Reviewing a year in a campaign network is one thing, but reviewing the first year is another.
I’ve been in thriving groups and attended the bustling meetings of other long-standing ones. I’ve even tried (unsuccessfully) to start new networks before. Creating a Greenpeace group in London having just moved to this huge, head-spinning city may, in hindsight, have been a bit crazy but maybe that’s the trick.
One year on (well 10 months actually) and Waltham Forest Greenpeace is an established network with a regular high street campaign presence.
How did we do it?
Campaigns
I’m not sure we would have established a strong community foothold so quickly without the campaigns which Greenpeace delivered in 2010. Trident, Nestle and Kit Kat, BP and tar sands, and Go Beyond Oil caught the public’s attention; often complementing what they saw on the TV news. The banners and placards helped too.
Good campaigns also attract good activists – ‘you’re going after BP? I’ll have some of that.’ I have tried to recruit and engage the public in the past with weak or non-existent campaigns – it’s not possible, believe me. Which brings me to…
Activists
You only need two or three committed people in the beginning to have a viable network and Waltham Forest was lucky to have that right away. We may not have tons of people at our meetings but I doubt many other networks can match our ratio of people who participate in activities.
BP garages, BP Headquarters, the Treasury, Glastonbury, the Big Chill, the Climate march – Waltham Forest activists were in attendance at them all, taking action, raising funds and making a stand against environmental (and editorial) crimes.
Neighbours
Probably the most important thing any network requires in the beginning is the support of others. Activists from Bethnal Green and Islington in particular were always more than happy to jump on a Tube or bus to swell our numbers on some god-forsaken, wet weekend morning. The volunteer network in Greenpeace is second to none in the way it works together and Waltham Forest simply wouldn’t have survived without that support.
This year has already started in the same vein with new people and fun activities.
However, no sooner do you get fired up about our oceans work, then you read about BP plans to drill in the Arctic, and secret moves towards Trident replacement. It would appear that this year (hopefully) will be just as busy, just as interesting and just as active for the new kids on the block.
So, what’s next?
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