Conference Projects
2011 Party Conference: Creating an Audio Library
At the 2011 Conservative Party Conference, hundreds of volunteers read stories and poems for the visually impaired at the Conference's 'Social Action Zone'. Ministers, Members of Parliament, Party staff, journalists and delegates all helped to record stories – including Prime Minister David Cameron, Samantha Cameron, and Education Secretary Michael Gove.
The Zone was the first time which the Conference's social action project was held inside the Conference's secure zone and the reaction from attendees was extraordinary. The stories and poems were recorded for Calibre Audio Library, a self-funded charity that operates an audio library for visually impaired people, free of charge.
Nicola Blackwood Vice Chairman of the Conservative Party, with responsibility for Social Action said, "Generations of Conservative MPs, Councillors and local members have been active in their communities as volunteers, governors, fundraisers and community leaders. This event was absolutely important for the Party to show conference attendees firsthand how they can be contributing to their local communities in a variety of ways. This week we saw party members, Members of Parliament, and even the Prime Minister help give visually impaired people access to audible books and help show that Social Action is in the DNA of the Conservative Party.
"At a time when public disenchantment with politics and politicians is at an all time high, not only do social action projects break down barriers in and between communities but they also confound prejudices about politicians who are all talk and no action and give Conservative members and politicians a chance to understand more fully the way government policy is affecting people on the ground."
2011 Spring Forum: Project Green Fingers
In 2011 Conservative Spring Forum combined with Welsh Party Conference at the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff. Since 2006 a Social Action project has been run at all Party Conferences to provide delegates with the opportunity to give something back to the local community, leaving a lasting legacy of our time in the area.
The location for the Social Action project was St Peter’s Church Community Hall gardens in the Fairwater area of Cardiff. The Community Hall is a hub of community activity ranging from dance groups, coffee mornings, brownie, youth clubs and local community meetings. The land surrounding the hall however was overgrown and a haven for brambles and overgrown weeds up to 10 feet tall.
Enter Ian Thompson, local community leader and now project manager for the renovation of the hall and surrounding garden. He has a vision of rejuvenating the hall and completely over hauling the garden so that local community groups and residents could not only use the hall but also enjoy the outdoor space.
Ian organised for various groups such as the British Trust Conservation Volunteers, TY-Bronna (a group for people with learning difficulties), and the young offenders programme to help with this renovation and when the Conservative Party got in touch to see if there was anything we could do to assist. Ian was only too happy to work with us.
Over the few days leading up to and during Spring Forum/Welsh Party Conference a large number of delegates including Ministers, Members of Parliament, Assembly Members, local and National Party members from across the UK, all pitched in with laying turf, installing fences, putting in and filling raised flower beds, shovelling and barrowing earth, and planting a large number of plants.
There was a lot of dirt, sweat and hard work but the transformation over the short while we were there was extremely satisfying and the benefit for the local community will be long lasting.