Ponsonby People's Union At the frontline of community activism in the 1970s

In early 1970s Ponsonby, a group of young activists set out to turn radical ideals into practical action. With no wealthy backers, membership fees or official status, the Ponsonby People's Union for Survival and Freedom built community power from the ground up.

Inspired by the politics of the era and the example of African-American activists, the People's Union worked with tenants, immigrants, pensioners, prisoners and their families. It ran a low-cost food co-op, organised prison-visiting buses and legal aid, challenged bad landlords, stood with Maori and Pasifika people against racism, and joined the occupation at Takaparawhau, Bastion Point.

At the heart of it all was Roger Fowler, whose vision, energy, and guitar helped sustain a remarkable initiative in collective action. In this book, he and other People's Union supporters tell the story of a movement that believed ordinary people could make their city - and society - a fairer and better place to live.