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We need to ask for your help again. And sorry that help is financial. This really is the final push and how effective we can be is entirely down to how much money we can raise.
In January Steve and the team were able to move into Airbnb accommodation in the heart of Westminster for 4 nights a week (thanks to your generous donations). As well as giving the team a base, this also allowed us to catch the early morning and evening news and to uncover all sorts of things we could never have known if we weren’t on the ground.
We’ve witnessed comings and goings between Tufton St and Government ministers, seen them wined and dined in the house belonging to Cambridge Analytica’s chief techie, happened upon where Andrea Leadsome lives and caught her coming out of her front door early morning on the day she resigned.
This knowledge has allowed Steve to ask searching questions and keep holding our elected officials to account. We’ve continued to get our voices and images across the news and kept Stop Brexit alive and helped make it mainstream.
None of this has come cheaply and it has hasn’t made us popular in certain circles. But we know what we do is vital and that our direct action emboldens politicians. MPs, Peers and MEPs from all parties have told us that our presence really helps those politicians who are fighting to Remain.
As Winter became Spring, we found it harder and harder to find affordable holiday lets in Westminster. It’s vital to keep the team in one place both for morale and to keep them safe. So we looked for a short term flat to rent on a weekly basis (rather than shipping out every Thursday morning to return to a different holiday let on Sunday). Only there weren’t any at less than £1,300 a week (and believe me that's not luxurious). However, by opting for a longer rental we could reduce that to £850 a week. Still horribly expensive but the least worst option and a proper base for Steve.
To start with, the SODEM protest was just one man and a couple of flags grabbing a sofa from mates wherever he could. Bombing back to South Wales at weekends and asking favours wherever he needed them. Then the kindness of a fellow activist gave him a south London crash pad and he’s been living between there and a string of Airbnb’s since January. A peripatetic life on top of an already gruelling schedule takes its toll.
Gathering a team of loyal stalwarts around him, Steve prepared to run a marathon, he just didn’t realise he’d be running back to back marathons for so long. We’ve taken the plunge and rented a home in Westminster for the shortest period we could which is 9 months and now we need to find the money to keep SODEM on the streets and fully effective.
Our basic running costs have steadily increased as the campaign has become more high focus and more is expected of the team. While badges and merchandise help to fund us we need to ask for hard cash donations please.
None of the protestors are paid but we do cover some expenses (such as travel to and from Westminster for the full timers who come up to London every week) and admin costs. We also need to refresh the placards and banners every couple of weeks to keep them topical for the News and we are forever having to replace flags.
We venture away from London to keep up a presence at Party Conferences and Remain rallies and are hoping to make some serious incursions into Leave heartlands this summer.
How effective we can be is entirely down to your generosity. We have never received a penny from any of the large organisations or high profile fundraising campaigns. Activists have literally put their lives on hold to fight to save the future. #StopBrexit. It’s not a done deal. Please put in whatever you can.
And if you can't donate, you can still give by sharing this with your friends, families and colleagues. You can share our story and you can attend the protest too.
We are outside Parliament every day that the House is sitting. Together we will #StopBrexit.
Thank you very much
You can also donate on the website at stopbrexitsteve.org
Perks
We've made some new 72mm Stop Brexit badges which will be available exclusively to anyone who is generous enough to donate £25 to the cause
Donate £50 and we'll send you a badge and this wonderful signed photo as a limited edition souvenir of the Final Push campaign
To thank you for a truly generous donation Steve will add a personal message to the limited edition signed photo
Highlights
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We've made some new 72mm Stop Brexit badges which will be available exclusively to anyone who is generous enough to donate £25 to the cause
Donate £50 and we'll send you a badge and this wonderful signed photo as a limited edition souvenir of the Final Push campaign
To thank you for a truly generous donation Steve will add a personal message to the limited edition signed photo
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