{"id":4236,"date":"2016-02-03T10:47:05","date_gmt":"2016-02-03T10:47:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.katewilloughby.co.uk\/?p=4236"},"modified":"2016-02-04T09:05:57","modified_gmt":"2016-02-04T09:05:57","slug":"emilymatters-because-you-matter-nvrd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.katewilloughby.co.uk\/?p=4236","title":{"rendered":"#Emilymatters – Because You Matter #NVRD"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Emilymatters_80096b\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"EM_Gridline_banner\"Twitter<\/b><\/span><\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Facebook<\/b><\/a><\/span>\u00a0|\u00a0Instagram<\/b><\/a><\/span>\u00a0|\u00a0Email<\/b><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

#Emilymatters<\/b><\/span>\u00a0<\/a>is a\u00a0social media campaign, inspired by suffragette Emily Davison<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0that champions gender equality and has a specific focus on voting matters.\u00a0See our\u00a0#Emilymatters<\/strong><\/a><\/span>\u00a0page to find out more about what we do.<\/p>\n

Team #Emilymatters<\/a><\/strong><\/span> is busy working on new creative projects<\/strong> \u2013 there will be updates about these over the coming months.<\/p>\n

For this year\u2019s National Voter Registration Drive<\/strong> (#NVRD<\/strong>), we\u2019re focusing on the reasons we believe lies behind the decision not to vote. And before you can vote, you must register<\/strong><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Your Vote Matters<\/strong><\/span>
\n Because You <\/em>Matter<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

There are plenty of excuses given for not voting but behind many of these is a simple truth that too many people think that their voice, their vote doesn\u2019t matter.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"EM_NeedsYou_NVRD_YouMatter_2016\"<\/p>\n

This issue was brought home to me by a conversation I had with Lauren<\/strong>, a student and potential voter at last year\u2019s Scottish Independence Referendum. I was collecting vox pops about why voting matters and Lauren was the first person I chatted with.<\/p>\n

\"DearLauren_BW_poster_V2_Get<\/p>\n

Lauren\u2019s thoughts on voting led to our #DearLauren<\/strong><\/span><\/a> message to a first time voter campaign, which drew in messages of advice, understanding and support from all over the world.<\/p>\n

Some of the tweets are now part of a verbatim scene in the new interactive performance that also includes scenes from my play about Emily Davison<\/strong><\/span> (To Freedom\u2019s Cause<\/strong><\/span><\/a>), which was performed in Parliament almost two years ago \u2013 the play was the catalyst for #Emilymatters<\/strong><\/span><\/a> and is the heartbeat that sustains it.<\/p>\n

\"HoC<\/p>\n

As a result of #DearLauren<\/strong><\/a>, our focus for last year\u2019s NVRD<\/strong> was that: “You matter & your vote matters<\/strong><\/a>\u201d, which we are continuing to develop and it\u2019s great to see that Bite the Ballot<\/strong><\/a> have included \u201cYou Matter<\/strong>\u201d in their campaign this year.<\/p>\n

We fully support all efforts to encourage more people to register and use their hard won right to vote.<\/p>\n

Suffragette Emily Davison<\/strong> cared deeply about social justice<\/strong>, education<\/strong> & equality matters<\/strong>, not just the right to vote.<\/p>\n

Politics is very much part of daily life<\/strong> \u2013 decisions made by politicians in Westminster<\/strong><\/a>, Holyrood<\/strong><\/a>, the Welsh Assembly<\/strong><\/a> and Stormont<\/strong><\/a> affect us all, from schools and colleges to hospitals GP appointments, transport, housing and social services.<\/p>\n

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Having your say matters<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Despite huge efforts last year and record numbers of people registering to vote at last year\u2019s UK general election, fewer young people voted<\/strong> (down 1%). And if this wasn\u2019t bad enough, it is estimated that 800,000 people have dropped off the electoral register<\/strong><\/a> \u2013 mostly students and young people.<\/p>\n

So there is no time to waste and none of us can rest on our laurels.<\/p>\n

In the UK, Friday 5 February 2016<\/strong> is National Voter Registration Day<\/strong> #NVRD<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

If you think voting matters, tweet us a photo with a #Votingmatters sign<\/strong><\/span> (your own or you can download ours<\/strong><\/span><\/a>) and include #NVRD<\/span><\/strong>:<\/p>\n