Leeds Citizens is hoping you can help ask local General Election candidates to support Leeds Citizens' priority campaigns - namely, mental health, Living Wage and opportunities for young people. (Read more about Leeds Citizens, and support for it within the diocese, here).
They are organising meetings with candidates in all Leeds constituencies in the run-up to 8 June and will be asking them directly to:
- Support their priority campaigns locally, within their party and at Westminster;
- Meet with them again within 100 days of being elected;
- Commit to an ongoing working relationship with Leeds Citizens through the duration of the Parliament.
How can you take part? They say :-
1. We need volunteers to join the teams to meet with candidates in their local constituency. The teams will be briefed and supported by our Senior Organiser, Tom Chigbo. If you live in one of the following constituencies and would like to take part please contact Leeds Citizens asap.
Elmet and Rothwell
Leeds Central
Leeds East
Leeds North East
Leeds North West
Leeds West
Morley and Outwood
Pudsey
2. We need organisations who are willing to host a meeting with a candidate on their premises, eg a hall or meeting room. If you're able to host, please let us know ASAP.
3. If you're a leader in your community, please promote this opportunity and send us a list of people who want to join the team. We want to match people to meetings within their own constituency, so please ask volunteers to note their constituency (or post code, if they aren't sure), so they can meet the right candidates.
4. For those who can't make these specific events, but are attending other hustings or meet a candidate on the doorstep, we will be providing a short briefing on our campaign areas with key questions for candidates, to help you contribute to this action and keep candidates on their toes!
Please also remind people to register to vote. The deadline is Monday 22 May. You can register online at: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
"As much as we seek relationships with elected officials, the most important office is the one which we all share: citizen. Let's use this election period, through voting and action, to build a bit more trust and participation in our democracy."