Plus: TICTeC schedule now live; 2nd keynote announced; and more

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** And we're off
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** WhoFundsThem launches with a bang
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** May 2024
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DEMOCRACY


** Have you signed up yet?
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You might have seen our launch of the WhoFundsThem ([link removed]) project this week: we're gathering together volunteers to help dig through data on MPs' financial interests, so we can make it available for everyone.

Get involved: Thanks to everyone who's signed up already. And if you're still not sure, here's where to find out more ([link removed]) about being part of this important investigation.

Time-strapped? Not everyone has time to volunteer, and we fully understand that. If you have the means to contribute financially instead, that really helps too. Here's where to donate ([link removed]) .
Long aperture photo of the Houses of Parliament at night, with trails of car taillights and headlights creating streaks


** Changes to TheyWorkForYou voting records
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Two exciting pieces of news around the MPs' voting records that we publish on TheyWorkForYou ([link removed]) :
* We've added 23 new policies ([link removed]) , including water and air quality; women's pension age; voter ID and lots more. You'll see these on your MP's page if they have voted on the issue at hand.
* Less immediately visible, but just as, if not more, important: we've changed the way we manage the votes that feed into each MP's voting record. The headline? We're limiting them to "votes that are about action rather than words". Read all about it here ([link removed]) .


** Missing APPGs
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APPGs are All Party Parliamentary Groups, in which MPs work together around topics that they're interested in.

Between March and April, 278 of them went missing. That's a big change, and we were curious: so we looked into why ([link removed]) .
EVENTS
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** TICTeC keynote announcement
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We're thrilled that the second day of proceedings at TICTeC will be firmly set into motion by keynote Nick Mabey OBE, founder and co-CEO of E3G and the force behind London Climate Action Week. Read all about Nick here () .

Will you be there, listening to Nick's insightful presentation? Get your ticket now ([link removed]) — and hurry! TICTeC always sells out, and it's looking like this year will be no exception.


** Help us send you the emails you want to read
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We do a lot of different things here at mySociety, and we appreciate that not everyone will be interested in every single part of it.

So if you've got a minute, please tell us a bit more about yourself ([link removed]) , and we'll work towards sending you the stuff you really want to read.
CLIMATE


** Local Intelligence Hub update
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Local Intelligence Hub ([link removed]) , our newest tool, launched with data covering parliamentary constituencies, but as from now you can also explore at the local council level.

Not sure what that means for you? In this blog post ([link removed]) , we explain ways to use the new data, and how it can help.


** Join us for a lunchtime demo - today!
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Local Intelligence Hub is super-easy to use, but even easier still? Sitting back and watching while we take you through it.

Sign up for this demo ([link removed]) , hosted by the Democracy Network, and you can do just that. The session runs from 12:00-13:00, today.
A lake in Canada, framed by conifers


** Scorecards are having impact
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Two heartwarming stories coming out of the Council Climate Action Scorecards ([link removed]) :
We spoke to Lucie Bolton, a Climate Strategy Officer who, on taking up this new role, used the Scorecards to shape her council's Climate Action Plan — and continues to find them useful. Discover how the Scorecards have informed Lucie's work in our case study ([link removed]) .

And you never know where else your projects will be making change. We recently heard from a project in Canada ([link removed]) who took inspiration from Scorecards to enrich their own local government climate monitoring project.
TRANSPARENCY
A detailed data visualisation around the voting age in EU elections, from GONG


** DataViz Show and Tell
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How can you use data visualisation tools to get stories across? We brought together two international Freedom of Information projects, so one could learn from the other.

And now you can learn too: watch the video here ([link removed]) or read the summary on our blog ([link removed]) . We think that while the tips are great for FOI, they'll also be useful to anyone wanting to learn about easy ways to make their data into more compelling visual assets.
A selection of mySociety's useful websites


** Appreciate what we do?
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As we hope this newsletter makes clear, we're very busy all the time, making democracy more accessible to everyone, and providing the tools to help people play an active part in society.

If you can help us out, please do head to our secure donate page ([link removed]) . Every contribution helps us to work harder and faster towards a better, more inclusive society. Thank you.
Donate now ([link removed])


** What we're reading
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* Doug Paulley, longtime WhatDoTheyKnow volunteer, has another day in court ([link removed]) [paywalled link], this time taking the government to task over climate change.
* The government's rate of response to FOI requests is at an all-time low ([link removed]) .
* Pothole creativity is a thing. This story not only profiles the 'Daventry Banksie' ([link removed]) but also contains a photograph of the pothole pastry, featuring 'a chocolate tyre in a crumbled biscuit road'.
* Meanwhile, if you think the potholes are a problem in this country, see what people consider to be a bad road elsewhere in the world ([link removed]) .
* Sustainable leisure travel just became easier, with walking routes from train stations ([link removed]) .
* When people accidentally apply to run for President ([link removed]) , you know you have to improve your website's design.


** Want to know more? Sign up now:
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