Without jumping to Pprone's defence, may I comment?
The Air Training Corps has more members than the RAF. This is not because people don't wish to join or remain in the RAF but because the Government cut the numbers of trained personnel.
St John's Ambulance has a youth arm. In Guernsey it was a uniformed organisation, with military rank badges, that remained extant throughout the occupation. Each year at the annual commemoration in October the SJA contingent probably out numbers the cadet forces who, in turn, out number the RN contingent. The SJA, like cubs etc, has tinies in its organisation.
On Saturday we were entertained by a 50 strong teenage youth and gospel choir. They gave up their Saturday evening to entertain us and many other hours to practise. Their recital was without any music sheets.
The good youth are there. There are many good in the country. Indeed the Daily Mail and nationals do focus on the exception rather than the good.
I just saw that a national event organisation has said how it is raising I think about £15k for veterans' charities. We raised half that in one night at a local event.
Centrally however we see a Government intent on telling us how to spend our own money. Free bus passes aren't. Free swimming isn't. Free prescriptions aren't. Free bin collections aren't yet they plan to charge us extra up front. Vehicle Excise duty is a self-licking lollipop; it doesn't pay for roads. It is the Centre of which we despair.