Community organisations are increasingly agents of the state, and no longer radical champions of social justice.
Ruth Townsley, Voice and Impact manager, questions whether community organisations are losing their critical voice.
The independent voice of the sector, the voice that challenges the 'one size fits all' policies of government, and which calls to account statutory services, the voice which connects with marginalised groups of many types to ensure they are not bypassed by the generic central government solutions, is being eroded.
If you are drawing down public funding, there has to be some agreement between funder and community organisation - otherwise why would we be given the money? I think we have to be subversive and creative, and tweak funding to fulfil our learners' needs.
This is the festival, celebrating Gareth Malone's choirs in South Oxhey, and their achievements. CLP have applied for a prescence there - stall and familly learning activities.