Action Toolkit

Stop Burning Trees is a coalition of grassroots groups across the UK campaigning for an end to the large-scale woody biomass (or, tree burning) industry, an end to subsidies for Drax and Lynemouth Power Stations and a just transition for all involved in the industry and beyond. As a coalition, we aim to support the broader grassroots network to take regular and sustained action against Drax and their supporting infrastructure, exert grassroots political pressure upon our politicians and work within the broader movement ecology to support a real just transition in collaboration with unions, workers and communities. 

This toolkit aims to support this work, offering tangible resources to the grassroots to get involved with the campaign. We can clearly see the scales tipping on Drax, with crossparty support in Parliament for ending their subsidies and growing momentum within the grassroots. To move away from false solutions and Drax’s dirty business, we believe a wide variety of tactics is needed. Whilst awareness is growing, there are still millions of people in this country who are not aware their energy bills are being used to fund Drax’s shareholders profits, the destruction of forests and the pollution of communities abroad. 

There’s a political shift beginning, but that only comes from years of pressure upon Governments and our elected politicians - and we’re going up against an extremely well funded lobbying machine. To function, Drax relies upon a wide variety of supporting infrastructure from insurers to banks and sponsorships designed to sanitise their image. Each of these areas act as pillars to support Drax’s deadly business - together, through clear and targeted action we can stop Drax and this dirty industry. 

This toolkit has been designed based upon feedback from the broader coalition, designed to support people to take action across a wide range of areas based upon the key targets we see in this fight against Drax and industrial tree burning. This campaign is a broad church of many types of organisations, from direct action to Parliamentary advocacy. Stop Burning Trees exists to support legal and peaceful forms of grassroots campaigning. If taking direct action is for you, please check out Axe Drax’s website. 

If you’d like to chat more, please email us: stopburningtreescoalition@gmail.com.

Information 

We know many people can feel they need to be experts on a topic before getting involved with the campaign - we don’t think this is true, you really just need to care about people and our planet. However, if you’d like to learn more about Drax and industrial tree burning please check out our Drax 101 alongside the many resources throughout this guide. On our website we have a selection of resources and briefings on our campaigns. 

If you’d like to see regular information updates about the campaign please sign up to our mailing list to receive regular updates on the campaign, check out the news section of our website and join our Whatsapp community. 

Political Engagement 

Grassroots political engagement is a core part of this campaign, it lets our elected representatives know that this is something their constituents care deeply about and take our concerns to Parliament where key decisions around subsidies are being made. 

This section offers a variety of ways to engage with your MP and local politicians. 

Check out your MP’s stance on Drax using our MP directory. 

2 minute action

Write to your MP using a pre-drafted email by clicking here. 

20 minute action 

Write your own email/letter to your MP using this bullet point summary of key points to raise. This can be a great option if you’ve got a bit more time, the more personalised a letter is the more it stands out and the greater its impact. 

2 hour action 

Got a bit more time? Meeting with your MP can take a bit more time, but it’s incredibly impactful and you don’t have to do it alone! Please click this link for a detailed guide to meeting with your MP. 

Resources 

We have a range of briefings to support you engaging with your MP. These are great for refreshing your memory about the key points, and to give to your MP during your meeting or send via your letter to them. 

• Drax 101 Briefing 
• Drax Environmental Justice Briefing 
• Beyond Drax Just Transition Briefing 
• False Solutions: Drax and Carbon Capture Briefing 
• Drax AI Data Centre Briefing
• Print the MP Pledge Sign 
• Drax Carbon Pipeline Briefing

MP Office Picket 

Steps

1. Research your MP. Resources like theyworkforyou.com, twitter, the UK Parliament website and your MP’s own website are great for this. In particular, look for issues they speak a lot about and where they stand on environmental and social justice issues. This research can inform the message of your press release, social media and visual aids. You can also see any actions they’ve taken around Drax using our MP directory. 
2. Find out the location of your MP’s constituency office. Use this guide.
3. Reach out to other local environmental groups. 
   
   1. Agree a time for the picket. 
4. Write your press release. You can find a guide to media here.
5. Make visual aids. This could include placards, banners.
6. Order leaflets. You can use this link.

Key Political Targets

All politicians have the power to influence policy and the political decision to continue supporting Drax’s dirty business. However, some politicians have a greater degree of influence through the roles they hold in Government. You can search our MP database to see your local MP’s views on Drax (or lack of them!) to help inform your outreach. If you notice some information is missing, let us know! 

Drax Boycotts 

Targets 

Boycotts are a powerful and proven form of peaceful action targeting the infrastructure propping up this industry. Many of these organisations such as insurers and banks have branches across the country - giving local people everywhere a clear target for creative actions and boycott campaigns. 

Target Map 

Drax uses sponsorship of charities, schools and events as an attempt to sanitise their image, offering back small amounts of the money handed to them from our energy bills. Below is a list of sponsorships we’re aware of and some digital actions you can take targeting them to cut ties with Drax. For other actions, please check out the sections below for guides and suggestions. 

Launch a petition against a local target 

Are you campaigning for your Uni to cut ties with Drax? Or for a local organisation to reject Drax’s sponsorship? Starting a petition can be a good way to raise awareness, get more people involved in the campaign and offer a focus for outreach alongside showing your target how much people care about the issue. 

Using this platform you can set up a petition against your local target, whilst still being connected to the wider Stop Burning Trees campaign. 

Set up a petition against your target 

Just Transition Work 

Campaigning for a just transition forms a vital part of our campaign. Whilst we know that it’s past time for this industry to end, this cannot come at the expense of workers or communities. 

As part of our work, in 2024 we published the report ‘Beyond Drax: A Real Green Future for Yorkshire and the Humber’ detailing the 73,000 green jobs needed to transform this region and genuinely decarbonise. Since its publishing, we’ve been working with our friends and allies across the climate and trade union movements to start the work to make these jobs a reality. 

To get more involved with the just transition work ongoing in the coalition please join our just transition whatsapp chat. Below are some suggested actions you can take in your area to support our just transition work. 

Organise within your union branch or TUC 

Having the support of local union and TUC branches is vital to the campaign. Below is a briefing setting out the alternative case for green jobs, alongside a draft motion to pass in your local branch. If you’d like to arrange a speaker for your branch, please contact stopburningtreescoalition@gmail.com. 

• Beyond Drax Just Transition Briefing
• Draft motion for unions and TUCs
• ‍Order Beyond Drax leaflets

Creative Actions 

Train Outreach 

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Everyday, about 30 trains travel between Drax and the ports bringing over millions of tonnes of trees to be burnt in Yorkshire. Drax, never shy to hide its greenwashing, has covered these trains in promotional material talking about just how green they are. 

Many local groups have taken this as an opportunity to speak to people in stations along the Drax line. What this looks like is up to you! You can take banners, costumes, leaflets and much more to aid your outreach along the line! 

How to do this:

1. Click this link to see a list of the trains running to and from Drax, the stations they go through, alongside live information on running times. It’s not essential you’re there at the same time as a Drax train - but it can help and makes for a great image! Adjust the date/time for when you’re planning your protest. 
2. Plan your action: what do you need to make this happen? Do you want to have banners or costumes? How many people do you need? Are you aiming for press coverage or social media content? 
   
   1. Please click here to order or print a standard leaflet design for trainline outreach.  
   2. Please click here to a media guide.
   3. Please click here for printing or materials reimbursement.  
3. Do the action! 
4. (Optional) Press and social media follow up: if you’ve done a creative demonstration you may want to send out a press release or post about it on social media. 
   
   1. If you’d like to co-post with us on Instagram please send a request to @sbtcoalition or tag us in your posts, we’d love to see it!

Parody Actions 

Parody actions can be a fun way to shine a light on the utter absurdity of destroying and burning forests for electricity! We’ve listed a couple of suggestions - but don’t be afraid to make up your own. This is your chance to get creative, think about what you want to draw attention to and where your creative strengths lie. 

• Fake Drax Board members Meeting
• Fake award ceremonies 
• Fundraising for burning forests 

Think through what you need to do to make your parody action happen - do you need costumes, scripts, actors, props? Combine those needs with the steps to organising a demonstration and you're good to go! 

Demonstration

All sorts of demonstrations can have a fun and creative theme. Please see this list for some suggested targets for your demonstration! Some examples of creative demonstrations include this anti-greenwashing demo by FOE Hull, disobedience in Leeds opposing new Drax subsidies and Christmas forest-themed demo by Greenpeace, SBTC and Axe Drax. These are just examples - brainstorm ideas within your local group how to create an eye-catching demo!

Steps

1. Get a group of interested volunteers 
2. Pick a location (ideally somewhere with a relevant target, visible with good footfall, good for photographing etc) 
3. Materials: source or create banners, placards, props or costumes
   
   1. We can support with funding these materials, if you need reimbursement or us to order things to you please fill out this form. Please be aware we operate on a limited budget, we’re happy to help if needed but if your local group or organisation can afford printing that’s super helpful! 
4. Fill the time: find speakers (ideally some speaking about why you’re there, also often nice to have speakers from other groups there in solidarity with the issue) and musicians [optional]
5. Publicise! - done through a variety of means: social media/digitally, reaching out to local groups, group chats, flyposting etc 
6. Get a sound system or megaphone if possible (this makes hearing speakers much easier) [optional]
7. Print or order leaflets
8. Alert local press using the media guide
9. Meet at the location shortly before the scheduled time to set up 
10. Demonstrate! 
11. Send out a post demo press release using the media guide 

Roles

• Stewards 
• Compere  if having speakers 
• People handing out leaflets 
• Banner holders 
• Photographers and videographers 
• Spokesperson 
• Media person to send out press release (see below for media guide)

Local Outreach 

Street outreach in Yorkshire

Live in Yorkshire? We’re currently doing outreach in local towns and villages near Drax, talking to local people, understanding their concerns and building those relationships. If you think you’ve got some time to spare to get involved, please join this whatsapp chat. 

Outreach Stall 

Steps: 

1. Get together a small group of people with a few spare hours - you could also combine with another local group for some joint  outreach!
2. Ideally have a table or surface to put materials on (banner, leaflets, stickers etc)
3. Interactive activities are great conversation starters! Some suggestions for this (but feel free to invent your own) are sticker boards where people can express their opinions on things or a whiteboard for people to write a special message to Drax! 

Organise a talk or screening

There are lots of great documentaries about the disastrous wood biomass industry and the harm Drax is causing around the world. If you’d like someone to join after the screening to give a bit of updated context about Drax/where the campaign is at now please let us know! 

Some of our favourite ones:

• CBC Fifth Estate Investigation (Canada)
• BBC Panorama Investigation (Canada) 
• Burned: Are Trees the New Coal (US) 
• Greenpeace: Drax Accused of Driving Environmental Racism in the US South (US) 

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Steps 

1. Find a location: most places have a local community venue, hall or pub with a room you can hire (please note you will need a screen and projector). You likely already know of several places like this, but if not a quick google search or asking friends should point you in the right direction! 
2. Pick a time and date: does your local group have a regular time for meetings, would they like to turn that meeting into a screening? Think about the broader audience you’re aiming to attract - are evenings or weekends better? 
3. Promotion: to make this screening a success, you need people to know about it! This includes leaflets, postering, social media, mailing lists and more! If you’d like to use a template for advertising your screening, please click the following links. If you want an event page for people to sign up on and need any help please contact us (stopburningtreescoalition@gmail.com). Similarly, if you don’t have funds for promotional material, please use this form to submit a reimbursement request from the coalition. Please be aware we operate on a limited budget, we’re happy to help if needed but if your local group or organisation can afford printing that’s super helpful! 
   
   1. Leaflets 
   2. Posters 
   3. Social Media posts 
4. Running the screening: think about what your aim is from it. Do you want people to get involved in a local campaign against Drax or Lynemouth? Is there a specific action you want them to do? Are you having space for a Q&A at the end? Some of these things may need advanced planning, and we’re happy to help if we can. Likewise check out the rest of this toolkit for local campaigns you can run or get involved with! 
5. Follow up: if you got people to sign up to attend the screening or if you collected contact details it can be a great idea to follow up with an email or message thanking people for attending and signposting to how they can get more involved. 

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Press 

Sending out a press release can seem scary or like a huge amount of work. We’ve put together this start to finish guide on doing media work. This includes finding press contacts, writing press releases, writing letters to local newspapers and much more! 

Set up a local group 

Wish you had a Stop Burning Trees group locally? Well, now's your chance! 

We know that as a coalition spread out across Britain we don’t all get many chances to meet face-to-face. The good news is, if you’re up for it, you can set up your own local group to support the fight against Drax! Exactly what your local group looks like is up to you, but we’ve pulled together some top tips and resources to support you in that journey. 

What is a local action group? 

Stop Burning Trees exists to support the grassroots in the campaign against Drax, Lynemouth and industrial woody-biomass burning. A local group is run by volunteers, mobilising around the campaign. A local group gives you a home for your anti-Drax organising and allows you to shape what the campaign looks like. 

If I’m already in a group campaigning against Drax, do I need to set up a local group? 

Short answer: No! 

Longer answer: There’s no need to set up a local group if you’ve already got a strong anti-Drax campaign going, or if it’ll be largely the same people just wearing different hats! If you’re part of a group that wants to join the coalition - please fill out this form. 

What do local groups do? 

The specifics are up to you! Please check out our target map and MP database to support you picking a focus for your local group activity. 

Activities might include: 

• Holding stalls in public and at local events to gather support for the campaign and raise awareness
• Organising film screenings and talks to raise awareness and move people to take action 
• Organising a demonstration (see above for a few suggestions!)
• Meeting with local politicians to ask them to pledge their support for the campaign 
• Supporting national mobilisation moments 

How much experience do I need to be part of a group or start one?

None! What matters is you care about our planet, climate and justice and want to be part of this campaign. It can help if you’ve already been part of another group as you’ll know a bit more about what it takes to be successful. 

But you can also learn as you go, and we can support you through training, resources and more!

Keen to set up a local group? Drop us an email at stopburningtreescoalition@gmail.com if you’d like support - or crack on and let us know!