2011 looks to be a busy year for me and the wife. Three weddings (that we know of). My thirtieth birthday. My first wedding anniversary. And some very important rallies. As well as the normal family and friends birthdays etc. that come along each year – now with added carbon footprint since I moved to the South West of England.

So what rallies. Number 1 is in February, and is the Invest in Youth Services rally. This rally is to promote awareness of the cuts faced by youth services around the country.  A survey published by CYP Now in October as part of its For Youth’s Sake campaign, revealed that 95 per cent of local authority youth services face cutbacks and 82 per cent of voluntary sector youth organisations will have to close projects as a result of funding shortages.

In March I will be attending the TUC All Together For Public Services in London. A national response to the coalition governments attack on public services. But there’s an alternative – one that’s fair, safe and sustainable: A Robin Hood tax on the banks; Close tax loopholes; Policies for jobs and green growth.

So why? Well, because I believe in youth work and in public services. I don’t like the idea that the money I pay in taxes to provide services for me is diverted to profit for someone, when that money could be invested in services. So I’ll go out and show the government that I believe there is a better way.