Advice
The differences between pigeons and doves: an ID guide
Discover the five UK species and how they’ve been bred to live alongside people.
If there isn’t a nature surgery near you, you can organise your own. We’ve got everything you need.
Advice
Contacting Your MP
The first step in organising a nature surgery is to reach out to your MP using our step by step guide to contact them.
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Contacting your MP: step by step
- Once you’re ready, email your MP with a clear request to meet at a time and place of their convenience. Let them know how many people are coming and if anyone in the group has any accessibility requirements.
- Give details of who you are, including an address to show you are a constituent. Let them know who else will be taking part.
- Make clear if you are asking for a surgery appointment, or a longer meeting (depending on how many people are in your group).
- Highlight some of the key issues you want to raise so that the MP can prepare.
- Ask to meet to discuss further, and thank them for their time and attention.
- Remember to keep it personal, local, polite and respectful, and keep it neutral in terms of political parties – all MPs can play a part in speaking up for nature.
- If your MP says they can’t make a meeting, see if you can find other ways to influence them, such as Promote your Cause on Social Media (rspb.org.uk).
Emailing your MP
The best way to get in touch with your MP is via a personalised email, rather than something generated automatically. But we know it can be tricky to get started, so here’s a template for you to work with.
It’s fine to be passionate about issues that you feel strongly about, but remember to keep your tone polite and respectful.
Email template
Salutations
- Dear XXX
Check your MP’s correct title, eg Mr, Mrs, Dr, Sir, Rt. Hon? You can check by looking up your MP on the official Parliament website, parliament.uk.
First paragraph
Introduce yourself in the first paragraph, and share why you care about nature. You could also include some RSPB statistics about the state of nature, eg the fact that one in six species are in danger of extinction in England. If you have a personal connection to nature then this is a great way of engaging the MP. Remember to acknowledge the MP for any supportive actions that they have already taken. Check the website www.theyworkforyou.com for information on this.
Second paragraph
Make a clear request to meet at a time and place of the MPs convenience. Make it clear if you’re asking for a surgery appointment, or a longer meeting (depending on how many people are in your group). You could see if your MP is willing to visit an RSPB project or reserve, but be prepared that they may well not be able to do this. Make clear that you have been supported by RSPB but are not an RSPB representative - you want to meet as constituents and members of the local community.
Make it very clear how many people are coming. It is just yourself, or a group? This can then be taken into account. Also mention if you or anyone in your group has any accessibility requirements.
Third paragraph
In the third paragraph, you can include some of the key issues that you or your group want to raise, so that the MP can prepare. Ask the MP to meet to discuss further, and thank them for their time and attention.
Sign off
Sign off including your name plus any role you have or local group you belong to, with your contact details.
Important to note
Include your postal address, so the MP knows you’re in their constituency.
