Before and After renovation at the Bolt Squatted Hostel
Channel: Workers Solidarity Movement
Date: 2015-07-21

The Bolt Hostel is a building occupied by community & housing activists in order to provide emergency accommodation for homeless families. The video shows progress from when the occupation first happened to the kitting out of individual rooms for use. The text below was written by one of our reporters involved in the hostel.

Since the establishment of the Bolt Hostel there have been many people that have arrived at the door to donate furniture, cloths, bed linin, volunteering their time, labour and skills. There has been a communal kitchen area/ TV area created, all by the donations of fridges, microwave, washing machine, cooker, table and chairs, sofa, TV and DVD player by people. 

Many people from many different backgrounds have taken part in helping to establish and create the Bolt Hostel, and to bring it to this stage. Not all the volunteers are political or community activists. Most of the volunteers are ordinary people that have come together to help and give their time and energy, totally selflessly, not expecting any recognition or anything in return.

The Bolt project would not have gone this far without the housing and homeless groups working together and the project defiantly would not have got this far without the help and donations made by people. Not much money went into the Bolt, everything came from donations and from the good will of people.

On Saturday the 11th of July in the Bolt there was a work day. Volunteers arrived at the door from 8.30am and worked eagerly till past 7.30pm. There were activists of all shades and backgrounds, trades people and people that just wanted to help. What I noticed most of all was the enthusiasm to help the project.

There were electricians and carpenters using their skills to fix things that needed fixing. About 8 people spent the day painting the whole second floor, which includes 1 single bedroom, 1 double bedroom, a communal shower and toilet area and the stairwell leading up to the 3rd floor. (the paint, brush’s and rollers used were all donated). 

The buzz and the excitement of helping to create a living space to house homeless people including families helped the volunteers to plough through and work throughout the day.

Everyone chatted while working; no one knew each other but chatted like they were old friends. A team of volunteers made tea and coffee and distributed cups around throughout the day. People called in leaving sandwiches and food they made for the volunteers.

This was solidarity through direct action, people taking the steps themselves to create a better life for people in need of a home, people the volunteers more than likely don’t know or will ever meet. This was mutual aid, a term anarchists have rambled on so much about since Peter Kropotkin wrote his well-known book on the subject.

These people weren’t waiting any longer on the state to create change, or they weren’t waiting on the politicians that promise the sun, moon and the stars to be elected. There was a buzz in the air in the Bolt, a feeling of excitement and enthusiasm. This is mutual aid at its finest.

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“Mutual aid is arguably as ancient as human culture; an intrinsic part of the small, communal societies universal to humanity's ancient past. From the dawn of humanity, until far beyond the Invention of agriculture, humans were foragers, exchanging labor and resources for the benefit of groups and individuals alike.” – Wikipedia