Burstow awarded for charitable work

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 14th Dec 2004

Paul Burstow today received an award for his charitable work at the Christmas reception for the All Party Parliamentary Group on Charities and the Voluntary Sector at the Houses of Parliament. Paul Burstow MP successfully completed the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) MP Secondment Scheme. The reception was attended by Charities Minister Fiona Mactaggart MP.

Mr Burstow was seconded to the Royal British Legion.

Paul Burstow MP commented: 'The Secondment Scheme was a real eye opener for me. The Royal British Legion does an incredible job raising the needs of ex-service personnel. The all-year-round welfare and case work of branches, the massive logistics and voluntary effort behind of the Poppy Appeal, the campaigning on issues like Gulf War Syndrome are just part of a huge portfolio of activities.'

Stuart Etherington, Chief Executive of NCVO said: 'NCVO's MP Secondment Scheme aims to foster greater understanding between the voluntary sector and Parliamentarians by giving them first hand experience of one another's activities.'

The MP Secondment Scheme, launched in 1999, is run by NCVO and supported by Provident Financial. Secondments last around 10 days, and are made up of one day or half day visits. The seconded MP gets to engage with an organisation from senior management decision making to projects on the ground.