THANCS

What links people at the sharp end of desperate poverty to �Worcester woman� or �Mondeo Man�? The answer is a distrust of politics and politicians, and a withdrawal from traditional party politics. But there can be no real democracy without effective engagement at a community level. THANCS has been set up to reconnect people with politics.

THANCS is an organisation with charitable aims which reduces poverty and social exclusion by helping ordinary people, often from deprived neighbourhoods, influence government policy and resource allocation.

THANCS puts the voices of those living in East London, and Tower Hamlets in particular, at the heart of Government decision-making. By doing this it aims to reduce the poverty, alienation, and disaffection that make up many residents real-life experiences in Tower Hamlets - the borough with the highest level of deprivation in the country.

THANCS aims to:


� ensure that local people effectively influence Government legislation
� make local people aware of relevant Government consultations
� tackle isolation amongst elderly people
� tackle disaffection amongst young people
� build constructive non-party political dialogue
� reduce poverty in Tower Hamlets and beyond

THANCS is a non-party political organisation that builds on the work of Oona King during her eight years as an MP in Tower Hamlets. Oona and her staff developed a series of initiatives to feed in the views of Tower Hamlets residents to Government. Subjects included Anti-Social Behaviour, child-care, young people, pensions, and equalities.

THANCS will work with resident groups, charities, and other relevant authorities to pursue its objectives.