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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights

@releasedrugs.bsky.social
532 followers 129 following 94 posts

UK's centre of expertise on drugs and drug law. Global reports on decrim and racist policing. Campaigning for rights of people who use drugs. Need advice? Contact 020 7324 2989/ ask@release.org.uk

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Reposted by Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights
Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
The People's Letters is the wonderful bookshop we share the space for our Harm Reduction Hub with. They are trying to meet a £10k goal by the end of March. There's just under £4,000 to go, and just over two weeks! Can you help them out? www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-people...
crowdfunder.co.uk
Help sustain The People’s Letters
Help sustain a cooperative, worker-led bookshop!
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
Our response to the Department of Health and Social Care's Consultation on Expanding access to naloxone was broadly supportive. We want to see the law reformed so relevant orgs can give naloxone to anyone who might witness an overdose. Read our response here: www.release.org.uk/publications...
release.org.uk
Response to Consultation on Expanding access to naloxone: supply and emergency use
Release responded to the Department of Health and Social Care’s Consultation on Expanding access to Naloxone. We are broadly supportive of any proposals which aid the adoption of the lowest possible t...
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Next newsletter will be sent out this Friday afternoon, make sure you're signed up! ✉️
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Reposted by Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights
The People's Letters @peoplesletters.bsky.social · 25/02/2026
Please donate and share widely! We really need your help. It takes a lot of solidarity for third spaces to survive. www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-people...
What We Need Now

£3,000 (We already passed this milestone thanks to everyone's support!!)
covers immediate running costs so we can stay afloat for now.

£5,500 
covers our quarterly rent payment due April, securing the space in the short term and relieving immediate financial pressure so we can focus on running and growing the shop.

£7,000 
allows us to cover rent and bills beyond April and begin expanding our stock. Hopefully we can get more of your favourite books, authors, and genres in the shop!

More photos of the space and our free hot drinks and info station£10,000
Gives us the ability to thrive! which means: more paid hours for the workers, improved accessibility signage, a baby changing table, expanded book and zine selection, more community events, capacity to offer the space for free to more grassroots and unfunded groups...

If we exceed our target, we can consistently print and publish our own zines and merchandise, cover licensing, compliance, and costs more securely, support more free and low-cost community events, and build long-term financial stability, making sure that TPL can continue serving the community for many many years to come!More Ways To Help

If you'd like to contribute to building TPL in other ways, such as donating second-hand books, hiring the venue, sharing fundraising ideas, or offering your skills and experience, we'd love to hear from you! Feel free to visit us during opening hours or get in touch via email:
info@peoplesletters.org - general enquiries 
events@peoplesletters.org - events/space hire

TPL exists because people believed in it. If you can donate, share, or spread the word, you're helping prove that solidarity works, and that radical, community-led spaces deserve not just to survive, but to thrive.

Thank you for being part of this 💗
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
The People's Letters is the wonderful bookshop we share the space for our Harm Reduction Hub with. They are trying to meet a £10k goal by the end of March. There's just under £4,000 to go, and just over two weeks! Can you help them out? www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-people...
crowdfunder.co.uk
Help sustain The People’s Letters
Help sustain a cooperative, worker-led bookshop!
045
Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 03/03/2026
Our March opening hours! ☕💉 Monday-Thursday, 2-5pm Saturdays, 4-7pm And starting Wednesday 11th, we'll be doing every other Weds evening 7:30-10pm 🌜 Find us at 395 Cambridge Heath Road, where we share the space with the fabulous @peoplesletters.bsky.social 📚
Release's harm reduction hub opening hoursRelease's harm reduction hub list of what we offer, including advice, safer sex and drug materials, phone charging, computer use, naloxone
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
Another PhD opportunity we’d like to draw your attention to is the chance to research the UK’s first Safer Drug Consumption Facility – The Thistle in Glasgow! Comes with the opportunity for a funded studentship. Read more below, and apply by 24th March. www.sgsss.ac.uk/studentship/...
sgsss.ac.uk
Assessing the political and legal context of safer drug consumption facilities (SDCFs): a case study of the UK’s first SDCF, the “Thistle” project in Glasgow. - Scottish Graduate School of Social Scie...
This project investigates the political, legal, and administrative contexts that enabled the opening of The Thistle Safer Drug Consumption Facility (SDCF) in Glasgow in January 2025—the first such ser...
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
Closing 5pm today!
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 02/03/2026
Release was founded in 1967, meaning we turn 60 next year 🎉 This funded PhD opportunity to study 6 decades of our history has just been announced, supervised by @tobyseddon.bsky.social and @alexmold.bsky.social Take a look, share, and apply by 27th March! bloomsbury.ac.uk/drugs-civil-...
bloomsbury.ac.uk
Drugs, Civil Rights and the Alternative Society: A History of Release
Principal Supervisor: Professor Toby Seddon (UCL) Co-Supervisor: Professor Alex Mold (LSHTM) Project Description Background Described as the oldest independent drugs charity in the world, Release w…
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
You can also sign up to Talking Drugs’ newsletter via that same link which will keep you updated on monthly Global Drugs news and commentary. A highly recommended accompaniment!
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 16/02/2026
Are you signed up to our newsletter? Each one includes UK news affecting people who use drugs, insights on our daily work, and job, volunteering and training opportunities. The next newsletter will hit inboxes on Friday! Sign up here: 479bc79a371911f09e81737cb7f40a5e.eo.page/3s9v5
Release newsletter sign up graphic
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
There's either a position as 'Joint Head of Legal Services' or as 'Legal Director' available, depending on experience. More information on that and details about what both roles entail are available on the link above ☝️ Contact liam@release.org.uk or niresha@release.org.uk for an informal chat
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 09/02/2026
We're recruiting for a Senior Leadership Role in our legal team (and we've extended the deadline to apply)! For more information, head to www.release.org.uk/vacancies Deadline: 5pm, Monday 2nd March
job vacancy ad at social justice charity organisation Release in legal leadership rolejob vacancy at social justice organisation Release with salary dependent on position. full time, hybrid, in London, and application deadline
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
Our February opening hours: Monday - Thursday, 2-5pm Saturdays, 4-7pm Wednesday 11th, 7-10pm 395 Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9RA Come by for a casual chat, a look at @peoplesletters.bsky.social's amazing book selection, and your safer drug and sex supplies!
graphic with opening hours for Release's harm reduction hubgraphic with information on what is offered at Release's harm reduction hub. this includes advice, signposting to local support, safer sex and drug use materials, and free phone charging, phone and computer use, needle and syringe programme, tea and coffee, community space
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
The deadline to apply for our Legal Adviser role is coming up next week Thursday 5th February 2026 at 5pm! Check out all the info and application details here: www.release.org.uk/vacancies
release.org.uk
Vacancies & Volunteering
Vacancies (Paid) Joint Head of Legal Services or a Legal Director We’re recruiting for one senior leadership role, and we’re intentionally keeping it open. Depending on your experience, we’ll appoint ...
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Reposted by Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights
Joseph Rowntree Foundation @jrf-uk.bsky.social · 27/01/2026
Poverty is deepening. 🔎 Our #UKPoverty2026 report was launched this morning. People in very deep poverty now make up the biggest group of people in poverty, at 6.8 million people. This is unacceptable for the fifth richest country in the world, and it has consequences.
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Streets Kitchen @streetskitchen.bsky.social · 22/01/2026
🚨There is still an #AmberAlert in place 🚨 Worryingly, there have been NO updates on the situation since early December. People are dying needlessly due to a lack of the right information... #cychlorphine metro.co.uk/2026/01/15/w...
metro.co.uk
Drug ‘200 times stronger than heroin’ on London’s streets may have killed 13
A new synthetic opioid is hitting the streets of London - and leaving many dead.
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Harm reduction advice applies no matter what you're taking. Start low, go slow: Try a little bit of a new batch and wait to see what the effects/strength is before you go again. ⌛ Carry Naloxone. 🤝 Avoid using alone. 🫂 Test/check when possible. ✅
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Cychlorphine has by now been linked to an estimated 13 deaths in the past few months. It has reportedly also shown up in supplies of cocaine, and possibly other drugs more commonly associated with nightlife drug use. metro.co.uk/2026/01/15/w...
metro.co.uk
Drug ‘200 times stronger than heroin’ on London’s streets may have killed 13
A new synthetic opioid is hitting the streets of London - and leaving many dead.
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
John Glackin from @streetskitchen.bsky.social also said "People are dying in Camden needlessly due to lack of information" and explained that there has been "no mention", which means they're unable to circulate information.
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Our Head of Drugs commented that the recent crackdown on precursor materials used to make nitazenes means it was expected that another synthetic opioid would emerge on the market. They also highlight the importance of public alerts, as many people at risk are not in touch with services.
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
At the end of last year, @bigissue.com reported on three deaths related to a new synthetic opioid that had emerged - cychlorphine - and asked why local warnings and public information had been delayed getting to frontline services. Read the full report here: www.bigissue.com/news/social-...
bigissue.com
Warning over new opioid 200 times stronger than heroin as three dead within days
Questions mount over delays in informing frontline services about the threat from new synthetic opioid cychlorphine.
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
We are recruiting in our legal team! We're looking for a Legal Adviser. This person will be delivering outreach advice and casework in benefits, housing and debt. Deadline to apply is 5pm, Thursday 05 February 2026. Full info and application details here: www.release.org.uk/vacancies
job vacancy at release, advertising a for a legal advisor. picture has details of salary and hours and hybrid working. the job is in London and deadline to apply is 5pm Thursday 5th February
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Reposted by Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights
Drugreporter @drugreporter.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Step inside the UK’s first legal safer drug consumption room. In Drugreporter’s new video, Lynn MacDonald, service manager at The Thistle, takes us through a space built not only for life-saving safer use, but for compassion, dignity, and respect — putting care and humanity at the center.
drogriporter.hu
Visiting The Thistle: The UK’s First Legal Safer Drug Consumption Room in Glasgow
A guided tour of The Thistle, the UK’s first legal safer drug consumption room in Glasgow, where care, dignity and life-saving harm reduction come first.
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
Our January opening hours: Monday - Thursday, 2-5pm Saturdays, 4-7pm Wednesday 28th, 7-10:30pm 395 Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9RA Come by for a cup of tea, a chat, a browse in @peoplesletters.bsky.social, and re-stock your safer drug supplies, anything for injecting, and safer sex supplies!
opening hours at the harm reduction hub, 395 cambridge heath road, london e2 9ra
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
Yesterday marked a year since the opening of the Thistle in Glasgow - the UK's first drug consumption room. We hope they are paving the way for many more similar spaces to open across the UK, especially with news in October that drug checking at the space has been approved by the Home Office.
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
In England, take-home naloxone is patchy and varies by local authority bc there’s no national programme (unlike Scotland for example). Access often depends on people's contact with drug services. We want naloxone in the hands of people who use drugs, their friends, family, and community.
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
The UK government has launched a consultation on expanding naloxone access, looking to change who can supply it and where it's available, notably without a prescription. This is a good move as synthetic opioids like nitazenes have become a daily reality in drug supplies.
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
This research continues for the next few months, please continue to spread the word with anyone you know who might like to take part. 🗣️ Email housing-project@release.org.uk or text 07450974967 for more information!
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
We're back on Instagram, but just as The Hub for now!
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 24/12/2025
Very excited to see anyone who's coming down to The Hub for our Christmas evening tomorrow - karaoke, food, and harm reduction supplies and all the usual available as always. Stay as long as you like or just drop in ✨
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Reposted by Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights
Museum of Homelessness @ourmoh.bsky.social · 20/12/2025
Little update from us in a very busy time and a massive thank you to all our supporters and donors and volunteers ✨️🎄❤️
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
If you're on Instagram, we've set up an account for the Hub @ 395. www.instagram.com/harmreduxhub
instagram.com
Login • Instagram
Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
A little reminder of our opening hours this next week... 🎄
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 22/12/2025
Our Christmas day hours at the Hub will 7-9pm on Thursday 25th December! ✨ Everyone welcome ✨ No RSVP required - just show up to 395 Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 9RA. We'll be open that whole time, with no set time for food. ask@release.org.uk / 020 7324 2989 Please spread the word!
poster for Release's christmas evening on 25th december, 7pm-9pm at 396 cambridge heath road with kareoke, festive food and drinks and harm reduction supplies, open to everyone
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
If you would prefer to sit down for a paid interview with one of our researchers, please email housing-project@release.org.uk or text 07450974967
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
The survey takes 10-15 minutes and is available via the previously posted QR code or this link: survey.alchemer.eu/s3/90974747/...
survey.alchemer.eu
Housing & Drugs research
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
Our housing and drugs research project is now entering survey and interview stage! If you - or anyone you know or work with - has experienced drug-related barriers to getting housing and you live in Cardiff, Belfast or Tower Hamlets (London), then we'd love to hear from you.
QR code for survey on experiences on access to housing for people who use drugs. On the left are questions like 'do you use drugs? struggling to get or stay housed?' and on the right is the QR code to scan to get to the survey
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Reposted by Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights
Museum of Homelessness @ourmoh.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
Christmas 2025 at Museum of Homelessness ❄️23rd December - community drop in, lunch at 1pm ❄️25th December 1-5pm Christmas Day extravaganza, meal at 2pm ❄️26th December - Boxing Day, brunch 10am - 1pm ALL WELCOME no need to book just come on over! 🥰
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
We will host an evening meal on the 25th but details such as the exact time will be confirmed nearer the time. At current our Instagram has been suspended (again 😭) though we hope to get it back of course. In the meantime keep an eye here, or ask us at the hub itself!
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
Our December opening hours at the hub are the usual: Monday-Thursday: 2-5pm Saturdays: 4-7pm Christmas changes: Wednesday 24th December - CLOSED Thursday 25th December - Keep an eye Friday 26th December - CLOSED (as usual) Saturday 27th December - 4-7pm (normal) Thursday 1st January - CLOSED
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Museum of Homelessness @ourmoh.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
We’ll be hosting a stall at the ‘Tower Hamlets Christmas Mutual Aid Market and Party’ on December 20th 🫂 Profits from the event will go to the Bangladeshi LGBTQIA+ movement @_therainbowtree ❤️ Poster design by ACT UP London artist @coniglibianchi
Promotional flyer for Tower Hamlets Christmas Wellbeing Mutual Aid Market
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Reposted by Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights
Streets Kitchen @streetskitchen.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
🚨RED DRUG ALERT IN #CAMDEN🚨 There are now THREE confirmed deaths in just the last 10 days linked to the presence of #Cychlorphine, a potent synthetic opioid with similar toxicity to Nitazenes Why is no one speaking out publicly about this? We can and must save lives!
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 08/12/2025
👏👏👏
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Good Night Out Campaign @goodnightout.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
GNHo-Ho-Ho! Pull Up to our Xmas Bash & Platform Launch! 🎄🧭 This year we’ve been hard at work building Nightlife Navigator - a resource platform for the people. It’s finally time to show her off. Let’s get together as the nights draw in and celebrate each other! ✨ Free 🎟️: bit.ly/gnoxmas
A flyer reading: GNO Xmas Party! Celebrate the launch of our new platform. Tue 16th Dec, 6:30pm-11:00pm, Free at Multi Story, Level 6, Peckham Levels, SE15 4ST. DJ sets from Vanity Crystal and ellaments, and GNO mini doc premiere. Event link: bit.ly/gnoxmas
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
Tickets for you and yours available here: www.tickettailor.com/events/relea...
tickettailor.com
Select tickets – Hub 2.0 Fundraiser Night – VFD
Hub 2.0 Fundraiser Night – VFD, Sat 6 Dec 2025 - 2025 has been a mess, but when things get tough, we get tougher. Fascism is on the rise and so we are beefing up our capacity to support community-buil...
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
And finally... Santx Jumana whose genre-blending sets are driven by percussive basslines, from Latin beats to rhythmic techno and transcendental trance. Check out a previous set here: on.soundcloud.com/apvJguMksBjk...
details for our hub fundraiser party at VFD dalston on Saturday night, 6th December from 10pm until 3am. flyer includes a photo of DJ 'Santx Jumana' pinning a Palestine flag to a wall
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
We also have T6X87 who is a lover not a fighter. You can expect a journey through the past, present and future with sounds from London and beyond.
details for Release's harm reduction hub fundraiser party on Saturday 6th December from 10pm til late at VFD Dalston, with a photo of one of the DJs 'TDX87'
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 01/12/2025
Our DJs for Saturday include Vanity Crystal - sound artist and DJ from London. She blends all-spectrum sonics into a mix spanning steamy, percussive and the wildest corners of DIY production 💿
promo image for hub fundraiser party with details and a photo of DJ vanity crystal. date is 06.12.25, time is 10pm til late, location is VFD dalston
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Release: Drugs, The Law & Your Rights @releasedrugs.bsky.social · 28/11/2025
Grab your tickets now: www.tickettailor.com/events/relea... 🥳🎟️
tickettailor.com
Select tickets – Hub 2.0 Fundraiser Night – VFD
Hub 2.0 Fundraiser Night – VFD, Sat 6 Dec 2025 - 2025 has been a mess, but when things get tough, we get tougher. Fascism is on the rise and so we are beefing up our capacity to support community-buil...
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