Magistrates’ Association branches are key to the success of the MA as a whole. Branches give our members the chance to learn, connect and receive support in their local area.
Talking to members and branch executive teams, we’ve found some really good examples of things that branches do for their members. These are the kinds of activities that all our branches could – and should – be doing and we thought it would be helpful to collect them here, to inspire executive teams in all our branches:
- Organising local member learning events: for example, guest speakers at annual general meetings (AGMs), online webinars, visits to prisons or other facilities
- Organising local member social events: for example, annual dinners, fish and chip/curry suppers or coffee mornings, informal drinks after meetings, and events for retired members
- Promoting the MA to non-member magistrates: such as attending and speaking at new magistrate inductions, providing reports on the MA activities to the local bench, and – something which all our members could do – talking about the MA in conversations with other magistrates, for example in the retiring room
- Informing and enthusing local members: for example, through regular emails or newsletters
- Raising local issues: helping the MA’s advocacy work by raising any local issues with the MA’s Judicial Business Groups (JBG) or Training, Approvals, Authorisations and Appraisals Committee (TAAAC) representatives, or with the MA’s head office, and by maintaining good relationships with local bench leaderships
- Promoting the magistracy locally: through running a local Magistrates in the Community programme
- Supporting local members: providing a listening ear and signposting for local members
- Participating in the MA’s democracy: for example, sending delegates to the MA council meetings, submitting motions for the MA’s AGM where needed, and encouraging local members to take up national positions such as JBG or TAAAC representatives, membership of policy committees or board of trustees.
This list isn’t exhaustive and if you or your colleagues have any other ideas, we’d love to hear about them! Please email us at membership@magistrates-association.org.uk.