Islington HuBlog

2010 is upon us. A new decade, cold snap, general election… and you can no longer wear comedy glasses that have two-eye-eye-eight, or nine.

2010 glasses look rubbish

Having fun back at work? Great events to come in the next month: if you’re looking to make a big change this year, then think about a free coaching session this week.

Look out for the Feast of Fools on the 22nd, if you’ve not heard of Jonathan Kay then look him up. Not many people have continual sell-out shows at Edinburgh, or can call themselves fifteen-year veterans of headlining a field at Glastonbury.

And there’s the Hub Feast at Hub Kings Cross on the 27th at 7pm: eat lovely food, meet great people and just enjoy the sharing a meal with others.

Lastly, if you had a great 2009, your project got off the ground and now you’re looking to up to the next level, get in touch about the UnLtd Advantage event at Islington on the 28th. What could you do with £250,000 loan or equity investment?

If you have any questions about this month’s events or want to book your place then get in touch with me at alex.rinsler@the-hub.net, or call on 020 7841 8900.’

…am open to suggestions as well for events from February to April, so if you have an idea or want to hold an event here at the Hub then be in touch.

All good times,

Alex

PS…  a heads-up for two great events in February at Hub Islington, a visiting lecture on the 17th from Professor David Nutt, who until November was the Government’s chief advisor on drugs policy, and a screening of the highly acclaimed Starsuckers documentary on the 25th. But let’s not wish January away!

In January…

Hub Clinics | Finance – Sort your money in 2010

Fresh back for the New Year, what could be more useful than some direction on money matters? Hub Kings Cross is offering two lunchtime clinics giving just that. On the 13th and 27th January Phil King (former Head of Strategic Finance at Ecotricity, and former Finance Director of Cafédirect plc) is coming to give you advice on identifying your financial options, planning and how to get that crucial cash without losing sight of your social mission.

Hub Clinic | Finance – Part 1 | What kind of finance?
Wednesday 13th January 2009, Hub Kings Cross, 1-2pm

Part one will focus on identifying what kind of finance you need. Asking fundamental questions such as whether you actually need finance, what’s your business structure, and why that matters? We’ll also look at management, control some of the crucial basics.

Hub Clinic | Finance – Part 2 | Getting the finance
Wednesday 27th January 2009, Hub Kings Cross, 1-2pm

Part two will look at how to get hold of essential finance. We’ll tackle key questions about what makes for financial success. We’ll touch on how the fundraising process works, preparing a business plan, valuing your business, working towards a legal framework,  identifying potential investors and pitching. All that in one hour!
To put your name down for either or both lunches get in touch with Eleanor Whitley on 0207 841 3450 or eleanor.whitley@the-hub.net

Hub Clinic | New Year, New You – Coaching Surgery
Thursday 14^th and Friday 15^th January, Hub Islington 2-5pm

“Ok, I love what I do, but where’s my work-life balance? How can I get things done without getting distracted constantly? How can I be more confident?” or “I’m new! How can I even start my new project?” These are some of the challenges clients bring to Ginger Training & Coaching’s Sarah Lloyd-Hughes.

Sarah enjoys working with people who don’t need another to-do list. She uses techniques which help you look at your unique challenges differently: it can be life changing stuff!

We’re offering Hub members the opportunity to sign up for a 1:1 coaching surgery session and work on your toughest and most stubborn personal or professional challenges with Sarah. Each session lasts 30-45 minutes and you bring the agenda. You’ll leave with a fresh understanding of your challenge and some juicy homework to take your learning forward.

Email alex.rinsler@the-hub.net for more information or to schedule your slot. The session is ‘pay what you think this was worth’. A financial commitment supports the outcomes of the session… “I paid for this, so I’d better do it.”

Hub Breakfast | A Case Study in Social Media
Wednesday 20^th January, Hub Islington 8.30-9.30am

Becky Willam and David Hawksworth, co-founders of the brand communications agency Given London, decided to do something a little different at the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference – the ThisPlace project. They asked one simple question on twitter: what’s worth saving in #thisplace?
Answers came in from all over the world and they squeezed them into a pocket-sized book, beautifully illustrated by London-based artists. The aim was to get the books into the hands of delegates at COP15, to remind them of the personal, local and immediate context of climate change.
The success of the ThisPlace project has demonstrated how social media can be used to make positive impact. Join Becky and David for breakfast here at the Hub to hear more about their campaign, where it’s going next and what they have learnt about the ways social media can best be used to create change.
Attendance is free to Hub members and £4 for non-members. Email alex.rinsler@the-hub.net if you want to come, with the subject line Booking: Hub Breakfast. Breakfast will be provided.

Hub Performance | Feast of Fools
Friday 22^nd January, Hub Islington 7.30pm-10pm

An evening of foolish entertainments and never-before-seen material brought to you by Jonathan Kay and the Nomadic Academy of Fools.

Jonathan Kay will perform his legendary show Know One’s Fool. Over the last 35 years Jonathan has developed a unique artistic practice, which he calls Fooling. There is something timeless about his work, both familiar and yet like nothing you have ever experienced before. He leads you down the path of the Fool, where you will free up your minds, find inspiration and see that anything is possible. Drinks will be available and fun times are guaranteed.
Attendance is by donation on the night and is open to members and non-members – contact alex.rinsler@the-hub.net with the subject line: Booking – Feast of Fools

Hub Launch | in partnership with
In The Dark & London International Documentary Festival
Tuesday 26th January, Hub Kings Cross, 7-9.30pm

Join us for the launch of the partnership between the London International Documentary Festival (LIDF) and In The Dark. In The Dark is an organization dedicated to breathing new life into the culture of radio documentary in the UK, encouraging audiences to close their eyes and open their ears to the world of aural story telling.

We will feature the 2009 Prix Europa Award-winning documentary Mighty Mac followed by a Q&A with Liam O’Brien, series producer for RTÉ’s “Documentary on One”. This will be the first of a series of festival events that will bring radio producers from around the world to showcase and discuss their radio features with UK audiences.

Attendance is free! For more information or to book a place get in touch with Eleanor Whitley on 0207 841 3450 or eleanor.whitley@the-hub.net

Hub Feast | Hub Feast
Wednesday 27th January, Hub King’s Cross, 7pm

Following a festive break, The Feasts are back for 2010. Back with a bang! With a full year ahead of cooking, eating, growing and talking about food, we’ll be bringing you a few surprises in the next 12 months. The same invitation stands – bring a dish to share, an empty tum, a friend and an open mind. We’ll provide a nice setting so you can meet some new faces, get a great big plate of deliciousness and talk about all things food related. We’ll also be inviting some special guests each month – they might be fountains of knowledge in sustainable fishing, know exactly where to find the best mushrooms in Central London or run one of the hottest restaurants in town. You’ll be able to pick their brains, find out what’s really happening in the world of London food and tell them your Mum’s secret recipe for Chocolate Brownies (if you’re so inclined!). January’s guest is to be confirmed so watch this space…

The Feasts will take place on the last Wednesday of every month throughout 2010 – if you’d like to find out more please get in touch with either holly@foodstuff.org.uk or eleanor.whitley@the-hub.net

Hub Funding | UnLtd Advantage – Getting Ready for Investment
Thursday 28th January, Hub Islington, 1-3pm

Could your project make great use of £250,000 of loan or equity investment?

The UnLtd Advantage programme helps join successful social enterprises with suitable investors. If you’re making money, have a scalable, sustainable, great idea and a strong management team to boot, then this afternoon is for you. After an introduction to the investment readiness programme, Jonathan Jenkins, Jo Hill and Jason Mollring from the UnLtd Ventures Team, will be on hand for 1:1 meetings to talk through your enterprise, your funding requirements and what you might need to be able to attract investment.

Attendance is free, please contact alex.rinsler@the-hub.net if you wish to attend, with the subject line Booking: Hub Finance  There is no cost, but there are only 12 places available.

The Hub is the place for people with ideas. We’re borrowing from the best of a members club, a business incubator, an innovation agency, a dynamic public space, and a think-tank to create a very different kind of institution. Our model is developing; we’ve helped set up Hubs all over the world, from London to San Francisco, Sao Paulo to Mumbai.

Have a great January and hope to see you (with the comedy glasses) in the coming weeks.

The Islington Hosts

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ThisPlace09 is a project that seeks to capture personal thoughts about climate change, to help the delegates, and regular people see the personal, local and immediate context of the Copenhagen Climate Conference. The contributions, from people all around the world, will be brought to life through artists and illustrators in a book that will be placed in the hands of delegates at COP15.

The project, started by three friends, asked one simple question… “What’s worth saving in #thisplace?” Personal answers have been collected from places everywhere and compiled into a small book that will be distributed to as many as possible of the 15,000 delegates attending the conference. The team is hoping that simplifying the effects of climate change into just 140 characters, and bringing them together creatively, will appeal to the delegates in a more personal and emotional way to focus on the bigger picture.

USING TWITTER FOR GOOD
Twitter users from all around the world have been tweeting their answers using the hashtag ‘#thisplace’ (the twitter way of tying a number of posts together) which have been captured for the project. For people who don’t use twitter, answers are being captured directly through the ThisPlace09 website – www.thisplace09.com. In less then one month, the team got hundreds of submissions from every continent in the world including, among others, tweets from notable eco activists like David De Rothschild.

CAN ART HELP COMMUNICATE CLIMATE CHANGE?
To make the content more emotive while staying true to the personal stories being shared, DIY WOMP, the people behind the ‘Arts & Things’ website and magazine, briefed the project out to a number of established and up and coming artists. The artists’ task was to impact upon the perception of people in regards to climate change by doing what they do best; sparking their imaginations. “Having a personal tweet from a complete stranger halfway around the world and then an artist bringing it to life is a really powerful combination that has surpassed our expectations.” said David Hawksworth one of the co-creators of ThisPlace09.

TAXI TO COP15
Getting the 5,000 books from London to Copenhagen is a challenge. The solution to this is an unusual one – they are going by taxi. After contacting the owners of greentomatocars (www.greentomatocars.com,) the green taxi company, they agreed that two Prius’ from their fleet can be used for the project. In fact the founders liked the idea so much they decided to drive the cars themselves.

GETTING THE BOOKS TO THE DELEGATES
The ‘grassroots’ nature of the idea follows through to distribution. In addition to leveraging the contacts of the global TckTckTck network, of which ThisPlace09 is an official partner, the book will be handed out through placing them in coffee shops, hotels where delegates are staying, and giving them one by one at the entrance to the Conference. Additionally the book idea is intended to be ‘viral’ and people are encouraged to pass it on once they have read it.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER COPENHAGEN?
The team sees a future for the project post Copenhagen. This is important especially in light of recent events, as consensus is that a legally binding agreement is highly unlikely during the Copenhagen Climate Conference. In order to keep pressure on the delegates and keep the issue top of mind amongst the general population the team are also planning:
* A documentary of the team’s efforts to get to Copenhagen whilst expanding on the issues brought to light in the book.
* An art exhibit of the pieces that were inspired by the tweets.

Contact: Becky Willan on +44 7815147138 becky@givenlondon.com or +44 20 7017 3989 for more information.

Day One.

Having watched the beginning of the opening ceremony, followed #cop15 on Twitter and checked out numerous blog posts about the event, I realised following this from a far is going to be pretty time consuming. So, if you know of any blogs, videos, tweets, emails, updates etc that we really should be following, do get in touch via islington.hosts@the-hub.net

In the meantime, if you haven’t already, check out the opening film from COP15:

Please Help The World – Opening Film from COP15

For now, I guess we just have to sit and wait. I don’t know whether to cross my fingers, say a prayer, go out and protest, or go home and make sure my flat is as green as possible. I might just do it all….with a little bit of hope chucked in for good measure…

Holly