Right, I’m back after a couple of excellent weeks in the States. I wouldn’t say that I was hugely refreshed; it turns out that children and jet lag go together like toothpaste and orange juice. I was so tired earlier this week that I had a very bizarre dream that Donald Trump had tried to buy Greenland. Can you imagine how confusing that was?
But your not here for my idle chit chat, you’re here for the news. So here’s two week’s worth.
Enjoy the bank holiday weekend.
(p.s – I’ve been allowed to get involved with the organising of this year’s SSE Christmas party. Any tips for fun places to go in London will be gratefully received…and yes I know it’s August.)
Whit’s fur ye’ll no go past ye
A quartet of award news to start this week…
First up, a huge round of applause to Tracey Muirhead, CEO of SSE Scotland, who has been nominated as a finalist in the Social Leader of the Year category of the Scottish Women’s Awards. Tracey is amazing and if the organisers are reading this you should definitely give the award to her.tag heuer aquaracer replica
The Hundred
Next, nominations have just opened for the third annual NatWest WISE100, a listing of leading UK women driving social impact. There are six categories to enter, with the WISE100 Women’s Champion being a non-gender specific award.
Foundation for success
SSE Fellow Lynne Barton is a finalist in the Persimmon Homes Building Futures awards and needs your votes. Her organisation Entrust Care Partnership provides a range of much needed services to support disabled children and their families. If successful, they’ll use the award to raise funds for a place of their own to deliver services.
Take two minutes and vote for Entrust here
All caps
And finally in the awards section of the newsletter, Shoreditch hipsters Unltd have partnered with caps lock fans The PRECIOUS Awards, the leading awards programme for women of colour in the UK. They’ve created a new awards category to recognise and support women who are driving lasting social change – The PRECIOUS Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award will give the winner £15,000 to support their social venture to grow.
It’s all just atoms anyway
What’s your Friday night tipple? A pint of lager? A glass of wine? Well, here’s something new for you to try – vodka made from grain grown in Chernobyl. It’s a good story; a group of scientists from the UK and the Ukraine have formed a social enterprise called The Chernobyl Spirit Company and hope to sell the vodka (which they’ve named Atomik) to support the local community’s economic and social development.
In America they now sell Bud Light Lemon Ice Tea – surely nuclear vodka is preferable to that.
Local news for local people
Calling all Southwark social entrepreneurs: Southwark Council has established the Southwark Pioneers Fund to provide access to finance, workspace, networks and business support. To continue this support, the council are now applying to a new £33m Local Access Programme. As part of the application, they are carrying out a survey to uncover your organisation’s activities, plans and aspirations.
They are looking for as many responses as possible so if you are based in the borough and can spare 15 minutes you’ve got until 31st August to take part.
Money for old rope?
A good piece of work from Time to Spare claiming that 46% of grants cost more than they are worth. While they readily admit that their figures are estimates it makes for an interesting read.
A shaggy dog story
SSE Fellow Marie Yates has today released ‘Luna’s Woodland Adventure’, the first book in a new series encouraging and developing a growth mindset in children aged five-six years old. The idea came to Marie while she was sitting in a witness session during SSE Bristol’s Start Up Programme several years ago. The book looks an excellent gift for a son / daughter / niece / nephew etc etc…
Shop til you drop
Sticking with shopping, former Third Sector Digital Leaders participant Lucy Willoughby has launched Good Things. It’s a new website selling ethical, fairtrade and sustainable gifts for children from around the world, including toy boats made from discarded plastic bottles and fairly made eco-friendly cotton animals. She’s obviously doing something right as she’s just won this year’s Fast Track to Growth programme in Devon.
Step on the gas
Our friends at Spring Impact are piloting a new, issues-led version of Scale Accelerator, a tailored programme that helps mission-driven organisations to scale their impact and change more lives. They are looking for six charities and social enterprises to join a six month programme starting in January 2020. If your organisation works with people who face multiple complex needs (such as homelessness and substance abuse) then subsidised places on the programme are available.
Jobs jobs jobs
The good people at The Funding Network, based in London, are looking for a Communications and Membership Coordinator (£24k + benefits). If you’ve got a flair for creative content, a collaborative attitude and a keen interest in the social impact sector, apply here by Wednesday 11th September.
We’ve extended the deadline on our Marketing and Engagement Officer role (£32,061 – £33,023) to Friday 6th September. I mean, what were we thinking trying to recruit while everyone is on holiday. It’s a fun job – you can find all the details you need here.
A jolly good get together
Finally, for SSE Fellows – we’ve got two networking events for you to take part in during September. On Tuesday 10th, Unltd Scotland and SSE Scotland will be hosting a joint event giving you the opportunity to expand your networks and make some great new connections. It’s free to take part, register here.
In London, we’re running a networking event with the theme ‘Boundaries and Burnout: Managing your wellbeing to increase your impact as a social entrepreneur’ on September 26th in Bethnal Green. At the moment, the room is going to be somewhat empty so if you are planning on attending go ahead and book your ticket now so I can stop worrying about it. Book your spot here.
