Unions back Woodcraft Folk campaign

The Woodcraft Folk youth organisation, which fosters equality, friendship, peace and co-operation, is facing a disastrous cut in grant from the Department for Education and Skills (DfES).

At £52,000, the grant amounts to a fifth of head office income for this largely volunteer-run organisation. Supporters from the co-operative movement, unions and MPs are calling for the money to be reinstated.

Doug Nicholls, general secretary of the CYWU youth workers' union said: "The quality of political and social education in the Woodcraft Folk, on the basis of their strong values, is second to none. I would hate to think we've come to a point in history where the Woodcraft Folk's commitment to peace and collectivism is being ideologically challenged."

The PCS civil service union also supports the Woodcraft Folk. A spokesperson told Labour Research: "It's symptomatic of what's going on in the DfES which is being reduced by a third - you can't cut that amount of staff without it having an effect on organisations in the third sector, like the Woodcraft Folk."

A lobby of parliament took place on 22 March and an Early Day Motion has been signed by 76 MPs. Despite being told that it does not represent "good value for money", the Woodcraft Folk still gets financial support from the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly, and features on the government's own Sustainable Development website as an exemplary case study.

For more information tel: 020 8672 6031 (England), 0141 304 5552 (Scotland), 020 8672 6031 (Wales) (www.woodcraft.org.uk)