Local campaigning toolkit: out now!
Do you want to get loud about the issues that matter to you by starting a campaign to improve the lives of people affected by MS in your area?
Then our new local campaigning toolkit is for you! Whether you've got lots of time to spare or a hectic schedule, anyone can campaign to change the lives of people affected by MS. From writing a letter to organising a public meeting, there are plenty of ways to get involved.
Download our simple campaigns toolkit below to find out more about ways to campaign, how to start a campaign, and how to involve your local MP, council or media.
Getting started
Find out about the different ways to campaign, and the first steps of starting a local campaign, including who to contact and when.
Involving your MP
Find out about how to involve your MP: they can be really influential on issues on both a local and national level.
Lobbying your local council
Find out about how to lobby your local council: a clear breakdown of what your local councillor can do, and how to find them and lobby them.
Involving the media
Local media can be a powerful resource when it comes to campaigning.
Download a copy of our toolkit on involving the local media to get top tips and tricks.
Comments
Just thinking back to a brilliant weekend at MS Life;it was a real privilege to be able to make a small contribution to the Campaigns workshop on the Saturday morning. For anyone who wasn't able to be there don't think you have to be some SuperHuman to make a difference - a little local action can start the ball rolling so that eventually nothing can stop it! I looked back over the 15 years since I was diagnosed and realised the start of my interest in campaigning was pure enlightened self interest! I'd heard about FES,which helps correct dropped foot,and wanted it. My consultant neurologist wanted to prescribe me beta feron. Guess what! Funding for these services and treatments was not automatic - so I set about lobbying my GP and the Primary Care Trust. Eventually I was successful! By this time I was involved with the local branch,and was hearing sorry tales of long waiting lists for essential wheelchairs.I made contact with the local MPs(who need to please their voters & are not too scary!) and the media became interested,even filming one of our members in her own home. I was able to refer to the clinical guidelines which advocate timely provision of services,and the situation has improved. It's not perfect - but better! As a CAB volunteer branch suppport volunteers referred me several problems with benefits,council services,housing and so forth - and as a branch we decided to employ a trained CAB worker for a few hours a week to work exclusively with people affected by MS. Citizens' Advice is an organisation whch itself campaigns for social justice - so we now receive appropriate individual help and advice in the knowledge that information will be collected to affect social policy. We don't have to do everything ourselves! The latest battle will be an attempt to overturn the refusal to prescribe certain drugs.There's no point in simply complaining about the situation - patients will be co-operating with our neurologist to try to influence the local commissioning group which does have to take notice of the number of individual requests for funding it receives. Watch this space!