From: Constructive Voices
Whatever your view about the result of the EU referendum, it’s clear that charities now have an important role to play in fostering community cohesion, especially in the wake of a rise in the number of reported incidents of racial abuse and hate crime: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/brexit-eu-referendum-racial-racism-abuse-hate-crime-reported-latest-leave-immigration-a7104191.html.
You might want to get in touch with your local or national media and get your voice heard.
You need to be clear about:
1. 1. Why you are concerned
2. 2. What you may already have noticed happening
3. 3. What needs to be done – make sure you set out a few concrete, practical suggestions.
This can be done via:
1. 1. Writing a letter to a newspaper. Here a few of the big national ones, but also consider your local paper.
Guardian guardian.letters@theguardian.com
Observer observer.letters@observer.co.uk
Times letters@thetimes.co.uk
Daily Telegraph dtletters@telegraph.co.uk
Financial Times letters.editor@ft.com
Remember, you need to react to a particular article and include your name, address, postcode and phone number for verification.
2. Calling a radio phone-in.
Listen out for opportunities you could contribute to. There are endless discussions now about the impact of Brexit.
This could be your local radio station or a national stations LBC (0345 6060 973) and BBC Radio 5live (0500 909 693) who have daily phone-ins. It’s often easier to get on air that you might think.
3. Sending a press release or personal blog to your local or national media contacts.
Check online and on twitter which journalists are covering the news about hate crime and racist attacks. Use #hatecrime #postrefracism #racism
Do ask Constructive Voices (constructivevoices@ncvo.org.uk) if you need help with this.
4. Using twitter
Put a pinned tweet (at the top of your timeline) outlining your response, ideally linked to a blog or press release on your website.
Encourage people to join you in your work. As Zoe Williams in the Guardian appeals – “be a joiner, not a dabbler: get involved with refugee charities, with migrants’ rights groups, with the apparatus of inclusion and love that decent people have been building for decades.”http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/28/brexit-fallout-six-practical-ways-to-fix-this-mess
It’s now more vital than ever that your voice is heard loud and clear as you have valuable advice to offer. Do let us know what you are doing and if you manage to get coverage.
Best regards