Turned up 45 mins early to prep workshop day 2 … venue was locked. No host, no mobile number, alarm blaring. We started plotting moving into cafés & new venues when keys arrived. Lesson: always get a mobile + stay calm, flex, & keep participants in the loop. What’s your best event hiccup story?

Sharing complex info + wanting action in the same meeting? Long presentations risk losing attention & energy. Tip: break presentations into chunks & pause for discussion or breakouts throughout. By the “what can we do?” stage, people are already engaged.

43 - The number of terror charges seven key spokespeople have received for speaking on public Zoom calls. The seven Defend Our Juries key spokespeople have been released after over two days in custody. All seven have been charged with crimes under the Terrorism Act 2000. 1/3 🧵

The Home Office has been given permission to challenge a High Court ruling which allowed Palestine Action to appeal against its ban under terror legislation. Yvette Cooper is desperate. Attempting to appeal the Judicial Review before it even takes place. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Just this weekend I ended up in a conversation w/ a fellow dog walker about this. They parroted the line of free speech & I confess I was left flummoxed & unsure how to respond. It's worth reading this article & thinking through how you'd respond. bylinetimes.com/2025/08/27/l...

Facilitators say they’re neutral, responsible for process, not content. But what if you’re also a convener with a stake in the discussion? I’ve walked this tightrope. Tips: get a colleague to help, name when you take your “facilitator hat” off, be mindful of influence, & stay transparent.

Ta da! At long last I’ve made a website: www.rosemaryforest.co.uk I help individuals, groups & orgs with: • Collaboration • Consensus building • Advocacy support If you’re working in a coalition or strategy, let’s connect! (PS: chose Squarespace over Wix — see why: boycottwix.org)

Palestine Action have won their bid for a full legal challenge against the British government's decision to ban it as a terrorist group The High Court ruled that an internal Home Office process was "not suitable", partly because "many people now subject to criminal proceedings" linked to the ban

If you’re a campaigner, advocate or changemaker convening others — you want meetings where people actually participate. But that doesn’t always happen — even with thoughtful, committed groups. Today, I’m sharing a 🧵 with a few small, practical tips focused on process and structure:

A little 🧵 on why participation stalls, even when people care. A few weeks ago, I ran a quick poll asking campaigners, advocates & change-makers about the biggest challenges when collaborating in coalitions & informal alliances.

Really practical webinar today re influencing politicians from insiders. Thanks to @nancyplatts.bsky.social Aaron Davidson & Michael Bannister for sharing & @fairsay.bsky.social‬ for organising! A 🧵 on advice that really stood out: #Advocacy #Campaigning

Collaboration in campaigning is essential but let’s be honest, it’s hard. We can’t create change alone. The scale of the challenges cuts across sectors – from protest rights to social security, migration to climate. That’s why collaboration matters. A little 🧵 of thoughts I've been percolating on ⬇️

Such a stark contrast in the number of women who stood together celebrating suffragettes on Wednesday morning, only to vote to prescribe Palestine Action in the evening. x.com/zarahsultana...

Don't sit quietly while the government bans Palestine Action. actionnetwork.org/letters/pale...

The government has announced it plans to move forward w/ banning Palestine Action. This is a drastic move & makes it a criminal offence to be part of the group. I'd hoped they wouldn't move forward with this threat. It's one more example of just how restricted civic space in the UK is becoming.

📢 Calling campaigners, advocates & change-makers! What’s the biggest collaboration challenge in your coalitions or alliances? I’m creating free resources to help campaigners collaborate better & want to know what would be most useful. Vote in the poll or reply with your thoughts! bit.ly/3ZHV47N

Had a lovely morning w/ @martingilbraith.com & others in our IAF coffee meet up in Stroud. A few highlights: 🐎 Learning that Equine Facilitated Learning is a real thing! 💡 Getting inspiration for how to approach a challenging discussion. ⛱️ Chatting outside in the sunshine with interesting folk!

Consultation guidance for the EHRC guidance. Remember to submit your response as close to the deadline as you can!

Reading with great sadness about the Supreme Court ruling on the definition of women, and today thinking of all the amazing trans women in my life. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

So excited about the first @iafenglandwales.bsky.social & friends meet-up in #Stroud! While I love the folks I've met in London, really keen to connect with more local facilitators.

📣 This is the Work: supporting advocacy and policy folk apply anti-racism and decolonial approaches to their work. Fantastic new resources from Bond, The Advocacy Team & Peace Direct. They are so thoughtfully communicated, much needed and frankly quite powerful resources. bit.ly/4fGpxJ1

Over the last few months I've been working SMK to design a session for trustees to help guide conversations around campaigning regulation and law. I've written a short blog on how this came about, what the offer is (and a bit about me) here: bit.ly/4gTN4aw #campaigning

Really exited 2 be speaking at this Muslim Charites Forum webinar launching their new resource 'Principles of Advocacy'. I'll be talking about what advocacy is, why it matters & how to approach it strategically to ensure greater impact.. You can register ⬇️ lnkd.in/eYBzrnis