Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the
tumbling mirth of sun-split clouds

Over the Christmas period, the Buckinghamshire Community Foundation restarted their annual Winter Fuel Payment initiative, through which better off pensioners can donate those payments to people in need. Their initiative has raised nearly £14,000, which is nearly twice as much as last year. I am delighted that the people of Bucks have made this possible.

Amongst other initiatives, the Foundation is looking at new funding schemes with local businesses, such as the Midcounties Co-operative, and they are also working with local projects in various places across the county.

More details and opportunities to help will be announced at the Buckinghamshire Funding Fair at the Clare Foundation on February 16^th.

I am delighted that Wycombe Youth Action was successful in its application to the Transition Fund, which acts as a Big Society funding mechanism. The project received £93,000 to help young people from the ages of 13 to 25 in more positive activities that they may not otherwise have the opportunity to do.

The Transition Fund was announced last year as part of the Spending Review. So far it has committed £17 million for 201 charities; however there is £90million still available which will be announced from April 2011 onwards.

I would urge other civil society organisations in Wycombe who need additional funding to visit the website www.fundingcentral.org.uk for further information.

As Paul Burstow, Care Services Minister, has said:

Central Government can’t do everything people want in their communities – local people are better placed than officials or Ministers in Whitehall to know what their communities need. This is about a new relationship between the state and citizens, where citizens hold more power than ever before.

The Government is also setting up a Big Society Bank which will provide capital for the voluntary sector.

These are just the first steps to rekindle that mutual co-operation between individuals which typified British society. After the continued encroachment of the State over the past 100 years, we have seen a steady erosion of civil society. This is why we must reclaim local provisions and decision making.  In the long term, we need to de-politicise charitable funding but, in the meantime, the Government is seeking to drive a transition towards social responsibility, not state control. We should make the most of it.

I congratulate Wycombe Youth Action on their achievements and I wish them well with their extra funding.

More.

Via Holidays 4 Heroes, the armed forces show how to deliver “quick reaction welfare”:

Holidays 4 Heroes is an informal group of people, including serving and retired personnel from all the UK Armed Forces and civilian supporters. We try to assist serving and former military personnel and their families, in a variety of ways that might otherwise fall outside the remit of the better-known Forces Charities. We work together through an Internet web-site used, mainly but certainly not exclusively, by Army personnel (The ARmy Rumour SErvice or “Arrse” for short – the military have a highly sophisticated sense of humour!).

It all started in December 2007, when users of the “Arrse” website and chat-room were made aware of a former serviceman in some financial difficulty and in imminent risk of being evicted from his home. In the simplest of terms, the folks had a whip-round and sorted the problem – within 48 hours the guy and his family were saved from eviction, Christmas groceries and presents for the children were provided, and everyone felt really good.

The RNLI Christmas appeal arrived this morning. This year, the RNLI assisted 7,834 people at sea. The men and women of the Lifeboats have now saved 137,500 lives. I have never needed them, but sailing around the Isle of Wight on a rough day in a fast catamaran, we were glad to know they were there.

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