Campaigning

Graham Ellis sharing years of experience as a thought on each day
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4 stages - divide your campaign into a series of distinct steps.

This campaign tip (no. 2) was published on Wednesday, 2nd January 2019
A plan of action
      1. Make people aware there is a case to be looked at
      2. Have the case looked at
      3. Implement the recommendations
      4. Ensure they work and the change is permanent

That's what we did for the train service between Westbury and Swindon.

1. Two trains each way per day, early morning and mid evening were carrying fresh air around, and that seemed rather silly when one of the five stations along the way has a population of 12,000, and all the others are over 25,000. The case / request was for an appropriate train service; a dangerous request should "appropriate" turn out to be no service.

2. You may come up with your own analysis / look at the case (you should do so in any case for your own peace of mind) but you need the consultants / experts to look at it too, and from various angles.

3. When you have established what's needed, you need to get things in line to make it happen. Just because a report suggests it's a good idea doesn't mean that the powers that be will be falling over themselves to make it happen - they will have priorities and risks, funding and policy issues to look to.

4. Whey you have your changes, you will need to work to make sure they stick. An appropriate train service is NOT appropriate if people don't know about it or use it. And this item (4) can be as time consuming as number (1) (2) and (3) all added together.

Illustration - Not our line, not our country - but an example of a rail service that's not serving the communities it passes through - Roscrea - Cloughjordan and Nehagh.
Discussion via Coffee Shop forum

Contact details

These pages are written by Graham Ellis of Melksham, Wiltshire. Overlapping a life in IT and IT training, with running a hotel and campaigning for improved public transport, Graham has never been quiet - though he's starting to wind down gently now. He no longer takes overnight guests and has stepped doen from the "Community Rail Officer" role which he accidentally aquired. So he now has more time to write pages such as these and to travel in the UK. He'll be delighted to speak with your group or take a look through your case or camapaign, but be alerted that his time is not limitless even now, and he still has to keep the wolf from the door.

Postal: 48, Spa Road, Melksham, Wiltshire, SN12 7NY
Phonal: 01225 708225
Emailal: graham -at- wellho.net
Or reach me on the Coffee Shop Forum (User Grahame) facilities


What a difference a campaign makes!

It probably wouldn't have happened without a strong community campaign with which I have been involved. Most days through 2019 I'll be sharing a thought, an idea, a way of working or an experience. Come back here for the links. Discussions via the Coffee Shop Forum - Graham Ellis, 31st December 2018


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