Try as he might, David Cameron was unable to get his idea of a “big society” to gain traction – perhaps because, as he was told at the time, top-down initiatives are less likely to take off, especially if they are perceived as a Trojan horse during a period of prolonged government cuts.
When I arrived home to find a note on the doormat offering assistance with a range of tasks such as collecting shopping, or a phone call to break up a monotonous day or compensate for the lack of social interaction, I was neither dismissive nor distrustful – even though I didn’t need the services offered. That an individual, who had gone on to recruit a few friends, was offering such help is not unique, but it is a fine antidote to tales of panic-buying and food banks struggling for sufficient donations to meet demand.
