Well look at me, breaking with tradition. It’s a Tuesday and I’m blogging!

It’s all go here at pants HQ today, we’ve a whopping four volunteers in, and things are getting done! We’re really busy – our sales are trickling upwards so there’s all the associated paperwork to deal with there, and we’re rushing like fury to get ready for a big funding bid, and our fab LushPants event this weekend.

So, what’s the news?

Let’s start with this. Our smasher of a volunteer, Debs, has been officially granted a work placement, here with us. This is totally brilliant for us, and we hope for her too. Debs came to us about a year ago, looking to change her career path. She’d done care work but was tired, as she put it, of wiping bums (well, that’s not exactly how she put it!) as she knew she could do so much more. Already on a bookkeeping course, she came in to do our admin and she has absolutely blossomed since she started with us. Like so many of the women we work with Debs had had a few knocks in life, and so her confidence was really not where it should have been. But now she bustles round the place, knows where more things are here than me, and the other volunteers go to her for help – it’s been a real delight to see her grow and start to shine. Just recently Debs won an award at her college course for ‘person who has come the furthest’ – she really has, we are dead proud of her, and really chuffed that for the next 13 weeks she is with us four days a week. Debs manages our internal finance function, and we’ve got this funny feeling that most of the office management is going to fall to her soon. Fingers crossed. ( I just asked her to read this to make sure she was happy with it. She said I’m going to make her head swell. My answer was that after 51 years, it’s time for a catch up.)

My plea to the internet for some new volunteers has been a bit of a brilliant success, and we’ve new people in who have skills to offer us. There will always be a place here for volunteers who need support, but it’s a huge difference to the smooth running of things to have people who can just get on. One volunteer TBC (nope, she’s not awaiting confirmation, that’s her initials) is a real life friend of mine who’s a qualified medical person but can’t find a job, another, O, came in for one morning and whizzed through getting a bunch of forms made up for us (this is the sort of thing that can take hours with unskilled volunteers, and holds up a lot of other stuff) and B is currently organising my upcoming trips to London. I’ve quite a few  at the same time as we expect to be Christmas busy here, so I will be quite tired I think. Our regular volunteers A and S are cracking on – S is supporting the fundraising function, and doing a great job  of keeping up with my chaotic workload. And A is back from holidays to fight with our recalcitrant printer and, we hope, get some compliment slips designed soon. Woo, look at us with our grown up stationery!

I’ll not mention the name of the funder we are applying to but we’re building a bid for a hundred ish thousand over three years. It sounds a lot but when you think about it, that’s, say, £33k a year, to contribute to me, Della, rent, training programmes, rates, not to mention worker salaries – it doesn’t go far. We’re applying in what’s called a ‘front loaded’ way – say £50k in year one, £30k in year 2, £20 in year three, as we anticipate sales going up and we’ll need less as the years pass. It’s a balancing act – we’ve got to tell the story of us, why we’re needed and what we do without sounding desperate for cash.

We’re eagerly awaiting delivery of our first Lush  funded case studies, which you, you you! will be able to get your hands on if you come and see us at the Lush Southampton store this weekend. We’ll be there from 10ish on Saturday til about 4, and then 11 til about 3 on Sunday, with some pants pieces, a sewing machine and advice – so YOU can have a go at making pants. It’ll cost £7.50 for you to have a go and take away the result, and we’ll be selling the ones we made earlier for £10 – or if you want to compare and contrast yours with our, £15 for the two. Bargain! Plus if you’ve ever wanted to get your hands on our snazzy T shirts, or badges, or even our album (which I’d like someone to mastermind a plan for – can we make it, or a song from it, Christmas number one?) we’ll be there, possibly with bells on, celebrating almost one year of trading. How far we’ve come!

In other wee bits of news, I went to a tea party in aid of Médecins Sans Frontières last week, and was invited to take our pants along. There was a nice amount of interest and plenty of cake! I’ve taken to carrying a sample pack with me everywhere I go, lest I otherwise start flashing mine.. not the best look, I’m sure you’ll agree! Also, we’re scooting ahead into next year and our Valentine pants are taking shape nicely. Let’s get Christmas out of the way first though, eh?

We’re very much counting down to the end of the year and the start of a new one. Our to do list for 2011 is now taking up half a flip chart page, and it’s nice to be able to put stuff there and take it out of mine and Della’s minds! We’re starting to feel just a tiny bit more secure every week, and we’re hopeful that this continues. With your help it will – every tiny bit of revenue we get is a step towards us being sustainable on our own work, not through grant funders. YOU can help US make a real difference to REAL WOMEN – and get yourself some fabtastic pants into the bargain. Go ahead – make our day!

xx

whomadeyourpants? is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Autumn got off to a great start for Onya Bags – we were invited to Prince Charles’ Eco Garden Party in London! We had a great time there and are looking forward to the Festive Gift Fair in Birmingham at the end of November, to show of our expanding range. Our collection of Onya Bags made from rPET (recycled plastic bottles) is getting bigger all the time – we now have 22 different bags made from the lovely stuff – and that is set to grow. This year we’ve got new pocket designs, and new colours for your delectation. Charcoal grey for Uncle Ted and bright purple with a tree design for Auntie Muriel. So encourage your loved ones to love their planet too – an Onya Bag lasts for ages and can save hundreds of wasted plastic bags.

Or if you gave them all Onya Bags last year, why not give them a bottle? The range of H2Onya is growing, and we now have a larger range in an even bigger range of beautiful colours. Bottled water is as expensive as petrol, so why not save your family some money with an H2Onya, so they can send you on that cruise next year?

Please use the code xmas2010 at the checkout to get a 20% discount.

Onya Bags Ltd is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Below we have listed the Eco Pic of The Day September Top 10 Eco Pic’s.

Click the link to see the picture;

1- THE GREAT PACIFIC GARBAGE PATCH

2 - DUBAI RECYCLING BINS

3 - 21 WASHED UP PLASTIC BOTTLES

4 - NO KINDA SURPRISE – PLASTIC POLLUTION 

5 - BA FAIRTRADE COFFEE

6 - AMTRACK RECYCLE BIN

7 - GLASS RECYCLING BINS IN BRUGES

8 - EUROTUNNEL WIND POWER GENERATION

9 - ADVERTISING & RECYCLING BINS

10 - HEATHROW TERMINAL 1 RECYCLING BINS

MoreEco is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Eco Print is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

When Pope Benedict XVI visits Scotland and England this week, pilgrims in each of the venues will be singing hymns and music that for the first time will appear in one booklet, drawing together the geographically separated events into one continuous celebration. It is all thanks to the skill of a small Scottish company, The Art of Music, based in Dunblane since 2006.

Alistair Warwick, the MD of The Art of Music, explained that this music will “enable up to a million pilgrims to participate in song and in prayer during the various liturgies celebrated between 16th and 19th September 2010 in Glasgow, London and Birmingham”. Alistair is well equipped to have been given this very prestigious task given his past history in both music and music publishing. Formerly Director of Music at Arundel Cathedral, he has returned to his family’s Scottish roots by settling in Dunblane where he not only runs his music publishing and typesetting business, but also conducts the Stirling University Choir.

Alistair says “It has been a privilege to be involved in this way with the Papal Visit even if it has been an intense and time-pressured experience. Music is such a fundamental part of worship that I have been delighted to have been able to contribute in this way to this historic occasion.” He added, “A unique advantage of the Magnificat service book is that it will enable a million or so people to take part in the papal services at home – or wherever they may be. Even if they are not able to attend one of the events in person they will be able to access the music and feel that they can join in.”

The music covers a range of styles reflecting the nature of those who will participate: from plainchant and polyphony to modern worship song. Each of the liturgies has its own distinct flavour: Glasgow includes Gaelic music and the Birmingham event features hymns by John Henry Newman, who is to be beatified on Sunday. A common feature, however, is a new setting by James Macmillan, the ‘Mass in honour of Blessed John Henry Newman’. This mass setting complements his Mass of St Anne, which is sung in many churches throughout the UK.

A particular challenge has been selecting the best way of notating the music, but it is one to which The Art of Music is well-suited, since Alistair has extensive knowledge and experience as a musician, especially in the field of church music.

Alistair will not be taking a rest after the Papal Visit is over, as The Art of Music is currently typesetting the second edition of Hymns for Prayer and Praise for Canterbury Press, which is designed to enable parish and religious communities to celebrate Morning, Evening and Night Prayer with song. Many people from different traditions find it helpful to set aside time for prayer at different parts of the day, and this hymn book provides a rich treasury of music and texts to help both individuals and communities.

theartofmusic.com + facebook.com/theartofmusic

ENDS
13th September 2010

Other information

The Art of Music has a range of further publications that choirs enjoy to sing.
Alistair Warwick holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in music from Surrey University, specialising in Scottish early music and in conducting.
He is The Royal of Church Music’s Co-ordinator for Scotland.

Contact

For further information, including sample music PDFs, please contact Alistair Warwick:
T: 01786 823000  E: press@theartofmusic.co.uk  W: theartofmusic.com/media

The Art of Music is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Model Naomi Campbell testified that she was given some ‘dirty looking stones’ in 1997. Read the BBC news story here and hear her testimony:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-10875811

Jeremy Vine gave a wonderful lunch time show  on BBC Radio 2  6th August on the issue of Blood Diamonds, Ethical Diamonds and War Crimes.

Listen to it by clicking here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/shows/jeremy-vine/

Michelle Tuck called in and spoke  very well on behalf of  UK’s ethical jewellers . Fifi Bijoux maintains that the sale of blood diamonds finances conflict and thus can be implemented in war crimes and crimes against humanity in many civil war situations. Transparency and known provenance of diamonds is the surest method of protecting the consumer and the integrity of the jeweller. We specialize in sourcing ethically mined diamonds from known mining projects and origins.

You can learn more about the context of the case against Charles Taylor by viewing Brightwide’s film click the link below to be taken to their site and look for ‘Pray The Devil Back To Hell’

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pray-The-Devil-Back-To-Hell/10831840869

Fifi Bijoux is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Many companies now say that are an ethical business. But what does this actually mean? How ethical are they? What is the relationship between green and ethical? And how does this all related to being responsible, and doing well for people and planet?

“We’re all only ethical as far as it suits us. Where do you draw the line? – What’s the ethical standard? If we had an Ethical Association, what would their criteria for membership be? If we had to meet standards for ethical-ness, what would those standards be and how would we be judged by the relevant authority?” Max Wiseberg, director of HayMax, a natural drug-free pollen barrier for hayfever on the subject of ethical. 

HayMax manufactures a drug-free pollen barrier aimed at hayfever sufferers, many of whom find it works either to partly or completely relieve their unwanted hayfever symptoms including sneezing, runny nose, itchy face, throat and eyes. It is a Small-Medium Enterprise (SME), employing less than 10 people. Find more about HayMax at www.haymax.biz.

HayMax considers itself to be an ethical business. For them, this means acting responsibly – both towards people and the environment. They do this partly by being as green as possible. So the business reduces waste, recycles, has as small a carbon footprint as possible and aims to be carbon neutral by offsetting any carbon emissions. It uses local ingredients which are also organic and fair-trade wherever possible. And partly by conducting business in an ethical way – treating others fairly and resolving any disputes that arise amicably without resorting to legal action, as well as having what they consider to be an ethical product itself. 

HayMax is a natural, organic product that people can use for hayfever.  It traps pollen and the idea is that if you trap enough pollen then this will help curb unwanted symptoms of hayfever and ease the suffering without having to take drugs and possibly suffer unnecessary side-effects. Drowsiness, for example, is a commonly reported side-effect of taking antihistamines for hayfever.

Charitable giving could be another marker of ‘ethical-ness’. HayMax fulfil this too – they started donating to local charities once the business went into profit and say they will give more as they continue to grow.  And they use an ethical PR company – Excellart – also an ethical business to promote themselves.

What about other ‘ethical’ businesses?  Can ethical also apply genuinely to a large corporate, or conglomerate or international business?

Cafedirect, another ethical business is a large international business. They make coffee from fair-trade beans, giving farmers in the developing world a fair price for their product. They aim to support sustainable livelihoods, as well as the environment and say that this depends on tackling economic and social issues. They set out their values and beliefs as dealing with others fairly, acting with integrity, empowering everyone they do business with or help or employ and taking an ‘inspirational and creative’ approach to business.  They say they make a quality product, which could be another marker of ethical-ness. They are a large, successful, international business but they clearly conform to many markers of what is ethical. More information about Cafedirect on their website at www.cafedirect.co.uk.

Ethical and Green

Being green (namely tackling climate change by a number of means and supporting a sustainable environment)is often associated with being ethical – it is certainly a big part of being ethical. You could look at it in terms of acting responsibly towards the planet, as well as people.

There is something approaching an ethical monitoring organisation for business. Ethical Consumer is an organisation that works on behalf of the consumer to expose unethical business practices and to rate businesses in terms of the service they provide, one of these markers being how ethical they are. Companies at the bottom of the scale include Tesco and BP, and at the top of the tree (in terms of how ethical they are) is Liberty International and Intercontinental Hotels. So being a big business doesn’t necessarily mean being unethical.

So in conclusion, ethical in business can be marked by a number of things. Including, but not solely limited to: green-ness, how a business deals with other companies, how it treats its employees, what ingredients it uses in its product or its materials, the quality of the service or product it delivers, the impact it has on the world and the environment and how it functions on a day to day basis. Essentially – the impact it has on the world around us: both people and the planet, including its values and how these are applied to both. These factors can apply to small and large businesses alike.

HayMax Limited is an active member of Ethical Junction, learn more

Introducing the newest member of the Ethical Junction team.  Lola, the office woofer.

Our colleague Tom, rescued Lola 2 weeks ago and provided her with a loving new home.  She’s been coming into the office every day since and we’re thrilled to have her here!

Its
that time of year again and the Eco Print elves are getting
restless…

Eco Print are giving you
the chance to stay a step ahead and get those all important Christmas
Cards ordered to send out to all of your loyal
customers/contacts/suppliers.

The earlier you order the
less expensive they are.

We
have designs all set up and ready but if you want to personalise
yours then send us the artwork and the text and we will do this free
of charge* All the cards are
printed on 100% recycled card using biodegradable inks and
come with 100% recycled white envelopes.
The cards can be ordered in different quantities with up to three
different designs if you wish.

See our
website http://www.ecoprintuk.com/christmas.php for prices, images
and delivery options.

Contact
Eco Print on 01722 340 350 for further information

*Images
and text to be supplied, to be printed on one of two standard sizes.
Further design work may be charged from £10.