Weekly Update 21/06/2010
Posted by Jacob Rees-Mogg, MP for North East Somerset, at 15:54, Thu 1 July 2010:
There is such a thing as society, it’s just not the same thing as the state’. As the budget announces cuts in spending this quotation from David Cameron is worth remembering. Every weekend in the summer we see society in action in North East Somerset. Communities coming together to celebrate their existence without state direction but because of individual drive.
At the weekend I saw this in Bishop Sutton and Midsomer Norton. The Bishop Sutton Fun Day is only in its second year but seems like an institution. Its wide range of activities included hot air balloons and stalls raising funds for good causes. It is sponsored by Bristol Water but its driving force is a small number of committed people who want to something for the village.
The same is true in Midsomer Norton which historically had a fair on the Feast of St John the Baptist which is midsummer’s day. The Midsomer Norton Society wants to revive this tradition and to encourage people to take pride in the town. The awards ceremony in the evening saw both young and old being rewarded for their contribution.
This is not to say that the state and society cannot overlap. I also went to the successful open day at Bath Police Station. This was an excellent initiative by Chief Superintendent Gary Davies to illustrate the work of the Police,
All these events show the benefits of community activity, without public expenditure building a more cohesive and friendly society. With few government funds available it will be an important feature of the age of austerity.
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