Some message ideas

You may have seen some of my suggestions on Twitter (hashtag #ChristmasSpiritCampaign), but I'm collecting them here for quick reference. Hopefully I will later add some longer ideas. Check back, as I will update this post as I come up with more.

The first few are ideal for people who are disabled and/or receive benefits:

• All I get for Christmas is a £10 bonus from DWP. This year I also get to fear for my future.
• Our lives are already tough, even at Christmas. Please help stop the Welfare Reform Bill making things even tougher
• I hope you look forward to a prosperous New Year. For the sick and disabled, it seems like we may not even get by

 Here are some that are best suited to people who aren't on benefits, and want to include that point:

• I do not support the persecution and victimisation of the disadvantaged in the Welfare Reform Bill. Do you? 
• I'm lucky enough not to need benefits, but I don't support the stigmatisation of those that do. Please protect them

Finally, here are a few that work for anyone, and don't say or imply anything either way:

• Winter is a time you have to keep warm. Many will be choosing between that and presents for their family
•  My disabled friends are terrified. Give them a fantastic gift - oppose the replacement of DLA with PIP
• How many more people will be struggling to survive by Chistmas 2013 if the Welfare Reform Bill passes?
• We've seen the disaster of a tick-box assessment for ESA. How can we hope that one for PIP will be any better?
• Disabled people are terrified of the changes in the Welfare Reform Bill. Please consider every amendment. 
• Is the security of thousands really worth threatening by following your Whips on the Welfare Reform Bill?
• I know peers won't rebel without good reason - so please listen to reasons to change the Welfare Reform Bill 
• Please show seasonal generosity to those less fortunate, consider all amendments to the Welfare Remove Bill 
• In a bill with so much left to regulations, more of the regulations should face the affirmative procedure 
• Give a wonderful gift this Christmas, protect the interests of the vulnerable in the Welfare Reform Bill

Card writing suggestions

A few suggestions for writing your cards:

I sound like my mother, but be nice, it's Christmas, and if you're unpleasant you'll likely just get ignored or worse, get a negative reaction.

Wish them a merry Christmas, and sign it as you would any other Christmas card. The fact they *are* looking forward to a happy, comfortable Christmas without dread is the point we're trying to make - a lot of people aren't able to this year, and they can help with that.

Include your Tweet or message underneath, along with an invite to join us on twitter with the hashtags #ChristmasSpiritCampaign and #wrb, to talk to the people affected by the WRB.

You can make the message as personal or general as you feel comfortable with. We'll be posting suggested messages here and on Twitter with the #ChristmasSpiritCampaign hashtag.

If you're writing your own message, sticking to the Twitter 140-character format is not essential, but embrace brevity! Lords get a lot of mail - the challenge is to write something that's short enough for them to read and absord, but that will stick with them and make them think.

If it's a personal message, and you're happy to do so, include a return address or Twitter username, either on the back of the card or the back of the envelope - hopefully we'll be capturing some interest, and it would be nice to get the people who are making the decisions talking and listening to the people who are affected by them.

Remember to spread the word - this will work best if we can get it going as soon as possible!

We'll be posting a list of Lords to send your cards to soon, just to make it that bit easier. In the meantime, TheyWorkForYou (link opens in a new window) have a complete list of peers. We think that the crossbench peers are most likely to listen to our concerns, but do send a card to any peer you'd like to - one who you've written to or spoken to before might be especially effective to remind them you're still concerned and still need their help. Alternatively, you could write to someone associated with your area, with a cause or charity you support, or whose voting record (also available through TheyWorkForYou (link opens in new window) you agree with or think might incline them to support us.

To address your card, include the title, name and (if they have one) place of your peer, and then the address, so it looks like:

[Title] [Name] of [Place] OR [Title] [Name]

House of Lords,
London,
SW1A 0PW

The address is the same for each peer. You'll need to put a stamp on it (sorry!) - a second class stamp is currently 36p. Drop it in the mail, and then tell everyone you know about it!

Try charity Christmas cards, and help two good causes at the same time, or print one of ours (some more designs are coming shortly). If you've got little ones, or if you're a creative type, try making your own this year (it really is good fun, if nothing else you can play with glue and paper and glitter!).

Thank you - and don't forget to spread the word!