Thank you so much for really positive feedback about the SE19Lates events in 2019. We can't do any of this without your support and enthusiasm.
As we all know, our local high streets aren't just for Christmas and some of our local businesses are having a very hard time. We started the #ShopSE19 movement as a way to explore creative and collaborative ways to energise our high streets in Crystal Palace.
It's incredibly tough out there and it's getting harder. We're needing to ask for more and more support from local people, businesses, services and local representatives. We need everyone who lives in or loves Crystal Palace to help and get involved, share authentic and positive news and secure a positive and sustainable future for our high streets and special local places.
We have some absolutely amazing energetic community groups in Crystal Palace for all sorts of issues. Our starting point is finding a more efficient way to share reliable news, updates and gather feedback about our high streets in a way that's open and that everyone can access, not just people who happen to hang out on social media.
So this is the simple plan to get us started for 2020. We're going to put effort into building a community email list for Crystal Palace and #ShopSE19 that isn't owned by Facebook, or any of the other external platforms, or dependent on any single business or individual point of view. A sustainable independent mailing list to represent and share news and updates about our local economy, our independent businesses and local community. And maybe the occasional sweet offer...
As a starting offer, until the end of March 2020, for every 200 new sign-ups, we'll draw one person at random, to receive a local shopping voucher or freebie*, that can be picked-up in a local independent store, to say thank you for getting involved and supporting #ShopSE19 and Crystal Palace.
*can't confirm more just yet, as we'll need to chat to our local business partners about what they are able offer, but we hope we can count on YOUR support.