Organising a bloc at your local #Climatestrikes event is a great way to show your support and mobilise your community to join you.
A bloc is just a group of friends, community members or campaigners who show up together under a shared identity or message. Blocs are especially common in large marches where they serve as a useful way to amplify your message and make friends along the way!
The climate strikes are an important opportunity to show that people from all walks of life are demanding climate justice and want to see effective action to end the age of fossil fuels now. You could organise a bloc with others from your profession, faith group, sports team, neighbourhood, union – or any other commonality you’d like to highlight.
Once you’ve decided on the type of bloc you’d like to organise, there are a few simple steps to follow to make it a success:
- Decide on the name of your bloc and any key messages you would like to share. Take a look at these examples from London and Amsterdam.
- Create an event on Facebook, Eventbrite or other digital platforms, so those interested in attending can register to come and share it with their friends. Make sure to explain to potential participants why they should join you, where you’ll be meeting, and how they can find you.
- Keep spreading the word! There are so many ways to recruit people to join you. Examples include emailing your contacts, putting up flyers, posters and stickers around town, sharing your event link on social media and getting your event in community calendars, newsletters and bulletins.
- Get together banners, placards, flags and props to make your message visible! You’ll find lots of examples here, or use your imagination! Hosting a meet up to make props and materials together before the Climate Strikes is a good way to get others involved and build excitement around your bloc.
Check out our guide to Fossil Free messaging to get ideas for a Fossil Free bloc.