaged in political activity of the 26 years old squat (and social centre) in central Europe, Rozbrat, revived a Food Not Bombs (FnB) initiative.
Many anti-war protests took place in the centre of Poznan and FnB prepared and handed over meals to the crowds of 400 and more. Local merchants from the vegetable markets every week donated raw produce and we kept organising concerts and festivals in Rozbrat to raise funds and equipment to keep the FnB initiative alive. All was based on a radical bottom-up D.I.Y. idea and was possible because an Anarchist Movement in the city was already so well established and organised.
There were times members of the collective were intimidated by the police only because they were loud about the organisation’s anti-militarist goals and nonconformist, NGO-challenging, ways of standing against the state oppression and reclaiming social agency. Sometimes in winters the weather also tried to intimidate the FnB crew when temperatures dropped below -15oC. Conditions in the kitchen were challenging and after every cooking, all the pot-wash had to be done outside and there was no hot water.
And yet, nor cops nor the freezing weather managed to shut our mouths and our kitchen. This is how I acquired my vegan chef education. Against the state-oppression. In radically democratic structures. Opposing the US imperialism and Polish nationalist militarist actions.
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Edit of Red Gyms piece to 352 words:
Birmingham Punches Up!
Times are grim. The far right is on the ascendancy, and growing in confidence on the streets. They have asserted themselves with many attempts to intimidate and attack the Left and organised workers. Donald Trump has effectively declared a war on protestors in the States.
In response to the division and misery of this resurgent fascism, a network of ‘Red Gyms’ – martial arts clubs with an explicitly leftist, inclusionary, working class ethos – have sprung up all across the UK, from Solstar in London to Manchester’s 0161 Community Gym.
In Birmingham, a group of comrades has come together to form Punch Up – a sports club providing boxing and Muay Thai training to people of all ages, abilities and genders in a determinedly non-macho, non -homophobic environment. While it’s early days, we have managed to raise money for gloves and pads, and to identify a venue, where we train together once a week. In doing so, we bring our politics into our everyday lives, building relationships of trust with other activists and developing community links, defying the hopeless individualism of capitalism.
We want to provide a comradely, accepting – while we’re at it, enjoyable – environment for working class people to participate in sport, where people can build skills, strength and confidence together, away from commercial High Street gyms. We plan to hold a launch event and social, raising money towards the costs of roll out mats and helping us to incorporate elements of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu into our training.
We are looking at setting up solidarity membership rates, where we can subsidise the involvement of members of marginalised groups – such as undocumented migrants and those subjected to the DWP’s violent sanctions regime – not as a charitable gesture, but as an act of practical solidarity.
Under the umbrella of Athletic Community Action Birmingham, we aim to bring this socialist ethos, where we work together to build one another’s skills and capabilities, to a broader range of sports, from football to athletics to – well, you name it .
Join us! To find out more, go to https://www.facebook.com/BrumPunchesUp/.
A fascist worked out today. Did you?
In terms of length, the pieces now collectively come to 1,025 words which I think is alright. I will have another look this evening for spelling/grammar issues but it should all be ready by tomorrow morning.
Edit of @Seb’s piece
After Poland participated in the US-led illegal invasion on Iraq in 2003, justifying it with the US-fabricated evidence that Iraq produced and stockpiled WMDs and was involved in WTC terrorist attacks, an anti-war movement in Poland took on momentum. Several anarchists engaged in the political activity of the 26-year-old squat (and social centre) in central Europe, Rozbrat, and revived a Food Not Bombs (FnB) initiative.
Many anti-war protests took place in the centre of Poznan and FnB prepared and handed over meals to the crowds of 400 and more. Local merchants from the vegetable markets donated raw produce every week and we kept organising concerts and festivals in Rozbrat to raise funds and equipment to keep the FnB initiative alive. It was all based on a radical bottom-up D.I.Y. idea and made possible because the Anarchist Movement in the city was already so well established and organised.
There were times members of the collective were intimidated by the police just because they were loud about the organisation’s anti-militarist goals and nonconformist, NGO-challenging ways of standing against the state oppression and reclaiming social agency. Sometimes in winter, the weather also tried to demoralise the FnB crew when temperatures dropped below -15°C. Conditions in the kitchen were challenging and after all cooking, all the washing up had to be done outside and there was no hot water.
And yet, neither cops nor the freezing weather managed to shut our mouths and our kitchen. This is how I acquired my vegan chef education. Against the state-oppression. In radically democratic structures. Opposing US imperialism and Polish nationalist militarist actions.
Birmingham Punches up from Gym member Dave Stamp
Times are grim. The far right is on the ascendancy, and growing in confidence on the streets. They have asserted themselves with many attempts to intimidate and attack people of colour and organised workers. Donald Trump has effectively declared a war on protestors in the States.
In response to the division and misery of this resurgent fascism, a network of ‘Red Gyms’ – martial arts clubs with an explicitly leftist, inclusionary, working class ethos – have sprung up all across the UK, from Solstar in London to Manchester’s 0161 Community Gym.
In Birmingham, we formed Punch Up – a sports club providing boxing and Muay Thai training to people of all ages, abilities and genders in a determinedly non-macho, non -homophobic environment. Before the pandemic hit we were training weekly in the city centre. We are low cost and have Pay As You Feel sessions which means we can subsidise the involvement of members of marginalised groups – such as undocumented migrants and those subjected to the DWP’s violent sanctions regime – not as a charitable gesture, but as an act of practical solidarity. In doing so, we bring our politics into our everyday lives, building relationships of trust with other members and developing community links, defying the hopeless individualism of capitalism.
We want to provide a comradely, accepting – while we’re at it, enjoyable – environment for working class people to participate in sport, where people can learn skills, strength and confidence together, away from commercial High Street gyms. We have had special session with trainers on Capoeira and Ju Jitsu.
Under the umbrella of Athletic Community Action Birmingham, we aim towork together to build one another’s skills and capabilities, to a broader range of sports, from football to athletics to – well, you name it .
Join us! To find out more, go to facebook.com/BrumPunchesUp/.
Final Text:
The Bizarre shock to agriculture and food.
Farmers are throwing away food while ever more people are going hungry. This isn’t surprising – supermarkets aim to make profits by keeping costs low and selling only to those who can afford it. But many miss out and governments, charities and mutual-aid groups are only able to fill some of the gaps.
What would it take for groups like Cooperation Birmingham to not only fill the gaps, but to become a normal way of distributing food? How can we create a system where everyone has access to good, healthy food regardless of their ability to afford it? How can we reconnect food producers and consumers in fairer and more ecological ways? These are questions about Food Sovereignty – about people having control over food and farming.
Today, we need money to survive. Farmers need money to buy seed, pay rent or mortgages, hire workers and so on. Cooperation Birmingham’s chefs, drivers, coordinators need money to pay their rent and cover their bills. With the food system as it is, food cannot be provided without somebody, somewhere paying for it. The usual response to this is to do what charities do – ask for donations. Cooperation Birmingham has done this too. But what if there were a better solution?
We could build autonomous networks of reciprocity and exchange, in which money becomes increasingly irrelevant. Cooperation Birmingham could work with local farms and allotments to access food. It could work with participants to reduce their expenses (e.g. advocating for social housing, lower rents, better wages) that enable them to contribute more time to the Kitchen. If the people who grow, prepare, distribute and eat food can be freed from needing to spend and earn money, a fairer food and farming system is possible.
Punch Up! from Gym member Dave Stamp
Times are grim. The far right is on the ascendancy, and growing in confidence on the streets. They have asserted themselves with many attempts to intimidate and attack people of colour and organised workers. Donald Trump has effectively declared a war on protestors in the States.
In response to the division and misery of this resurgent fascism, a network of ‘Red Gyms’ – martial arts clubs with an explicitly leftist, inclusionary, working class ethos – have sprung up all across the UK, from Solstar in London to Manchester’s 0161 Community Gym.
In Birmingham, we formed Punch Up – a sports club providing boxing and Muay Thai training to people of all ages, abilities and genders in a determinedly non-macho, non -homophobic environment. Before the pandemic hit we were training weekly in the city centre. We are low cost and have Pay As You Feel sessions which means we can subsidise the involvement of members of marginalised groups – such as undocumented migrants and those subjected to the DWP’s violent sanctions regime – not as a charitable gesture, but as an act of practical solidarity. In doing so, we bring our politics into our everyday lives, building relationships of trust with other members and developing community links, defying the hopeless individualism of capitalism.
We want to provide a comradely, accepting – while we’re at it, enjoyable – environment for working class people to participate in sport, where people can learn skills, strength and confidence together, away from commercial High Street gyms. We have had special session with trainers on Capoeira and Ju Jitsu.
Under the umbrella of Athletic Community Action Birmingham, we aim towork together to build one another’s skills and capabilities, to a broader range of sports, from football to athletics to – well, you name it .
Join us! To find out more, go to facebook.com/BrumPunchesUp/.
How our chef Seb learned to cook
After Poland participated in the US-led illegal invasion on Iraq in 2003, justifying it with the US-fabricated evidence that Iraq produced and stockpiled WMDs and was involved in WTC terrorist attacks, an anti-war movement in Poland took on momentum. Several anarchists engaged in the political activity of the 26-year-old squat (and social centre) in central Europe, Rozbrat, and revived a Food Not Bombs (FnB) initiative.
Many anti-war protests took place in the centre of Poznan and FnB prepared and handed over meals to the crowds of 400 and more. Local merchants from the vegetable markets donated raw produce every week and we kept organising concerts and festivals in Rozbrat to raise funds and equipment to keep the FnB initiative alive. It was all based on a radical bottom-up D.I.Y. idea and made possible because the Anarchist Movement in the city was already so well established and organised.
There were times members of the collective were intimidated by the police just because they were loud about the organisation’s anti-militarist goals and nonconformist, NGO-challenging ways of standing against the state oppression and reclaiming social agency. Sometimes in winter, the weather also tried to demoralise the FnB crew when temperatures dropped below -15°C. Conditions in the kitchen were challenging and after all cooking, all the washing up had to be done outside and there was no hot water.
And yet, neither police or the freezing weather managed to shut our mouths and our kitchen. This is how I acquired my vegan chef education. Against the state-oppression. In radically democratic structures. Opposing US imperialism and Polish nationalist militarist actions.
Racism in the U.K
Let’s be clear, racial discrimination and oppression is also happening here in the UK, where it is linked to a colonialist past and present (let’s not forget Jimmy Mubenga). The chain reaction that is sparking protests for racial justice all around the world is long overdue. We want to stand in solidarity withi this cause and therfore we provided food and drinks at this weeks protest in the city centre.