Dear Derek

I am writing with news of the successful launch of the Civic Society Initiative in Covent Garden yesterday and to introduce myself as the Director. The event was well attended, with a mixture of civic society members, journalists and contacts from key national heritage organisations. Griff Rhys Jones appeared on BBC Radio 4s Today programme talking about the importance of the civic society movement. You can hear what Griff said by clicking here.

Griff Rhys Jones, Laura Sandys (daughter of Duncan Sandys), Fiona Reynolds (Director General of the National Trust) and I spoke at the event and the press release and background information can be viewed here. We all left the room with a great buzz and excitement for going forward and already there has been some welcoming media coverage. You can view this coverage by clicking here.

To generate even more publicity, we are asking you to promote the launch event, and the new Civic Society Initiative. A sample press release is available for you here - please use this as a sample template, which will allow your own society to add a comment, and then promote it with your local media contacts telling them how important a civic movement is for the UK.

There is more coverage on our website - www.civicsocietyinitiative.org.uk - including some photos.

I will be in touch again with more news and information on how you can get involved in the debate about how we can all work together to strengthen the civic society movement and increase its influence locally and nationally.

Your views will be the ones that count in writing the next chapter of the movement.

Thank you for your support


Tony Burton

www.civicsocietyinitiative.org.uk admin@civicsocietyinitiative.org.uk