NHS Petition MP hand-ins: countdown checklist

Photograph by 38 Degrees

38 Degrees members have suggested that it might be helpful to have a “countdown” to handing in a petition to an MP, to create a ready-made list for people to work through in the days before the event.

After you’ve registered to hold an event , booked the appointment with your MP and made sure the details are up on the website, here are 38 Degrees members’ tips for a smooth hand-in.

7 days before: Check your event is up on the website and get in touch through the 38 Degrees website if it isn’t there, or there’s another technical problem.

5 days before: You’ll get an e-mail which will include some documents to help with preparing for your event:
– template press release
– “6 key questions to ask your MP” sheet

Or you can download the press release here.

4 days before: Tell your local paper and local radio stations about the hand-in (you could send them the press release once you have added your details, or just give them a ring and tell them about it over the phone). You may also want to think about planning the photo for your delivery – some members have used boxes with the stickers on to symbolise the size of the petition and have taken a photograph of the group surrounding it before the handover. Lots of shops will give you a box for free if you ask them.

3 days before: An email will go out to other 38 Degrees members living in your constituency, letting them know about the hand-in so some of them can join in. You’ll get emails letting you know when someone has signed up to the hand-in event on the 38 Degrees website.

2 days before: You’ll receive a letter in the post which will include:
– a CD with the petition and instructions for your MP about how to get the password to look at the petition (the event host doesn’t need the password, so don’t be concerned that you haven’t received it)
– a sticker which you can stick to a box or envelope which contains the petition CD

1 day before: Call your MP to confirm the details of the event.

On the day: Before leaving home, you may decide to read through the press release and the MP Questions, to help with talking to journalists and your MP once you arrive at the event. You may want to arrive a few minutes before the start time so you can meet other 38 Degrees members as they arrive. And don’t forget your camera!

After the event: E-mail your picture to the 38 Degrees team and send in your MP’s answers to the questions you asked.

If you’re thinking about organising an event, you might also find it useful to have a look at the step-by-step guide to organising a petition hand-in. The frequently asked questions are also helpful.

If your event is only organised at the last minute, contact the team through the 38 Degrees website and we’ll do our best to help out in time. Also, please remember that because 38 Degrees is a non-party political organisation, if you represent a political party (for example, if you’re a local councillor, or hold a position within a local party group), you shouldn’t sign up to host an event.