“David, what are you going to write about in this week’s Have I Got Social Enterprise News For You?” excitedly asked nobody in the office this week. “There’s so much that’s happened. Kanye at Glastonbury, the hottest July day ever, Wimbledon, Greece and the Eurozone, the England football team AND the Social Enterprise World Forum in Milan. There’s so much to theme the newsletter around. What will you do?”
Well, we’re not going with any of those. Instead, we’re going to ignore all of the news and work our way through another musical edition. Sit back, relax, and let’s blast out some summer themed tunes with this week’s news…
“Summer, summer, summertime. Time to sit back and unwind” Will Smith and Jazzy Jeff, Summertime.
Oh. This hasn’t started well Mr Smith. Everyone knows that summer is actually the time to come on Transition to Trading, which begins next Thursday. Cancel your holiday (or work it around the dates, which ever is easier for you) because it will be incredible. How’s this for a speaker line-up:
Alistair Wilson (SSE), Alana Cookman (Crisis Skylight) Alasdair Inglis (We Are Grow), Georgie Fienberg (Afrikids),Tom Ravenscroft (Enabling Enterprise), Karen Lynch (Belu Water), Vaughan Lindsay (Dartington Hall) Henry Stewart (Happy) Jennifer McKay (Jump), John Brown (John Brown Publishing), and me (SSE).
It’s going to be outstanding. Book your place here.
Would you meet me in the country, In the summertime in England, Would you meet me? Van Morrison, Summertime in England
Ok then. But can we meet it Winchester? Preferably on September 8th, when a group of SSE Fellows are running ‘Airbrick‘ a networking event for social entrepreneurs in Hampshire. It’s only a fiver, and all are welcome.
“The tax man’s taken all my dough, And left me in my stately home, Lazing on a sunny afternoon.” The Kinks, Sunny Afternoon.
Hmmm. Not a good situation to find yourself in. Still, we could do something with that stately home I reckon. Have a think, come up with a business plan and then stick in some funding applications. If one is to the Lottery, make sure to read this piece on completing your application to the highest standard.
“School’s out for summer” Alice Cooper, Schools Out.
But that doesn’t mean that the summer can’t be fun and educational. SSE Fellow Alex Fitzsimmons and her organisation Maths On Toast have invented a card game designed to help children with their multiplication tables, and needs 2 minutes of your time to complete a quick survey which will help them to name it. Help them out here.
“You’re not from Brighton, You’re, you’re, you’re, you’re, Said check baby, check baby” Fatboy Slim, You’re Not From Brighton.
I’m really not sure about that as a lyric and it’s definitely not one of Mr Slim’s finest but if I’m honest I was struggling to think of a song about Brighton. The alternative was Rod Stewart and I want to retain some sense of credibility.
Anyway, someone who is from Brighton is SSE Fellow Molly Mathieson, who founded New Note Orchestra. New Note is made up of people recovering from alcohol and addiction issues and got a lovely write up on Sinfini, and an online music magazine. Read it and be inspired!
“Can’t believe your packing your bags, trying so hard not to cry, had the best time and now it’s the worst time, but we have to say goodbye” One Direction, Summer Love.
Well there goes the credibility. But maybe the 1D boys could be singing this to you if you win the Green Alley Award, the only start-up prize in Europe recognising excellent business ideas in the circular economy. Applications need to be in by 15th September, and the prize includes €7000 and six-months workspace in Berlin. Wunderbar!
“Sittin’ in the sun counting my money fanned by my summer-breeze, Sweeter than the honey is counting my money” Sam Cooke, Sittin’ in the Sun.
I’m afraid I’ve been unable to confirm whether the aforementioned money was the result of a successful social investment deal, but possible sources include a new £600k fund from Plymouth Council or this new £500k fund available in Scotland.
“If everybody looked the same, we’d get tired of looking at each other” Groove Armada, If Everybody Looked The Same.
Not a summer lyric as such, but I’m pretty sure that this came out in the summer of 1999, just after I’d left school, so I’m counting it. For younger readers, back then in the olden days we didn’t even have iPhones and you had to go to a shop to buy music. Halcyon times.
Anyway, Alexandre Mars doesn’t go as far as suggesting that we should all look the same but he does reckon that we should stop differentiating between entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs. He might find himself in an argument with our comms officer Leonie, who earlier this year wrote ‘A social entrepreneur is not an entrepreneur!‘ Who is right? I’ll leave it to you to decide…
Have a good week!
What’s on at SSE
- Transition to Trading, SSE London, starts 9th July
- Crowdfunding for Charities and Social Enterprises, SSE London, 16th July
- Kickstart Your Social Media Strategy, SSE London, 18th July
- Cool 10 Environmental Entrepreneurs, SSE East, starts 30th July
