Invitation to the Umbrella-Group Meeting

This is a letter which is being sent out to Stafford organisations and individuals.

“Hello there, my name is Tom Harris and I am the Chairman of Castletown Residents’ Association.

You may have read in the local press that we held a meeting this Monday (7th December), to discuss the proposed Western Access Road. The result was clear – the overwhelming majority of residents are firmly opposed to this road being built. Other groups are now joining the calls to scrap the plans.

Time is very short as the consultation ends on Friday 8th January. Some are even suggesting the County Council deliberately picked the least opportune 6 weeks in the whole year in order to quell public debate. But it appears that nothing can stop the ever-growing calls of opposition. Castletown Residents’ Association wishes to continue to campaign against the road plans, but we cannot reach very many people on our own.

So, following discussions with various groups and individuals, a new meeting has been called, with the aim of creating a wider, umbrella-group to represent the combined voices of all groups opposing the plans.

Residents’Associations, sustainability, environmental and church groups, as well as individual Stafford residents are all being invited to attend the open meeting and join the as yet unnamed umbrella group. (Something along the lines of “Stop the Stafford W.A.R. (Western Access Road) has been mentioned, although any decision will be made at the meeting on Sunday).

At the meeting the arguments against the plans will be outlined, a list of those wishing to join the umbrella-group created, and an action plan discussed and agreed on. It has already been suggested that a website be set up for the umbrella-group, to provide information for general public. The creation of a template containing information and arguments against the proposals for each group to ‘personalise’ and pass around is another idea.

I hope you will be able to attend the meeting, which will take place at Trinity Church Hall, (just off Chell Road, opposite Sainsbury’s and Wilkinsons), on Sunday 13th December at 3pm. Please pass this email on to anyone who may wish to attend or get involved with the new umbrella-group.

I would be very grateful if you could let me know if you are planning to attend, so I can get an idea of numbers.

Please feel free to contact me if you require any further information.

Best regards, Tom Harris”