WARRINGTON South MP David Mowat led a delegation of charities from the town to the Cabinet Office to meet Nick Hurd, Minister of State for the Civil Society.
Mr Mowat set up the meeting to showcase the excellent work being done by charities and voluntary groups in Warrington and discuss ways of strengthening them and deepen their activities.
The party included members of the executive committee of Warrington Council for Voluntary Services, the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Peace Centre and Partnership for Sport.
There are more than 1,100 charity groups in Warrington and more than 22,000 volunteers.
Among topics discussed were the crucial role of volunteers in Warrington – estimated to have an economic impact of around £29 million a year – and finding ways of encouraging businesses to link with charities to provide them with the professional skills they need.
Warrington is one of nine pilot areas to launch a corporate social responsibility scheme.
Other issues on the agenda including giving more power to local communities and community groups, changing the culture of donating – eight per cent of the population donate 47 per cent of all charitable contributions – the prospect of including Warrington in the second wave of National Citizen Service initiatives and the Big Society Bank, which would encourage savers to invest in community organisations and social enterprise start-ups.
Mr Mowat said afterwards: “Charities are an integral part of the Government’s vision for the Big Society.
“Here in Warrington we have a number of charities doing some excellent work with vulnerable people and I was very proud to be able to show the Minister just how much was already being done by voluntary groups in the town. It was great to be able to discuss how we can strengthen and deepen the activities of charities in Warrington.”
Pictured: David Mowat with members of the charity delegation.
