The Parlour will take place from March 5th to 10th and will be hosted by Mistress of Manners, Dana Gornitzki, Editor of MIEN magazine (and Hub members!) – a newly launched website dedicated to etiquette, culture and style. Dana Gornitzki says: “The idea behind the Parlour is to switch off your mobile phone and return to the roots of what a parlour was used for: a lovely living space where one could receive visitors in the most polite way possible. The Parlour pop up will be a place to write letters, engage in good conversation, play games like cards, drink punch and enjoy music. It’s about simple pleasures.”

The wistful pop up hopes to take guests away from the fast-paced,intense, digital world we live in, inviting them to interact and engage with each other in a charming setting. During the day, the Parlour will be the perfect place to come read a book, write letters (or in your journal!), peruse art and other anecdotes left by visitors, or have a relaxed chat away from the busy streets of the city. On select afternoons and evenings, the Parlour will feature unique nostalgic workshops and play time: an assortment of delightful happenings including parlour games, poetry recitals, writing workshops, vintage screenings, listening to old records, and a few other handsome surprises. Most importantly, the Parlour will be free of mobile telephones, computers and modern-day gadgets, making time for quality, face-to-face conversations.

The Parlour will partially be furnished by Restore – a north London community project that aids people in need. So, for those who want to take a piece of the Parlour home with them, some of the furniture will be for sale with all proceeds going to Restore.
The Parlour will be welcoming visitors on March 5th through to the 10th @ 97-99 Clerkenwell Road, London EC1R 5BX. The Parlour is curated and hosted by MIEN Magazine with the support of Camden Council.
For more information: Dana Gornitzki at  info@mienmagazine.com or  + 44(0) 7595 290 718

Bluebells, daffodils, Cadbury’s Cream Eggs, brighter mornings, crisp and clear skies…

and great events at the London Hubs – if you want to host an event here (at the heart of London’s social enterprise network) then call me! 020 7841 8900.

See you soon,

Alex

x

In March:

Hub Screening | Starsuckers: SECOND SCREENING
Wednesday 3^rd March
Hub Islington, 6.30-10pm
Premiered in the 2009 London Film Festival and heralded by the Sunday Telegraph as “Thrilling” and “Revolutionary”, Starsuckers exposes the toxic effect that the media and celebrity are having on our world. Filmed in secret over two years, Chris Atkins (of award-winning Taking Liberties) and his production team posed as tipsters, making up stories for the tabloid press and seeing how far they could get. Chris will be joining us to introduce the film, and for Q/A at the end.

Hub Drop in | Fairtrade Fortnight
Thursday 4^th March
Hub Kings Cross, 11-4pm

An very informal celebration of Fairtrade Fortnight at The Hub King’s Cross, we invite you to come and drink some free fairtrade tea, and watch some short films on the Fairtrade industry, including insights into the important areas of tea and coffee, fruit, and cotton production. Guest speakers to be confirmed.

Attendance is free – email kingscross.hosts@the-hub.net for more information or call 020 7841 8900.

Hub Screening | Cinema Paradiso
Thursday 4^th March
Hub Kings Cross, 7-9pm

Hub Kings Cross has a lovely big screen and for a while we’ve wanted to start a cinema club. We are naming the series Cinema Paradiso, with, you guessed it, Cinema Paradiso being the first film. We will gather recommendations as we go and show as wide a selection of films as possible. The venue will hop between Kings Cross and Islington.

This will be a very chilled evening and a great way to wind down and miss the evening rush hour. We are going to keep it very casual, so friends and family are all welcome, bring a picnic basket or we will order in pizzas. I am going to keep the bar open just in case, but you are more than welcome to bring your own wine.

Attendance is free! RSVP to amy.warner@the-hub.net with the subject: Booking – Cinema Paradiso.

Hub Lunch | HemPower
Friday 5^th March
Hub Kings Cross, 1-2pm

Founder of Brixton-based AMARU Rebekah Bloom will tell the story of Hemp, its journey and produce. She’ll also bring a range of HemPower products to try and buy. HemPower Organic Human Bio-Fuel – a unique blend of Organic Shelled Hemp Seed and Organic Oats – is unique, ready to mix and prepared in under one minute using only hot water.
Come, learn and sample all over lunch!

Attendance is free to members and their guests. Please confirm your space by emailing ruby.kvalheim@the-hub.net with the subject: Booking – HemPower, or call 020 7841 3450 for more information.

Hub Surgery | Sales and Marketing Clinic with Alasdair Inglis, MD of Grow
Wednesday 17^th March
Hub Islington, 1-4pm

Could your project or business do with some expert sales and marketing advice? Grow’s MD, Alasdair Inglis will be joining us for lunch and then giving 1-1 sales and marketing advice sessions for Hub members at no cost.

Alasdair Inglis has over 10 years of experience helping businesses transform their sales and marketing, and has worked with a number of companies in the social sector. His company Grow increased The Phone Coop’s revenues by £289,000 over five years. Alasdair can show you how to market yourself with little or no budget, how to get others to promote you for little or no cost, how to get more leads and enquiries and give you a valuable outside perspective on your business. For more info about Grow and how to get a £1,000 sales and marketing grant, visit www.wearegrow.com

From 1pm-2pm Alasdair will join us for lunch and sales and marketing chit chat. From 2pm-4pm, the sales and marketing clinic will be open and Alasdair will give Hub members free 1:1 sales and marketing advice : Book asap – places are limited.

Attendance is free for Hub members and £4 for non-members, spaces are limited so please RSVP to alex.rinsler@the-hub.net with the subject: Booking – Grow, or call 020 7841 8900.

Hub Networking | in partnership with Create Kings
Tuesday 30^th March
Hub Kings Cross, 11-4pm

In partnership with Create KX, the Hub Kings Cross would like to invite you to a networking event.  This event is an opportunity for Hub members to meet and discuss business opportunities with creative organisations based in the Kings Cross area. CreateKX works to ensure that King’s Cross St. Pancras is recognised as a centre of creative and cultural excellence: a place to travel to not from. CreateKX aims to encourage the creative and cultural sector to exchange relevant information, develop local trading links, showcase business services, and express visions for King’s Cross as a creative place to live and work.’

Attendance is free for Hub members, please email victoria.waugh@the-hub.net with the subject: Booking – Create KX, or call 020 7841 8900.

Hub Feast | in partnership with Food Stuff
Wednesday 31^st March
Hub Kings Cross, 7pm

On the last Wednesday of every month, Food Stuff and the Hub host a feast. The invitation is for people who love food, cooking it, talking about it and most of all, eating it, to come along with both an open mind and a dish to share to eat with people that feel the same.

An informal evening with a very loose agenda, we hope to create a feast where conversation about food, life, love and everything in between, can flow freely.
If you are interested in joining please get in touch with Eleanor at Hub Kings Cross (eleanor.whitley@the-hub.net) or Holly at Food Stuff (holly@foodstuff.org.uk).

Think Act Vote founder, Amisha Ghadiali (ex-Hub Kings Cross Host and current member) said: “If politics were a fashion label, you wouldn’t wear it. We want to use creativity to create a community around the choices we make for our future.”

In partnership with ethical fashion label Komodo, Think Act Vote launches with a search for their carbon neutral Think Act Vote t-shirt from up and coming designers, artists and illustrators. The only proviso is that the design must include the words “Think Act Vote”. Submissions can be uploaded to the Think Act Vote website before the deadline of 12 noon on Sunday 7th March.

An online public vote will determine a shortlist of 10 designs. The winner will be decided by the Think Act Vote judging panel, made up of some of the best-known faces in ethical fashion and design, including ethical hero Katherine Hamnett, celebrated illustrator Daisy de Villeneuve and the original ‘anti-preneur’, Cyndi Rhoades.

Katherine Hamnett said, “Thousands of people have died and are dying all over the world for the right to vote. It is one of our most precious possessions. Use it before we loose it.”

The winning design will be announced at a launch party in April. The t-shirt will be produced by Komodo and will be available to purchase online and in selected shops across the UK. Runners-up will feature in a beautifully produced lifestyle book alongside a creative anthology of people’s responses to one simple question, designed to get people thinking about the positive choices we can make for our future: “what’s the future you would choose”.

Hub Amsterdam Tour

Hub Rotterdam Tour

Loco2 Update

Make yourself a cuppa and spend ten minutes checking them out…

Hub Islington

Communications Intern

We invite you to play a huge part in shaping the way that we communicate with our members and with the wider world. In a short time you will be able to evidence materials that have had a global reach and be key to the thinking behind how we best meet our members’ needs through our communication. You will also be exposed to the entrepreneurs and their networks that are driving social change.

You will have frequent contact with the Hub’s Global Head of Communications and the chance to have guidance from one of the very best in the business. If you’re looking to change career or to get ahead in communications, then this is a unique opportunity for you. You will join a very small team at the centre of a growing, global network of entrepreneurs, to share with us the challenge of hosting the space and network to nurture the daily connections that are made because of it.

Your Responsibilities

Communicating outwards
- Working with members to capture their stories and successes and then communicating them around the network: conducting interviews, creating a monthly newsletter, making podcasts… it will be up to you!
- Building on our presence in the twittersphere and beyond – our blog, facebook, twitter, youtube, linkedin etc.

Communicating inwards
- Harvesting and reporting on the various news and social networks to bring back key happenings, and upcoming events in the social sector to Hub Islington
- Consider how we might communicate better to our own members here at Hub Islington – what we’re doing, what they’re doing, and what else is going on that they need to know
- Designing and producing great materials to welcome new members

But what else?
As an integral part of the Hub Islington Hosting Team, you will be invited to host Hub Islington at least one day a week and support at events as and when needed. This is vital in order to develop a deeper understanding of the Hub and the Hub vision, build a close relationship with members and become a key connector and collaborator within the network. Hosts help define Hubs and while training and mentoring will be offered, your individuality will be supported: you are welcome to use the Hub pace and network to explore your own ideas and anything else you might fancy!

Who?
A passion for communications is a must, as well as superior writing and editorial skills, and having a great way with people. If you have previous communications experience then great, particularly online or through social media. Even better would be experience in design, producing eye-catching, clear and effective materials. Above all is the right attitude: you will be self-starting, full of energy, very flexible to change and always willing to get stuck in… and a good listener, too, able to empathise
with the hundred different passions and frustrations shared by our members and beyond.

And finally…You will be able to commit full-time from Monday-Friday for a minimum of four months. Our days are 9am-6pm, except for when we’re hosting, when it’s 8.45am. Please note that the internship is not financially remunerated.

 Attraction Intern

This internship centres around attraction – the name the Hub gives to the art of inviting and convening talent and resources for the realisation of imaginative initiatives for a radically better world. Attraction is not just about getting more members to sign up at Hubs – it means authentically inviting and connecting people, projects and resources into the network and continually exploring the potential for social enterprise, new economy, conversation, activism and change to collaborate.
The Hub’s impact depends on having the right mix of people in both the network and space so your focus will be split into two key areas:

1. The Hub is full of inspirational people, projects, collaborations and stories. You will create a library of case studies that showcases all the exciting things that exist within the network. You might video a day in the life of a group of members, start a “diary of members’ Tweets or create detailed online profiles that map the development of a particular project. The info you collect will become vital in designing and implementing our future Social Impact Study as well as providing a bank of inspirational information for Hub members (and beyond).

2.  You will spend a lot of time getting to know our existing network and understanding the social sector, identifying who is doing what, any missed potential, scope for development and where the Hub fits into it all. Using the information you gather, you will improve and enhance tools already in place that map the Hub community. Maintaining, developing and reporting on his map will be an ongoing part of the internship. You will work closely with the Communications Team to advise on and develop relevant and inspiring communication tools that will enhance your work. You will be able to input on both a design and content level as well as help implement a wider roll out of the material. You will be expected to report on your work and progress at weekly meetings with the rest of the team.

But what else?
As an integral part of the Hub Islington Hosting Team, you will be invited to host Hub Islington at least one day a week and support at events as and when needed. This is vital in order to develop a deeper understanding of the Hub and the Hub vision, build a close relationship with members and become a key connector and collaborator within the network. Hosts help define Hubs and while training and mentoring will be offered, your individuality will be supported: you are welcome to use the Hub space and network to explore your own ideas and anything else you might fancy!

Who?
We care much more about your core qualities, skills and approach than we do about ticking off boxes on your CV. Primarily, we’re looking for someone who is able and willing to expand this internship above and beyond the detailed brief. To do that, you’ll need great research skills, the ability to turn a lot of information into coherent, useful, interesting content and if you have video editing skills, great. You will also be enthusiastic about the Hub and its ethos, as well as the social sector in
London – whether it be as a newcomer or a veteran in the field. You will be a team player who communicates exceptionally well and is comfortable liaising with people from all walks of life, with an eye for detail and the ability to see the potential in both people and projects. You will be flexible and proactive and have a can-do attitude with a creative approach. Hopefully you’ll also enjoy sharing food and laughing! Finally, there is the invitation to take your experience above and beyond its primary
attraction focus. Fresh eyes and ideas are a gift that we welcome at all times. There is lots of opportunity to get involved with designing and developing a variety of social media tools, providing event support and facilitation and helping to turn Hub Islington into a beacon of sustainable, eco space design. Plus a million and one other things which might inspire, excite, annoy, confuse and encourage you!

And finally…
You will be able to commit full-time from Monday-Friday for a minimum of four months. Our days are 9am-6pm, except for when we’re hosting, when it’s 8.45am. You will have weekly progress meetings with both the Operations and Programming Directors of the Hub, who will also be your points of contact during the internship. Please note that the internship is not financially remunerated.

Just under a year later and they’d gone. And things were tough (as these things always are!). But they perservered, stayed true to their vision and are currently standing on the precipice of equality, change and achievement, ready to leap off into success!

ASOS is the UK’s biggest online fashion retailer and they have just launched a partnership with SOKO to present their first ever Africa Collection. Not only does this mean increased visibility for the amazing work SOKO is doing, but people will actually be wearing clothes created as a result of the project and supporting the market in Kenya.

They’re doing a blog about the collection so check it out here and be as inspired as I was by the interest free loan SOKO offered one worker to enable him to cycle to work (in 20 minutes) instead of walk (90 minutes) everyday. (This to me is the special thing about SOKO, it doesn’t just chuck money at a problem and hope it will go away. It empowers people through support, opportunity and quality leadership.  And as a result, change is happening.) Also check out the piece on SOKO in this weeks Grazia magazine below.

And come Feb 21st, be the first one on the ASOS site ordering your new wardrobe for Spring.

Holly

All the best,

The Hosting Team…
x

Hub Lunch | Of Love, Thursday 11^th February
Hub Islington, 1-2pm

Valentine’s Day! Kitsch, flowers, candle-light, romance, love. LOVE! Uhoh.

A light-hearted twist on our weekly Sexy Salad Club – bring in food to share and we’ll spice things up a little, set the mood, dim the lights, put on that special album… 

This event is free! Bring food to share and you’re welcome to bring a friend. Any questions or marriage requests to alex.rinsler@the-hub.net

Hub Launch | Hand Views – Exhibition & Book, Tuesday 16^th February
Hub Kings Cross, 6.30pm

Handviews is released annually: a portrait of people’s opinions through their hands about their current lives and wishes. Hub member Ana Garcia photographed in January in the Hub for the Handviews book and exhibition. Hub members who took part can now see their hands on the walls of Hub Kings Cross and in the Handviews book. 

This event is free! Get in touch if you plan to attend: eleanor.whitley@the-hub.net

Hub Members Council | Monthly Meetup, Wednesday 17^th February
Hub Islington, 5-6pm
The Hub Islington Members Council is a monthly meeting open to all members. We talk about things we would like to see going on in the Hub and discuss with Hosts how best to get make them happen. We have a monthly budget of £100 and 16 hours of time, so we can use of this to prioritise new exciting projects.

All Hub Islington members are welcome, if you plan to attend please email alex.rinsler@the-hub.net

Hub Pioneers | Professor David Nutt, Wednesday 17^th February
Hub Islington, 6.30-8pm

Professor David Nutt was until November 2009 Chair of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs. Since being asked to stand down by the Home Secretary he has now set up the Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs, with four of the five members of the ACMD who resigned with him last year. Its mission is to make public the evidence on the relative risks and harms of drugs without regard to political sensitivities.

The circumstances around his dismissal fired national debate not just about the impact of drugs, but also the boundaries between science and politics and the role of Government in our society. He will join us to speak more about his work and take questions.

The Hub Pioneers series is an opportunity to meet people at the forefront of social change who may not necessarily be seen as social entrepreneurs.

Attendance is £4 for Hub members and £5 for non-members – space is strictly limited so please email alex.rinsler@the-hub or call 020 7841 8900 to confirm your place.

Hub Office Hours | with the Public Sector Innovation Unit from the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills,
Tuesday 23^rd February

A representative of the Public Sector Innovation Unit (PSI) from the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) will be working out of Hub Kings Cross from 2-4.30pm the 23rd Feb. The interests of the PSI Unit lie in exploring the opportunities to connect innovative entrepreneurs with government, in order to support fresh thinking within the public sector in both policy making and service delivery. 

Hub Kings Cross, The PSI from the Dept of BIS and, Volans invite you to come and connect to use this exciting opportunity to be in touch with a representative of the UK Government.  This representative will be joined by a member of the Volans team who will be able to share insight on how partnerships between entrepreneurs and the private and public sector can be catalytic and mutually beneficial for all parties involved.

This is an informal drop in session. If you have any questions please contact Eleanor at Hub Kings Cross (eleanor.whitley@the-hub.net). Please note: the UK Government representative is not responsible for the funding arrangements for social enterprise and so will not be at the Hub to advise on this. However, they will try, where they can, to point you in the right direction.

Hub Partnership | Investor Speed Dating in association with ClearlySo, Tuesday 23^rd February
Hub Kings Cross, 7pm

Social enterprises have two minutes to pitch to each of our carefully selected investors. Investors will then have two minutes to ask questions about your business, capital requirements and expected financial and social returns. After this more formal part of the evening ClearlySo hosts drinks at the bar downstairs… often where the real connections are made!

If you are interested to take part please contact Simon Evill from ClearlySo on 020 7281 7913.

Feast | Hosted by Hub Kings Cross & Food Stuff, Wednesday 24th February 
Hub Kings Cross, 7pm

On the last Wednesday of every month, Food Stuff and the Hub host a feast. The invitation is for people who love food, cooking it, talking about it and most of all, eating it, to come along with both an open mind and a dish to share to eat with people that feel the same.

An informal evening with a very loose agenda, we hope to create a feast where conversation about food, life, love and everything in between, can flow freely. In February we’re very excited that Andy from Mindapples (an online campaign that encourages us to explore the five a day we need for our mental health) has put the date in his diary and will be thinking about the dish he’s going to bring. Whether you’re keen to talk more about Mind Apples, or a million other things, we look forward to seeing you there.

If you are interested in joining please get in touch with Eleanor at Hub Kings Cross (eleanor.whitley@the-hub.net) or Holly at Food Stuff (holly@foodstuff.org.uk)

Premiered in the 2009 London Film Festival and heralded by the Sunday Telegraph as “Thrilling” and “Revolutionary”, Starsuckers exposes the toxic effect that the media and celebrity are having on our world. Filmed in secret over two years, Chris Atkins (of award-winning Taking Liberties) and his production team posed as tipsters, making up stories for the tabloid press and seeing how far they could get. Chris will be joining us to introduce the film, and for Q/A at the end.

Tickets are £4 to Hub members and £5 to non-members. Space is limited so email alex.rinsler@the-hub.net to reserve your place, or call 020 7841 8900.

.

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

x

Either way, here is a pic of us. Hot eh?
Holly xx

We heart Glasses!

And potentially, you can too. I have just received a letter notifying us of a planning application to put 19 bikes outside the Hub as part of the London wide bike hire scheme. This is REALLY cool! And as much as I’d love to say the Hub organised it, we didn’t. Sometimes, good things just happen.

Nothing much else to say now. I’m going to write to the council in support of the application. And ask them to make sure there is a nice pink bike in there especially for me (!). So let’s just see what happens…

To keep you excited until we know more, here is a picture of my beautiful old shopper (which I got from BikeWorks). Isn’t it lovely?! It has a flat tyre at the moment so if anyone can help me rectify that, get in touch!

Holly

xx