Come and get involved! The nights are drawing in…. and getting colder… come get cosy in BASE and help with the Sunday Caf’s and Film Nights!
Email basesocialcentre@riseup.net for more info weekly film nights after cafe… suggestions welcome!
Food at 6pm, followed by film and discussion with Base Mutual Care…. for more information email basesocialcentre@riseup.net
or visit the Radical Resilience Project for film information and resources
BSRG will be at BASE on 6th March.. they will be in the library rummaging from 3pm, and doing a cafe from 6pm
They are keen to talk to people involved in squatting in Bristol and especially anyone involved in squatting Base. If you want to chat to them come along.
Their research is on squatting in Bristol 1940’s to present day.
So much of what we love about Bristol was made possible by squatting. Bristolians have taken over buildings and public spaces for housing, protest, art, gigs, raves, libraries, food and laughter from Leigh Woods to Easton. We’ve squatted in the aftermath of the Second World War, during the Miners’ Strike and in response to 21st Century austerity. But the memory of squatted spaces is all too easily lost to eviction and criminalisation.
This projects seeks to map when, where and why us and our neighbours have squatted in Bristol. By mapping the impact of squatting on the city we hope to claim the tactic the space it deserves in the city’s history and ask what the role is for squatting in Bristol today.
We’re starting by interviewing people who have squatted in Bristol to pull together a map of formerly squatted spaces. We’ll use that to start developing ways to tell the story squatting in Bristol in the 20th and 21st Century and running workshops on the future for squatting in the city.
View the map (hosted by the Squatting Europe Kollective)
How can I help or get involved?
Have you been involved in squatting in Bristol? Whether you’ve attended squat parties, squatted for housing or supported people squatting on your street, we’d love to interview you. For the foreseeable future interviews will be over Zoom or telephone. You can remain anonymous and you will have control over what we record and what we don’t. Get in touch at toyo@riseup.net.
Are you interested in helping run the project? We’re particularly interested in this being an intergenerational project where younger Bristolians who haven’t squatted in the city get to know older generations who have. All skills and none are useful, but we’d be particularly keen to hear from people who know how to record audio and video, archive, interview and organise events. Get in touch via toyo@riseup.net.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-base-social-centre
BASE social centre in Bristol has provided an important space for community and organising for a better world for over 25 years. Putting principles of mutual aid, solidarity, self organisation and co-operation into practice it has been an inspiration to many. This autonomous, not for profit space has contributed so much to Bristol’s good reputation as a city of radical and progressive politics. BASE has provided genuinely affordable / free space to a wide range of community, campaign and activist groups and hosted innumerable events of all sorts. It is a place where people can meet others, socialise, eat, work, learn and organise together as equals. We are very proud of all that it stands for and all that it has achieved over the years and long may it continue.
Like many grassroots community projects, BASE has been really badly affected by the pandemic. We took the decision to keep the cafe, our primary source of income, closed to prioritise community safety and to avoid contributing to the spread of covid 19. This has meant that while our principles of collective care, mutual aid and solidarity are in good shape, our finances are not! The project’s reserve funds are now at a critically low level. So, it’s about time for some sponsored stuff! We get that everyone is a bit tired of yet another crowdfunder, so we thought we’d give this one some legs!
A group of BASE volunteers and supporters are running a half marathon along the Devon coast on 5th February to raise some much needed funds. While there may be some nice views along the way, it’s undoubtedly going to be an arduous metaphor for the struggle! It is described by the run organisers, Endurance Life, as “punishing” and “severe terrain”. Because the tougher it is the more money we raise, right? We will get it done, in the spirit of the old revolutionary adage of “Run comrade, the old world is right behind you!”
If you value autonomous, free, not for profit, community spaces please contribute to the crowdfunder and share it as widely as you can. Your support for BASE social centre is really appreciated.
All strength to Brighton’s anarchist social centre, the Cowley Club! They’re currently raising money to get through the tough times. Please show your solidarity and give what you can to make sure this important autonomous space, part of the UK social centres network, continues to fly the flag and continue their awesome work. Keep at it Cowley crew!
Here is their callout for help and see links below.
“We’ve made it this far thanks to our tireless volunteers and the support of our community, but we need your help to make it through the next few months and keep The Cowley Club going until we can open up again! We’re crowdfunding just short of £5,000 to ensure we’re still here once we make it through lockdown and the pandemic, so we can get back to doing what we’ve been doing since 2003, and keep on getting better!
No matter how small a donation you make, everything helps keep us going to get through this. Please support The Cowley Club by donating at https://crowdfunder.cowley.club“
The Kebele General Meeting takes place every 2-3 months at the social centre. If you come to/use Kebele you are welcome at this meeting!
Monday 7th March, 6.30pm prompt start, at Kebele social centre. Meetings last upto 2 hours.
Kebele General Meetings are an opportunity for the wider Kebele community and users of the building/facilities to come together to hold the Co-op to account, find out more about Kebele, discuss any urgent and/or relevant issues, and volunteer to help with ongoing matters (cleaning, maintenance, cafes, outreach etc) and at any upcoming events. So the Agenda may include:
– recent decisions by the Community Co-op, any new proposals, and get an update on Kebele’s finances.
– any urgent matters relating to Kebele, be they practical (the loo is leaking!) or political.
– review any recent events at Kebele, and discuss any forthcoming events that need wider involvement/support to ensure they happen.
– there is sometimes a political discussion for a part of the meeting.
The actual Agenda is posted on the wall in the Kebele cafe – where you can add items, and emailed out to our volunteers list. There is usually cake and/or snacks, and hot drinks, available.
General meetings are facilitated (not chaired) by a volunteer, and any decisions are made via consensus decision-making practices (see here for info).
Find out more about Kebele – read OurStory and other pages on this website.
Note that the Kebele social centre is formally owned & managed by Kebele Community Co-op. So get involved….new volunteers wishing to become Co-Op members are always welcome!!!
Yum Yum! Kebele’s weekly Sunday Social vegan cafe features a set vegan meal cooked up by volunteers, and served up about 6.30pm…until we run out!
Running virtually every Sunday for more than 20 years, the Sunday Social and Vegan Cafe sums up the essence of Kebele social centre – DIY, healthy food, politics and community. Read OurStory for the full rundown on those 20 years! Cafe proceeds help Kebele stay open, alive & kicking!
Vegan Cafe
Each week from around 3pm a team of volunteers prepares and cooks a set vegan meal for about 50 people. The ingredients come from donations, local shops & markets, local food projects, and we bulk buy some ingredients from the Essential Trading Co-op.
We start serving by 6.30pm…until it runs out, which depends on how early people come! We ask for a donation of approx £2.50 for starter & main, and £1 for puddings. Hot/cold drinks available for 50p. We do not turn people away who are skint – please just say so and you’ll be fed. Perhaps you can contribute in some other way?
We always welcome new volunteers to help cook for the cafe, and to wash up & clean up after. If you’d like to get involved then speak to one of the cooks or the host, or ask for a Co-op member.
Sunday Social
Sometimes before, but usually around 7.30pm after dinner, there may be a film; sometimes a talk or discussion; and sometimes music. There may also be campaign or project group meetings upstairs. There’s always plenty of people to chat with, socialise & network. You can also check out Kebele’s free library (borrow a book!) and Info Shop (buy a book, pamphlet or CD!), use the free wi-fi, plus there’s loadsa free info on local campaigns & events. We stay open until around 9.30pm.
Kebele social centre is available for use by local groups, projects & campaigns. We have various sized meeting rooms plus the kitchen and cafe. Read the details here and get in touch!
It’s LGBT History month!!!
So lets enjoy some lesbian screen play at its very best!!
Its free to attend, but if you want to make a small donation to the upkeep of Kebele, this would be much appreciated. Come along to the Kebele Social Centre to watch this mini series. Its an anarchist co-op and vegan cafe with reasonably priced hot drinks and cake available during the transmission.
Afterwards, why not stay on at the Sunday Social for a vegan meal for £2.50??
We will start showing the mini series at 3.15pm sharp, with 5 minute breaks between each episode for toilet breaks (purchase more cake/drinks) and to be finished by 6.30pm in time for the evening meal.
Operation Fenix is a murky & dirty tale of Police repression, fit-ups & coercion in the Czech republic. It targetted anarchists, animal liberationists & other radicals, leading to numerous arrests, leaving some comrades on remand in prison and numerous facing long trials.
There’ll be a Presentation on Operation Fenix, followed by questions & answers & discussion. Starts at 7.30pm.
Read here background info: https://antifenix.noblogs.org/english-info/
And recent news: https://antifenix.noblogs.org/post/category/english/
Join us for the Sunday Social Vegan dinner in the cafe first, from 6.15pm – on Sunday 7th February
Our Social Centre includes various rooms/spaces that are available to be used by individuals & groups/campaigns. Typical uses include meetings & workshops & talks; benefit cafes; film nights; gatherings; small parties (birthdays, handfastings); banner making; and so on. Facilities available at Kebele include the kitchen & cooking equipment, cafe/event space for upto 50 people seated/more if standing, individual rooms holding from 6 to 45 people, film projector & screen, internet access.
Whilst each request for room use is considered separately, there are some basic criteria to bear in mind, for example – your event should be not-for-profit (or at least a benefit!); it shouldn’t contravene any of Kebele’s Principles; it shouldn’t cause a nuisance to our neighbours.
We do not formally charge for the use of spaces & facilities, but we do ask for ‘suggested donations’ to cover wear & tear, utility bills, maintenance etc. Room Users have 2 options in covering costs – firstly ‘pay as you go’ room use for each single event; secondly taking on ‘User group’ status which means in return for space/facility use you provide a labour contribution of running at least one Sunday night cafe and carrying out one clean of Kebele every 3 months.
For full details of facilities available, the suggested donations for use, some basic rules, and our safer spaces agreement, please read/complete/print off the Room Users Agreement:
Kebele-room_user_agreement (open office format)
Kebele-room_user_agreement (pdf)
For any & all queries please speak to a Co-op member or email kebelesocialcentre[at]riseup.net