Meta tags:
description=the power of co-operation;

Headings (most frequently used words):

the, of, for, and, play, not, life, her, blog, post, navigation, power, out, as, just, ed, mayo, rediscovering, mutual, path, water, running, time, what, learned, volunteering, charity, chair, cable, street, they, shall, pass, quiet, leadership, simon, burall, eminently, reasonable, revolutionary, alternatives, writer, james, robertson, vivian, silver, remember, peace, violence, death, call, climate, volunteers, we, need, big, help, king, reign, around, his, coronation, blogroll, recent, comments, meta, stats, co, operation, tony, gibson, art, planning, real, engaging, 400, voices, core, value, state, waiting, building, legacy, continued,

Text of the page (most frequently used words):
the (297), and (177), for (86), that (63), with (49), this (39), was (37), are (35), from (32), have (30), people (30), simon (27), but (24), time (23), one (22), water (22), social (20), our (20), can (20), mayo (19), she (19), over (18), not (18), life (16), #volunteering (16), has (16), new (16), you (15), more (15), about (15), community (15), what (14), public (14), there (14), participation (14), her (14), others (14), quiet (13), around (13), when (13), play (13), his (12), led (12), involve (12), power (12), blog (11), work (11), most (11), been (11), out (11), all (11), democracy (11), models (11), now (10), just (10), they (10), through (10), had (10), some (10), which (10), many (10), posted (10), its (10), marketing (9), where (9), climate (9), who (9), peace (9), together (9), democratic (9), model (9), leadership (8), own (8), years (8), such (8), into (8), than (8), first (8), mutual (8), being (8), way (8), great (8), chair (8), report (7), health (7), support (7), were (7), charities (7), those (7), will (7), society (7), economic (7), non (7), participatory (7), decision (7), space (7), charity (7), system (7), planning (7), other (6), how (6), need (6), always (6), used (6), these (6), course (6), help (6), value (6), big (6), also (6), would (6), much (6), working (6), here (6), could (6), even (6), their (6), still (6), profit (6), learning (6), making (6), open (6), world (6), whether (6), far (6), wordpress (5), com (5), burall (5), challenge (5), change (5), think (5), pilotlight (5), trust (5), set (5), including (5), design (5), like (5), rather (5), real (5), long (5), practice (5), year (5), action (5), core (5), shared (5), call (5), volunteers (5), needed (5), sector (5), death (5), only (5), heart (5), bring (5), vision (5), vivian (5), ceo (5), speak (5), development (5), coming (5), projects (5), cable (5), street (5), often (5), then (5), services (5), russ (5), write (4), site (4), account (4), operative (4), post (4), short (4), asked (4), campaigns (4), control (4), since (4), smoking (4), creating (4), make (4), sense (4), effort (4), state (4), doing (4), 000 (4), traditional (4), designed (4), idea (4), building (4), environmental (4), scale (4), looking (4), key (4), friend (4), end (4), ideas (4), after (4), came (4), ajeec (4), nisped (4), mark (4), among (4), james (4), input (4), efficiency (4), between (4), seen (4), significant (4), before (4), voice (4), put (4), government (4), science (4), again (4), ones (4), across (4), voices (4), learned (4), said (4), citizen (4), commission (4), back (4), best (4), half (4), running (4), while (4), privatisation (4), place (4), market (4), playtower (4), tony (4), token (4), comments (3), log (3), join (3), numbers (3), recent (3), navigation (3), encourage (3), well (3), programme (3), coronation (3), wonderful (3), positive (3), form (3), volunteer (3), find (3), results (3), activity (3), number (3), reduce (3), levels (3), quit (3), nhs (3), early (3), centre (3), putting (3), term (3), promote (3), pandemic (3), given (3), under (3), ago (3), million (3), created (3), down (3), tim (3), initiative (3), your (3), enterprises (3), something (3), six (3), three (3), spread (3), active (3), thanks (3), tears (3), late (3), john (3), business (3), economics (3), foundation (3), lived (3), say (3), show (3), every (3), partnership (3), worked (3), women (3), black (3), takes (3), hold (3), robertson (3), written (3), needs (3), produced (3), profits (3), food (3), wildlife (3), rural (3), inputs (3), outputs (3), greater (3), thinking (3), wrote (3), guardian (3), process (3), representative (3), pioneered (3), engagement (3), technology (3), deliberative (3), care (3), words (3), trustees (3), team (3), any (3), run (3), hands (3), practitioner (3), facilitator (3), talented (3), facilitators (3), advocates (3), reform (3), recognised (3), become (3), challenges (3), southwark (3), playhouse (3), theatre (3), family (3), adam (3), events (3), experience (3), communities (3), silence (3), spaces (3), better (3), him (3), holding (3), never (3), second (3), funds (3), eve (3), appeal (3), goal (3), shift (3), start (3), urban (3), ladywell (3), derelict (3), future (3), waiting (3), gibson (3), housing (3), local (3), lewisham (3), residents (3), required (2), view (2), sign (2), subscribed (2), subscribe (2), follow (2), hits (2), feed (2), tea (2), quirky (2), story (2), 1336 (2), teas (2), joy (2), older (2), posts (2), may (2), king (2), recognise (2), though (2), reign (2), rooted (2), relationships (2), fulfil (2), values (2), employers (2), staff (2), empathy (2), them (2), two (2), comes (2), alongside (2), tobacco (2), measures (2), declined (2), significantly (2), decline (2), effective (2), contributed (2), campaign (2), information (2), colleagues (2), professor (2), potential (2), full (2), appropriate (2), national (2), see (2), initiatives (2), however (2), structured (2), formal (2), level (2), both (2), perhaps (2), saw (2), voluntary (2), period (2), aid (2), research (2), royal (2), service (2), author (2), complete (2), management (2), question (2), figures (2), good (2), oct (2), love (2), faster (2), dramatic (2), www (2), org (2), sites (2), rise (2), sustainability (2), passed (2), away (2), founder (2), morning (2), war (2), dreams (2), resilience (2), knew (2), towards (2), within (2), flourished (2), brought (2), organization (2), promoting (2), founded (2), human (2), deep (2), friends (2), kibbutz (2), executive (2), board (2), last (2), day (2), dedicated (2), israel (2), 1974 (2), did (2), saturday (2), context (2), silver (2), released (2), feel (2), violence (2), remember (2), meaning (2), efficient (2), high (2), output (2), area (2), land (2), pollution (2), important (2), topic (2), today (2), economy (2), alternatives (2), policy (2), privilege (2), works (2), turning (2), jul (2), focus (2), achievements (2), included (2), initially (2), championing (2), large (2), citizens (2), assemblies (2), small (2), warm (2), leaders (2), opposite (2), profound (2), grateful (2), too (2), age (2), tends (2), noisy (2), affair (2), leader (2), taught (2), natural (2), practitioners (2), admin (2), style (2), interventions (2), invitation (2), reflection (2), internationalist (2), borders (2), forefront (2), experimental (2), sir (2), part (2), shall (2), pass (2), history (2), turn (2), eighty (2), eight (2), pain (2), exclusion (2), remains (2), come (2), top (2), battle (2), gardens (2), photo (2), jane (2), hobson (2), changing (2), complex (2), musical (2), david (2), paint (2), beautifully (2), east (2), light (2), thank (2), understanding (2), done (2), decisions (2), inclusive (2), interaction (2), diverse (2), fundamental (2), visions (2), ops (2), take (2), took (2), turned (2), tend (2), immense (2), hall (2), administrator (2), brilliant (2), bright (2), third (2), practical (2), once (2), same (2), recognising (2), gathering (2), agency (2), contribution (2), inspiring (2), operatives (2), ways (2), london (2), marathon (2), raising (2), vital (2), former (2), courage (2), raise (2), tackling (2), cancers (2), effectively (2), crucial (2), ownership (2), governance (2), companies (2), utilities (2), mutuals (2), paris (2), move (2), improved (2), interest (2), strategic (2), accountability (2), stakeholders (2), rivers (2), act (2), solution (2), choice (2), monopoly (2), smith (2), private (2), affordable (2), recently (2), restoration (2), buildings (2), points (2), reclaim (2), solutions (2), forward (2), ages (2), memories (2), physical (2), participants (2), current (2), art (2), 400 (2), consultation (2), engaging (2), tabletop (2), operation (2), website, name, email, comment, loading, collapse, bar, manage, subscriptions, reader, content, privacy, already, 151, subscribers, 033, stats, entries, create, meta, ruth, fitzjohn, leslie, blowet, morgan, stanley, strategy, teams, competing, owen, search, baroque, hackney, andrew, bibby, blogroll, shows, don, committed, royalist, applaud, intention, charles, resourced, prepared, tool, tailormade, nurture, helping, facilitate, skills, based, accelerator, longer, common, reason, because, someone, findings, encouraging, widely, goods, proven, recycling, sport, healthy, eating, result, smokers, 2000, adults, smoked, 2020, figure, fallen, largely, due, aligned, efforts, aimed, reducing, stoptober, variety, methods, providing, risks, offering, resources, environment, supportive, quitting, involvement, distinguished, jeff, french, 2000s, able, build, powerful, body, evidence, difference, behaviours, famous, nudge, application, toolkit, segmentation, insight, communication, risk, off, patient, habits, informal, routines, albeit, warnings, data, lags, appears, pressures, past, peak, curious, concerned, record, suggested, volunteered, during, estimated, groups, rob, jackson, consultant, handbook, series, marks, despite, range, backed, peake, jack, monroe, attracted, scrutiny, tied, hear, thoughts, bold, speed, filling, gap, exists, capacity, wider, impact, technical, responded, survey, https, default, files, 2023, the_organisational_needs_of_charities_and_social_enterprises_in_the_uk_working_on_climate_and_sustainability_oct_23, pdf, giving, opportunity, eco, anxiety, affects, employees, olds, estimate, 100, skilled, spur, actively, professional, expertise, preparation, involving, 298, emergency, fed, davis, summer, aged, greening, fritz, schumacher, launch, nov, flourish, son, zeigen, spoke, woman, bigger, tomorrow, dreamed, funeral, thousand, rare, humour, bravery, persist, greatly, missed, amal, elsana, whom, achieve, dream, believed, whole, yehuda, paz, qualities, friendships, left, everyone, met, coop, palestinians, bedouins, hearing, news, mully, dor, says, 1998, founders, negev, institute, strategies, retired, member, until, advancement, pursuing, arrived, canada, everything, possible, arab, jewish, murdered, october, want, add, recognition, beeri, activist, movement, wage, ceasefire, gaza, hostages, sorrow, adrift, sets, dec, appreciation, condolences, sadness, alison, wife, francis, miller, encouragement, rethinking, sectors, farming, sphere, assumed, labour, supposedly, farms, compared, workers, employed, ratios, calorific, materials, produce, amount, farmed, nor, externalised, costs, air, soil, erosion, impacts, destruction, habitats, unemployment, measured, ratio, relation, depends, increase, insights, remain, fresh, retains, eyed, grip, article, times, asking, four, later, journalist, harford, thomas, manifesto, political, parties, joyful, revisit, bookshelves, read, writing, benefits, taxes, commissioned, thirty, obituary, published, radical, thinkers, lifetime, died, behind, formation, eminently, reasonable, revolutionary, writer, particularly, quite, conservative, suffered, ups, downs, financial, particular, madness, sudden, contracts, empty, commissioners, central, triggered, red, flag, indicators, agreed, crisis, organisation, openness, casualty, look, experiences, stepped, concluding, grave, shed, passing, extraordinary, foothills, organise, principles, sarah, allan, hughes, clive, mitchell, amy, pollard, 2013, talent, bridge, manic, typically, minuscule, advocacy, innovation, geoff, mulgan, perry, walker, rich, wilson, declares, guess, oppression, intolerance, arrives, chance, shape, hardship, temptation, blame, intersectional, scope, solidarity, orchestrated, fascist, sympathies, streets, road, cycle, super, highway, isle, dogs, city, occasionally, stop, along, admire, mural, george, choreography, actors, taking, characters, costumes, wheeling, close, intimate, bustling, struggling, narrow, director, lenson, talk, historians, writers, explained, why, fit, drama, conflict, adapting, hockney, suggest, played, sung, helps, yes, magic, music, gilvin, alex, kanefsky, constructed, differen, narrative, gives, stories, barricades, shirts, ies, communit, found, myself, watch, yesterday, block, passage, oswald, moseley, shirted, fascists, flies, prevail, jan, balancing, personal, listen, engage, enabling, transformative, personally, case, richer, beyond, reach, partners, arguments, attempts, ignore, multiplicity, crucially, interconnectedness, likely, misfire, dryzek, perspective, visible, debates, interacting, each, views, critically, informing, debate, concept, deliberation, sketch, connected, empowered, makers, aspirations, room, focused, underlying, settlement, arrival, arts, production, worker, word, normalised, everyday, grass, weeds, walled, garden, cultivated, contained, resides, wryly, got, quick, talked, experiments, prefer, held, crispr, nanotechnology, genomics, reflective, designer, champion, queen, elizabeth, westminster, assembly, skill, rush, fill, might, talking, listener, observer, composure, curiosity, underpins, recruit, simply, wants, administrators, potentially, reaching, touched, notes, funded, note, sales, easier, succeed, patterns, domination, confidence, transformed, knowledge, dispersed, wisdom, reflected, struggle, tumours, openly, hundred, please, fact, check, wasn, counting, gathered, lewes, town, everephemeral, gained, chief, fellow, nurtured, farmer, pioneer, button, role, structures, slower, uptake, approaches, developed, workplace, give, september, 2025, race, niece, megan, successfully, sally, bailey, trustee, mother, diagnosed, ovarian, cancer, handle, illness, showing, medical, advice, clear, treatment, begun, quickly, terms, generous, courageous, inspiration, amazing, gynaelogical, reality, gynae, prevented, detected, stage, young, memory, precious, mum, susan, embracing, surface, get, things, resource, step, charting, plenty, lot, less, does, chapter, generation, thames, tough, assignment, deliver, failed, propped, combination, stakeholder, probably, initial, proposals, mutuality, cannot, imposed, above, trusted, equilibrium, glas, cymru, basis, lacks, enough, membership, provide, utility, clean, confused, regulation, denmark, provides, longstanding, example, delivered, mix, cooperative, larger, areas, municipal, frequently, remarkably, danish, population, receives, approximately, 500, cooperatives, demonstrates, successful, widespread, alternative, heavily, privatized, elsewhere, fifteen, creation, eau, restructuring, placing, transparency, company, ethos, rebuild, stronger, stewardship, foster, deeper, commitment, protection, stabilize, bills, customers, leading, enhanced, reinvestment, surpluses, reinvested, improving, infrastructure, distributed, shareholders, offers, several, advantages, managing, systems, involves, destroyed, discharging, sewage, norm, encouraged, innovative, accelerating, friendly, wetlands, barriers, coastal, flooding, sea, makes, provider, region, consumer, drive, performance, contestable, markets, driver, recognized, suited, interests, commended, turnpike, trusts, operated, bonds, having, toll, prices, parliament, viewed, breaking, monopolies, roads, canals, navigable, associated, forces, famously, stated, expect, dinner, benevolence, butcher, baker, regard, investor, fair, sustainable, true, brief, pretty, ruled, official, review, cunliffe, argued, expected, independent, directors, limits, compatible, representation, multiple, relates, thought, twenty, commissioning, rail, present, whitstable, kent, whose, path, apr, learn, benefit, south, track, members, visit, http, theruss, kindred, spirit, invite, journey, lost, creative, emblem, canvas, hub, civic, creativity, wellbeing, starting, point, premature, marked, failure, outside, let, testament, belief, stand, legacy, continued, imperative, higher, success, schemes, church, grove, project, named, architecture, 2024, proves, combine, professionalism, possibilities, alone, march, weekend, thousands, agenda, ourselves, careful, dust, settle, elections, push, proposal, council, funding, veolia, drawn, communal, cut, ribbon, annual, general, meeting, agm, june, represents, equipment, different, generations, meet, imagine, equals, dear, swimming, baths, victorian, improvement, thirdly, types, literal, circle, table, observing, acting, swooping, children, youth, naturally, expressive, players, respondents, expressed, strong, prioritises, access, consensus, capturing, complexity, disagreed, friction, signal, didn, ask, opinions, identify, unsafe, eyesore, aspects, collectively, placed, tokens, representing, nursery, studios, themselves, engaged, various, channels, 200, attending, five, front, bypassed, inertia, plagues, carried, torch, anurag, architect, helped, craft, beautiful, tactile, using, invited, mock, neighbourhood, litter, ground, walk, explore, discuss, democratises, mechanics, game, blessed, collaborate, guru, understood, policymakers, grasp, conventional, processes, exclude, include, approach, methodology, replaces, intimidating, abstract, documents, tangible, accessible, restore, historic, landmark, collective, collaborative, imagining, nowhere, apt, buzz, developing, asset, synthesis, dismissed, trivial, fleeting, childlike, diversion, separated, serious, field, potent, tools, transformation, imagination, ability, live, lives, rediscovering,

Text of the page (random words):
200 residents attending five dedicated consultation events by putting the model in front of people we bypassed the inertia that so often plagues traditional development projects we didn t just ask for opinions we asked for solutions participants used a structured token system to identify current pain points the unsafe and eyesore aspects of the derelict site and then collectively placed tokens representing their visions for the future nursery spaces art studios and community gardens this was not about consensus as such it was about capturing the complexity of community needs when participants disagreed they used an x token to mark friction and a token to signal where more information was needed over 95 of respondents expressed strong support for a community led restoration that prioritises public access and affordable space play as a core value there are three types of play here the first is the literal physical engagement of people of all ages as they circle the table some observing some acting swooping in to move a token or raise a question children from the lewisham youth theatre were perhaps naturally the most expressive the most dramatic of players the second is about memories of play memories many residents hold dear from the site s history as a swimming baths a victorian centre for public health and social improvement but thirdly it is also the social play of community interaction at russ this third form of play has flourished led by residents and with funding from veolia we have drawn on input from people of all ages to design a new open communal play area we will cut the ribbon on this around our annual general meeting agm in june this space represents more than just equipment it is a place for different generations to meet and imagine and to do so as equals the state of play waiting and building for now we find ourselves in a period of careful navigation waiting for the dust to settle after the local elections before we push forward with our full proposal to lewisham council we are not alone in what we do at the national march for housing over the weekend thousands of people came together around an agenda for tackling housing needs and building communities the imperative for economic resilience and inclusive community led solutions has never been higher the success of community led housing schemes like our 12 church grove project named one of the guardian s top 3 architecture projects of the year in 2024 proves that when we combine participation and professionalism we can open up new possibilities for all a legacy continued tony gibson once said to me that for every starting point there are many premature end points marked by the failure of those with power outside to let go our work at russ is a testament to the idea that with effort and belief we can challenge those who stand in the way and reclaim our communities the playtower like so many derelict buildings is an emblem of decline to some but to us it is a canvas for the future it is a place waiting to play again a hub for civic life creativity and wellbeing the best place to start is always here and the best time is always now if you are a kindred spirit i invite you to join us on this journey as we work to bring the lost half of ladywell back to creative life to learn more about the russ a community benefit society in south london to track our work for a community led playtower restoration or to join our 1 000 members visit http www theruss org apr 20 a mutual path for water posted by ed mayo 0 it was a privilege to present in whitstable kent recently to the people s commission on water whose report is released today it relates to a topic that i have thought about for over twenty years since commissioning a report on non profit and mutual models in rail and water when i led the new economics foundation my brief was to set out non profit and mutual models for water utilities this is pretty much ruled out by the official review of the water sector by sir john cunliffe which argued recently that while companies are expected to have independent directors there are limits to how far this is compatible with representation of multiple stakeholders in short if investor ownership is the solution then of course non profit models are second best but if the goal is a fair sustainable and affordable water system then the opposite is true we could start with adam smith often associated with market forces who famously stated that we expect our dinner not from the benevolence of the butcher or the baker but from their regard to their own interest however adam smith also recognized that some services are not suited for the private interests of a market he commended the turnpike trusts which though private operated effectively as non profits raising funds through bonds and having their toll prices set by parliament he also viewed good roads canals and navigable rivers as crucial for breaking up monopolies privatisation is a market solution and it only makes sense where there is a market when there is only one choice and one provider in a region it is a monopoly consumer choice can drive performance where you have contestable markets citizen voice has to be the driver where you are in a monopoly context managing water systems involves many stakeholders but privatisation has destroyed trust making pollution such as discharging sewage into rivers the norm if the system encouraged it there are innovative ways to bring people together such as accelerating wildlife friendly wetlands that can also act as barriers to coastal flooding as sea levels rise a mutual model offers several key advantages reinvestment of surpluses profits are reinvested back into the system improving infrastructure rather than being distributed to shareholders improved accountability there s a greater focus on customers and service leading to enhanced accountability long term strategic planning mutuals can stabilize bills over time through strategic long term planning stronger environmental stewardship a mutual model can foster a deeper commitment to environmental protection improved public trust by putting the public interest at its core mutual models can rebuild much needed trust in water services paris brought its water services back under public control around fifteen years ago with the creation of eau de paris this move was not just a change in management but a fundamental restructuring of governance placing public participation and transparency at the core of the new water company s ethos denmark provides a more longstanding real world example there water services are delivered through a mix of state and cooperative water companies while larger urban areas tend to have municipal utilities rural water services are frequently run as mutuals remarkably over 40 of the danish population receives its water from approximately 2 500 water cooperatives this demonstrates a successful widespread alternative to the heavily privatized model seen elsewhere of course there are challenges mutuality cannot be imposed from above and it will take time to shift the water system to a more trusted equilibrium glas cymru works on a non profit basis but lacks enough of an active and open membership that can provide voice and challenge within the governance of the utility and of course there is a need to clean up a confused system of regulation some combination of state ownership and stakeholder participation is probably the place to start and this is recognised in the initial proposals of the people s commission on water thames water would then be the first to shift into a new way of working a tough assignment for a new non profit model but one that given time would deliver far better results than a failed propped up privatisation the government has plenty of warm words for co operatives but a lot less so far in the way of practical action does it have the courage to mark a shift in thinking for the water sector as profound as the chapter of privatisation a generation ago by embracing mutual models we can surface new ideas get things done effectively and bring people together around a shared vital resource the people s commission on water s report is a crucial step in charting this new course for water in the uk jul 07 running out of time posted by ed mayo 0 i am running my first half marathon at the young age of 61 in memory of my precious late mum susan mayo i am looking to raise funds for the amazing work of the eve appeal a small charity with the goal of tackling gynaelogical cancers for women the eve appeal is working to make it a reality that all gynae cancers are prevented or detected at an early stage when my mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer she had the courage to handle her illness while still showing care for others when the medical advice was clear that she was running out of time even before treatment had begun she quickly came to terms with her own coming death she was generous and she was courageous and she is still an inspiration to me this is the big half in september 2025 in london running the same race too is my niece megan she will be faster by far but to complete my first half marathon successfully and to do so while raising vital funds for the wonderful eve appeal where my friend sally bailey former chair of pilotlight is a trustee that is my goal thank you for any support you can give me may 05 what i learned volunteering as a charity chair posted by ed mayo 0 looking back one of the best ways in which i have learned and developed is through workplace volunteering with support from an inspiring chair at co operatives uk the farmer co op pioneer david button i took on a six year role as chair of the democracy charity involve co ops here at the time were big on traditional representative structures of democratic decision making but slower on the uptake of more participatory approaches i am still grateful for the immense learning i gained from working with simon burall the charity chief executive fellow trustees and the talented colleagues simon nurtured at involve simon passed away last year after a struggle with ms and tumours that he shared openly through an inspiring blog everephemeral on saturday thanks to his family around two hundred people please fact check i wasn t counting who knew him gathered in lewes town hall to mark his contribution to friends family and society in my short contribution to this i reflected on what i had learned from him leadership tends to be a noisy affair but simon as ceo of involve taught me about quiet leadership involve was rooted in three ps first participation recognising that if knowledge is dispersed then wisdom comes from its gathering second power recognising that if gathering is to succeed patterns of power whether power over domination exclusion or power to agency confidence need to be transformed and the third p was the most practical potentially the most far reaching once touched by this time with others was never the same post it notes if involve was funded on commission for post it note sales it would have been an easier business model simon led involve both as ceo and as a hands on practitioner a natural facilitator in a team of practitioners even people coming in new whether for admin or projects were talented would be facilitators and democracy advocates i d say can t we recruit an administrator who simply wants to be an administrator but no it turned out that brilliant bright advocates for democratic reform could also be brilliant bright administrators simon s style of being quiet as a leader and as a facilitator was one of creating space for others to speak his interventions being ones of invitation and ones of learning and reflection in a world that is always talking he was a listener an observer he had composure he had the curiosity in others that underpins empathy relationships trust holding the quiet holding the silence is a skill which simon had as with all great facilitators others of us rush in fill the silence and in doing so quiet the voices of others who might speak i remember him holding the quiet in the immense hall of the queen elizabeth centre in westminster on the morning of the first nhs citizen assembly the programme designed to hold those in power to account was co designed by simon and run in partnership with others as so so often among the achievements i saw that simon led on as a reflective designer practitioner and champion to put people at the heart of decision making included public engagement on science and technology from crispr and gm food to nanotechnology and genomics deliberative models for decision making including championing large scale citizens assemblies public participation on health and social care and climate change open government an initiative pioneered initially by involve and now spread around the world he was an internationalist recognised across borders but doing so much to put the uk at the forefront of experimental models for participation but not all experiments work with nhs citizen as with so many participation projects it turned out that those in power tend to prefer not being held to account as simon said wryly to me i help people who think they have got to take quick decisions that if they took the time and talked to others they d make a better decision one word for this is deliberative the great challenge for participatory practice is how and whether it can become normalised everyday practice the grass and the weeds of life rather than a walled garden cultivated contained and set far from where power resides the visions for this are diverse from citizen science community arts co production appropriate technology community development participatory design worker co ops democracy in society all of these have value and it was democracy that simon focused on as the underlying system that needed to change that a new settlement was needed as fundamental as the arrival of representative democracy he used that concept of deliberation to write his own great sketch of a participatory democracy in room for a view the idea that what we need is more open more inclusive more connected interaction between the empowered space of decision makers and the diverse lived experience and aspirations of people at its core simon said what we need is a democracy is where significantly more perspective and voices are visible in the debates interacting with each other and changing in the light of the views of others and critically informing decisions policy and democratic debate as john dryzek professor said in support of simon s arguments any attempts at democratic reform that ignore the multiplicity of sites of democratic activity and crucially their interconnectedness are likely to misfire as with so many charities the vision in this case a richer more participatory democracy is still beyond our reach even if involve and its partners have done so much to promote new models of participation but balancing vis...