I have been reading with interest recent articles on the Big Society, including the comments from Denise Rossiter, of the Essex Chambers of Commerce (Gazette, February 15).

As someone who has been involved in the charity and voluntary sector for a number of years – both professionally and personally – I was quite struck by Ms Rossiter’s obvious lack of knowledge and understanding on the issue.

The one thing that both the Government and business alike seem not to realise is that volunteering is not free, and that the Big Society won’t just happen on its own.

You cannot nurture a nation of volunteers while, at the same time, slashing charities’ grants and funding.

As one local charity manager told me recently, the withdrawal of so much key funding for the voluntary sector meant “the idea of the Big Society all rings rather hollow”.

Ms Rossiter says “there needs to be a full agenda of how it will work”, but without proper investment in the sector, with greater support and recognition for charitable and voluntary groups, it will not work.

The Big Society, like this coalition Government, is just a big con.

Jordan Newell
Chairman
Colchester Labour Party
Tufnell Way
Colchester

...May I point out the utter incongruity of the news of the north Essex Conservative MP, Bernard Jenkin, chairman of the Commons Public Administration Select Committee, launching an inquiry into the socalled Big Society on the one hand, and the story about Simon Cremer being forced to pay out £13,000 in compensation and legal costs to an ex-employee who admitted writing a cheque drawn on his employer, thus immediately breaking the trust which his boss Mr Cremer had in him as an employee?

If Mr Jenkin really wishes to create some real meaning around the Big Society initiative, I suggest he looks no further than this story.

The self-confessed thief ends up gaining at the expense of a hard-working and well-intentioned employer.

We can all pontificate about whether the law is fully on the side of Mr Cremer and his actions in 2008.

But, at the same time, most honest, tax-paying, ordinary members of our respective communities will see this outcome as a classic case of society not being empowered to impose its collective will on the wrongdoer – as it would have done in times gone past with a public parade of the criminal who abused the trust of the local community.

I applaud, and greatly sympathise with, Simon Cremer, who, I am sure, can ill afford having to pay this huge sum of money.

Although I am currently not working, if I had the opportunity to contact Mr Cremer directly I would be more than happy, and proud, to contribute what I can afford in an effort to assist him pay the costs. That is the Big Society, Mr Jenkin!

Nick Willey
High Wycombe
Buckinghamshire