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When a group of separate individuals come together because
they feel passionately about an issue, and combine their various
skills, the result can be extremely successful. The process can
also be thrilling; looking back over the early months of NFDOG's
progress, there is a real sense of pride at how much can be achieved
with just a few determined individuals. Good luck, and we hope
the pointers given below will help you in your fight.
Gather support for your cause in your local area. Contact dog
training clubs, vets, pet shops, grooming parlours, doggie
friends. Spread the word.
Set up a working party/committee with a chairman, treasurer, vet,
solicitor, publicist, computer specialist and ornithologist/wildlife
specialist.
Develop a constitution.
Do remember to organise public liability insurance in case you are sued
by anyone.
All committee members/helpers should be willing to work free of charge.
Set up a network of willing helpers who can fill envelopes, stick on
stamps, distribute leaflets. These should be right across the
area - ultimately achieving higher membership.
Develop a name, logo and typeface which remain consistent in all that
you do.
Set up a contact address where people can write to/send money.
Set up a web site which is regularly updated, and a database of members.
Generate media interest in your issue; be absolutely single-minded in
whatever your cause is (i.e. is the problem CROW, conservationists, or
something else?).
Befriend journalists. They will put your case in a more
favourable light.
Remember to always emphasise that your group represents responsible dog
owners - the vast majority. Always say that the more control we
have over our dogs, the more freedom we have.
Always make your case seem reasonable, and the other side
unreasonable. Why should you have to fight so hard for a quiet
walk in the country?
Have a complete understanding of the legal issues facing you.
Find 'moles' in the organisations that oppose you. Discover what
their hidden, as well as their stated, agendas are.
Buy the 'A-Z of Countryside Law' from the Government Stationery Office,
tel. no. 0870 6005522.
Plan to set up a public meeting to launch your group.
Ask for favours - try and get your venue cheap/free.
It is incredibly important that your public meeting is highly
professional. This is the public face of your group and will
create a lasting impression.
Send out hundreds/thousands of brightly coloured A4 leaflets announcing
the issue and your public meeting. Put in vets, pet shops,
sympathetic local newsagents, notice boards, telegraph posts etc.
Put a press release in all your local newspapers announcing the meeting
Make sure local TV, radio and press are there to cover the meeting.
Before the meeting get Parish and County Councillors, and MPs on your
side. This is a really easy vote winner for them - dog walkers
usually outnumber whoever the enemy is!
Remember that these individuals can do a lot of the fighting for you in
high places.
If CROW is the issue, make contact with the Countryside Agency and see
if they will speak at your meeting. Give whoever is against you
an opportunity to put their case in public - this will seem reasonable.
Invite influential people to the meeting; the media, dog press, Kennel
Club, Pro-Dogs, vets, MPs, wildlife representatives, dog training clubs.
For the meeting you will need your logo, blown up to poster size and
laminated - several of these.
You'll need lots of stewards with buckets to collect money, and take
down people's names and addresses. Make arrangements for the
safe-keeping of monies collected.
In case you get hundreds/thousands of people, also consider blank
envelopes which people can put £5 membership (an easy amount to
handle) and write their name and address on the front themselves.
All committee members and speakers should have badges with their name
and title. You'll also need VIP badges (MPs, county councillors
etc.)
Arrange a PA system. Also plan to video the meeting, and run
copies you can sell
afterwards to raise funds.
All the speakers need to have a consistent style to their charts,
whether on powerpoint or acetates. They should have no more than
15 words on a chart, otherwise the audience feels ' read
to'! They need to be fully rehearsed, and answers to
questions thought through.
No alcohol should be served in the meeting - it can inflame the mood if
things become angry.
Develop a 'Dog Owners' Code' which you can take a vote on in the
meeting. This should encourage dog owners to be
responsible. Condemn the irresponsible minority who let their
dogs run wild -it gives you more credibility.
Remember that numbers are your powerbase, if you can claim several
thousand members, the powers that be will listen to you.
If petitions are raised make sure that people are asked to print their
name, address and postcode so that you can contact them later and ask
them to support your group as a paid up member.
For the long term get representatives onto relevant local committees
which could influence how recreation in your area is run.
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