Here are four examples of groups that arose from single issues and which are still actively campaigning for what they believe to be right.

The Bermuda and Environmental Sustainability Taskforce (BEST):

BEST evolved from a protest movement against Government plans to build a new hospital on the Botanical Gardens. The announcement, in summer 2006, that a third of the gardens would be lost, saw several groups in the Environmental Coalition (ECO) come together to form Save the Gardens (STG).

Public protest was such that in November, Government announced the plan had been scrapped.

Mission accomplished, environmentalists pledged to continue to fight on issues affecting open space and greenfield on the Island.

When landowners Southlands Ltd. submitted a planning application to build a five-star hotel and road tunnel on the 37-acre greenfield Southlands Estate protest group 'Save South Shore' launched a petition and in February 2007, relaunched as BEST.

After a year of demonstrations, in April 2008 Government announced plans for a land swap deal. Plans for the Jumeirah Southlands hotel were to be relocated to 80 acres of public brownfield land at Morgan's Point. The organisation, now a registered charity, says: "We envision a Bermuda where the health of our environment is considered as paramount for the preservation of our quality of life. "We envision a Bermuda where issue-focused campaigns are well conducted in ways that are both lawful and effective, and that citizens will feel comfortable to participate."

For more information go to http://best.org.bm

The Bermudians:

This group was founded by six members of the public in June last year, in response to Premier Ewart Brown's decision to bring four ex-Guantanamo Bay detainees to Bermuda.

Janice Battersbee, Erica Rance-Cariah, Gilbert Pitcher, Marti Chiappa, Pat Ferguson and Anne Hyde, protested Dr. Brown's move to relocate the four Chinese Uighurs without consulting the UK Government or Bermuda's own MPs. They organised three public demonstrations calling for a change in leadership and hundreds of people gathered outside Cabinet with placards calling for Dr. Brown to step down as Premier.

Since the summer of last year, The Bermudians have been vocally quiet but are still active. Although their short-term goal was a change in leadership, they say on their website: "The Bermudians will act as watchdog to monitor the actions of our leader, whoever that may be. The Bermudians stand for good governance, unity and respect, democratic leadership, Government accountability and the peoples' voice."

Their long-term goals are stated as: "The Bermudians will work to unify the people of Bermuda and heal divisions that have been created, and will undertake education and awareness projects to advocate for peace, love, unity and respect amongst the people of Bermuda."

The Bermudians: www.thebermudians.net

Rise Above, Bermuda:

Spurred by the growing bloodshed on Bermuda's streets, Rise Above, Bermuda started as an initiative by three brothers and a friend.

Brothers Wayne, Dwayne and Travis Caines and Dr. Lou Matthews grew up near St. Monica's Road, aka 42nd Street, the scene of two fatal gang-related shootings last year. Rise Above, Bermuda rose in reaction to the shootings and called for an end to gang violence through mentoring and mediation.

Rise Above, Bermuda continues its work to bring peace to the streets. On April 18 it held a Family Fun Day at the Victor Scott Primary School playing field, the scene of the murder of Kimwandae Walker, on Good Friday who was shot in front of his two children.

On its website, it says: "The journey of non-violence, peace and justice is a lifelong one that will require the tireless efforts of all Bermudians. With each act of violence, we must redouble our efforts and strengthen our resolve to get involved. We can do this by continuing to mentor young children in affected neighbourhoods, be vigilant reporters of crimes, and offer our expertise and service to organisations in action and families in crisis. To this end, Rise Above, Bermuda continues its work. We will not give up. We will never give up. We will rise above."

For more information: http://riseabovebermuda.org/

Two Words and a Comma:

Founded on a question of human rights, Two Words and a Comma challenges Government on the issue of why sexual orientation is omitted from the Human Rights Act.

By omission, the Human Rights Act 1981 technically allows for the legal discrimination of homosexuals.

This group lobbies for an amendment to include all gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals under the protection of the law. An amendment to the Human Rights Act would make it unlawful for anyone to discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation in such areas as the provision of goods, facilities and services, housing, contracts, and employment.

The group formed after Government MP Renee Webb failed to get an amendment passed by MPs in 2006. On its website, the group says: "Two words and a comma are (just about) all it would take to prohibit discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation. If the history of the human rights movement is marked in part by failures on the part of our political leadership, it has also seen some remarkable successes driven by ordinary people taking the lead. We are taking the lead through human rights education and, where necessary, political action."

Go to: www.twowordsandacomma.com.