Cameron made a speech about voluntary organisations; it’s not all that clear in the paper (Watt, N. Cameron wants to see charities paid market rate for public services Guardian: 11).that he is launching a new consultative document on Conservative policy on the voluntary sector. There are a lot of practical suggestions, but what he cannot admit is that only financial independence will give voluntary organisations any freedom of manoeuvre because local authorities, civil servants and ministers will never give up control over their fields of responsibility. He who pays the piper ignores the best tunes and just organises the bureaucratic funding mechanisms.

Conservative Party (2008) A Stronger Society: Voluntary Action in the 21st Century. Responsibility Agenda Green Paper 5, London: Conservative Party.

http://www.conservatives.com/tile.do?def=news.story.page&obj_id=145106

Pics of the rebuilding at St Christopher’s, now under way, in solidarity with all colleagues working through a difficult time, to make things better in the future:
The caged day centre