Love Activists and Opsafe Brighton: STREET STORIES EXHIBITION – Poster/Flyer

Posted on by Ann Narkeh

Ann Narkeh Media is very proud of this flyer/poster, which was put together in collaboration with Love Activists Brighton for the Street Stories exhibition, which they are co-facilitating with Opsafe Brighton in Brighton Art Market, Saturdays in May.

“Exhibiting photographs of people’s experiences of different types of homelessness

Every Saturday in May, come along to share your own stories and to hear other peoples

Everybody is invited to write in the book of street stories, to share past and present experiences with our community 

The exhibition will be facilitated by Love Activists Brighton and OpSafe Brighton, in solidarity with the homeless folk of Brighton & Hove”

To download,  right-click >> “save image as…”

STREETSTORIES_flyer

 

greyscaled for print:

STREETSTORIES_flyermono.png

 

 

and the front cover for the Street Stories book:

STREETSTORIES_book

March With The Homeless 2016: Placards

Posted on by Ann Narkeh

March with The Homeless is this Friday, 15th April, worldwide.

In Brighton, the Anonymous Opsafe crew have organised the march for this Saturday, 16th April, (meet 11am, Old Steine).

Love Activists Brighton asked me to put together some placards for the march:

  • #NoMoreDeathsOnOurStreets
  • #MarchWithTheHomeless
  • #SolidarityNotCharity
  • #HomesNotBanks
  • #HomesNotBombs
  • #HomesNotHandcuffs

 

Despite a Severe Weather Warning, NO EMERGENCY SHELTERS FOR BRIGHTON’S HOMELESS!

Posted on by Ann Narkeh

The Occupied Argus

The Met Office has issued a Severe Weather Warning across the Sussex coast for today, Saturday 26th March and this Bank Holiday Monday. Wind speeds today are 60mph.

It is expected to ease off a little on Sunday, though by Tuesday, they are expected to reach 70mph.

Love Activists Brighton contacted the relevant authorities to find out whether the emergency shelters would be opened up, to discover that apparently they are not.

labfedbook

This is not OK.

Do whatever you can to let our elected representatives know that this is not OK. Take direct action.

March With the Homeless in Brighton this April 16th.

Meet 11am, Old Steine

#OpSafe – #SolidarityNotCharity – #NoMoreDeathsOnOurStreets

Love Activists Brighton – is Their Patience Running Out?

Posted on by Ann Narkeh

Love Activists Brighton demonstrated outside the Housing and New Homes Committee today through rain, sleet and snow, to once again tell the council,  ‪#‎NoMoreDeathsOnOurStreets‬

I livestreamed from the demonstration outside and from the committee inside, here.

The links to the streams are at the bottom of this blog.

2-3-16_4The Solution Based Proposals were, perhaps unsurprisingly kicked into the long grass again – referred for a report to the draft Rough Sleeping Strategy, which is due in June, another 3 months from now.

This follows a referral from the full council meeting, which Love Activists attended at the end of January, 2 months ago.

2-3-16_3Love Activists were unexpectedly invited to speak to the committee. Lionel and Ree stepped up and represented off the cuff. Lionel drew everybody’s attention to the recent news that people are once again climbing into recycling and rubbish bins to seek shelter, and thereby dying horrible deaths. Ree drew our attention to the number of deaths we have suffered on our streets and expressed everybody’s frustration with the sluggish, apparently unresponsive bureaucracy.

All the councillors again agreed that many of the solution based proposals are not ‘in the gift’ of the council, meaning it is not in their power, that power lies with central Government.

Some councillors seemed warmer to the idea of fighting central government than others, in particular Green Cllr David Gibson, who was again the most vociferous supporter of the proposals. Labour Cllr Claire Moonan was also supportive.

Nobody had a bad word to say about the proposals or the Love Activists.

Negative outcomes

  • Sluggish, unresponsive, frustrating bureaucracy.
  • Still some party political footballing going on.
  • Emotions running understandably high.

Positive outcomes

  • The Love Activists were invited to speak and were allowed to respond. Though it became fiery at points, it was still mutually respectful (notwithstanding the Love Activists’ understandable frustration with the laboriously drawn out process).
  • Many councillors seemed genuinely warm to ‘working with’ the Love Activists.
  • There has been some movement on the SWEP Severe Weather Emergency Protocol.

My last word?

Despite some positive noises from the council, the Love Activists’ patience seems to be wearing thin.

Party political posturing2-3-16_5 and bureaucratic wrangling over this issue are in extremely poor taste.

We can’t wait 3 months.

We certainly can’t wait until 2020.

Give us #100Crowbars and we’ll end homelessness in 20 minutes!

#OccupyTheLot

Big love and respect to everybody who came down and represented today.

#NoMoreDeathsOnOurStreets

2-3-16_1

Livestreamed footage;

#NoMoreDeathsOnOurStreets Love Activists #Brighton HAILSTORM! 2-3-16 #olsx #onn

#NoMoreDeathsOnOurStreets INTERVIEWS Ree, Dave-O, #LoveActivists #Brighton 2-3-16 #onn #olsx

Stevie G spittin BARS! + Interview with Josh from #LoveActivists #Brighton #NoMoreDeathsOnOurStreets #onn #olsx 2-3-16

Righteous rage. Very sad interview with Ruby who is grieving for her brother, Casey. #NoMoreDeathsOnOurStreets Love Activists #Brighton 2-3-16

#LoveActivists #Brighton at the Housing and New Homes Committee #NoMoreDeathsOnourStreets #onn #olsx 2-3-16 (2omins 30secs in)

The council’s somewhat higher definition stream of the meeting can also be viewed here.

After the meeting I filmed a few of Brighton’s empty buildings, from halfway down North St to the top of St James St. There were 16 visibly empty buildings – some long time derelict, some being refurbished.

Empty Buildings of Brighton #NoMoreDeathsOnOurStreets #onn #olsx 2-3-16

 

 

Fairness Commission: Housing

Posted on by Ann Narkeh

I livestreamed Brighton & Hove’s Fairness Commission meeting on Thursday evening, where Ree from Love Activists Brighton gave voice to the Solution Based Proposals to End Homelessness.

LAB fairness commission

The commission also heard from the National Housing Association, the Community Land Trust, Our London (regarding self build), Royal Greenwich, (regarding Gold Standard in Housing Options), and from Brighton and Hove Energy Services Co-op, (BHESCO, regarding fuel poverty & community energy schemes).

There was an open session in the middle and at the end.

I crossed the streams with the council again, who were also broadcasting the meeting. You can watch their somewhat less shaky, higher definition footage, here.

1/5 What is the Fairness Commission?

bambuser.com/v/6109023

2/5 Fairness Commission Brighton: Housing

bambuser.com/v/6109046

3/5 Fairness Commission Brighton: Housing

bambuser.com/v/6109114

4/5 Nice Spread at the Fairness Commission

There was a lovely spread of locally sourced food from ethical suppliers courtesy of The Big Fig.

bambuser.com/v/6109250

5/5 Fairness Commission Brighton: Housing

bambuser.com/v/6109251

BH Fairness Commission - logo

The Fairness Commission want to hear from all residents of Brighton and Hove about how to make the City a fairer place to live.

Their call for evidence closes on Monday 29 February.

You can participate here, if you’re of a mind to.

#NoMoreDeathsOnOurStreets

#SolidarityNotCharity

#HomesNotHandcuffs

#HomesNotBombs

CROSS PARTY SUPPORT FOR LOVE ACTIVISTS’ PROPOSALS

Posted on by Ann Narkeh

When Love Activists Met Brighton & Hove City Council

Love Activists Brighton recently delivered their petition in support of the Solution Based Proposals to End Homelessness to their local council. They were invited to speak at the full council meeting held in the chambers of Brighton Town Hall, Thursday 28th January, 2016.

The solution based proposals were developed in consultation with the local community, prioritising feedback from rough sleepers. You can read the proposals, the rationale for them and sign the petition here.

Over 800 people have signed the petition online, while over 1000 handwritten signatures were gathered by people living on the streets. The petition is still gathering signatures now.

LAB_petitionA4

I livestreamed the full council meeting meeting from the public gallery on bambuser, (22 minutes in). It was also broadcast on the council’s website in higher definition (44mins, 34 secs in).

For the purposes of this project, the Love Activists have suspended their righteous cynicism about the democratic deficit, in order to give the council the opportunity to prove them wrong.

Ree represented the group and in her allocated 3 minutes she addressed the council respectfully, but firmly. She gave voice to the grief and anger we are all feeling, without becoming upset or angry. The Love Activists are at pains to remain non-party political and non-combative. Their intention is to inspire the council to actually implement the proposals, not to play the blame game with them.

Continue reading CROSS PARTY SUPPORT FOR LOVE ACTIVISTS’ PROPOSALS

Love Activists Meet The Council

Posted on by Ann Narkeh

I’ll be livestreaming from outside Brighton Town Hall today with Love Activists Brighton, who will be delivering their petition in support of the Solution Based Proposals to End Homelessness to the full council meeting.

The council will hear the Love Activists for 3 minutes and debate the proposals for 15 minutes.

People will be gathering in support from 3.30pm outside Brighton Town Hall, Bartholomew Rd, BN1. The meeting is scheduled from 4.30pm.

I’ll be livestreaming updates on my bambuser channel.

The council will be webcasting the meeting, here.

#NoMoreDeathsOnOurStreets

OA_LOVEACTIVISTSSOLUTIONS.png

#HomesNotHandcuffs Interviews: 20/1/16

Posted on by Ann Narkeh

I livestreamed from Love Activists’ #HomesNotHandcuffs demo outside Brighton Law Courts yesterday, 20/1/16. There was a good turnout and a warm reception from the public and passing motorists who were encouraged to honk their horns in solidarity with the homeless.

Love Activists Brighton gathered another 50 signatures in support of the Solution Based Proposals to End Homelessness petition.

Here are some interviews which I broadcast live from the demo – thanks again to everybody who spoke with us.

Mo, Anonymous Opsafe
http://bambuser.com/v/6050623#t=376s

An anonymous individual
http://bambuser.com/v/6050740#t=357s

Ben, 25 year old homeless man – fined for eating a chicken sandwich in a public place
http://bambuser.com/v/6050780#t=35s

Ree, Love Activists Brighton
http://bambuser.com/v/6050804

Lionel, who was arrested and prosecuted for begging
http://bambuser.com/v/6050843#t=29s

Esme, Love Activists Brighton
http://bambuser.com/v/6050854#t=194s

Liam and Dave-O
http://bambuser.com/v/6050884#t=140s

Hannah
http://bambuser.com/v/6050910#t=25s

Ree, Love Activists Brighton
http://bambuser.com/v/6050924#t=13s

Paul, Homeless Student
http://bambuser.com/v/6050943#t=27s

Dave-O – BHCC homeless strategy
https://bambuser.com/v/6050968

If anybody knows the html to embed bambuser video on wordpress please let me know eh?

Cheers.

#HomesNotHandcuffs Love Activists Brighton – Arty Stuff

Posted on by Ann Narkeh

I helped design some more placards for Love Activists Brighton‘s demo against the criminalisation of homelessness and begging, which I’ll be livestreaming from 12-3pm today.

HomesNotHandcuffsPlacards

I made this fedbook banner to promote the twitterstorm: LAB twitterstormbanner

I devised and scheduled 50 unique posts from the Love Activists Brighton fedbook page, which is linked to their twitter account.

I also made a couple of Spock memes:

We Can’t Ignore the Homelessness Crisis Anymore

Posted on by Ann Narkeh

Personal Blog: 16-1-16

#NoMoreDeathsOnOurStreets

Late last night, I was walking along on the phone with a friend who was worried about a homeless comrade who’s been having suicidal thoughts. Talking and walking, I passed a bloke dead or dying on the pavement. A man and a woman had stopped to help him. She was calling an ambulance – he was down on the ground with this bloke. I waited around til an ambulance arrived.

The most horrific, surreal aspect of it all was how commonplace scenes like this have become and how numb to it we all seem.

I couldn’t sleep last night, it was fkn freezing, even though I was indoors.

This morning in my prolefeed, there is a story about a homeless man dying in a car park in Swindon; a homeless soldier dying in Salford after being evicted from a squat he was sharing with 12 other ex-servicemen; and the news that homeless people are being used for target practice by a gang with crossbows in Cambridge. Tonight I’m off to try to help yet another friend who is suffering depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts.

Horrible things happen on the streets. Homeless people are extremely vulnerable human beings. Homeless people are not the problem. The way we think about the problem is the problem. The narrow parameters of debate around the problem are the problem.

WHAT HOPE? 

In slightly brighter news, there has been a terrific response to Love Activists Brighton’s petition mission on the streets over the last few days. Hundreds of people have signed the petition to persuade the council to support the SOLUTION BASED PROPOSALS TO END HOMELESSNESS.

I filmed this interview with them:

http://bambuser.com/v/6039524