In our world leadership is needed more than ever. Not just in Parliament or on the TV but in everyday circumstances, in our homes, at work and in the community.

The lack of leadership in everyday situations is quite marked. Often people’s opinions are swayed by the media or by those with the loudest voices. And when leadership is evident, it often comes from those who have had opportunities by virtue or their background, schooling and wealth.

Those with more ordinary backgrounds who often lack confidence need to be encouraged, assisted, trained and sustained in being leaders in their lives. This is exactly what the MCW does best.

As someone once said “leaders don’t grow on trees”, they have to be called and formed. This takes resources which means money, equipment, people, experience, skill and expertise.

This issue of our newsletter illustrates the fruits of the work of the Movement in the form of two articles about women activists trained by the Movement and active members of it. Mary is the current Chair of the Movement and is a Cabinet Member of Gateshead Council. Sabah is a member of the Movement in Egypt and has taken an active part in the momentous events which are changing the course of history in her country. Their actions speak volumes and justify the MCW both as a Movement of the Church and in the World.

Without leaders and in particular Christian Worker Leaders who understand the apostolic nature of their role in society, not only is society the poorer but also the Church is deprived of a profound part of its mission to the world.

We have received some interesting comments in response to a recent newsletter about the unique spirituality of our Movement. A number of readers said that the edition reinforced their belief in the on-going value of the Movement whilst another thanked us for reminding him about the value of the Movement’s Review of Life method. We hope to have a similar response to this newsletter.

Enclosed with this edition you will find an appeal letter asking you to support the development of our Movement in different ways, not least to make a further financial commitment. Times are hard and money is tight but it is hoped that this newsletter will inspire you to dig deep to support the work of the Movement.

Everyone agrees that we have just come through the hardest winter in many a long year with record temperature levels below minus 20ºC. But are we about to enter even harder economic times?

Recently, Mervyn King the Governor of the Bank of England noted, “that UK wages were stagnant, and coupled with high inflation-this led to the longest decline in the real value of take-home pay in the UK since the 1920s”.

The MCW has previously shown here how UK is a highly unequal society with the gap between the rich and the poor greater than at any time since the end of he Second World War.

During three sunny days in Poitiers over the Pentecost weekend (22-24 May 2010) 750 delegates representing 15,000 members of the Action Catholique Ouvrière (ACO) of France exchanged their experiences of life. Confronted by their faith in the liberating message of Christ's gospel they committed themselves to continue to ‘Resist' the attacks on the poorest and most vulnerable members of French society in order to give hope to the world.

‘In a world where money is the king, where anything can be bought and sold, we have to listen to the cry of men and women, to the silence of the machines created by factory closures, to the voice of working people who are losing their jobs, to the migrant workers who are being ejected from our country. When we hear and listen to these cries, are they not the cries of love from Christ for the whole of humanity that is manifesting itself.'

At a time of very significant public sector spending cuts it is interesting to note that research undertaken by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) shows that these cuts are falling more heavily on those with low incomes than other groups. The IFS is Britain's leading independent institute on public finances and tax and has no party political affiliation. Further details can be found at http://www.ifs.org.uk

Another recent report entitled ‘Keeping the Plates Spinning' (http://consumerfocus.org.uk) on payday lending illustrates that those with few or no alternatives always pay more interest than those with greater means. Payday lending comprises of a small loan (£100 - £1,000) advanced until the next payday (usually a month). Charges are fixed at a fee per £100 and loans can generally be extended each month by paying this fee or can be repaid in full. According to Consumer Focus, which commissioned the report, the number of people using payday loans has quadrupled in the last four years to 1.2 million with £1 billion lent in 2009 alone by around seven major companies. It noted average annual percentage rates of 2,500%.