Two months in one update this time, but no less to show for it. Many of us volunteers have been away on holidays and having breaks over the summer, making the most of the heat, so July and August are being covered together. Even so, it’s kept us busy across leafletting, clean-ups and getting out to talk to people directly, and we’re pleased to bring you the latest.
Getting the message into peoples homes.
Leafletting has continued at pace. Across July and into August we’ve completed over 100 streets, getting the message into easily over 2,000 homes. On 16th August we ran an action day getting leaflets into the St Giles area, alongside a clean-up of King George’s Field, which went brilliantly. We can’t thank the hard-working volunteers who are getting out to make real change within our communities enough.
See It, Sort It.
Our See It, Sort It initiative kept going well through both months as well. In July we cleaned up the lesser kept side streets in the centre of town, the areas that so often get left behind and forgotten about because it’s not readily visible. The King George’s Field clean-up on the 16th August saw us clear over 10 full bags of rubbish and fly-tipping in the space of a couple of hours.
It’s worth remembering that See It, Sort It isn’t just about the big action days. It’s meant to be part of everyday life. Whenever you’re out and about, if you see it, sort it, and if you can get someone else to join you or spread the word, even better. Even one piece of rubbish picked up is one less for somebody else to deal with.
Change starts well before the ballot box.
Behind the scenes, our Local Priorities document is now finished. It’s not published yet, it’ll go through a final round of checks at our next branch meeting before it sees the light of day, but it’s a big step forward for the branch.
We haven’t submitted any FOI requests yet, and that’s where we need you. If you’ve got experience with FOI work, get in touch. There’s filth in this city that needs uncovering, and we intend to uncover it.
Out on the High Street.
On 19th July we headed into the centre of the city and spent the day handing out leaflets up and down the High Street. The reception was fantastic. We spoke to people from all over the country, and even some from further afield, including America, who told us they’d been following and liked what Rupert has had to say. What stood out most were the conversations, people’s real, lived experience being shared, not the version of events the media likes to feed everyone to try and dumb down why so many are turning to Restore.
We’ll be back on the High Street at the end of the month. Come and find us.
On the 11th July Protest.
On Saturday 11th July, a “Lincoln Says: Enough Is Enough” march took place, starting at South Common and heading to the High Street. We want to address this directly, as we know some of you were there, but many saw it happen online or heard about it since.
We fully support the right of anyone to protest peacefully and lawfully. It’s a fundamental part of a free country, and not something we’ll ever argue against. However, we made the decision not to get involved. We didn’t know the organisers, the stated purpose wasn’t clear, and we weren’t prepared to have Restore Britain associated, officially or otherwise, with an event we had no hand in organising or controlling.
That decision ended up being the right one. What we saw on the day was not what we stand for. Groups of men shouting abuse at police and at counter-protesters in the middle of the city centre achieves nothing. It doesn’t win an argument, it doesn’t change a mind, and it certainly doesn’t represent the vast majority of people in this city who have real, legitimate concerns and simply want them heard. It re-enforces the sterotype that ‘the far-right’ are violent thugs. We of course see the same failure from the counter-protestors too, but rising above their idiocy and remaining level headed will always be the right course of action. Shouting into the void is shouting into the void, whoever is doing it.
Our approach will always be the opposite of that. It’s why you’ll find us on the High Street handing out leaflets and having genuine, respectful conversations with individuals. If we organise anything of this kind in future, it will be made clear from the outset that this behaviour has no place at it. Anyone who can’t control themselves in that setting is welcome to find an outlet elsewhere, but they will not be welcome at anything we run.
We’d also like to commend Lincolnshire Police for their handling of the day. They remained professional and kept the peace throughout, without the heavy-handedness we’ve seen from police forces elsewhere in the country. That restraint deserves recognition.
Get Involved.
If any of this sounds like something you want to be part of, get in touch with the branch directly, whether that’s to find out more about us or the party, help out with leafletting, or join us for a litter picking session, we’d love to hear from you. And if you’re not already, follow us on our socials and give our posts a share, it all helps get the message further than the media will.
We will put Lincoln first and Restore Britain.