All Party Parliamentary Group on Civil Society and Volunteering
APPG on Civil Society and Volunteering
The APPG is co-chaired by Baroness Jill Pitkeathley OBE, Susan Elan Jones MP and Andrew George MP and aims to provide a forum for discussing the issues affecting the voluntary and community sector.
Find out more about the Co-Chairs.
The Group has around 300 members, from both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, representing the UK's main political parties.
The group holds regular meetings throughout the year on a variety of issues. Recent meetings have looked at participation, the future of regulation by the Charity Commission, and the impact of the recession.
Read minutes of past meetings.
We also host a Christmas reception each year and previously we have hosted a Summer reception to celebrate the work of the voluntary sector and the work of the APPG.
Next meeting
AGM and Minister for Civil Society.
Tuesday 25 June 4.00 - 5.30pm.
Attendance at meetings is by prior arrangement - email Alison Evans for details.We encourage members of the voluntary and community sector to attend however priority in terms of asking questions will be given to the parliamentarians present.
Interested in the groups’ activities? Email Alison Evans to sign up for meeting notices and minutes.
Future meetings
The Autumn schedule will be announced shortly.
Recent meetings
Challenges facing UK Charities
30 April 2013
Why does Leadership matter?
19 March 2013
William Shawcross, Chair of Charity Commission
30 January 2013
Open Public Services Report - Joint Meeting with the APPG on Complex Needs
5 December 2012
The polarisation of giving: can public policy have any impact?
31 October 2012
Charity Law Review
10 July 2012
Launch of Localism and Small Charities Report
13 June 2012
Budget 2012 Follow Up
21 May 2012
Leadership 20:20 Recommendations
14 March 2012
The Compact
31 January, 2012
Christmas Reception
14 December, 2011
Charities and Independence
15 November, 2011
Unshackling Good Neighbours Report
19 October, 2011
Summer Reception - Celebrating the work of Civil Society
5 July, 2011
Over 150 MPs, peers and sector leaders attended our annual Parliamentary Summer Reception at the House of Commons on July 5th, paying tribute to the important work undertaken by civil society organisations across the country. NCVO member Envision also spoke at the event.
Films of the speeches and photos from the event are on our website.
Meeting minutes
Read the minutes from past meetings.
Find out more about the Co-Chairs
Baroness Jill Pitkeathley OBE
Baroness Pitkeathley was made a Labour life peer in 1997, as recognition of her service as a social worker, since when she has been an active working peer. In 1986, she was chairman of the National Council for Carers, and led the carer's movement for twelve years, creating Carers UK. From 1998 to 2004 she was the first Chair of the New Opportunities Fund and also was the interim Chair of the General Social Care Council for its first six months. From 2003 to 2008 Jill was Chair of CAFCASS (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service).
From 2005 to 2008 she was Chair of the Government Advisory Panel on Futurebuilders and was Chair of the Advisory Body for the Office for Civil Society from 2008 - 2011. Jill was appointed as Chair of the Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence (CHRE) in January 2009. She became a trustee of the Big Society Trust for the Big Society Bank in 2011.
Jill is currently Vice President of Carers UK, President of the Community Council for Berkshire, and a patron of Herefordshire Carers.
Reflecting her area of expertise, she has written extensively on issues of social care. Her first book When I Went Home, published in the 1970s, was a study of people discharged from hospital and the breakdown of health and social care. She is also a novelist, having written a book based on the life of Jane Austen.
Susan Elan Jones MP
Susan Elan Jones MP worked for charities for 15 years before becoming the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Clwyd South in May 2010.
Beginning her voluntary sector career with the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign in 1995, Susan worked for medical research, Church and housing charities and served on Sure Start Partnership Board and a COMPACT working group representing voluntary sector.
A graduate of the universities of Bristol and Cardiff, Susan also holds the Certificate of Fundraising Management. Susan is MP for the seat where she grew up in North Wales, which is where her family have lived for many generations. However she has also lived and worked in Japan and in London. While working in London, Susan was an elected councillor and Deputy Leader of the Labour Group on the London Borough of Southwark.
Andrew George MP
Andrew George MP is the Liberal Democrat MP for the West Cornwall and Scilly constituency of St Ives. He is the Liberal Democrats’ member on the Health Select Committee and is lead MP on the Liberal Democrats’ Parliamentary DEFRA and Environment team.
Andrew was first elected to represent the St Ives constituency in Parliament in 1997, having run the Conservatives close in 1992.
Before becoming an MP, Mr George was a charity worker and rural officer with the Nottinghamshire Rural Community Council in 1981. He went on to work in a number of positions in business, charity and research before becoming the deputy director of the Cornwall Rural Community Council in 1987, where he worked until entering Parliament.
