Organise South West to rebuild grassroots power across the region

A new grassroots campaigning organisation, Organise South West, will officially launch online on 21 May. It aims to bring together trade unionists, community groups, and local activists to campaign on shared regional issues. These include public services, a just transition, and public ownership of water.

The launch event will take place online. It’s open to all interested in building stronger connections across Devon and Cornwall. More information and registration is available here.

Organise South West has set up in response to the growing challenges facing communities across the region, including rising costs of living, declining public services, and environmental pressures.

The initiative aims to link up existing grassroots organisations and trade union branches. This will help to coordinate campaigns and build collective power across geographic and organisational boundaries.

A key early focus of the organisation is supporting the campaign to bring South West Water back into public ownership. The group has recently launched a petition calling for water services to be run in the interests of people and the environment, not private profit.

Dr Deirdre Patterson said:

Across the South West, public services are stretched over wide geographies where communities often aren’t well connected. The challenges people face don’t stop at district or local authority boundaries. So if we’re serious about winning change, we need organising that brings communities together across those divides.

Dr Jeremy Evans Anbleyth added:

Organise South West is about turning frustration into collective power. Places like the South West and Kernow (Cornwall) are too often overlooked. We’re bringing people together to win real change, starting with taking back control of essential services like water.

Organise South West emphasises practical organising support and collaboration between unions and community campaigns. And it’ll focus on winnable issues that matter to working people across the region.

Featured image via Organise South West