So, what do we do? Well…“People & Planet is the largest, student network in Britain campaigning to end world poverty, defend human rights and protect the environment.” Or at least that’s what the website will tell you, but we are much more than that; let me explain who UWE People and Planet really are….
I was a fresher last year when I first went along to the People and Planet meetings and I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had not really done any campaigning before, had only been to one protest and wondered if I would be out of my depth. What I found though was a group of like minded people and I was re-assured to find that many were, like me, thinking of taking action for the first time.
In my first year at People and Planet I made good friends and it was great to have a place to come and talk about the things that I care about with people who share similar feelings. Since last year my confidence has grown and I feel empowered to speak out about what I believe in. This year I’m president on the committee and now it’s great to watch new members grow in confidence and find their voice.
 Already this year we have achieved so much and every moment has been enjoyable. We went on a weekend trip to volunteer on an organic farm just outside of Bristol where we camped, built a fire and ate some fantastic home cooked food. We had a film showing of The 11th Hour (a film about climate change) at Frenchay campus and two ladies from Bangladesh joined us to speak to us about the effects that climate change is having in their communities. We went to the national People and Planet conference in Birmingham with workshops and motivational speakers as well as a chance to hear a fantastic comedian/poet and live ska band. One of my favourite events of the year has to be Buy Nothing Day, which is a day to raise awareness about the effects of consumerism. We went into the centre of Broadmead to set up a free shop to celebrate and put up a marquee with big banners to announce the free shop, free stuff and free love (uh hum, within reason) and gave away clothes and other bric a brac. We wore silly costumes made out of recycled materials, gave hula hoop lessons and even started our own band to get shoppers’ attention and, well, just to have a laugh!
What I love about this society is that what it is, the energy it has, is determined by those within it who give so much time. We are not just a society who protests about things that we disagree with; I feel that it is more a group of friends getting together to enjoy our time with each other. We share the same ambitions and creatively think of ways to inspire people to think about the ways we treat the planet and each other.
We meet up once a week in different locations around Bristol, usually in a pub to chat over a pint and we have many other events going on in between as well. There is no hierarchy so though the committee makes sure the meetings run smoothly the direction we take is entirely up to the group. We actively encourage everyone to bring ideas to the meetings for events and campaigns they would like us to get involved in.
We’re really looking forward to next year with lots of exciting ideas and plans buzzing around already. We have a great bunch this year but we welcome new members and the new ideas and experiences that they could bring. Joining People and Planet has given me the chance to make great friends, enjoy good times, gain skills and watch myself and those around me grow in confidence. Here’s what some of our other members had to say:
Grace Herron: “It’s been great to spend time with people who are genuinely passionate about the environment and social justice, and to learn more about how we can make a difference in a fun, non-judgemental environment.”
Paul Saville: “People and Planet allowed me to reach out to like minded people, who like myself, want to make positive changes in the world. The P&P meetings are always interesting and with something always going on. I feel very lucky to have met all the people from P&P, they are all down to earth. The meetings are excellent as I have many ideas to share, and its great discussing them with the group.”
Jo Stunt: “People and Planet is an excellent group to join if you want to meet new, like-minded people, have fun and make a positive difference in the world or even in your town! As a new student in Bristol it has given me a lot of opportunities to get out there and do things I wouldn’t normally do.”
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