A couple of weeks ago we hosted our most popular discussion to date, on the above subject. Somewhere between 150 and 200 people showed up barely squeezing into our emergency ‘bigger than the bookshop’ meeting space. It seems the subject really struck a chord with people.

Our own experiences, and the media, tell us we are in the middle of an ‘epidemic’ of mental health issues. Yet the standard response is to treat and talk about them as if they are solely individual issues (or failings) rather than looking at the situations we find ourselves in and the material conditions and wider culture of day to day society.

Many people present were keen to continue to meet on the subject, to that end we have set up a mailing list (click here to subscribe). What form this new group will take will be decided by its participants – information sharing, mutual support, campaigning and skill sharing were all ideas on the night.

There were some great contributions from AFed folks and from many folks who came, who covered a wide spectrum of society including many people who have issues with their own mental health, study it, work in the field, or have extensive experience supporting others or using services themselves.

For those who are interested the full minutes are online. We hope to compile them into a more easily readable form and into a  video in the near future.

While we’ve got your attention there are a few more events coming up in the near future:

Saturday 5th March: March for the NHS!
Linking the struggles of the Junior Doctors against their unsafe working conditions being forced on them, the removal or bursaries for student nurses, and the moves by the local clinical commisioning group to open up the running of NHS services to tax avoiding corporations!  Meet 1pm at the Fountains. Facebook Event.

Wednesday 9th March: Support the Junior Doctors Strike!
Junior doctors will be holding a 48 hour strike beginning at 8am. Get down to the picket lines for 8 if you can, or join later in the day! Picketlines will once again be at the BRI and Southmead. We all need to support them in their stand against further destruction of the NHS. More info from the British Medical Association.

Tuesday 15th March: Is JC Really our Savior?
The next of our discussion evenings. This time the topic is Jeremy Corbyn and the campaign building around him. How do we, as grass roots activists engage with this? Critical support? Utter indifference? Active involvement? Hydra Books 7pm Facebook Event.

Tuesday 19th of April A world Without Money?
A talk and discussion looking at why our world could and should work without money. It’s often one of the hardest ideas of Anarchist Communist to first get our heads around, as it is so opposed to the way our current society works. The idea that money is essential to a functioning society is constantly re-enforced, but who’s doing the re-enforcing..? Hydra Books 7pm

Saturday 30th April: Bristol Anarchist Bookfair!
Our cities largest radical event is back again at Trinity from 10-6 Website

Sunday 1st May: May Day
International workers day has come around again, this year the local trade unions are organising a march in the centre, and we’ve some fun ideas of our own!