The mission of the Solidarity Apothecary is to materially support revolutionary struggles and communities with plant medicines to strengthen collective autonomy, self-defence and resilience to climate change, capitalism and state violence. Each year, I review the work towards this goal.
One night during a 4am breastfeeding session, I came across the poem “The Beautiful and the Hard” by Jess Urlichs on Instagram.
The beautiful and the hard describe 2024 perfectly to me, for so many reasons. Behind the scenes things weren’t easy. My partner after five years clean had a major relapse that shook our lives to the core and created huge emotional and financial instability at a time when I desperately needed both in pregnancy and afterwards. My birth was a traumatic cascade of medical interventions, including preeclampsia, sepsis and an emergency cesarean. All after the worst hyperemesis gravidarum that meant I spent six months severely dehydrated and violently vomiting (thank god it shifted a little in my last months of pregnancy).
The hard, however, has been outweighed by the beautiful and 2024 closes with my family still together, my partner still alive, our beautiful son making us laugh on a daily basis and sense of joy and hope amidst what feels like a collapsing world around us of multiple genocides, climate change, rising fascism and state violence.
Here are some of the things that went down in 2024:
1. Bringing my son into the world
In May, I gave birth to my son Lee. Every day since has been full of joy and delight as I witness the magic of him learning and growing and figuring out this whole human thing. I’ve never experienced a feeling like it, and I’m so grateful that Rob came into my life so that we could create this amazing human together.
Alas, being what feels like a full time anarchist housewife is also tough 🤣. I went from an extremely full life of relentless organising, multiple projects, clients and international travel, to spending most days in our static caravan breastfeeding and changing nappies. I wouldn’t change it for the world but it’s a huge life change and identity shift that I’m riding out. Right now, nurturing Lee is my priority and this period of time is such a brief moment in the context of my life that I’m trying to focus on cherishing it all without grieving everything I did before. Freedom will creep back slowly I’m sure!
From a herbal learning perspective, I’ve loved learning about postpartum herbal support, experimenting with blends for myself and various health needs that surface in pregnancy, birth and postpartum.
2 – Publishing the Herbalism and State Violence Book
In March, I finally published the Herbalism and State Violence book! It’s an absolute beast at 444 pages and brings together contributions from around the world.
The book focuses on state repression, police violence, prisons, the border regime, genocide, occupation and war while recognising there are millions more other forms of state violence shaping people’s lives and bodies.
From herbal care for handcuff injuries to healing from incarceration, the book looks at herbal solidarity in practice, with examples from around the world. Tools are shared for herbal medic responses at demonstrations, protests and uprisings to practising herbalism in prison, to herbal support for nightmares, panic attacks and other expressions of distress and trauma.
You can learn more here: https://solidarityapothecary.org/herbalism-and-state-violence-book/
I’m no longer posting physical copies myself but you can find where to order one here.
Get a copy of the ebook here: https://solidarityapothecary.org/product/herbalism-and-state-violence-ebook/
I’m so grateful to my amazing friend Kes Otter Lieffe who not only edited the book but was the best femme domme accountability you could ask for!!! She’s open to supporting other people with their book projects so make sure you get in touch with her at https://otterlieffe.com/
3. Herbal Care Packages
One of my goals for 2024 was to systematise my herbal care packages and make them more accessible for folks requesting herbal support.
This autumn, I shared a Herbal Solidarity Survey as a way of inviting feedback on what would improve this work. After loads of responses and really helpful insights, I’ve effectively redesigned the offerings to make them easier and simpler for people to request, with more specific packages for groups of people that the Solidarity Apothecary serves.
You can find all the herbal care packages available and the links to their request forms here: https://solidarityapothecary.org/herbal-solidarity2/https://solidarityapothecary.org/herbal-solidarity2/
Being pregnant then on maternity leave, getting herbal support out to folks was an area of work that was paused through most of 2024.
However, with some amazing support from a comrade who came to stay, it became possible again to start getting medicines out to folks.
Herbal care packages were distributed to several individuals and groups. This includes people organising for Palestinian liberation, some former prisoners and prisoner family members, a couple of folks sabbing the badger cull and other close comrades.
Herbs also went to Kurdish freedom movement organisers that have recently experienced a wave of repression by the British state, defendants received my anti repression herbal care packages and the comrades on hunger strike received dried herbs for tea (nettle, a nervous system blend and a gut healing blend for after the strike to help with recovery).
Medicines were also donated to SLEEC for their care packs for survivors of sexual violence. We made 100 nervous system soother blends, immune tonics and lavender oils.
This October, Solidarity Apothecary supported Elliott and a few volunteers from Kalyna Collective in preparing and transporting 3,000 bottles of tinctures and teas for nervous system support to Kyiv, Ukraine.
From there, Insight humanitarian hub has been distributing them to queer defenders and disabled elders living and working in frontlines areas such as Donetsk, Zaporyzhzhia, and Kharkiv.
We are trying to raise $1500 to cover various expenses from this endeavour, related to transportation and supplies, which volunteers fronted and need reimbursement for. Donations massively appreciated – you can donate here.
4. Distributing the Prisoner’s Herbal books
Requests for the Prisoner’s Herbal book continue to come in week on week. I am so grateful to my friend Ellie who took on posting out books to prisoners during my maternity leave.
Excitedly, the book has now been published in Italian! Learn more here: https://solidarityapothecary.org/the-prisoners-herbal-is-now-available-in-italian/
If you’d like to request a copy, please do so via this form: https://solidarityapothecary.org/prisonersherbalrequest/
5. The Frontline Herbalism Podcast
The Frontline Herbalism Podcast went from strength to strength this year but one of my regrets was not timetabling in more interviews before my baby was born! I’ve got a massive spreadsheet of people to interview but no idea how to make them happen now with life being totally determined by naps and breastfeeding and not tons of baby care support. So alas, it will be solo shows for the time being until bubs is a little older.
A whole bunch of episodes were published in 2024 including:
- A whole series of PTSD and Herbalism case studies.
- A series on Herbalism, Incarceration and Abolition that is also available as a free workshop to watch here: https://solidarityapothecary.org/product/herbalism-incarceration-abolition-workshop/
There were also various episodes with articles from the Herbalism and State Violence book:
- Herbal support for prison visits and stressful days
- Herbal allies for grief
- Healing from incarceration
- Police raids and herbal allies for shock
- Herbal support for nightmares
Some amazing interviews including:
- SLEEC (Survivors leading education and change) about sexual violence and trauma, as well as how sexual violence intersects with state violence
- jackie sumell from the Solitary Gardens project
- Rox Madeira from Movement in Thyme all about solidarity medicine making
- Rasheeqa Ahmad about community herbalism
- Layla K. Feghali about herbalism, resistance and remembrance
6. Herbal Solidarity and Border Violence
My pregnancy has meant time off from the Mobile Herbal Clinic Calais and working directly in France as a herbalist medic.
However, I’ve done my best to contribute to the behind the scenes efforts in the UK that help keep the project going. In January, we launched a merchandise fundraiser with the “Plants Know No Borders” t-shirts that raised a massive £10k!
I then stepped back till this autumn and have been doing my best to help set up fundraising infrastructure to allow for monthly donations. Pleaseeeeeeeee sign up to be a monthly supporter if you can!!! Check out the page here: https://mobileherbalclinic.org/campaigns/support/
I also pre-recorded a workshop on Herbalism and Border Violence with the Railyard Apothecary that I hope to upload to my website in the near future. Thank you to everyone who signed up and donated!!!
Before giving birth, I was honoured to work with Solidarity Detainee Support (previously SOAS Detainee Support) to develop some training on abolitionist responses to suicide and distress while working with folks in detention and prisons. I have plans to do another version of this more generally, let me know if you would be interested!
7. Relaunching the Herbalism, PTSD and Traumatic Stress Course
The doors opened once again to the Herbalism, PTSD and Traumatic Stress course in September!
Once again, I was blown away by the interest and support and am so grateful to everyone who joined the course.
If you’re keen to join it this spring, please make sure you join the waiting list here.
You can read all about the course here: https://solidarityapothecary.org/herbalismandptsdcourse/
I also published a Herbal Support for Panic Attacks guide that you can find here: https://solidarityapothecary.org/product/panicattacks/
8. Teaching medicine making
Another Practical Medicine Making Intensive took place in September and it was such a joy!!!! It was a super wholesome bunch of queer cuties who couldn’t have been more of a pleasure to teach.
We took a deep dive into tincture making, glycerites, ointments, infused oils and so much more.
Next year’s courses will take place in May and June – please make sure you join my newsletter to be told when they are available to book! Sign up here.
9. Mutual Aid against genocide and more
We couldn’t talk about 2024 without speaking about the ongoing horrors of the world. While my capacity has shrunk to using my phone during Lee’s naps, I’ve done my best to keep organising the best I can. This includes various fundraisers, such as for the Sameer Project in Gaza and the Solidarity is Strength Auction for mutual aid in Lebanon. Likewise, even though prison visits have not been possible, I’ve done my best to amplify action alerts for various friends and comrades inside, including Farah, who has stage three cancer while in prison.
Please never be afraid to message me on Instagram to help share solidarity calls to action on insta or my email list etc!
2024 Goal Accountability
As with all my review posts, I publicly share and review my goals as there’s been tons of research about the benefits of this kind of public accountability. Here were my goals for 2024:
Achieved
- To finalise my herbal solidarity care packages and set them up on my website for easier access while on maternity leave
- To continue with the Frontline Herbalism Podcast
- To finally finish and publish the Herbalism & State Violence Book
- To support folks to wrap up as many translated versions of my books as possible
- To re-decorate my herb shed and organise my storage ready to make it into an office too
- To support the Mobile Herbal Clinic to develop a membership donation program for greater financial resilience
- To relaunch my course on Herbalism, PTSD & Traumatic Stress in Autumn 2024
- To organise more face-to-face medicine-making sessions and receive help more
- To enrol in some kind of foot care training
Ongoing
- To continue to invest in my clinical education & learning
- To continue self-education about different areas of struggle
- To continue to organise prisoner solidarity and stay involved in my various political collectives through pregnancy and maternity leave the best I can
Personal
- Once planning permission is confirmed, support Rob to decorate the Static Caravan and create the nicest rockabilly love nest ever!
- To give birth to a healthy, beautiful amazing human <3
- To have a healthy rest of my pregnancy, an empowering birth and a calm and enjoyable postpartum period
- To continue to build spiritual skills
- To hang out with friends more, and make more local friends with babies!
Not achieved
- To organise some kind of recorded prisoner solidarity training
- To finish creating and launch the Do No Harm Course – an offering all about clinical safety for grassroots herbalists (it’s in process but not finished!)
- To offer one-to-one support again via my online clinic
- To enrol in Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice training
- To save up for a trip to Australia and New Zealand to introduce our baby to our family living there, increase understanding of settler colonialism and connect with comrades in these regions – wow I really thought I’d wanna travel to the other side of the world with a baby (haha face palm).
- To get surf practice when ready postpartum
- To invest in a stand up paddle board and connect to rivers and waterways locally
Renegotiated/decided to no longer pursue
- To get some kind of fulfilment centre arrangement organised with my books and optimise book sales as a passive income during maternity leave and beyond
- To finish my endobiogenic medicine diploma – renegotiated as wasn’t possible during my pregnancy sickness
- To explore the possibilities of organising some kind of local herbal project eg. With houseless communities, and former prisoners until I’m ready to return to Calais – it makes me laugh how I thought I’d take on a new project postpartum 🤣
