Herbal Care Packages

Solidarity is a weapon

The main focus of the Solidarity Apothecary is making and distributing plant medicines to people experiencing state violence and repression. 

The project started off with informally gifting comrades little herbal care packages. Now medicines have been gifted to people all over the world. From court support packs for the Kill The Bill defendants, to medicines for prisoner family members to herbal first aid for thousands of asylum seekers experiencing border violence in Northern France. More than 17,000 medicines were also distributed to people fleeing the genocidal re-invasion of Ukraine. 

If you’re interested in receiving herbal support for yourself, a loved one, grassroots group or other project, please find more information below. 

Please note herbal care packages are available for folks in England, Wales and Scotland but can be posted internationally if comrades can support with the cost of postage and navigating customs.

Please see a glossary at the bottom of the page if any of the herbal terms are new!

You can request a care package using the forms below. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to info@solidarityapothecary.org 

Herbal Care Packages Available

Anti Repression Pack

Who this pack is for: Defendants and their supporters experiencing repression. For example people who have been arrested, are awaiting or on trial, close family members and comrades doing ongoing anti-repression work. 

What this pack contains and why: 

  • Immune Tonic: a blend made with Echinacea tincture, Elderberry, Thyme, Ginger and Turmeric Glycerites. All of these herbs are fantastic antimicrobials that can support the prevention of colds and infections when under duress, for example during a long court case.
  • Nervous System Soother Blend: a blend made with Hawthorn berry, Chamomile and Lemon balm glycerites that have a gentle relaxant action to aid with reducing the activation of the fight-flight response when surviving chronic stress. 
  • Lavender Oil: a beautiful infused oil made with organic lavender and olive oil from the West Bank in Palestine that can aid with sleep and general rest. 
  • Nerve Nourisher Tea: a tea blend of Skullcap, Chamomile, Oatstraw, Lavender to support you to rest, recover and sleep after stressful days in court. 

How to request this care package: Request via this form 

Prisoner Family Pack

Who this pack is for: This pack is for people currently supporting a loved one inside, whether that’s a family member, friend, partner or comrade. Medicines are also available for ex-prisoners. Having supported loved ones in prison for more than twenty years, undertaken what feels like a million prison visits and having been inside myself, I know the relentless impact on the health and wellbeing of those on the outside. I support prisoner families with plant medicines so that they can mitigate some of the effects of chronic stress, trauma and state violence. 

What this pack contains and why: 

  • Prison Visit Blend: a blend made with Echinacea Tinctures, Elderberry, Turmeric, Ginger and Thyme glycerites which are fantastic antimicrobials that can aid with preventing colds and infections. There is also a small amount of Ashwagandha and Schisandra glycerites which are two herbs offering support to the adrenal system that support our body’s stress response and can help maintain energy without depletion for long difficult prison visit days with lots of traveling, anxiety and tension. 
  • Nervous System Soother Blend: a blend made with Hawthorn berry, Chamomile and Lemon balm glycerites that have a gentle relaxant action to aid with reducing the activation of the fight-flight response when surviving chronic stress. 
  • Rose Petal Soother: a delicious, sweet and nourishing glycerite that supports with heartache and grief of missing a loved one inside.
  • Lavender Oil: a beautiful infused oil made with organic lavender and olive oil from the West Bank in Palestine that can aid with sleep and general rest. 
  • Nerve Nourisher Tea: a tea blend of Skullcap, Chamomile, Oatstraw, Lavender to support you to rest, recover and sleep after stressful days in court. 

How to request this care package: Request via this form 

Hunt Sab Pack

Who this pack is for: These packs are for hunt saboteurs and people sabbing the badger cull. I know from experience how challenging the cull can be and the physical and emotional endurance it demands, whether that’s the sleep deprivation or the constant adrenaline. This pack aims to support folks through the difficult winter months. 

What this pack contains and why:

  • Stamina Blend: A combination of Elderberry, Turmeric, Ginger, Thyme, Ashwagandha and Schisandra Glycerites. Ashwagandha and Schisandra glycerites are two herbs offering support to the adrenal system that support our body’s stress response and can help maintain energy without depletion. Elderberry, Turmeric, Ginger and Thyme offer warmth and immune support in the face of colds and infections after long days hunt sabbing or long nights sabbing the badger cull.
  • Nervous System Soother Blend: a blend made with Hawthorn berry, Chamomile and Lemon balm glycerites that have a gentle relaxant action to aid with reducing the activation of the fight-flight response when surviving chronic stress. 
  • Fire Cider Vinegar: an infused vinegar with many warming herbs and spices (ingredients vary but will be listed on the label with your batch). Fire Cider Vinegar is taken as a preventative for coughs, colds and other infections. It’s a fantastic addition to food or just a small spoonful in hot water can go a long way in helping you sustain your health through the winter. 
  • Muscle rub: an ointment made of soy wax, Comfrey, St John’s Wort and Arnica oil with Wintergreen and Lavender essential oils. It’s designed to soothe sore and aching muscles after a long day in the field. 

How to request this care package: Request via this form 

Grassroots Group Pack

Who this pack is for: Grassroots groups working for human, animal and earth liberation. I support grassroots organisers with herbal medicine so that they can engage in struggles for liberation for the long-haul. Unlike short-term capitalist health fixes, plant medicines can transform your life by enabling deeper relationship with the land, improving sleep and digestion, preventing disease, reducing inflammation and aiding the nervous system to rest and recover while surviving and resisting oppression.

What this pack contains and why:

  • 1 x Immune Tonic Per member: a blend made with Echinacea tincture, Elderberry, Thyme, Ginger and Turmeric Glycerites. All of these herbs are fantastic antimicrobials that can support the prevention of colds and infections when under duress, for example during an intense period of organising. 
  • 1 x Nervous System Soother Blend per member: a blend made with Hawthorn berry, Chamomile and Lemon balm glycerites that have a gentle relaxant action to aid with reducing the activation of the fight-flight response when surviving chronic stress. 
  • 1 x Lavender Oil per member: a beautiful infused oil made with organic lavender and olive oil from the West Bank in Palestine that can aid with sleep and general rest.
  • Meeting Clarity Tea for the group: A tea blend that contains Rosemary, Chamomile, Peppermint and Nettle. These herbs are simultaneously calming and uplifting and can aid with concentration and clarity. Nettles are a nutritive addition. 
  • De-stress Tea for group: A tea blend containing Chamomile, Oatstraw and Lavender. The Chamomile and Lavender offer a calming action and can support the body to shift into a more parasympathetic state. Oatstraw is nourishing and nutritive to the nervous system. 

How to request this care package: Request via this form 

Site of Resistance Pack

Who this pack is for: This comprehensive herbal care package is for folks living at sites of resistance. For example, protest camps and land occupations. It’s designed to help serve the needs of the camp with items that can be stored centrally and shared among people living on site when needed. Bespoke requests are welcome beyond what is listed below. Quantities are determined by site needs. 

What this pack contains and why:

  • Immune tonics: a blend made with Echinacea tincture, Elderberry, Thyme, Ginger and Turmeric Glycerites. All of these herbs are fantastic antimicrobials that can support the prevention of colds and infections by supporting the immune system. This is obviously vital when people are living in difficult physical conditions. 
  • Elderberry syrups: a fantastic cough syrup made with Elderberry, Cinnamon, Fennel seed and Elecampane glycerites which have a strong immune supporting and expectorant action. These are combined with a Marshmallow gloop that offers a soothing action to the mucous membranes in the throat and lungs. 
  • Muscle rubs: an ointment made of soy wax, Comfrey, St John’s Wort and Arnica oil with Wintergreen and Lavender essential oils. It’s designed to soothe sore and aching muscles. 
  • Period pain blend: a blend for people experiencing painful uterine cramping which is often worsened by demanding physical conditions. The blend contains herbs such as Cramp Bark which has an antispasmodic and relaxant action. 
  • Gut blend and tea: We will discuss your needs when preparing your pack but most sites value some gastrointestinal support, such as support for constipation and diarrhoea. 
  • Herbal First Aid Kit: made bespoke for your needs but commonly supplied wound sprays, dressing kits and more. 

 How to request this care package: Request via this form 

Commonly Asked Questions 

Where are the herbs grown? Are they organic? 

I grow, harvest and forage the majority of herbs that I make medicine with on the land where I live. I have the privilege and honour of living in a static caravan with my family on a beautiful six acre smallholding in Somerset in a village with endless hedgerows of herbs such as Elder, Hawthorn and Rose. The land doesn’t have any kind of organic certification but is managed with agroecological principles with no pesticides or herbicides used, for example.

For any dried herbs I purchase, I do my best to buy them from organic or agroecological suppliers such as the Organic Herb Trading Company and Planta Medica.  

How are the medicines made? 

They are made in my humble herb shed! Which is an awesome outdoor workshop building on the land where I live. I use a slow cooker method to make glycerites which is something I’ve developed over several years (see my workshop on Making Herbal Medicine with Glycerine here that explains the process). I also make tinctures, infused oils, ointments and more. 

Herbal Safety Information 

I send a detailed herbal safety handout with each herbal care package. I’ve tried to choose generally safe and low risk herbs in my blends to enhance their accessibility. However, some may not be appropriate for people who are pregnant or in early pregnancy, or for people on certain medications. Please ensure you write your needs via the request form.

How much do the medicines cost? 

Good question! The main costs are actually the packaging and postage (hence why punk post is a great option). Other big costs include purchasing glycerine, oils, vodka and ethanol for medicine making. In terms of the herbs, I grow and forage as many as possible but sometimes need to purchase herbs if making medicine at a much larger scale (such as for the Calais Clinic or Ukraine). Therefore a 150ml bottle of medicine could range from £2.50 – £5 depending on the ingredients. 

How can I support this work? 

I do my best to fundraise so that I can provide herbal care packages for free as gifts to the communities and struggles for liberation that I care about deeply. 

If you do have collective funds or a personal surplus and would like to donate towards costs please donate via this page: https://solidarityapothecary.org/campaigns/support/

What other resources are available? 

I’ve created a lot of resources over the years for folks experiencing state violence and repression, or those wanting to learn more about herbalism. 

Some good places to start include: 

Groups supported by the Solidarity Apothecary

There have been so many comrades, crews, collectives and campaigns that I’ve had the honour of sharing medicine with over the years! Some people prefer to remain anonymous, others are happy to be shared! Sometimes I support an individual within a group, other times, the whole project receives a big box of medicine to share together. 

A very incomplete list includes Abolish Detention Hassockfield, Anarcho Herbane Kollektiv, Bristol Action Medics, Bristol Anarchist Black Cross, Bristol Anti-repression Campaign, Bristol Defendant Solidarity, Bristol Hunt Saboteurs, Community Action on Prison Expansion, Concerned Residents of Penally (a group of asylum seekers resisting conditions in a detainment centre), Cradle Community, domestic workers in Lebanon, East Kent Sabs, Empty Cages Collective, Fight Toxic Prisons, folks under home arrest in Turkey, Herbs Heal Hearts, International Solidarity Movement, JCB 4, Kill the Bill defendants, Medical Self Defence Network, Mobile Herbal Clinic Calais, No Borders Team, School of Abolition, Sheffield Hunt Sabs, Shoal Collective, SISCO, Smash IPP, South Coast Hunt Sabs, SOAS Detainee Support (now Solidarity Detainee Support), Stop HS2, Suffolk and Essex Hunt Sabs, the Blackmail 3, This is Not About A Railway, Ugly Mugs, Ukraine Herbal Solidarity, various squat crews, Warsaw Anarchist Black Cross, Zagros (Kurdish Community organisation supporting 150 dispersed asylum seekers). Plus lots of anonymous individuals experiencing repression! 

Glossary

Adrenal system: The adrenals are two glands that sit above the kidneys that are a vital part of the body’s stress response. 

Antimicrobial: Aids the body in destroying or resisting pathogens. A general term encompassing antibiotics, antifungals, and antivirals.

Antispasmodic: Reduces muscle spasm and tension.

Expectorant: A substance that stimulates the outflow of mucus from the lungs and bronchial mucosa.

Fight-Flight: Two of the nervous system states of the body where the body is activated in response to danger (or perceived threats). This is the body’s stress response where hormones are released to mobilise energy to survive. 

Glycerite: mixtures of Medicinal substances with glycerine. 

Nutritive: A herb with a high nutrition value. 

Parasympathetic: A division of the autonomic (involuntary) nervous system that controls normal digestive, reproductive, cardiopulmonary, and vascular functions and stimulates most secretions. 

Relaxant: A herb that relaxes the nervous system.

Tincture: A concentrated herbal extract made by soaking ground up herbs in solvents like alcohol or vinegar and then pressing the liquid out.

Tonic: Slowly restores and strengthens the tone of the body, organ, or system; it stimulates nutrition and enhances or normalises physiological function.