All Liberal Democrats will remember what it felt like on Friday 8^th May last year, the morning after the terrible 2015 General Election results .

This Thursday is our first big chance to build a more positive story about the progress we’ve made since, with voters going to the polls in one or more elections right across the UK.

A lot has been said about the Lib Dem ‘fightback’, but in politics it is elections that matter and our opportunity to ensure the Party makes a massive step forwards from 2015.

How well we perform next week will largely be up to us: Lib Dem members, activists and helpers.  We will make the difference between Lib Dems getting elected, or the opposition winning.

Thousands of people – candidates, activists, helpers, party staff have already been working hard for months.  But to get across the finish line we need everyone to help. 

If you live in an area where we are not actively fighting a target ward or constituency – please offer to help where you can make a difference. It doesn’t matter where, choose a ward, a constituency that we are targeting to win and help the Lib Dems get elected. Practically every part of Britain is within an hour of a target ward or constituency. If you are anywhere near Scotland, Wales or London I know Willie, Kirsty, Caroline and their teams will welcome your help. Every part of England is within an hour of a target ward in the local elections and almost everyone has Police and Crime Commissioner elections.

If you can’t travel don’t worry – we have a first class campaign system in the Lib Dems and calls to help win elections can be made from wherever you are using our Virtual Phone Bank.

If you are in a target ward or constituency, the best way to get people to help is to ask! Many people will know Lib Dems in areas without target local elections this year. Why not promise to return the favour in a future year when you don’t have local elections, but they do?

As a Lib Dem activist I’ve seen my fair share of polling days. They’re exhausting, the weather often gets in the way and I’m glad they’re normally only once a year. But it’s also great fun, and a great shared sense of achievement when it works.

Thank you for all your work so far. Now let’s get some Lib Dems elected.

* Tim Pickstone is Chief Executive of ALDC (the Association of Liberal Democrat Councillors) and is National Spokesperson on Grassroots Campaigning