This Thursday, 26th January, is our first meeting of 2017 and we are pleased to have speaking Ian Harvey, Director of Civic Voice, the umbrella organisation for all Civic Societies up and down the country. Ian will be telling us more about how Civic Voice is getting a higher public profile for civic societies and about this years Civic Day when the theme will be ‘Conservation Areas’. Start time as usual is 19.45 at the Red Cross Hall, Monteagle Lane. See more below.

The Civic Movement

Civic societies provide a focus for voluntary and community action to improve the places where people live, work and relax. They champion the importance of these places to decision makers and opinion formers in business, politics, government, the media, the voluntary sector and elsewhere. They play an essential and voluntary role in helping individuals and communities to understand and take action to improve the quality of their life through the place where they live. Civic societies promote and celebrate the best of what is inherited from the past and what is developed for the future. They are a fundamental source of civic pride. This work brings benefits to the whole community and not just to those who are members of civic societies.

Civic Voice

Civic Voice is the national charity for the civic movement. They work to make the places where everyone lives more attractive, enjoyable and distinctive and to promote civic pride. They speak up for civic societies and local communities across England. Since its launch in April 2010 Civic Voice has been joined by over 290 civic societies with 75,000 members. The Yateley Society is a member of Civic Voice

Civic Voice was the result of extensive consultation and discussion with hundreds of civic and amenity societies and their members and over 100 other interested organisations and partners about the future of the civic movement following closure of the Civic Trust in April 2009.

Civic Voice believes everyone has the right to live somewhere they can be proud of. Their vision is for a civic movement with a strong local presence and an influential national voice. They believe their reputation and authority will make them first port of call for anyone seeking to develop, conserve or interpret the quality, beauty and character of our towns, cities and villages or to engage people in shaping their future. They will listen, advise, support and act on behalf of communities everywhere.

You will find them lobbying in Whitehall and Westminster, campaigning with local volunteers, speaking out in the media, undertaking research, building partnerships and promoting civic pride. They support local groups and help them work together. They organise a national convention for the civic movement and give local groups a national voice.

Civic Voice has six members of staff and a board of ten trustees.

Ian Harvey is the Executive Director and was one of two individuals who set up the Civic Society Initiative and then Civic Voice. He has been with Civic Voice since it was set up in April 2010.

Further information is available at http://www.civicvoice.org.uk