Recently a local group organised a ‘Finsbury Sports Day’ in Islington with the intent of piggybacking the message around health inequalities in an area where health inequalities are a big issue.  Letters were sent out to all the major businesses but we had no replies.  Invitations were sent out to all the principles political leaders and many did not respond.  However, although the local ward councillors and the mayor attended and some small businesses gave some prizes, the support from out major political leaders would have been a step in the right direction.  However, these Westminster elites continually site these inequalities as  political sound bites,  they have failed miserably to support a bottom up initiative where local people were attempting to address this issue.  If our political leaders who are burying their heads in Westminster are failing to support community leaders at the bottom, then what message does this send out to those living with social deprivation?

To take on the role of a community leader comes at a great cost to the individual as managing volunteers is unlike managing staff.  The very nature of being a volunteer means that they give their resources freely.  They are not 'dogooders' but have  a sense of social responsibility and are often put upon to fulfill a role without training or support which means that to organise a community event is often  highly stressful as their reputation is on the line.  The support of large businesses making huge profits would go some way in helping the event be successful. 

Indeed, national politicians who express sound bites about issues volunteers are trying to address is unhelpful if they do not make the effort to show up on the day.  Furthermore,  many talk of coming from these very backgrounds before they became elite. 

If health and social indequality is to be tackled effectively then local voluntary groups, the local councils and our national policians must demonstrate a unified and intergrated approach to local issues.