Dumfries & Galloway Indy Hub: a YES Hub on wheels!

Aim

Believe in Scotland with the Dumfries & Galloway Indy Hub! Scotland’s first MOBILE ‘Yes Hub’ A ‘Bridge for Indy’ on wheels!

What are we trying to achieve?

Friday 31st May and well on the way to getting the anticipated £4k we hope to achieve before the funder closes on Monday at 11.52.  That £4k will let us get our 'mobile Bridge for Indy' on the road.  We need this ‘mobile YES Hub’ to support the many Indy/Yes groups – and sympathetic business owners - from the Mull o’ Galloway in the West, to the Eskdale region in the East; from Upper Annandale & Nithsdale, to the Solway coast.

  We want to work with those local groups ‘on the street’ at markets, shows, and other local events from now until the May 2021 Scotland parliament elections  - by which time we expect the next Indy Referendum to be called.

Scotland's First Minister joins 'Machars for Yes' and 'D&G English Scots for Yes' on the DGP4Indy stall at Wigtown Book Festival (above left).  D&G English Scots for Yes get a bit 'out of region' to talk to folk in Kelso (above right).

  We want to provide Indy groups, sympathetic shops, business owners, farmers, and roadside restaurants with display material showing the benefits of Indy to their customers – many of whom fall into the ‘retired 90% will-vote’ demographic - 70% of whom, in our region, voted ‘No’ in 2014 - and who might otherwise only get their ‘information’ from blatantly Westminster/UK supporting press and TV.

Who are we and what’s our experience?

Our core group are volunteer Business for Scotland (BfS) ‘Independence Ambassadors’ - who share memberships of local groups Dumfries & Galloway Pensioners for Independence (dgp4indy.scot); D&G English Scots for Yes (DGES4Yes); Doonhamers Fur Aye; and national groups INDY2, Forces for Independent Scotland 1, Veterans for Independence, Mums & Dads for Indy and others ...

  We’ve worked together campaigning on street stalls in Wigtown (supported by ‘Machars for Yes’), Newton Stewart; and Dumfries town centre (plus a pop-up shop); given a talk at Lockerbie Town Hall for ‘Yes Lockerbie’  &  ‘Yes Annandale’; worked with ‘Yes Moffat’ on a door-to-door and street distribution of The National; and worked together with ‘Doonhamers Fur Aye’ on a ‘National’ distribution in Dumfries. 

Window display panels under scrutiny at the 'pop-up shop in Dumfries town centre - with Yes Dumfries, DGP4Indy, and ES4Yes (above left);  and 'The National' distribution with Yes Moffat, ES4Yes, DGP4Indy and local MSP (right).

  We've contributed to organising/hospitality for talks in the region by Lesley Riddoch, Common Weal, and Clive Pointing.  We’ve had a number of (pro-Indy/anti-Westminster) letters in the local press; and we’ve supported Dgp4Indy in holding two exhibitions in Dumfries libraries. 

And we’ve created a facebook page – Dumfries & Galloway Indy Hub @DumGalIndyHub – to advertise local groups and events they have planned.

How will the money be spent?

Our main asset will be a ‘crew-cab van’ or similar vehicle, covered in Indy graphics – that can take a small group of Indy activists around the region.  The van will have a functional load space for our event/exhibition/display material.  It will be a second-hand purchase, and will need fuel, servicing, road tax and insurance – and probably a secure lock-up facility for overnights.  [ A big thank you to Mark Toner, cartoonist, for the image below - but we'll probably have to settle for a Transit lol]

We’ll purchase, print or otherwise produce display material, handouts, circulars and other material explaining why folk should ‘Believe in Scotland’ – because we’re big enough, rich enough, and smart enough to be a successful, independent country.

We’ll look to source billboards, ‘toblerone’, or similar displays for roadside/field use – to catch the eye of passing motorists.

We’ll commission ‘advertising features’ in local newspapers; local radio; and regional TV to promote the local groups, when a particular event is planned.

We’ll investigate the availability of ‘pop-up shops’ around the region, and provide display material for those – in collaboration with local Indy/Yes groups.

And we’ll make sure that the people of Dumfries & Galloway get to hear the truth about Scotland, and not just the myths promoted by national print and broadcast media.

And our various groups won't be hanging around waiting for funding - dgp4Indy will be with D&G English Scots for Yes and the new 'Ukes for Yes' will provide music in Dumfries Town Centre on 11th May - the first weekend of our Crowdfunder appeal (above left);  and Doonhamers Fur Aye (above right) will have another 'Bridges for Indy' session on 28th May, 10a.m-4p.m...bbq being investigated....M74 Ecclefechan North J19... come along with or without your own Saltire - introduce yourself and have a chat ...

How you can help:

We seek funding for a (reliable) second-hand 'crew-cab/welfare' van; and the range of associated initiatives and printed etc material to support groups around Dumfries & Galloway region. You can help in one or more of the following ways:

• Contribute a one-off sum using this ‘Crowdfunder’ - and/or contribute by monthly Direct Debit to our account;
• Use the ‘message’ part of the donate page to tell us which group you are a member of, or about any other group you know of in your area that you think would benefit from support. You can see the groups we already know about on our facebook page ‘Dumfries & Galloway Indy Hub’ – the list is included within the ‘photos’ section as a jpeg file for easy download;
• Tell us about your Indy-group functions and events that are coming along, and let us know what support you might need on the day;
• Are you a shop/business/farm owner who has road-side or window-space we can use to display Indy material? We’d like to provide display material that folk will be able to read, H24, without coming into your shop; and/or table-top material for use within your premises. Note that we provide material that’ll help folk understand the arguments for Independence, not just material designed to browbeat folk to ‘change their mind’.
•  We can arrange to be ‘in attendance’ on a set day/time, to allow your customers to come along and ask further questions, or to clarify anything they’ve read in your window or picked-up from you. You’ll be offered a choice of graphics – some supporting Indy, some against Brexit, some demonstrating the hypocrisy that separates Brexit-Westminster and Independence for Scotland.  But it will be your choice which you want to use. And we’ll fix-up your display with your chosen material;
• Long shot – do you have a ‘crew cab van’ that is sitting idle somewhere and just needs some tlc (by a reliable garage!) to put it on the road? Are you happy for it to be ‘dressed’ in Saltires and etc?  If so – we’ll be happy to use that and put even more of the cash raised into display material, roadside posters, newspaper advertising features and etc.

What will happen to left-over funds at the end of the campaign?

We don’t expect to have lots of money left over!  But – if we do have excess funds or other assets (e.g. vehicle/trailer that can be sold) - the left-over/sale funds will be donated to local charities and community groups within Dumfries & Galloway.  We’ll be happy to take suggestions as to which charity/group should benefit.

Q&A

Q. I’m a member of a local Yes group and want to be sure you know about us – how can I do that?

A. You’ll find a ‘message’ box in the Crowdfunder appeal – rather than just donate, tell us a wee bit about your group – and about any ‘display’ opportunities in your area that might be suitable for banner advertising.

Q. You’re asking for £9.5k – will that be enough?

A. That’s the amount we believe will get us started with a reliable, used, ‘crew cab van’; the graphics; and pay for insurance & road tax – plus a starter portfolio of display material to get us on the road. We’re really hoping to exceed that amount so we can make sustainable forward plans.

Q. What if you don’t get £9.5k?

A. We’ll have to compromise on the van; or on the number of visits; or on display material for distribution – but we’re sure that the good folk of Dumfries & Galloway – and sympathisers beyond – will see the benefit of this and will ensure that we are adequately funded.

Q. So: what if you do get much more than you are asking? Will that money be wasted?

A. Absolutely not! There’s lots of opportunity for making the Indy message visible throughout the region – roadside banners, newspaper and TV features, bringing speakers to the region and etc. All which need funding. We won’t be short of opportunity to deliver the message - which is why we also have a 'stretch' target!

Q. At the end of the campaign, when Indy achieved, you’ll still have the van and possibly other funds left over. What will you do with that?

A. When you donate to our Crowdfunder – use the ‘message’ box mentioned above to highlight any charity or community group operating in Dumfries & Galloway that you’d like to nominate for consideration to receive a portion of any left-over funds – we’ll keep a list!

Q. How will we know where to find you ‘on the road’?

A. Follow our facebook page @DumGalIndyHub – we’ll be posting news about events hosted by Indy groups in the region; and where we’ll be & when. You can also message us with new suggestions as to where the Hub might be used.

Q. Theresa May keeps saying ‘now is not the time’  Will an Indy Hub be a waste of time and effort?

A. No! The Scottish Government has a mandate from the People of Scotland; and from the Scottish Parliament - to hold an Independence Referendum.

   There could also be another ‘surprise’ General Election which could be considered to be a proxy Indy Ref - we'll certainly treat it as one!

   A new PM in Westminster could well, when put on the spot, take a different view from T. May or, ultimately, the next planned Scottish Government elections – in May 2021 – could be that ‘proxy Indy Ref’ mentioned above. 

  However it happens, our mobile Indy Hub - alongside all the Yes groups around the region - will have done its bit to help the good folk of Dumfries & Galloway understand that Scotland is big enough, rich enough and clever enough to ‘go it alone’ - without further interference from incompetent Westminster governments.

  Believe in Scotland - we do!

This project successfully funded on 3rd June 2019