The local council in my area decided to close my husband's council run care home. I spent many weeks that summer stood in shopping centres and in the town hall getting signatures on a petition. I got over 8,000 signatures in the four weeks I collected them which entitled me to speak at a council meeting in defence of the need to keep the home open.
I also had some help from UNITE union who printed some of my petitions for me and spent some lunch hours helping me to get signatures. Two or three TP posters who lived nearby also gave me support and posting regularly on TP kept my spirits up with much support from forum members.
UNITE also paid for a room in a town centre meeting place and I organised a meeting between people interested in keeping the home open, three local MP's and several local Councillors including the council leader.
I went on local radio and local TV news programmes regularly to promote the cause and wrote letters to my local newspaper at least once a week to get support. I also sent e mails to every local councillor and attended a few local political party meetings
By the time the local Councillors came to vote they decided that it was too 'hot a potato' and the care home remains open to this day.
All this took place some four years ago. Good luck and I hope my post has persuaded you that if you get local opinion behind you, you can make an enormous difference to council decisions.
xxTinaT
Obviously there's a lot more to it but any ideas would be greatly appreciated. We are onto local councillors/MPs/PM but totally out of my comfort zone
