How our World keeps turning

A discussion on facebook started me off thinking. I wrote 'The World Turned Upside Down [3]' a couple of days ago as a result of not being able to sleep that night. This blog is the result of thinking too much in the early in the morning!

The discussion was about 'The Big Society'. I have already expressed my feelings about this but here I am again:

Every time I hear the words 'The Big Society' I want to lay on the floor and kick and scream. Without the Voluntary Sector and all the 'small people' [as opposed to The Big Society - that was supposed to be ironical...] how the heck does Cameron think we have managed to keep going for all these years?

I think of all the people selling 'flags' and doing house to house collections for charities, all those running - for example - Gateway Clubs, Brownie packs, Parents Fund Raising Associations in schools etc etc etc

I think about all the young carers who are helping keep families together by doing jobs and supporting their parent[s] before and after school.

I think about all the grandparents, aunts, uncles, good friends who help out with child care because parents need to work but cannot afford 'official' child care.

I think about all the neighbours who 'pop in' to the elderly because the social services are over stretched and cannot get to everyone often enough.

I think about all the people who have given up their time for years and years to work as local councillors, trade union officials etc etc. Often with very little thanks but lots of abuse for not getting what those they represent want.

I think about those in jobs like Postmen, Librarians, Social Workers, Nurses, Doctors, Teachers who already do that 'extra bit' to help their 'customers'/Clients/whatever the latest expression is, yet are now facing cuts/performance drives/whatever the latest 'threat' is.

I think about those working for the minimum wages for long hours with very little time to do anything else. And those working for better wages and commuting for long hourse with the same result.

I think about those on various benefits who would like to do some volunteer work but are excluded because they have to 'available for work' at all times.

I think - with hope - about all the young people who are banding together to protest about the Government cuts and the older people who will join in the big march in London on March 26th [http://anticuts.org.uk/ or click on the blog title above]

All these 'little people' already keep our world spinning and probably would like to help out with the 'Big Society' but really cannot fit in anymore hours in the day. Likewise those who are already working full time to enable themselves and/or their dependants to maintain a reasonable standard of living.

I think Mr Cameron, you and your buddies really should think again.


The photo above is of Elizannie thinking....