I met two young lads on Friday, courtesy of Raktrain. Both had been thrown out of school. Both seemed on the road to nowhere. Yet, now one is about to go to University, and the other to the Army.

How did this transformation take place? It was thanks to Raktrain. Some of you will remember from my blog posting not so long ago, that Raktrain is a charity that helps youngsters get skills in key subjects such as Maths and English. It also offers them mentoring and life skills. By luck these two lads had been referred to Raktrain, and as a result had their futures changed for the better.

It was for this reason that I took Iain Duncan Smith to visit Raktrain last Friday. IDS chairs the Centre for Social Justice, an organisation that builds alliances with community groups that change lives. I was glad that he had a chance to see Raktrain at first hand.

IDS also went to the Harlow Canal Boat Project - an enabling charity that gives youngsters with disabilities the chance to learn to drive and ride in canal boats. It offers these youngsters - many whom face enormous difficulties in their daily lives, opportunities for some great challenges and experiences. This was my third visit to this special Project - I very much wanted IDS to see it at first hand.

In the evening, Mr Duncan Smith was guest speaker at our annual spoke to Harlow Conservative Ladies Committee annual Churchillian Dinner - held to remember Mr Churchill's time as MP for Epping and Harlow. It was good that so many people came - well over one hundred. IDS gave the audience a powerful message about the need for social justice. As one guest present observed - it is to be hoped that a future Conservative Government will take up the IDS agenda to rebuild Britain's broken society. I was really pleased to see so many people there, some notable figures in our community, including a head teacher and some directors of local charities.
By Rob Halfon ~ Working hard for Harlow, Hastingwood, Nazeing, Roydon & Sheering. http//roberthalfon.blogspot.com