Blackpool Activist Alliance: Meet Reclaim Blackpool + badge-making workshop

Find out about Reclaim Blackpool: mapping instances of harassment towards women and girls on the streets and in public spaces.

Join Antonia Charlesworth-Stack to find out about Reclaim Blackpool, a mapping project that records women and girls’ experiences of harassment on the streets of Blackpool and the Fylde Coast.

Following the brutal murder of Sarah Everard in 2021, there was a subsequent cry from women across the country to Reclaim These Streets. At the same time a survey by UN Women revealed that 97% of women have been sexually harassed in public spaces and 96% of them do not report those situations because they believe it will not change anything.
We’ll take a look at how this powerful project came about; how an article written by Antonia sparked the frustration and anger of local women and called them to act.

Slogan badge making
Taking inspiration from some of the textile pieces from the We’re Sew Done project, we’ll come up with our own slogans for change and make them into pin badges that share important messages and can be worn with pride.
This ‘in-person’ session will be informal and will involve some group discussions. We usually have a varied group, so please be prepared to learn from each other’s lived experience.

Who’s going to be there?
💭 Antonia Charlesworth-Stack is a writer, editor and activist. She runs Reclaim Blackpool, a project mapping sexual harassment in public places in Blackpool.

Book your tickets here

So what’s the deal?

When: 11am – 2pm, Saturday 21 January 2023 .
Where: Aunty Social, 28 Topping St, Blackpool FY1 3AQ
For who: Those living, working or studying in Blackpool who want to find out more about activism and our skills and knowledge exchange workshops. You don’t need to identify as an activist or come with any specific knowledge. Everyone has expertise to share through their lived-experience and anyone can be an activist!
Age Range: Suggested age range 15-20, but if you’re older or younger and interested in social action you’re welcome. If you are under 16, your parent or carer will will need to fill in a consent form. We’ll email this to you once you sign up.
Cost: This is a free event
Refreshments: We’ll provide hot & cold drinks.
Access: We will ask you about your access needs (e.g. large print, BSL interpreter, level access) when you book your ticket.

Getting here

• Tram to North Pier
• Bus: No 3,4 or 6 bus to Topping St. No 2, 2C, 3, 7, 7, 11, 14, 17, 18 or 20 to Church St (Stanley Buildings)
• Driving: The closest pay and display car parks are on East Topping St and Talbot Road multi storey. There is also parking at the nearby Sainsbury’s supermarket, please make sure that you check the terms before you use the car park.

Places are limited, so please book a spot to avoid disappointment.

Who are the Activist Alliance?

This event and the following skills and knowledge exchange workshops are being programmed and facilitated by Activist Alliance partner Aunty Social.
The Activist Alliance is a collaboration between Boingboing CIC and community partners based on the concept of Activism for Resilience, the idea that people taking action towards social justice is beneficial to their mental health and wellbeing, both in the doing itself and in the potential outcomes. This is why the Boingboing conception of resilience is ‘beating the odds whilst also changing the odds’.

This is part of a series of workshops where we will share skills and knowledge equipping us all to take steps towards positive change on the issues that we care about. The workshops will cover things like …

• Getting started & finding your people
• Different types of community organising
• Using art and creativity to get your message across
• What’s going on locally? Blackpool-based activists sharing their work