Mutual aid is a foundational element of Anarchism, but it is often difficult to translate theory into meaningful action while surviving the hellscape of late stage capitalism. Still, up and down the land there are a variety of practical examples from Food not Bombs stands, to Community Toolsheds, and Infoshops. Free Shops often go under the radar, but can be a vital link for many. If you go down to Boscome in Bournemouth on a Friday, outside Costa, you'll find the Boscome Free Shop, week in, week out, being there, making their community better. We wanted to know more so asked them not only why, but how they do this and how can others looking to find a way to make their anarchism practical start their own.

Why do we do the free shop?
We do the free shop because we know that we are capable of providing for each others needs, we do it because we believe everyone has a right to exist in public without spending money and because it's incredibly fun.

NEEDS
Bad things are happening and worse things are on the horizon- climate disaster, refugee crises, white supremacist violence to name a few- and having a means by which we, as part of the community, can distribute goods means that when infrastructure collapses or the government refuses to meet peoples' needs, we will not be helpless. We have in our free shop the seed of actually functioning relief efforts in a time where more and more governments are happy for us to just die.

An example of how this may occur is the actions of COVID-19 advocacy groups during the California wildfires in January. When it became clear that the government was not going to provide anything significant in terms of respiratory protection, they went and distributed masks and respirators themselves, despite being fairly small groups of largely disabled individuals. Though the needs that arise are impossible to predict and won't be identical to the needs we fulfil now, being that first node in a network of self sufficiency could be the difference between anarchy and chaos.

Given that what we give away is mostly what we get from people on the street, there is quite a variety. Thankfully we mostly get non-perishable goods, but any food does tend to go quickly.

SPACE
We're taught from an early age, through media or schools or wherever else, that strangers are out to get us, that everyone outside our circle should be treated with suspicion. This naturally leads to people looking to large institutions beyond their control to supply their emotional and physical needs, and as these institutions we're taught to trust – the government, NHS and charities- are either gutted or show themselves for what they always were, its desperately important we come together and take care of each other instead of becoming paralysed, and the free shop is a first step towards that.

When people see that we can organise on a grassroots level, and that we can trust each other and share, it calls into question the idea that you need permission to go out there and take up space and take care of each other, or that really useful local action is the reserve of those with power. We make our own power, by sharing, by interfacing with the community, by being, even just for a few hours on a Friday, a part of Boscombe high street that doesn't belong to any business or the council, and is there solely for the sake of whoever passes by.

FUN
Whenever I imagine a revolution, or whatever the end to all this misery would be, I dream of dancing and music on the street, of people sharing food and drink, people being loud, people being quiet, just doing all the things we're alive to do out in public with each other. And this is what has been happening at our free shop, every Friday, without fail for the past six months.

We've made a space for ourselves where we can just fuck around in public and sing and write snarky jokes on the street while still fulfilling important needs, and besides whatever material needs we might help fulfil, we do it because it's fun.

I personally look forward to it every week. There's music and coffee and cake, and there's always at least one kid who doesn't entirely believe what they're seeing and leaves in an exponentially better mood with either cake or a toy. We have chalk on the ground and write lots of radical shit all over the walls, and try and have it so anyone feels welcome to write or draw whatever they want on the street.

YOU CAN DO IT TOO – PRACTICAL TIPS
- It doesn't matter how small you start, just start and see how it grows. If your experience is like ours, you'll be pleasantly surprised by how many new folks you meet and how those connections create new opportunities for your Free Shop.

- The starting set-up for the Boscombe Free Shop was a folding table and a picnic blanket to lay items out on, cardboard signs saying "Everything Free", and unwanted items that we had around our homes.

- If you can pick a specific place and time that you will consistently be, it's likely that people in your community will start to expect you to be there and come to support you. Sometimes we have people who arrive with items to donate before we even get there to set up because they know we'll be there. We do every Friday afternoon, 2.30-5.30, as an example.

- Advertising in local Facebook groups has been a wildly effective way to get people to bring items to donate and to know that the Free Shop is on. Put up posters, talk to as many people as you can about it.

- It took us too long to realise it's easy to commandeer a shopping trolley to transport items to and from your Free Shop...

- You do not need permission from your council or the police to set up a stall in the street giving away items/food for free. If police come by, spread the word with people at the stall as quickly as you can so people can leave if they need to, always remember "No Comment!", and have someone in your group film police if you can to make sure you have their badge numbers. Being unwelcoming to police creates an environment where people harassed by police are more likely to feel safe and supported.

- Have loads of signs communicating what your stall is in different ways because many people have never seen a Free Shop, don't understand how it can exist, and may even think it's a trick. We have a selection of signs including "FREE SHOP" fabric letters sewn to our table cloth, a chalkboard, pavement chalk around the area, a noticeboard set up at a slight distance so people can read it without engaging if they're shy, and laminated signs showing the day/time/place/social media of our Free Shop. Messages like "Everything Free" or "Everything Free for Everyone" are good. We're also starting to try out a QR code for a group chat so people can join even if they're just passing by.

– In our experience, some people feel guilty or unworthy when first interacting with a Free Shop – they express that they feel bad to take anything without giving money, or that they don't 'need' it as much as someone else might. These kinds of situations allow us to all directly confront capitalist conditioning and create a space to challenge and start to undo this. For this reason, we never accept monetary donations. Even though it might make people temporarily more comfortable, we are determined to have a space that is not transactional and where it is not possible to donate money, and where there is no pressure or obligation to donate items or time either.

- Try to create a miniature version of the world that you would like to live in. For the Boscombe Free Shop, some examples of this are not interacting with money, not engaging in hierarchy, and being an intersectional space, including for animal liberation, so asking that people don't donate items that include animal products, using plant milks for our hot drinks station; tabling flyers/zines/stickers supporting all liberation struggles, often donated by other activist groups locally; having facemasks available on the stall; sharing Know Your Rights information, doing copwatch or support for anyone harassed by police.

- Trust that the skills and uniqueness of the people you meet will inform what your Free Shop can do – if it's everyone's Free Shop equally and people who walk by feel invited to get behind the table or just generally stick around, you never know what will happen. We've had delicious vegan baked goods and meals brought or even cooked at the stall, live music, poi spinning, jewellery made and then given away at the stall, chalking, protest sign-making, prisoner solidarity card writing – every time is an adventure and you'll come away from it with lots of stories.

- Look at what other Free Shops are doing for inspiration, tips and support. At Boscombe Free Shop (@bournemouthanarchists) we were inspired to start by seeing Bristol Free Shop on Instagram (@bristol.freeshop) and asked them questions before we got going. Portsmouth Free Shop (@pompey.freeshop) got in touch with us to get tips on starting. Reach out and make connections, ask questions, visit each other if you can. It's great seeing each other's journeys and feeling invested in the wider Free Shop community, and we will help to promote and highlight your Free Shop too!

Drag your table into the street and get started, it might be the best thing you ever do.

Comments and advice from various people involved in the Boscombe, Portsmouth or Bristol free shops -

"It's easy to forget how much decency and kindness is out there until you talk to real strangers; 'activism' can be healing!"- Snail breath

"The free shop should be a joyful thing but also an inherently political thing, your politics should be clear from when you're setting up and as you're packing up. I love chalking the floor and walls to make our presence known of after we've left. The chalk is a good conversation starter with people in the community and lets our politics not be seen as 'radical'. Never take money even if you need to replace something. Encourage people to bring stuff instead and your free shop will never run out of things."-A

"Make a note of what goes fast/what people ask for and keep an eye out/ask for more as that's the best way to meet people's needs."- B

"The thing that I mostly like about the free shop is it is a junction for people to meet, to bring their unwanted stuff and give away to the needy. It brings communities together."- M

"I think the freeshop is wonderful, it's been a fabulous opportunity to meet like minded people and make friends. The community is honestly the best part, it's such a lovely vibe and seeing how welcoming the local community is to the free shop is extremely heartwarming."- Birds

"Even though I can never be there for very long I'm genuinely so grateful for how the free shop has enabled me to make so many new friends, learn about face masks, given me an excuse to start playing guitar again, do chalk graffiti with others, have a place to give away things I don't want anymore, get free clothes and more, and I want to thank everyone else who helps make it possible. Love having the free shop in my life."- Cee

"For me the free shop continues to delight every week. It is a story generator. It is an evolutionary space. It is community. You're either doing a thing or you're not doing it. You got this!"- Moss

River
Boscombe Free Shop