On Saturday 1st October, there was a lot we could have been doing in both Bristol and Bath with Enough Is Enough rallies and marches in both cities alongside a Don’t Pay UK action in Bristol. What we did instead was send our solidarity to those taking part in these protests and actions while we concentrated on what was happening in our back yard in Keynsham.

Over the years we’ve come to the conclusion that if radical change is going to happen, we have to start at the local level in our neighbourhoods and then build outwards from there. That means working on the kind of projects that bring a little power and control back down to the grassroots. These projects can encompass anything from community kitchens and food banks, through community food growing and onto repair cafes and skill shares. All of which give us a little bit more agency and control. Many of which are Prefigurative action 3.2.22.

This is what we wrote about the Keynsham Community Veg Plot in the Park that we’ve become involved with since we moved down to near Bristol: A community vegetable plot in every park? 22.8.22. This is where we decided to put in a few hours on Saturday 1st October, helping to re-lay some of the paths so the full length of the plot can be opened up and be accessible. If all goes to plan, that means we can double the amount of food grown on the plot in 2023.

This is a community plot. Anyone living in Keynsham who wants to get involved is more than welcome. If someone is in need and wants to pick some produce for their own use, they’re welcome to do so. Just make sure that what you pick is ripe and ready to pick! It’s about sharing – a concept that in these troubled times needs to be promoted.

Recently, we have spent a couple of Saturdays in Bristol distributing copies of the Grassroots Alternatives paper. While that was productive, spending a couple of hours on a community project where we could see a tangible result at the end of our stint, knowing it will help increase food production on the plot come 2023 was a lot more satisfying.