Jim Norton, a valued member of the St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP), suggests (Letters, 8 February) that it should hand back its Big Society Award. We do not agree. The award is given by a legitimate, democratically elected government, and is a public recognition of the acts of kindness done by our 10,000 SVP members and staff. Receiving the award in no way endorses the Government’s welfare policy.  Rather, we hope, it gives us an increasingly legitimate voice in the debate surroundi