Date

Choose a sensible 1-2 hour slot when you know it will be busy. Set the date a good couple of weeks ahead so you can promote it and people can put it in their diaries.

Location

Location is important. You want to choose somewhere with a large footfall, but which doesn’t block shop entrances or the pavement. In most places it’s OK to set up a street stall for a couple of hours but you may wish to check with the council if it’s a busy market or high street.

Ideally, you want 4 or 5 people to help out on a street stall.

Create an event on Facebook and share it with your networks. Don’t be afraid to ask family and friends to help – often they’ll come for 30 mins just to help out even if they are not members of the Co-operative Party. Make sure your local Co-operative Party branch (and if appropriate Labour Party branch) are emailed well in advance so that they can promote it and ask people to sign up to help.

You don’t need a trestle table for a street stall – but if often helps.

You’ll also want:

• a banner or ‘feather flag’ – so that you’re visible
• leaflets – something to hand out
• pens or balloons – something for people to take
• GDPR compliant petition – something for people to sign (we recommend using our template petitions)
• membership forms – so that people can join
• a camera or smartphone – something that take pictures
• and a briefing note for people who will be on the stall so they know what they’re doing there.

All this can seem quite daunting if you are starting from scratch– but party staff can generally provide you with most of what you will need. Drop us a line.

• Check the weather – you might want to remind people to bring an umbrella, where a fleece, or wear sun cream.
• Remind people to come who have promised and get their mobile numbers so you can chase them on the day if they don’t turn up & perhaps draw up a rota if you need to.

• Smile and be polite –  and remember, if it’s not fun you’re doing it wrong!
• Don’t all hide behind the trestle table – make sure at least one person is handing out leaflets and drawing people into the street stall.
  Take photos on your smartphone or camera (see our tips on taking great photos).
• And don’t overdo it – two hours is plenty for a street stall.

Don’t let the hard work go to waste

Congratulations, you’ve run a good street stall, talked to dozens of people, collected signatures and taken some great photos. Now don’t let all the hard work go to waste.

Thank everyone who came to help – they’re more likely to come back again if you thank them.

Send the petition forms to the Co-operative Party.

Share the photos on social media and copy the Co-operative Party in so that we can amplify your success.

Write a letter to the local people telling them about the issue and how interested people were.