So - this is what Ollie meant by 'fear', I thought. Then a ripple of anxiety came over me - what about the Blue Cross and the PDSA? They're charities. If they're cut, Arturo and I could be for the high jump, when we're too old to catch rats!
Then, I thought - this is the United Kingdom - other charities may go under but not animal charities. I kicked myself for being selfish and listened more closely. It seems that Birmingham city council has cut funding to the largest number of charities. Over 190 organisations have lost out. In London, 174 groups have had cuts.
380 children's and young-people charities have been badly affected. The list goes on and on. The elderly and the disabled have also been hit. Phew! I thought - no animal charities! Then, I felt bad! What about the people who can't care for themselves? What about very young children from poor families? What about old, sick and confused people?
WHAT ABOUT THE BIG SOCIETY?
Boy David, Georgy from next door, Wailing Lad Clegg have all gone on and on and on about the wonderful world that will be ours when the 'big society' comes to fruition. No more need for public sector workers - oh no! - their jobs will be done by willing, smiling volunteers working for charities. Smiling girls with kind eyes; maternal creatures making cakes and jam and distributing largesse to the grateful, starving, former public sector workers; retired bankers offering to mow lawns for the disabled; ex-MPs taking children from poor families on outings.
So what's all this 'cuts to charities' lark? That ain't no way to kick start the 'big society', I thought.
Well the Unions have strong opinions about all this. Brendan Barber, the general secretary of the TUC said:
The big society is looking more and more like a big con … These deep cuts to voluntary groups across the UK show that government claims that charities can replace direct services currently provided by central or local government are false.
The worry is that the 'real' cuts have only just started! My guess is that by this time, next year, some bright spark from the Coalition will sit up and say:
"Do you know - I think the voluntary sector has disappeared altogether - I tried to get the phone numbers for Head Start, CAB, Womens' Shelters and some bloke told me they don't exist anymore. Anyone know why? We really need them to take over the work of the nursery school teachers we made redundant and the social workers we've sacked and ..."
"Shut up!" Will be the response!
I gather Boy David who hasn't yet come back from his first 'jolly old hols' in Tuscany is planning a second 'jolly old hols'. You see big society or not - neither he nor Georgy will ever need a volunteer to hold their hand when they're frightened, lonely and homeless. So as the song goes
It's the same the whole world over,
It's the poor that get the blame,
It's the rich that get the pleasure,
Ain't it all a bloody shame.
Me? I'm off to volunteer to look after some orphan kittens for the week - no one here at No 10 - so no one will notice.
'Bye'
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