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The Lewes Road Community Garden in Brighton, featured in my previous blog, is at risk of total closure. This week, a private security firm locked the gates and declared the site closed to the public. The land is privately owned, but has been unused for over four years, and the Community Garden project has transformed the empty lot into a green space for local residents.
If you feel the garden should remain open, please sign the petition, or send a message of support to lewesroadcommunitygarden@gmail.com.
 Relaxing in the Garden last Sunday. Photo © Josh Jones
May 2009: Residents in the Lewes Road area of Brighton have reclaimed a derelict plot and are turning it into a community garden. The project is entirely run by volunteers and supported by donations of soil, plants, and turfing. The plot, formerly a petrol station, is privately owned but has been derelict for over four years.
 Digging. Photo © Josh Jones See more photos and text from Brighton citizens turn guerilla gardeners
 Meeting in the shade to prepare for the day. Photo © Josh Jones 26th May, 2009: Students at Sussex University have set up camp outside management offices to show their dissatisfaction with controversial new tactics, this week. ‘Camp Against Cuts’, which pitched its first tent last Thursday, now comprises half a dozen well-kept tents festooned with banners. It comes as Sussex management continue to pursue their plans of dropping Linguistics as a course, a decision which raised the anger of thousands of students and staff as well as famous linguists such as Noam Chomsky.
See more photos and text from Sussex Protesters ‘Camp Against Cuts’
 Protesters meet at midday. Photo © Josh Jones. May Day, 4th May 2009: Hundreds of people from all over the country met in Brighton today to protest against the war, capitalism, and the arms trade. Organised by the Smash EDO movement, which for years has been campaigning against the EDO/ITT weapons factory based in Brighton, the protest started off very peacefully and remained generally positive throughout the day.
See more photos and text from ‘Mayday! Mayday!’ Smash EDO Brighton: anti-war march clashes with police
Pride by Josh Jones
For the first time, an online collection of the best of my photojournalism in Palestine has been created. The series focuses on human rights issues for Bedouin people, farmers, and other locals living under Israeli occupation in the West Bank.
The photo-stories have already been exhibited in Brighton and at the University of Sussex, and some were featured in Palestine Monitor. However, this is the first full, open, online version of the collection. The gallery makes sharing and commenting easy.
I invite you to visit, share with your friends, and comment upon these photos and thoughts. Josh
Bedouin children in the West Bank of occupied Palestine.
The children of this valley are put at constant risk by the live-fire exercises that Israeli military conduct in the area. Their mother told me how soldiers would set off explosives of all sorts, from gas bombs to sound grenades, on the hill pictured behind. The ground is then left dangerous, as many explosives remain undetonated.
These children remain strong, and the older brother insisted I try riding his horse – which I did, bareback, for the first time in my life.
Thanks for dropping by – all comments are appreciated.
Image and text © Josh Jones 2008.
While visiting the home of some Bedouin farmers in occupied Palestine, I was invited to try milking a sheep.
I was rubbish. Honestly, it’s harder than it looks. And it really feels funny, like a warm furry water balloon.
Later that evening, the farmers treated us to gallons of hot, sweetened goat’s milk. We left after nightfall, disturbed by their stories and humbled by their generosity.
A popular photo of mine depicts this boy and his little sibling, and can be found here.
Image and text © Josh Jones 2008.
A Bedouin farmer in the Tubas region of the West Bank, occupied Palestine.
She told us the plight of her children. The family farm is often surrounded by Israeli military exercises.
Image and text © Josh Jones 2008.
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