The new dirty 'F' word

Not so long ago and in a land very close by, there was a dirty 'F' word. It lived in docklands and on football terraces. Broadcasters went into meltdown if it appeared on our screens. But the dirty 'F' word grew old and tired and had to retire to Hollywood for the sunshine. Sadly another dirty 'F' word saw it's opportunity to take centre stage. A much nastier 'F' word that truly did damage our communities and society in general. Worse still, the new 'F' word had influential friends in very high places who nurtured it and even encouraged it to spread it's venom.

That new ogre is of course 'Funding'. I've attended three meetings of third sector organisations in the last week. Each one revolved entirely around the perilous state of the economy and how it affects funding. For all of Cameron's rhetoric about valuing the Third Sector, "should be called first sector" and "Funders are not treating third sector organisations as partners" for just two examples, the truth is the overwhelming majority fear a funding Armageddon. And why shouldn't they? They've had absolutely no indication from this new ragtail ensemble that the future is going to be anything but bleak. The corollary of which will be those citizens who give up their time and efforts to make our communities better places to live, are getting squeezed out of the opportunity to do so. More contemptible because this government is made up of 'career politicians' who simply can't fathom out why someone would do something for nothing because altruism never crosses their radar.

When this administration falls apart, albeit in the not too distant future, it will still be too late for many worthy causes who will have simply run out of money. That will be Cameron's legacy to our nation together with a new dirty 'F' word, 'fallow'.


nick