Taking a leaf out of Obama's book - Yes WE CAN!

He may not have managed to take the Henley seat, but Stephen Kearney is using his vast experience of community development to help us build this party.

Tonight Bermondsey and Old Southwark Liberal Democrats have Stephen and Julia Olson as their guest speakers following their AGM (8pm at the South London Mission).


During the late 1980s Stephen and Julia set up a charity that creates networks of individuals who take a role in changing the way public services are delivered and changing the priorities of politicians through social action. In 1993 they trained in Citizen Organising with Ed Chambers and Ernie Cortez from the Industrial Areas Foundation in the States, the same organisation that trained Barack Obama to be an organiser. Tonight they will be speaking about how they could apply their unique organising process and training to equip the most energetic "agents of change" in the Liberal Democrats, to transform and shape British politics in the next 5 years.

I am sorry, that since I am only slowly emerging from my duvet chrysalis I will miss it, but I know Stephen and Julia are committed to sharing their knowledge with the wider party and I am excited about the impact they can and will have on our grass roots organisation.