Building Redz

early days before we got really red(dy)

Welcome to Redz, it only took us too long to get another home! Who would have thought that the rental market is an opp? But thanks to the awesome folks at Stroud Community Space who've rented this building as a Youth Hub - us and our siblings in town have been helping to do this old salon up for the best part of 3 weeks now - learning, failing and trying again has been the name of the game so far. I’m so proud of what we’ve built; it’s a bit of a bodge job and I love every little nook and cranny. DIY till we die!

After we’ve put it together comes the nitty-gritty bit, what the hell to do with it. We’re aiming for part social centre, part organising office, part radical education centre, part library, part warm space, part open youth space, part everything at once. It wants to be bright + loud with space to curl up and take five from everything. What do you want it to be?

Which bit/s are you excited for

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• Organising Centre
• Radical Library
• Quiet Space
• Social Centre

See All Options

You can vote for more than one answer.

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We’re amazingly fortunate to have somewhere to organise like this in this broken country and yet this seems like such a small step towards a thriving social centre. Also England fucking sucks for decent third spaces, I grew up in the Tory decimation of youth centres across this green and pleasant land. Watching thriving buildings shut their doors amongst austerity. Our space is not unique but it is rare. Rarer than it should be. From 2011 - 2020 more than half of youth centres in the UK lost local council funding and over the same period the amount of youth workers dropped by 42%.

Many politicians or journalists point to these stats in reference to rising violent crime rates among young folk - is not the violent act the closure of these spaces in the first place. The wrenching away of our safe spaces, the gutting of our support networks. The systematic targeting of vital social lifelines under Tory rule and Labour’s continuation of austerity measures is violence at the highest level. Fuck that, community self defence is our answer. Starting our own social safety nets is vital in an era where it is clear the government cannot and will not provide for the people it claims to represent.

As I write this space rings with grunts, folky tunes, the occasional hammering of a drill. This room was so echoey a week ago, cold concrete floor all over. Now layers of carpet cushion my ass and soak up the sounds of the space. Arm chairs and sofas are lacking right now (crossing fingers for something good to come up on freecycle), I’m yearning to stretch out all cat-like up here. Hit us up if you have any pre-loved items to donate.

anti jump-scare

We’re settling into the stage of building where we have started disagreeing on the little aesthetic bits, when someone isn't happy that the bean bags we’ve obtained are the wrong colour or the padding for our benches aren’t comfy enough. Better than turning around and hating the whole plan now. These moments don’t feel nasty though - conflict held in common goals, maybe we just don't always agree how to get there. This is where it really gets fun.

Watch out for more on our social media and group chats, I can’t wait for y’all to come join us very soon. Love from the RYSE. xxx