Holding a demonstration

Once you know exactly what you are campaigning for, it's a great idea to hold a demonstration. Here are some tips to help your demonstration be successful:

• Make sure everyone knows well in advance where to be and when. Get a list of email addresses for people who have promised to come along, and email them the day before to remind them.
• Make placards carrying short and simple messages written in big black letters so the media can photograph and film them easily.
• Make sure your demonstration is safe and you don't put demonstrators' lives at risk from traffic.
• Make sure your demonstration is seen and heard by the people who matter. Notify your local police and invite your MP, other officials and the media to come along.
• Make sure that any approval/authorisation necessary to hold your protest has been granted before the demonstration takes place.
• Combine your demonstration with education. For example, you could team up with the local police to stop drivers who are speeding and give them a leaflet written by local school kids about the need to slow down.