Radstock Here We Come!

This Saturday 11th May we’ll be out again in Radstock with Martin, door knocking and delivering cards. No experience needed. Meet 10.30am at Church St Car Park, Radstock and lifts available from Frome. The Museum is open with a friendly tearoom and toilets. We’ll finish by 12.30pm.

Action Morning in Radstock, 27 April

We’ve had some fantastic action mornings recently, giving us the chance to hear from local residents and introduce our Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Martin Dimery.

Our next Action Morning is coming up on Saturday 27 April. Meet at Church St Car Park, Radstock at 10.30 a.m. We’ll be introducing Martin to Radstock residents on doorsteps and handing out cards. 

Please come and join us – no canvassing experience necessary.

Green Meet and Network in Frome, 23 April

Are you interested in green and sustainable activities around Frome? Don’t miss the Green Meet and Network on Tuesday 23rd April from 7pm at the wonderful Mycelium Space at Station Approach, Frome. The organisers say: “It’s a sort of green speed dating, for social justice and environmental groups, no speed but mulled cider and lots of 2 min chats with a huge variety of people.” We look forward to seeing you there!

Volunteer spotlight: Judy Hosegood

We spoke to Frome and East Somerset Green Party volunteer Judy Hosegood about her experience of canvassing in the local area, and her tips for people thinking of getting involved.

What made you want to join the Green Party, and how long have you been a member?

I've been a Green Party member only about 6 years, but I've always been politically involved. I joined it really because it's the only party with the Climate Emergency at its heart; the other parties just seem to pay lip service to it.

For me it's the biggest issue of the day. Without real emphasis and policies to reduce emissions, our world won't be so possible to live in. Climate change is making a big difference to our climate/weather already in the UK and affecting so many of our lives. But also the other policies which have peace, social justice and equality at its centre, like abolition of nuclear weapons, taxation, health, housing, education.

What’s your favourite thing about canvassing?

Meeting other people on their own territory, finding out about local neighbourhoods and the issues voters are concerned about. Having discussions with different people, and why they vote as they do. Meeting other canvassers – it's a very collaborative activity.

Have you learnt anything surprising while canvassing?

Meeting other canvassers is good – there are always things to learn from other people. How receptive people are when you knock on their door when they aren't expecting you at all. People are usually very happy to talk, and so many are very politically knowledgeable. I've learnt never make assumptions – one person I was chatting to said she had always been a Conservative voter, but wouldn't again. I thought: oh she may well vote Green now; but no, she was going to vote Reform!

What advice would you give to someone new to canvassing?

Enjoy it! You don't need to completely understand all Green Party policies; you very rarely get asked the details of individual policies. Go with someone who has done it before. In the Green party we never canvass on our own, so you learn from each other. The Frome and East Somerset Green Party has a very short script to open the conversation and that gave me confidence at first.

What are your hopes for the next General Election?

That it happens soon... that the four most targeted seats return a Green MP. But also the climate emergency gets the attention it deserves, so even the other parties and the next government realise that most of the population are worried about climate change and want the government to take charge of it. That the Green vote increases nationwide, so the other parties have to listen and do something.

Inspired by Judy’s experiences? We always welcome new volunteers. Contact us at contact@eastmendip.greenparty.org.uk to find out how you can get involved.

Let’s get behind Martin in Midsomer Norton

We need 20 people on the morning of Saturday 6th April in Midsomer Norton High St.

We will be handing out cards to introduce Martin Dimery, our Green Party prospective candidate for the forthcoming General Election, and doing a photoshoot with him. We will be near Dorothy House Charity Shop (just below the Farmers’ Market) on the High St from 10.30am–12.30pm and the photoshoot will be at 11.00am.

Hope you can come – we are looking forward to giving our new Vote Green Party boards an airing.

Please let us know if you would like a lift.

Don’t miss our social events

This month we’ll have 2 social events in Frome and we’d love to see you there:

Monday 26th Feb 2.30–4.00 pm in the Cheese & Grain café.

Tuesday 27th Feb 9.00 pm onwards in the Cheese & Grain bar.

We hope you can make it!

Come and join us for action days in Radstock

We have been encouraged by our first two Action Mornings in Radstock, asking people about local issues and telling them about the new Constituency using the postcard bar chart. Come and join us Saturday 24th Feb for the morning. Meet at Church St car park Radstock BA3 3QG 10.30 a.m. It’s fun and supportive - no experience of canvassing needed. We need recorders as well as door knockers. Lifts available from Frome. We need more people. Please let us know if you are coming or want a lift: contact@eastmendip.greenparty.org.uk. Thank you!

Green Party group on Somerset Council call for fair funding from government

With Somerset Council now facing a desperate and deepening financial crisis, the Green Party group on Somerset Council have called on the Government to supply fair funding, in an article signed by five Green councillors.

You can read their statement here at Frome Nub News.

Martin Dimery achieved best-ever Green result in by-election

In the Somerton and Frome by-election on 20th July 2023, Martin Dimery achieved the best-ever Green voting percentage for a by-election result.

The by-election was won by Sarah Dyke for the Liberal Democrats with 21,187 votes representing 54.6%. In second place was Faye Purbrick (Conservative) with 10,739 votes or 26.2%. In third place was Martin Dimery for the Green Party with 3,944 votes representing 10.2% of the turnout, the Greens' best ever by-election result.

The results showed a 28.4% swing to the Liberal Democrats, a 5.1% swing to the Greens, and a 29.6% swing away from the Conservatives.

Martin Dimery has given an extensive interview on the by-election result to Green World, which can be read here.

Martin Dimery voted Green Party prospective parliamentary candidate

We are pleased to announce that Martin Dimery has been appointed by the Green Party members resident in the new constituency.

Martin Dimery was the first Green Party candidate to be elected to Somerset County Council in 2017, representing Frome East. We are pleased to announce that Martin Dimery has been appointed by the Green Party members resident in the new constituency. He was elected again last year in the first Unitary Somerset Council, is Leader of the Green group, and is now Chair of the Climate and Place Scrutiny Committee. In 2019, Martin stood alongside Molly Scott-Cato and Green Party co-Leader Carla Denyer in the South West constituency for the EU elections, in which Molly was re-elected.

Martin's background is in teaching in both state and private sectors, and in the arts. He has also written for the Guardian, Times Educational Supplement, and other journals. His humorous autobiographical account of his life on the road with a Beatles tribute act "Being John Lennon" was commercially published, and he has also written a number of stage plays, of which three have been published.

Martin and his wife Anne have lived in Frome for forty years. They have three grown-up children and four grandchildren.