In the 1970s Reading was just like any other university town. There were lots of groups of people who could loosely be described as a bit lefty. But to a large extent they existed within their own individual orbits and had little or no contact with the other groups around them. What was so special about the 1980s was how these groupings began to interweave and bounce off each other to create a radical alternative community. Red Rag was one of the cornerstones of this transition along with Acorn Bookshop. RISC got established at this time, Reading Wholefoods flourished. In the Rag the Women’s Centre and Rape Crisis Line publicised their formation, the Trades Union Council promoted May Day, Greenham Common and Burghfield Peace Camps maintained publicity when the local and national press had ceased to find them newsworthy. Newtown Community House had a quarter page advert for years. None of these were Anarchist ventures but they all came together in the Rag. James called it anarchism with a little “a” in action. James expanded on the theme with Interlinear Press and the production of 5 years worth of Reading Between the Lines. From humble beginnings of 36 pages in 1983 it grew to 136 pages by 1988. This was the definitive guide to all things social in the town, produced by people who lived in Reading and liked living in Reading. Everything from Welfare, to recycling tinfoil with Oxfam. Everyone mattered, nobody was left out. Reading Evening Post described the last edition as the best publication of its kind they had ever seen with a real feel for democracy, of bringing Reading alive to everybody. You could move to Reading from anywhere and find your feet right away. The Well Nigh Legendary Going Out Guide meant that the readership always had somewhere to go and something to do on every night of the week. Often these were the sort of events that would normally have depended on word of mouth for publicity but now reached probably a thousand people every fortnight. Some people got the Rag primarily for the listings and then found themselves reading articles on addiction and mental health and just what our elected representatives were really up to. It was a vital resource in Reading . The demise of the Rag gave rise to Catalyst in the early 90s. But of course you had to pay for that. Red Rag was free but someone had to pay for it. A constant theme over the years was the treasurer nagging the readership to cough up donations to raise the funds to print the next issue. Or even to pay for the one already out. So members of the collective produced posters, badges, calendars, music tapes all to raise money and those who had the skills to do such things taught others how to do them too. We had a RED RAG Christmas PARTY in 1983 featuring Sand dancers. Clive and Larry gave a reprise performance outside the Fairfield Community Centre the following summer and I think this was when Jackie did her fire eating act. Which just proves that some people will do anything to raise a few bob for the cause. The Benefit gigs were regular and essential events. Everyone seemed to be running benefits at that time and in early 1986 The Conspiracy was born to do just that, featuring some enterprising members of the Rag Collective with their mates. The Conspiracy DIY guide or “How to put on your own benefit gig and not get burnt in the process” was printed at Acorn the following year. What a mega skill share. In April 1983 Laura reported that the ABC Cinema in Cemetery Junction had been squatted over a weekend in March by a group of young people who were fed up with the lack of leisure facilities and community space in Reading. The original plan had been for some homeless people to live in the cinema, but the idea grew that the Cinema could be used as a venue and a place for young people to go to. Nothing apparently came of this and the Cinema was demolished but in 1985 the following flyer appeared with the Rag: We are not prepared to sit and wait another ten years for space to be provided. We have the energy, enthusiasm and ideas now, and would rather use them positively to organise events than to engage in fruitless struggles with the powers that be for recognition and response. For 10 days the old Unemployment Benefit Offices in South Street was to become the venue for a series of workshops and projects, from music to video, screenprinting to street theatre. And what jolly fun we had. There were silk screen workshops, and theatre and if I remember rightly that was attended by our local community Mr Plod who had a jolly time too. There was loads of music. Larry borrowed a video camera from Bulmershe and put together the “Are You Occupied ?“ video. And this time it worked, it inspired the Powers That Be to think imaginatively. The UB Offices didn’t get wiped off the face of the earth as a site for yet another new office block. It wasn’t quite what everyone wanted though. In the early 90s more activists tried again with the Biscuit Base in the Old Huntley and Palmers building and then the true concept of running your own space found its permanent home right here. The Rising Sun, still run by volunteers 20 years down the road. The Anarchists didn’t found this centre but we planted the idea and the people who have been involved here over the years proved it could be sustained with hard work and a desire to make it happen. Meanwhile back to the anarchists and the biggest birthday party ever, to celebrate Reading Anarchists 20th anniversary. I think this was a somewhat arbitrary date as the earliest reference I can find in Larry’s stuff was to Reading Libertarians in 1967 Doris’s party went off with a bang. Loads of bands played although not necessarily at the advertised times. There were jugglers and fire eaters. The free food stall was a smash hit and the symbolic destruction of about 20 TV sets resulted in one of my favourite pieces of memorabilia. Namely this, and look it’s even got a bit of coal in it. Oh and we all got as black as our flags. The Are you Occupied squat and Doris was followed up by Abieezer Coppe at the derelict Alder Valley bus station just before Christmas to celebrate the Winter Solstice. We built a maze, some bands played, Larry spent 3 days doing the only bit of graffiti I ever saw him do embellished with a glorious sunrise: PARADISE NOW If not you then who? If not here then where? If not now then when? The squats were all one-offs but there were regular events too. The Anarchists met every Monday night after Blakes Seven, you had to phone James for times and venue but first and foremost were the Rag compilation weekends. Lots of the ideas were spawned while putting the Rag together on the floor of Norwood Road. No doubt more ideas came together round the printer. It was a time when the graphic designers, the musicians, the artists, the activists and the party goers all got together. As Nick said “Lots of people passed through Norwood Road”. Then there was Veggie dining. Whose idea was it? getting suitable venues became a major problem and I suppose with modern day health and safety and food preparation legislation we couldn’t get away with it today. Sadly it faded away but it did have a great resurgence in later years with La Grande Bouche. Do you remember Non-competitive Games in Palmer Park? A bunch of adults playing games and anyone who was passing was invited to join in. It involved a huge parachute which was a great crowd puller. Kids would hover, thought it a bit weird to begin with but once they participated they’d come back for more and brought their mates. My memories of these times were full of fun and humour. The anarchists on a charm offensive, sharing with those around us. We tried to break down barriers. Reading Anarchists Year of the Hug cards were a great success. You’d proffer the card in exchange for a hug. They reached as far as Sydney and Seattle. We gained a reputation for actually being quite responsible. The local press looked on us fairly benignly so when the 1988 Stonehenge Pilgrimage got going they readily accepted the press releases we gave them for the Silchester/Calleva stopover. Instead of the usual muck raking and shit stirring their pre-festival news items ended with John Doe’s placatory words and it went off without a hitch That was part of our collective ethos, making the world a nicer, more harmonious place. We wanted a revolution that everyone could join in. I’ll give the last word to James. I’ve lifted it from the 1988 Reading Between the Lines: Reading Anarchists, Box 19, 17 Chatham Street: An umbrella organisation of various anarchist, anarcho-syndicalist and situationist groupings, oligarchies and individuals. Has had its ups and downs over its 23 years, and is currently climbing out of a deep trough. Nevertheless, under various pseudonyms it still runs most of the radical infrastructure in Reading. Almost anybody who is anyone, is, or has been, a member.