While you may find that a core group of people emerge in your new group as the main coordinators of any actions you take, it’s always important to continue speaking with your local community about climate change, and to seek to engage new people.

Attracting new members has a number of benefits – it helps to spread the load of things to do - many hands...light work...  But it also means that you can show your local representatives that the number of people in their electorate concerned about climate change is growing. Some people won’t want to take on too much. They might be happy being on your email list, and occasionally coming along to events you are promoting. Others could turn out to be that fundraising expert you were looking for, or experienced in giving presentations or writing letters to politicians.

If we are going to get the change we need from our governments, we need a large and influential climate movement - the more members, the better.

Ideas for engaging new people:

• Give presentations about climate change and how people can get involved in your local area. Probus groups and Rotary groups are often looking for presentations. School communities, church groups and even local business groups are often interested in climate change, and in what community groups in their area are doing.
• Hold an event or creative campaign to engage new groups of people. For example, you could organise for all the Primary Schools in your area to paint onto a banner solutions to climate change that they want to see. Sew these banners together, and present it to your local MP with a letter from the schools calling for greater action on climate change to protect the future of these children.
• Run a petition in your local area. Start your own petition, or use one developed by another group.
• Host a public meeting, inviting along keynote speakers on climate change that will interest people outside of your members. Advertise this through your networks, local media or posters and flyers in your area.