Breakfasting with Bankers, media and The Community Channel

To the beautiful Goring Hotel for breakfast with Hugh Biddell from RBS. They have been key sponsors of ACEVO for many years and support our main Annual Conference which is taking place soon - on November 5th - looking at the challenges we face nest year. We have Tessa Jowell and Francis Maude so a good chance to hear and compare both political parties outlooks for our sector. Aimed at CEOs and Chairs and Trustees it is also open more widely to those of interest in our sector. Readers of my Blog can book at the special rate - see here.

Do hope to see my good friend Robin Bogg there , though he has not yet signed up. Where are you Robin?

Whilst there are clearly avaricious and arrogant top bankers, impervious to their responsibilities to the wider community who have bailed them out, this should not hide the fact there are many very good people working in the Banks and Hugh is a fine example of that. He is also a Trustee of Crisis and a good advisor to many of the Bank's customers in our sector.

This week has seen lots of publicity for the Tories so in the interests of balance I want to report on an important speech by Liam Byrne. He talks about the Social Investment Bank and how to invest in communities. It is an important and. Interesting contribution from one of the most impressive of our current Cabinet. Liam has been a strong supporter of our sector - he was at the historic meeting in No 10 with Blair that led to the establishment of the Office of The Third Sector and the Delivery Action Plan that Ed Miliband delivered.

The Progress' lecture by Liam Byrne was Tuesday night- you can read the full speech <http://www.progressonline.org.uk/Magazine/article.asp?a=4840> on Progress Online where Liam challenges the Broken Britain argument and sets out how new economic growth can lift all - not just some - communities.

After Hugh I had a fantastic meeting with Caroline Diehl, CEO of the Media Trust and long time ACEVO member. The Media Trust run the Community Channel and we talk about how we can publicise the work of third sector organisations delivering essential services to communities. You can see the Community Channel if you get Sky or Virgin it's on 24 hours. Sky is 539. Try it. Caroline is such an enthusiast for the sector and has done superb work promoting good Communications training and mentoring for charities on becoming media savvy. We talk about doing some work together.

As I leave I buy my Poppy. I wear it with pride. Partly as the Royal British Legion is one of my members and because I remember with gratitude the war service of members of my family and of the many other families who fought fascism. How disgusting that on the day the Legion launch their Poppy Appeal we have the abhorrent spectacle of the BBC giving publicity to a Fascist.