As the Save Our Reds campaign gathers increasing momentum, with significant national coverage including the BBC and Sky News, several people have suggested launching a separate petition via the official UK Parliament petitions website.
It is a fair question, and something I considered carefully in the early stages of the campaign.
In fact, I initially explored the idea and began looking at how a Parliament petition might work alongside the Change.org campaign. However, I ultimately decided against running two petitions in tandem. My concern was that it would dilute the message, split public attention and reduce the campaign’s agility at a time when momentum and visibility mattered most.
I wanted Save Our Reds to remain direct, responsive and capable of evolving quickly in response to events on the ground, media opportunities and growing public engagement.
Change.org provided something different: a dynamic public platform capable of supporting not only signatures, but storytelling, national PR, campaign updates, visual content, policy development and engagement with supporters, journalists and decision-makers.
The petition itself was never intended to be the end goal. It was the spark.
What began as a single grassroots petition has since evolved into a much broader conservation movement: combining public awareness, media engagement, political outreach, conservation strategy and long-term advocacy around biodiversity and habitat protection.
At the heart of the campaign is a developing five-point action plan, now being expanded into a wider national conservation strategy focused on enforcement, woodland resilience and protecting remaining red squirrel strongholds.
I have drawn on more than 25 years of experience across journalism, high-level PR, public affairs and political communications, including early experience as an MP’s researcher, to help shape the campaign strategically.
The campaign is also supported by a growing bedrock of red squirrel conservationists, volunteers and advocates across the UK, including award-winning wildlife filmmaker Terry Abraham.
Save Our Reds has already helped launch:
- a growing national policy discussion around habitat protection and enforcement
- the Save Our Reds Community Interest Company (CIC)
- the UK’s first Save Our Reds Day
- a national interactive map visualising 150 years of red squirrel decline
- engagement with MPs, journalists, broadcasters and conservation stakeholders
Approaching 80,000 signatures, the petition remains an important part of the campaign - but it is now just one tree in a much larger woodland.
Save Our Reds is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore because it is no longer confined to a single platform or moment. It is evolving into a sustained national conversation about biodiversity, habitat destruction, enforcement and the future of one of Britain’s best-loved native species.
Thank you for your continuing support.
Next Friday, 15 May, marks the first ever Save Our Reds Day, with new campaign initiatives and ways to help set to be announced.
Please continue sharing the petition:
With thanks and best wishes,
Marie Carter-Robb