2010 RSA Angus Millar Lecture

Building the Big Society: The National Trust in the 21st Century

Sir Simon Jenkins, one of the UK's leading writers and commentators, and current Chairman of the National Trust, considers what can be learned from institutions such as the National Trust, which in many ways has always practised "big society" principles and methods, mobilising the energies of thousands of volunteers around a common goal of preserving our cultural heritage, and in so doing, providing a route for public participation, learning and collaboration, enhancing well-being and promoting a sense of shared community and belonging.