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Press Releases
Below are all the latest press releases from Community Links. For media enquiries, please contact Will Horwitz, 0207 473 9669
Michael Smyth CBE announced as new Chairman of Community Links
East London charity Community Links is delighted to announce the appointment of Michael Smyth CBE as new Chairman of Trustees. Michael was for more than twenty years a partner in Clifford Chance, the leading city law firm that has supported Community Links for many years. He led the public policy and government affairs practice, and had overall responsibility for its pro bono activities. He was awarded a CBE in 2009. Amongst his other roles Michael chairs Law for Life: the Foundation for… Read more.
David Robinson’s second letter to David Cameron
Veteran community worker David Robinson - whose open letter to David Cameron over Christmas set off a series of recent attacks on the Big Society from charity figures – has written again to the Prime Minister urging him, and the charity sector, to move on from the debate about cuts and focus on saving the Big Society project. His letter, published in the Guardian on Saturday, includes a series of ideas for boosting the voluntary sector, including using underspend in Whitehall departments… Read more.
Charity and business leaders press case for an ‘Early Action’ society
Charity, business and local government leaders including Sir Stuart Etherington, CEO of the National Council of Voluntary Organisations; Demos CEO and ex-minister Kitty Ussher; Martin Brookes, CEO of New Philanthropy Capital; Newham Council CEO Kim Bromley-Derry, and senior figures from Accenture, UBS and Hogan Lovells met on Monday for the first time as the Early Action Taskforce. The Taskforce, chaired by veteran… Read more.
Community Links co-founder urges Prime Minister not to undermine the Big Society
David Robinson, the veteran community worker invited by the Prime Minister to the Big Society launch in May, has written an open letter praising David Cameron for his commitment to the Big Society but expressing concerns about the future of organisations like Community Links, which Robinson founded over 30 years ago. In the letter to the Prime Minister, Robinson writes: “I thought the Big Society would be over by… Read more.
Community Links responds to Government announcement on the Work Programme
Responding to today's announcements on the future of Flexible New Deal and the Work Programme from Iain Duncan Smith, Community Links CEO Geraldine Blake said: "Community Links is still running our original New Deal programme in east London, which has consistently been the best-performing programme in London and the South east, so we are pleased the Minister has confirmed that current New Deal programmes will be extended until the rollout of the Work Programme next year, ensuring an… Read more.