If you are reading this post then thank you. Thank you for considering helping me and the local greens. I hope that you will find this guide useful and that you get involved with some of the exciting activity going on in Derbyshire.
What is an action day?
An action day is an event specifically designed to bring people together whilst making a difference locally. For example, in the past we have held action days in Ashover where we have delivered our newsletters for a couple of hours before reconvening at the local pub, or in Wingerworth where we have enjoyed a cup of coffee and slice of cake after a morning of surveying residents.
More often then not we are asking people to help us deliver our bi-monthly newsletter. This newsletter which goes to homes across our target ward is central to winning elections. This regular contact with residents helps build our profile and enables our local campaigners to respond to local issues.
At other times of the year we may be asking you to help deliver addressed cards or to help us survey a street in order to understand how we can best help the community.
What happens on an action day?
We meet at a pre-determined location - this is usually outside the shops on Allendale Rd, Wingerworth because it has plenty of free parking, a nearby bus stop and is a good central location to begin delivering from.
In Wingerworth it is usually myself or Darren Yates (Derbyshire Green Party Coordinator) who is running the action day. We will be there to welcome you and provide a quick briefing before the action begins.
We split up into small groups or pairs and deliver to one side of the street each gradually covering our designated areas. At the end of the day there is a huge sense of achievement as by doing these small areas together, we very quickly manage to over a weekend cover the whole village.
What should I bring with me?
Most importantly make sure to dress according to the weather and wear some comfortable shoes. Remember we will be doing a lot of walking so even on a cold day, you soon warm up.
A bag is advisable, whether that be a rucksack, a satchel or a tote is up to you! The leaflets are usually flat A4 size and you will need easy access to them.
We also recommend bringing a wooden spoon - sounds odd I know! We usually have spares though if needed. The purpose of the spoon is to make pushing leaflets through doors easier. Sometimes the draught excluders on letterboxes make it difficult to get your hand in. Just have a go on your own door!
Note: If you are coming along to a New Year card delivery day (this should have been laid out in any email invites) then you won’t need a wooden spoon as they post much more easily.
Other than that you don't need to bring anything with you. We will provide you with the literature and will tell you which streets to deliver to.
How long is the action day?
It can be as long or as short as you like! Although at some point Darren and I will have to leave ;-)
We appreciate that everyone who helps us is a volunteer and is doing so out of the goodness of their heart. We therefore ask that people do what they can and don’t feel obliged to stay. We are grateful for every bit of help that we can get.
After a couple of hours we sometimes end with a bit of a social, whether that be a casual natter in the park or grabbing a drink together but this is all very informal and ad hoc.
Can I just turn up?
Absolutely! We encourage people to sign up via the link in their email invitation as this gives us an indication of how many people to expect, but as long as you are at the meeting point at the right time then you are more than welcome to join in.
If you can’t make it to the meeting point or can't come at that time, contact the organiser (their contact details should be in the email invite) and they can arrange to meet you at a little later or tell you in which area/streets the group are working.
Does all of this actually work?
100%! This is a tried and tested method which saw the Greens in Wingerworth go from having never stood in the County Council elections before to 2nd place in under a year.
Our Target To Win strategy was developed by the Green Party in order to help us tackle the skewed electoral system and big money political parties. This strategy is largely responsible for the meteoric rise of the Greens in recent years and has seen Caroline Lucas become our first MP, and seen Greens take power across the country.
I was trained by the two Greens who developed this strategy in 2019 over three days at Green Party Campaign School. I currently work three days a week as the Green Party Campaign Organiser for the West Midlands and have helped shape the target campaigns here in Derbyshire.
In short, we know that this strategy works and we understand how to deploy it. We are committed to winning and are confident that we will at the next election. Your time and effort won't be wasted helping us out, and you will be part of an exciting movement.
Any questions?
I think that is all - they are very simply structured days - but you may have questions which I have failed to answer. Please feel free to contact me at frankadlington@gmail.com or on 07833496912 if you wish to discuss anything further. There is no such thing as a silly question and I understand that for some people social gatherings like these can be difficult. Myself or the organiser on the day will do our upmost to accommodate you and make you feel comfortable and welcome. Just get in touch and we can figure it out.
Thanks again for considering coming along to an action day, without your help we simply cannot get green elected locally.
I hope to see you soon,
Best wishes, Frank :-)