Uniformed Groups: The Woodcraft Folk protests over cuts

The Labour MP for Islington North, Jeremy Corbyn, addressed the gathering and other MPs also spoke in support of the organisation's campaign. Last month, the Department for Education and Skills stopped its annual 52,000 grant to the organisation, which is a national co-operative youth charity.

Chris Pyke, deputy general secretary of the Woodcraft Folk, said: "We had about 250 people and about half of those were children and young people from all over the country. It was great that some of the children addressed the gathering and described what the Woodcraft Folk meant to them."

One hundred MPs have now signed a parliamentary early day motion supporting the renewal of the organisation's grant (YPN, 16-22 March, p3). The charity said the withdrawal of the money could result in job cuts among the five Woodcraft Folk staff, who support the work of 3,000 volunteers.