On the 18th August, TalkingDrugs published the article Policing, Unlicensed Raves and Safer Partying in the UK highlighting the importance of harm reduction for young people in particular. UK-based Rave Aid Crew are raising money to provide exactly that! To donate, visit their GoFundMe page. More information about the campaign and where your money will go is provided below:
Hi everyone.
We are Rave Aid Crew. Covid-19 has caused all of our venues and nightclubs to close. As a result, there has been resurgence in illegal events, free parties and raves across the UK. Give us a like over on facebook: https://bit.ly/3aCFnDS
We do not condone or condemn illegal events or drug use. However, we are realistic: both these things will inevitably happen, and it is important that there is a harm reduction response when they do. There is a large team of experienced welfare volunteers ready to dedicate their time and energy to keeping ravers safe.
Currently, there is no harm reduction response to illegal raves in the UK. The level of drug use is typically above and beyond what you would find at a mainstream festival, and our response must be tailored with this in mind. Partnering with Chill-Villainz, a new grassroots free party-focussed welfare service, we aim to change this.
Some of our messaging is quite different than what other harm reduction organisations normally say. This is on purpose: messaging suitable for someone who is taking their first pill at a festival has to be very different to messaging suitable for people who typically take 4+ different drugs over the course of a 48-hour bender. In order to keep people engaged our advice must be realistic to their patterns of drug use, and not appear condescending.
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So, what do we need money for?
£250 would get 500 high quality 20-page leaflets printed: https://bit.ly/3kSxoay
These would be given out for free. They contain a non-judgemental mix of practical and health-based information, with the aim of keeping readers interested while helping them reflect upon their patterns of drug use.
£400 would get us the leaflets, plus some basic essentials for Chill-Villainz’ new welfare service. These essentials include a table, a tea urn, tea and coffee, camping chairs, hand sanitiser, sick bowls, rehydration salts, sun cream, walkie talkies, uniforms, water, comfy places to lie down and much more.
£500 would get us the leaflets, welfare kit, 250 face masks, post-it notes and some rubber balloons for Covid-19 prevention – read below.
£500+ would allow us to do even more! The more money we have, the more we can put into setting up and operating a proper welfare service.
The face masks, hand sanitiser, rubber balloons and post-it notes are so, so important for Covid-19 infection control:
1) It gives ravers who have forgotten to bring their own masks the option of remaining safer on the dancefloor. Some may choose not to use a mask, but it is important that the option is there for crowded spaces.
2) People commonly share snorties, which is a great way to spread Covid-19. Post-it notes would mean people have the option of having their own, and not come into potential contact with another raver's mucus.
3) People will inevitably also be using nitrous oxide, and they will inevitably run out of balloons – and will then start sharing, and come into contact with other people's saliva. Seeing people pick up used balloons from the floor is a common sight. Providing free rubber balloon would prevent this.
No other organisation is attempting to provide harm reduction at raves, or stem the spread of Covid-19 in this way. These events are often too large for the police to safely shut down (the last one was over 3,000 people), and it is important to work within that context to keep attendees and the wider public as safe as possible.
Questions? Get in touch with Rave Aid Crew on facebook: https://bit.ly/3aCFnDS
See PDF version of our drugs info leaflet below:
