Solidarity in the South West

Unite branch members from Devon are recovering after organising a new festival near Plymouth.

Unite on the Hill ran from 19 – 21 June at Maker Heights in Torpoint, bringing together Unite members, their families, and invited guests in a mix of workshops, music, children’s activities and informal space to talk and spend time together. 

Trade union organising and political discussions sat alongside live music and family activities rather than being set apart from the rest of the event. 

Unite SW008 Branch Chair, John Whitcher explained why the branch had decided to organise the event, saying, “The idea for a family-oriented, open event came from members themselves. Branch meetings were not reaching many of the people on the books, and attendance was low even where workplace issues were active. 

“For a large branch, most members had very little contact with union activity beyond occasional updates. 

“There was a clear need for something more open and less formal, something that could bring people together without it feeling like another meeting to sit through. An event where people could come with family, stay for a while, and move between conversations, music, and activities in the same space.”

The branch recognised there was an issue with engagement, but that the challenge was how to connect with members who were not already involved in branch structures, and how to create something that gave people a reason to turn up in the first place. 

John added that the branch decided to try a different approach, one “built around accessibility, informal space, and creating conditions where people could actually spend time together rather than just attend a scheduled session and leave.”

And so the idea of “Unite on the Hill” was born, with Maker Heights chosen to be the site of the festival because it offered a combination of accessibility, transport links, and camping infrastructure. It also allowed the branch to work with the experienced team at Maker Heights to organise infrastructure and logistics.

The program over the weekend was a mix of music, family activity, and informal space alongside workshops covering a variety of subjects relevant to Unite members.

Organisers ensured that the music programme ranged widely across genres, including folk, ceilidh, rock, electronic, jungle, and drum and bass, and that family activities ran continuously across the weekend and were consistently well attended. 

These were not seen as side activities, but were central to why people were drawn to the event, stayed on site and engaged with the union workshops.

The sessions kicked off with “Organising for Power: How to Unionise Your Workplace.”, which focused on the basics of workplace organising such as mapping workplaces.

Other discussions covered included “Refuse, Resist, Rebuild: Winning Power Locally through Community Campaigns.”, “Take Back South West Water”, “Resisting Imperialism: International Solidarity in an Age of Crisis.” and “Feed Kids, Tax Wealth, Poverty is Political.”

John said that, “Branch representatives and attendees repeatedly noted that conversations often happened in informal spaces rather than scheduled sessions. This is where relationships formed and where follow-up organising conversations started.”

Lee Everson, Unite rep NEU staff branch, “One of the biggest successes of Unite on the Hill was that it didn’t just appeal to the usual suspects. Experienced activists were a hugely valued part of the weekend, but they didn’t dominate the event in the way that can sometimes happen. That created space for members, families and people new to organising to come together on equal terms.

“By combining political discussion with great music, family activities and time to relax, we created an event where people could enjoy themselves, build friendships and strengthen solidarity at the same time. If this had just been another activist talking shop, many of those relationships simply wouldn’t have been built.” 

There was obvious nervousness about an undertaking that would  use so much of the branch’s time, energy and funds – but in the end it was a huge success and the event capacity of 750 was only just enough. Something many longer established events would struggle to achieve. 

The branch said final numbers were around 249 Unite member tickets used, including partners and families, around 250 local tickets issued through Maker Heights, including local residents and subscribers, this included 61 attendees under 16. There were also around 200 additional attendees recorded by the venue at peak entry times.

The festival campsite was virtually full with attendees from branches across the South West.

Zoe Fox, Branch Secretary, Unite Community Cornwall, said. “At a time when so many people are facing financial pressure and social isolation, Unite on the Hill offered something that’s often overlooked – a welcoming space to connect, relax and spend time together. Bringing people together through music, family activities and shared experiences helped build the sense of community and solidarity that’s at the heart of everything we do.”

John said that the branch learnt a huge amount from the event, and is hoping to run it next year if possible, though much of this may be down to drawing in funding from the region and other branches.

John said, “Unite on the Hill worked as a proof of concept. It showed that union spaces do not need to be limited to meetings or conferences to generate engagement. It also showed the limits of relying on volunteer capacity without consistent institutional backing. 

“The branch can organise at this scale, but not repeatedly without stronger structural support. That is the gap that sits underneath most of the operational challenges experienced during delivery. The event happened because people pushed it forward locally.”

John added that if  you would like to see the event happen again next year organisers would very much appreciate any donations from branches keen to get involved, and if your branch is able to donate please contact our secretary Phil via email at [email protected]

By Keith Hatch

Photo by Dom Moore