Huw Merriman, Conservative candidate, Bexhill and Battle
To members of the Executive, Branch Chairmen and District Councillors and District Candidates
Happy New Year to you all. I hope that you have had an enjoyable break. It is just over 30 days since I have been selected and I wanted to set out my intentions for January and report on December
December
My month has been spent getting to know members and individuals of responsibility within the constituency, attending events, announcing my appointment to media and other bodies and individuals and building up my social media infrastructure.
January
My month is going to be split as follows:
1. First Constituency Leaflet – Spotlight on Huw and District Councillors and Candidates
I have been given the green-light by the Association to put a newspaper together. I have sourced quotes and this has been signed-off. My intention is to organise as follows:
· Newspapers editions for each of (a) Bexhill (b) Pevensey, Westham and Stone Cross and (c) Heathfield, Battle, Robertsbridge, Herstmonceux and other rural surrounds.
· Approximately 30,000 will be published (to be determined) with a print deadline of 31 January.
· I am currently writing articles and I am keen for your help in providing me with stories and in spending time with me in January so I can take photos in the towns and villages which make up the constituency. I am particularly keen to ensure that every District Cllr and Candidate feature so that this is a joint publication. Could District Councillors and Candidates please get in touch with me and we can fix up a date (I will be taking Fridays off from work and am also available at weekends and evenings during the week).
· I would welcome any suggestions as to community news, groups I could meet and good photo-opportunities you could arrange or point me towards. Please get in touch with your ideas – I will do all of the hard work and the writing but I need your ideas and advice.
· The newspaper will also advertise a series of ‘Meet the Candidate’ events which will be held in the main centres across the constituency in March. These are to be arranged but will include Bexhill, Battle, Heathfield, Pevensey and Robertsbridge. I hope to be able to arrange these evenings with branches and District Cllrs/Candidates. We will be in touch and would ask key branches to consider suitable venues and times (we hope to keep this informal so more likely to be pubs/small venues than large halls).
· I am hoping that the branches can help me to deliver the newspapers throughout February and early March in order to publicise the ‘Meet the Candidate’ events later in March. I am conscious that this is not a great time of the year to deliver but the election waits for no man or woman.
· I expect to spend a fair amount of my time delivering (and meeting people as I go) through February. I hope you agree with me that it is vital, for me and for the District Cllrs and Candidates, to get this newspaper out before the election campaigns commences.
2. Meetings and Events
In addition to the compilation of the newspaper, which, via the photos, will ensure that we are visiting schools, building developments, community groups and electors in general, I will be focussing on the following:
· Visiting Bexhill Hospital
· Joining Amber Rudd MP and Network Rail managers for a Hastings/Bexhill Rail Summit. As part of this summit, a Javelin (High Speed) train will be travelling from Hastings to Bexhill and on to Eastbourne and photos will be taken (Fri 30 Jan – more details to follow).
· Visiting Bexhill College and leading a discussion group with the Politics students
· Meeting the Divisional Police Commander
· Meetings with other community leaders and representatives (some met in Dec, more to meet in January) as well as attending events and photo-calls (e.g. A21). Please do feel free to suggest groups I should contact and invite during January to meet with an eye on the newsletter content and photos (albeit I do need to be realistic with time).
3. Election Leaflets
Central Office require Gillian and I to put together our election material to enable the printing to be put together as part of their national programme. This is a ‘behind the scenes’ job but it will take up our time.
4. Communications
As well as updating our website, facebook and twitter accounts, I will be preparing a January Newsletter which will be available electronically (via mailchimp) for members. I hope to create a monthly newsletter and to expand upon our database so we are sending to as many groups and voters as possible.
5. Fundraising
I recognise that something has to pay for the newspaper and I hope to be at the forefront. I intend to commence the first ‘Candidates’ Dinner at my house and to then roll this out. I also hope to be arranging speakers to visit in order for us to hold fundraising dinners. Logistics will commence in January.
6. Campaigning
As well as printing the newspapers, we are printing 30,000 calling cards (DL size) and business cards as well as a banner with my name and photo on. These will assist with visiting electors, holding street stalls and handing out, or delivering, calling cards. I also spoke with Amber Rudd, our MP for Hastings & Rye, and I have committed to leading a team from Bexhill and Battle on a Saturday later on in January (details to follow).
In order to complete the newspaper for printing, if I could ask District Councillors and Candidates to get in touch with me for articles and to arrange a meeting time for photos during January (preferably on Friday, Saturday or Sunday), I would be grateful. I would also be keen to hear from any members of the Executive or Branch Chairmen to the same end.
Thanks to you all for giving me such a warm welcome during December. The hard work really now sets in and I look forward to working with you for success in both elections this May.
Regards,
Huw
→ about Huw Merriman
Huw, a lawyer and a District Councillor for Rotherfield, won the nomination from a shortlist of four candidates, and will be the Conservative Party’s candidate for the 2015 General Election. He is aged 41 years old and lives with his wife, Victoria, and their three daughters, in Five Ashes, near Heathfield. Huw works as a Lawyer and Managing Director and is currently leading a team of lawyers who are unwinding the Lehman Brothers estate. If elected, Huw will continue to commute from his home in East Sussex to Westminster.
