Norwood is one of Britain’s best charities, says Chancellor

The Rt Hon George Osborne MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, hailed Norwood as one of the best charities in Britain as he helped the organisation raise an incredible £26,000 at the YN Current Affairs Reception last night. More than 250 young people attended the exclusive fundraising and networking event, sponsored by Investec Specialist Private Bank, at the London riverside offices of Norton Rose.

The Chancellor, who battled his way through the student protests in Westminster to attend the event, was interviewed by Times columnist Daniel Finkelstein OBE on a wide range of topics before the floor was thrown open to questions from guests. Those unable to attend the sell-out event could follow the action online via a live blog on the Norwood website, which was updated with questions, answers, photos, tweets and video clips throughout the evening.

George Osborne talks exclusively to Norwood

Daniel Finkelstein talks to Norwod

You asked the Chancellor

During the discussion, he defended yesterday’s rise in tuition fees, described his journey into politics and revealed that his political hero is Winston Churchill. He also gave his views on the Irish bailout, the coalition and charity funding.

Speaking afterwards, George Osborne told Norwood TV: “For me, Norwood is one of the best charities that I’ve come across in Britain. I think it does an absolutely brilliant job for all sorts of people who need help.”

He said he hoped charities would play a bigger role in addressing some of the major social issues facing the country. “That’s what we mean by the Big Society and, actually, charities and organisations like Norwood are much better sometimes than big state bureaucracies at getting to very hard to reach people who have often been failed by the system.”

He added that Norwood had an important role to play in helping the government to shape its social care policy. “Norwood has a huge depth of experience, not just from its past but what it does in its present.

“I think these issues about how you look after elderly people, how you look after children with learning disabilities, how you help families that have broken up, these are the big social problems that we’re facing in this country and all of us, of course, come into contact with. There’s a huge amount of experience that Norwood can bring to bear on these sorts of issues and I’d very much welcome them being part of the big policy debate.”

Norma Brier, Chief Executive of Norwood, said: “We are extremely grateful to our special guests, George Osborne and Daniel Finkelstein, for giving up their valuable time on behalf of Norwood and for providing our guests with such an entertaining and thought-provoking discussion.

“I would also like to thank our sponsors, Investec, hosts, Norton Rose, and all our guests for supporting Norwood and the people with learning disabilities, and children and families in need, who rely on its life-changing work.”