Promotion and Outreach

Promotion & Outreach is what Millennium Greens have to do that parks perhaps don't have to do, because they rely on local support and because they have it in their Trust Deeds that they shoud "Make a substantial contribution to the life of the whole community". Generally, we need to keep reminding people that we exist and that we need support. If we get into a small clique of regulars, the numbers will dwindle over time and we will not get funds, volunteers or most difficult of all, new trustees.

It is also worth remembering that this kind of work is good for volunteers work experience; things like writing Press Releases and contacting the media sound good in interviews. The following methods are all available to Millennium Greens and are used by many Greens to achieve their ends:

Posters
Its important to keep them fresh and renewed. If you have the same old posters, then people will cease to read them. If you have your own noticeboards, then encourage other community users, such as schools, charities etc. to put their posters on your board. This will not only encourage people to look on the board, but will foster a relationship with the people you make the offer to.

Notice Board
Many Greens have them- every one should. If you do, is it in the right place? Could you put another one somewhere? One of the best places is where people standing at a bus stop can read it- or somewhere else where people are bored and have nothing to do but read it. Big, bold, interesting. Pictures on it; childrens art; poster competition;involve schools

Newspapers
As well as sending Press Releases etc. to your local newspapers, you can write letters to the editor,which may get published more often, especially if you write newsworthy letters. It may be worth offering to do a small corner or page regularly for your local paper. Letters seem to be read and acted on better than e-mails and its worth cultivating your editors and writing full information, so they can lift the info and use it without taking time or getting back to you.

TV?
You never know, it has happened! New Southgate did get a spot in a programme once, due to having an event listed in the The Tree Council website.

Website
Having your own website is a must in the 21st century. If you cannot keep it up to date, then don't put dates and current info in it; it looks better to have a simple, clean site than one full of out-of-date info.

Page on this Wiki
As of 2012, it is not exactly a must, but over time, creating an informative page will attract people as the wiki is developed and more people come to it

Google Maps
Get your Millennium Green correctly marked on the Map. To do so, find the Map it is on, click on Report a Problem, bottom right, then click on Add a New Place and follow the instructions.

Wikipedia
Go to the Wikipedia Page your local area is on- the village or district probably has a Page, if not create one, its easier than you think! Edit the Page, saying that the area has a Millennium Green and adding a link to the Wikipedia Millennium Green Page, then to your Page on this Wiki- as Halton Village has done this.

Facebook
You can create Pages for the Place and for pages for a Group, the Friends of. The place can be linked to photos of things that are on the Green or happen there. The Group page can create Events, through which to invite people to volunteering or Events.

Events
These are very important to maintain the communities involvement- indeed the speed and ease with which you can arrange and authorise events on a MM Green can be one of the key advantages of it being a Millennium Green.

Links with schools and education
Arrange school visits; write leaflet to give them, with questions to answer. Create a wildlife route; poster competition; encourage the school to think of the MM Green as a resource for them; set up a gardening club for the school.

Links with other Millennium Greens
We can support each other in many ways, one of which is promotion. People are curious about the idea of other Millennium Greens and it attracts attention to have visits. Arrange photoshoots with banners from the other Greens, its good for posters and newpapers.

Awards and Competitions
Working towards competitions will improve the quality of Greens and there is often a financial reward for awards, however, they are also good for promotion- the local papers like them and they encourage sponsors and new volunteers.