It’s always a bit surprising to be in at the beginning. A regional meeting of Put People First in Bristol last Tuesday, 17 March, was no exception.

The first surprise was that each of us imagined the meeting was being organized by the others. So we should really have been surprised to meet anyone else at all.

The second surprise was that NGOs, trade unions and environmental groups were there in more or less equal force – and seemed to agree on most things.

We were lucky to have excellent initial contributions from Joanne Kaye-Smith from the local region of Unison; Nick Dearden, Director of the Jubilee Debt Campaign; John Hilary, Director of War on Want; and Jane Laurie from Stop Climate Chaos coalition and Climate Friendly Bradford-on-Avon.

The third surprise was that we got very useful analysis and discussion, not least of the plentiful positive options on offer – and, of course, about how to get ourselves halfway decently organized for the future. The local BBC were there filming us, and other film-makers will shortly be posting edited excerpts on the New Internationalist website and elsewhere.

Coaches are being organised (and filling up) for the 28th demo. We exchanged email addresses with the intention of setting up an informal group that will stay in touch.

At least one message coming out of Bristol is that almost anyone could do just as well as, and probably a lot better than, we did. Others are meeting in Edinburgh and maybe Leeds next week – my colleague Chris Brazier will be there.

David Ransom is a Co-Editor of New Internationalist Magazine. The April issue featuring Put People First is now out and already available online on the NI website. Copies are also being distributed free with the Big Issue in London next week.

March 19th, 2009 New Internationalist