On Tuesday evening we had our second meeting at the Old Thameside Inn in London Bridge. We put our heads together to brainstorm all the things we do really well as a group and all the things we want to do more of in the future. For now here is the first of those two lists...
The things that Southwark does really well as a group and should celebrate:
10. We have many supporters
We now have 190 members who belong to our online Southwark Greenpeace group, which is very exciting and great motivation to keep on doing what we do. If you are one of those 190 people pat yourself on the back. If you are reading this and wondering whether to join I hope the rest of this list might help to convince you to come along to our next event and to become number 191.
9. Our new London Bridge Meetings
We have just started having a second monthly meeting in London Bridge in addition to our already successful Peckham meeting. Not only does this provide a fantastic excuse to have a drink or two by the river on a Tuesday night, but also more importantly it has encouraged back some older members and will garner new ones for whom Peckham was not so ideal. Thus increasing our capacity and broadening our collective horizons!
8. We keep things local
We have done some really enjoyable local events recently and have worked with and supported local South East London groups such as the new Camberwell Film Festival and Surrey Docks Farms.
7. We have a good focus
We know what we want and we work together to try to get there.
6. We have a brilliant group dynamic
We have a diverse and varied group and everyone contributes in their own unique and wonderful way.
5. We are a dedicated team who turn up to meetings and events.
Enough said.
4. Shared leadership
Steve has been working hard to encourage new people to take on leadership roles. Anyone who wants to get involved in organising an event will get the opportunity to get properly stuck in. Last week Rowan put in a sterling effort organising us for the Camberwell Film Festival, I am having a go on Saturday 30th at our South London Bromley Market event (but more on that very soon!) It is exciting stuff and will continue I am sure as the year goes on.
3. We have social evenings
Often involving pizza! We have had a couple recently in order to prepare craft material for our now legendary finger puppet/animal mask Greenpeace stall bonanza. As a newer member it has been really nice for me to be able to get to know the group outside of official Greenpeace meetings and public events.
2. We work together with the community.
Again I cite the Camberwell film festival (please see Rowan's blog post on the event to give you a flavour!) It is a really good feeling to be based at a local event where the focus is on community. We can help them to promote their events (and erect marquees where necessary!) and they can help us to promote Greenpeace in a diverse range of locales.
1. We are the faces of our campaigns
We turn up, we do our bit, we work hard, we chat to the public, we get signatures, we dress up as polar bears, we remind people what we stand for, we do some good, we enjoy ourselves, we have fun and we keep turning up and doing it all over again.
So well done everyone, we can be really proud of ourselves! Back slapping over, stay tuned for the hotly anticipated sequel to this post: our can do better list -woops -I mean our ambitions for the future!
Over and out.
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