This year’s Fairtrade Fortnight (22 February – 7 March) is going to be the most ambitious two weeks yet. The Fairtrade Foundation wants one million and one people to join them in The Big Swap. They’ll be asking the nation swap their usual stuff for Fairtrade stuff; usual wine, sugar, or oranges for Fairtrade wine, sugar or oranges. Each swap will be proof that the UK wants developing world producers to get a better deal.
Register your swap on the Fairtrade Foundation website and get swapping.
Total Coverage graphic design co-operative will be available at the 3MARKET event on 9 February 2010 at University of Southampton to talk about all your marketing needs. The 3MARKET will provide opportunities for businesses to source more ethical products and services from local social enterprises. Driven by social purpose rather than shareholder gain, social enterprises are fast becoming an attractive alternative for businesses looking to demonstrate ethical business practices, such as protecting the environment and supporting the local community.
The Voice 10 social enterprise conference in Cardiff at the beginning of February also saw the launch of the Social Enterprise Mark, a new brand for social enterprises that will identify businesses which meet defined criteria for social enterprise, and help consumers recognise that businesses displaying the Mark are trading to benefit society and the environment. The launch included a performance by Cardiff-based social enterprise NoFit State Circus.
Linda Bratcher, Total Coverage Director recently attended Voice 10, the Social Enterprise Coalition’s annual conference, which took place 1 and 2 February in Cardiff at the International Arena, and saw close to 1,000 delegates meet to debate and discuss the conference theme ‘No More Business as Usual.’
Linda says: “It’s exciting to meet with so many people who are really interested in wanting to challenge the way traditional business is done. I’m pleased they’re taking ethical business practices more and more seriously although I met many people who, even though support social enterprise in theory, when quizzed on their own ethical sourcing policy, admitted that still bought main stream… hopefully, this will change as consumers realise that there are alternatives.”
Holocaust Memorial Day is commemorated internationally every year on 27 January. This date was chosen as it is the anniversary of the day in 1945 on which the Soviet Army liberated the largest Nazi concentration camp – Auschwitz-Birkenau. Each year the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust urges everyone in the UK to pause and reflect on what can happen when racism, prejudice and exclusionary behaviour are left unchecked. For more information visit the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust.
Holocaust Memorial Day messages have been placed in four major newspapers this morning by Liberty to remind people of the memorial day.
BE LOUD BE CLEAR events have been organised all over the country; from individuals holding a collection at their local pub, supermarket or train station, to dress loud days at the office, awareness stands in hospitals, bingo afternoons in care homes and concerts and cabarets. All across the UK people are having fun in the LOUDEST and most outrageous clothes they can find, whilst raising funds and awareness for Beating Bowel Cancer.
Wayne Hemingway MBE will provide the keynote opening address at the pioneering 3Market event at the University of Southampton on 9 February 2010.
In the first event of its kind, 3MARKET will provide opportunities for businesses to source more ethical products and services from local businesses which are driven by social purpose rather than shareholder gain. Social enterprises are fast becoming an attractive alternative for businesses looking to demonstrate ethical business practices, such as protecting the environment and supporting the local community.
Iain Lucas, Chair of the group organising 3MARKET, said: “We are delighted that Wayne Hemmingway is supporting the event. His business success is built on ethical trading and Hampshire businesses have a superb opportunity to benefit from his experience.” Deborah Wyatt from Business Link added: “The development of social enterprise is critical to the economic ambitions of the region. Ethical business is also good business as it can attract more customers and affect the bottom line.” She added: “We are extremely proud that Hampshire is leading the South East in providing real trading opportunities for social enterprises.”
Along with the exhibition of 30 social enterprises, the event will include several keynote speakers, seminars and networking opportunities and 3MARKET will also offer sponsorship opportunities for the event.
Further information can be obtained by visiting www.3market.org.
In 1829, Louis Braille published the Method of Writing Words, Music, and Plain Song by Means of Dots, for Use by the Blind and Arranged by Them. Today, this method – braille – is used in virtually every language as the standard form of reading and writing by people who are blind, deafblind, or living with vision loss. For more information please go to www.cnib.ca
Why not take your Christmas cards to the special recycling bins in Marks & Spencer, WH Smith and TK Maxx and the money raised will help the woodland conservation charity to plant 12,000 new native trees during 2010 – many by children.
Donors can even choose which part of the country they want trees to be planted by going onto the Woodland Trust web site and pledging to recycle. www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/cards
The Trust’s campaign is now going into its 13th year. In that time it has recycled 659m cards – 59m last year alone – and planted 155,000 trees across the UK.
The Trust says: “Planting a tree is the beginning of a new cycle, and a wonderful, important and very symbolic thing for anyone to do, especially children. Imagine how many children will be able to plant tiny oaks, ash and hazel trees that will stay there for ever, just from the simple act of us taking time to recycle our cards.”
tc would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. 2010 promises to be an exciting year for us here at tc, and we are looking forward to some interesting and challenging projects over the coming months. As always, we will keep you up to date with new developments and hopefully supply you with some thought provoking and insightful posts. We hope that you all had a great time over the festive season, and that it hasn’t been too difficult returning to work!