How the Big Society works

2004-2010: Number of people working in voluntary sector rises by 200,000, in a steady upwards trend.

May 2010: Conservative / Liberal Democrat coalition formed. They pledge to roll back the state and give new opportunities to voluntary and community groups to run services and take action to make society stronger, as part of their flagship "Big Society" programme.

Jul-Sep 2010: Number of people working in the voluntary sector falls by 13,000.