CIC Association
CIC are pleased to announce the launch of their new website
www.cicassociation.org.uk
,which will provide a platform for CIC practitioners throughout the
country to connect with each other and help nurture the fledgling
legislation.

The
impetus for the
Association has come from CIC practitioners wanting a way to directly
engage in the agenda, and it aims to tackle a wide range of issues,
from general awareness and improved communication thru to technical
matters such as improving capital inflows into the sector.

With
over 3200 incorporated, CICs are the fastest growing element within
social enterprise, already operating across the spectrum of sectors,
at local, regional and national level. Tom Barnett, co-founder of the
Association and MD of Ethical Junction CIC said ‘This is a
fantastic development for the CIC community and social enterprise at
large, the legislation was developed to help bring social enterprise
into the mainstream and we hope this website will become a focal
point for achieving that. Promoting the legislation to a wider
audience, and developing resources for CIC practitioners are our key
priorities, and I’m very excited about the positive response we
have received so far’

www.cicassociation.org.uk

Enquiries

CIC
Association CIC www.cicassociation.org.uk

Contact
John Mulkerrin on 0203 262 3044 or john@cicassociation.org.uk

Notes
to Editors

CIC
legislation came into force in July 2005

CICs
are unique as they can trade in exactly the same way as normal Ltd
companies, but have an Asset Lock which ensures the community
receives the majority of profit.

Hand
Up Media are delighted to announce that we’re now taking
bookings for The Ethical Christmas Fair

For
the third year, The Edinburgh Ethical Christmas Fair is taking place
over nine days on Castle Street/Princes Street, on the heart of
Edinburgh’s busiest shopping streets.

Last
year we welcomed a record breaking 20,000 visitors to the Edinburgh
Ethical Christmas Fair, the UK’s busiest Ethical Christmas event.

This event is
located in the heart of Edinburgh on Castle Street/Princes Street.
The event brings together over 30 exhibitors selling the very best
ethically sourced stylish and innovative gifts from across the globe,
and closer to home!

Click
here
to see some photos from last years event

This
nine day shopping event is now open to bookings on a first come basis
(bookings can  be made for 9, 5 or 4 days)

Click
here
for more information / booking form

ARE YOU PUTTING OFF ONLINE DATING? TEN COMMON EXCUSES FOR NOT DATING AND HOW TO TURN IT AROUND

Get
back out there your friends keep telling you …  It’s so much easier
said than done isn’t it? There is always a good reason for putting
things off just a little bit longer. Maybe next week, maybe next year, maybe never!

If you’re making excuses to put off dating, now’s the time to take  the plunge. After all, what have you got to lose?

I’ll do it when the kids are older

OK, how much older?  Anyone would be wary of starting out dating again with children to consider.  It’s natural to be concerned
about bringing someone new in to their lives,  particularly if there
has been a difficult break up with their other parent.  But most
children will
be happy to see you happy again. If your kids are stopping  you moving
on with your life, ask yourself; Is it really them or are you using 
them as an excuse. We have lots of advice for anyone who is dating as a single parent, remember you’re definitely not alone.

I’m not over my ex

Well,
it can be very difficult to move on after the break up of a long term
or serious relationship.  But even if you don’t feel able to
commit to someone new, are you really not  ready just to meet new
people? Why not give online dating try and give yourself a  chance.
Don’t compare everyone
you meet to your ex, appreciate people for who  they are. You never
know, someone may be waiting to help you get over your ex forever.

Who would want me?

Why
would anyone not  want you? There is someone out there for all of us.
Be honest about who you are  and what you want out of your life.
Remember
to be positive about what makes  you special and don’t put yourself
down. If you’re planning online dating, take  a look at our articles on
writing your personal for lots of ideas and help. Your ideal partner
may be looking for you right now! 

What if it goes wrong?

If
a relationship  doesn’t work out, it can be a painful process to go
through. However, we’ve all  head the old saying “It is better to
have loved and lost than never loved at  all” and besides, what if it
goes right? You may be worried about something  that isn’t going to
happen to you. There’s only one way to find out!

When I’ve lost some weight

This includes anything that says you’re not good enough to be happy
today. We are all unique and  special and worthy of being loved.
OK, so you may want to lose a few pounds and  get a little fitter, so
go ahead. Just don’t put life on hold in the meantime.  If you do lack
confidence about
how you look, make sure you give yourself a  boost by perhaps updating
your hair or make-up to be a little more flattering, or treating
yourself to a new outfit that really makes you look and feel great.

I’ll just wait and see if anyone turns up

Well, you could be  lucky but not many of us meet the partner of our dreams by waiting for them to  knock on our front
door. By starting out on online dating, you’re simply  allowing
yourself to meet a larger circle of people and increasing your chances 
of finding your
ideal mate. When you’re doing everything you can and having fun  in the
process, someone will turn up just when you’re least expecting them.

I can’t handle being rejected

Many people feel that  online dating could be demoralising as you may well find that you are in  contact with several people who
will chose to take things no further than an  initial date or a few
emails. This isn’t rejection, its honesty. You will also  feel that you
do not want
a relationship with many of the people you contact,  any more than you
would with everyone in the supermarket on a Saturday  afternoon! It’s
not a reflection on you or your worth, just that this isn’t the person for you.

I don’t have time

Really?
You have no  time to find someone to spend the rest of your life with?
You must have a very  exciting life for everything in it to
be more important! Obviously there are  some things that have to be
done but surely your happiness should take some priority in your life.

Online dating is dangerous

There are some risks  associated with online dating but there are
risks associated with meeting  anyone anywhere. There are also plenty
of ways to minimise personal risk. Check  out the advice in online
dating safety to find the best ways to keep yourself and your loved
ones safe. But remember,  most people are genuine, so after you’ve
taken all sensible precautions, relax and have fun.

There’s always the cat to keep me company

Yes, of course. But  the conversation is limited.

OK,
do you still have  a good reason not to try online dating? Or is it
just another excuse. Give it a  go, you never know where it may lead!

For
more tips and advice on making the most of your Natural Friends
membership, take a look at the Latest Newes items  after doing a Free
Search at http://www.natural-friends.com or look at the excellent range of articles at http://www.maxmyprofile.co.uk/dating-advice-for-women.htm

New Ownership for One of the Country’s Best Backpackers Hostels

Deepdale Backpackers and Camping, the multi award winning backpackers hostel and campsite at Burnham Deepdale on the north Norfolk coast, will have new owners on 23rd February.

Louise Smith and Andrea Bramhall are relocating from the North West to Norfolk to follow a dream and have a complete change of lifestyle.  Gone are the days of office jobs, instead they’ll be welcoming guests to the hostels and campsite, and enjoying the open spaces and opportunities of the north Norfolk coast.

Louise – “I always loved the outdoor life and to run a campsite had
always been a dream – so when the opportunity at Deepdale came up it
was everything I could wish for and more.”

 Andrea – “There are moments in life where you look about you and you
feel like you have just come home.  This was how we felt the first time
we came to Deepdale.  This is a wonderfully exciting once in a lifetime
adventure that I can’t wait to begin!”

Louise and Andrea take over the business from Alister and Jason
Borthwick, father and son partnership, who built and managed the
business from a small campsite only open in August to a tourism
business that accommodated over 31,000 bed nights in 2008.

 “The new energy and ideas that Louise and Andrea bring to Deepdale will
be great for the business.  We had incredible interest from potential
tenants, over 150 enquiries, and Louise and Andrea fought off stiff
competition to become our preferred tenants.  They take on a strong
business, which we all hope they can continue to strengthen.  I now get
the chance to spend a lot more time with my wife and the ever
increasing number of grandchildren,” said Alister Borthwick.

Initially Louise and Andrea look forward to running the business along
the same lines, “why fix what isn’t broken”, and then put their mark on
the place by developing writers workshops, singles walking and biking
weeks, artists and photographers weeks and many other winter
activities.  They look forward to working with the local businesses in
the area, especially the businesses at Dalegate Market, another
development by Alister and Jason.

“There are many opportunities for us to look at.  We’re looking forward
to the challenges this first season will throw at us, but relish the
opportunity to take up the reins.  Lonely Planet already describes
Deepdale as one of the country’s best backpackers hostels and we plan
to keep it that way,” said Louise.

“Do you believe in love at first sight?  Well I do now!  Deepdale is a
beautiful and charming place; every visit has been an adventure for us,
and our two dogs, who have discovered the pure unadulterated joy of
chasing waves!” said Andrea.

As Louise and Andrea take the reins, Alister Borthwick will take a step
towards retirement and Jason Borthwick will look for the next
opportunity for the family business to invest in.  Hostels elsewhere in
the East of England are high on the list and he’s developing his
consultancy business, Earthly Ideas.  “I’m always on the look out for
suitable locations for hostels.  Backpackers love the East of England,
but are seldom catered for.  We know we have a successful formula at
Deepdale, which will only benefit from feeder hostels around the
region, so watch this space,” said Jason.

Louise and Andrea look forward to welcoming guests all year round in
the backpackers hostel, campsite, tipis, group hostel and visitor
information centre – www.deepdalebackpackers.co.uk

Collaboration: an essential for sustainable practices?
London, 12th February, 14:00 – 17:30

What are the recent experiences and best practices from public and private sectors?
How can organisations collaborate for greater impact?

There is a dramatic increase in attempts (and directives) to collaborate – both internally as well as externally. Open Minds has undertaken research in relation to this theme to establish, from people’s real experiences, insights and guiding principles that might help in ensuring the best possibility of collaborative efforts being successful.

Examples from UK public and private sectors as well as from India are
showing that collaboration, rather than competition, is proving to be a
far more effective strategy than competition.

Effective collaboration is going to be essential in helping address
some of the more complex challenges both within and between
organisations as well as in the broader sustainability field. We are
also keen to see how complexity science principles might help underpin
such attempts.

ASP collaborates with Open Minds and The Environment Council to run a half-day workshop in London on February 12th

Contributors (speakers)
Simon Hamilton, Director and Founder of Three Hands
Mike Jones, Director Learning & Leadership, Open Minds
Mark Lawrence, Head of UK Operations (logistics), Marks & Spencer
Sian Peake-Jones, Director and Founder Open Minds

Objectives
Identify the growing need for more successful forms of collaboration
Explore Open Minds’ research findings
Share participants’ own learnings and experiences
Understand the Open Minds’ Learning Network
Create connections

Outcomes
Participants will:
Understand how sustainability practices are inherently dependent upon new collaborative models
Learn about the research open Minds has undertaken collaboration:
The importance of Context
Logic as an inhibitor
The role of relationships and connectivity (and the strength of ‘weak’ ties)
Bounded freedom – unleashing the magic of self-organisation
Uncertainty as a given – ‘Black Swans’ (and staying open to surprises)
Edge effects – interfaces and boundaries as source of innovation and breakthroughs
Patterns and success indicators – recognising what’s in the process of breaking down as well what is breaking through
Share their experiences and learn collectively from others
Understand the distinctions between collaborations in different sectors  

Participants will be:
CSR and sustainability practitioners
Stakeholder engagement and communications practitioners
Academics working on related topics

Click here to find out more > > >

Several million ethical consumers offer two ways to boost your business prosperity…

There is a new Ethical Junction member company going live very soon. It is called Your Ethical Startup (YES Club) and will be encouraging people to set up their own ethical businesses. Don’t worry! – rather than creating competition for existing Ethical Junction members, it will be focused on increasing awareness among consumers of the need to spend their budgets more thoughtfully from now on. In this way, YES Club is intended to create MORE business for existing ethical traders. It is also designed to enable more mutual support between ethical enterprises, this will be facilitated by the YES Forum, to be launched at the same time as YES Club.

YES has something you might find extremely
interesting: access to several million ethical consumers. If you would
like to attract some of these to your business as paying customers via
the new company, you might wish to consider the following:

1. Offering a discount to YES Club and YES
   Forum members. A discount offered at the YES launch could win you many
   new customers who will stay with you for years to come.
2. Running an event – perhaps a seminar,
   workshop or conference – during Spring or Summer of 2009. Again, YES
   members would need to be offered a discount. If you can trade it, you
   can teach it – why not open up a whole new revenue stream? And if
   you’re already running courses or other events, then this is your
   chance to promote them to several million new ethically-aware customers.
   

Please let us know as soon as possible if you
are interested in participating – the YES website launches shortly and
we would like to include as many special discounts and events as
possible.

Please contact YES here: info@ecobloomfield.com

Social Enterprise Coalition
International Conference Centre, Birmingham
10 -11 February 2009

Now in its fifth year, Voice09 is the Social Enterprise Coalition’s annual conference for the social enterprise movement in the UK. This year’s event will focus on pushing the frontiers of where and how social enterprise does business, exploring new business models and ways of working.

This event will be the largest conference for social enterprise in the UK, high profile speakers from government and the sector are expected to speak alongside an agenda of workshops and seminars to help further the sector.

Voice09 promises to be our biggest and best conference yet! With
over 1,000 delegates and 80 exhibitors, Voice09 will be the world’s
largest ever social enterprise event, where you’ll hear from inspiring
social enterprise leaders, senior members of Government, and a wide
range of social enterprise experts. 

So who will be attending…?

• Managers, employees and board members of social enterprises
• Social entrepreneurs thinking of considering a new venture
• Social enterprise specialist support bodies
• Members and officers from local authorities
• Board members and staff from Regional Development Agencies
• Politicians and officials from government departments and devolved administrations
• Housing associations
• Voluntary organisations, charities and community organisations seeking to engage in enterprise activity
• Business advisors, Business Links
• Banks, CDFIs and other financial institutions
  

Voice09 will provide your business with…

• Plenty of time within the programme for delegates to visit stands
• A unique national platform to exhibit your services
• Fantastic networking opportunities with people from across the movement
• A chance to interact with your competitors and other sector representatives
  

Exhibition Stand Fees:

Corporate Rate  £1,499.00 + VAT
Government Support Body Rate  £1,249.00 + VAT
Reduced rate (Charities, Voluntary sector & Academic)   £899.00 + VAT
Social Enterprise rate  £699.00 + VAT
Supported rate – (This fee applies to direct members of the Social Enterprise Coalition only)  £649.00 + VAT
Space only stands (4m x 3m)  £2,000.00 + VAT

Please follow the link to take a look at the floor plan for the
conference  http://www.tcp-events.co.uk/voice09/exhibitionfloorplan.html

And to book your stand
http://www.tcp-events.co.uk/voice09/exhibitorregistration.html please
note space is limited so register early to avoid disappointment.

For more information or if you have any queries about  booking, please
contact me or the Voice09 Conference team on Tel: 01323 637714, Fax:
01323 637777,

Email: voice09@confpeople.co.uk  website: www.voice09.org We want to
make Voice09 the most educational, innovative and inspiring exhibition
experience for all.

UnLtdWorld, the social network for social entrepreneurs, today announced the launch of a developer platform around its Research Lab, the world’s first dynamic mapping of social entrepreneurship to directly integrate into a social network.

Through a set of APIs (application programming interface) all data in the Research Lab will now be accessible and usable for visualisations, comparative and historical analysis, and for dynamic use with other datasets and within applications developed and deployable anywhere on the web. UnLtdWorld also announced that it has integrated Clickpass, an OpenID and cross-platform authentication issuer and provider, into its platform.

Monday July 7th – UnLtdWorld – www.unltdworld.com – the social network for social entrepreneurs, launched a developer platform around the UnLtdWorld Research Lab today. The UnLtdWorld Research Lab is the world’s mostmapping of social entrepreneurship to dynamically integrate into a social network. The Research Lab provides a breakdown of UnLtdWorld’s community, demographics and of all content on the site. The Research Lab also enables to visualise a breakdown of all data around a specific location or a member’s personal network. All data is anonymous.

Through a set of APIs, the developer platform will allow anyone to access all the data in the UnLtdWorld Research Lab for visualisations, comparative and historical analysis, and for real-time and dynamic use with other datasets, and within mash-ups and applications that can be deployed anywhere on the web.

The APIs will enable to:
o Re-create and dynamically display the Research Lab in its entirety, anywhere
o Pull, display and use segments of data (e.g. around a specific location and/or interest) anywhere
o Analyse data historically, and display and visualise it as it evolves
o Dynamically use the data within visualisations
o Mash the data up with other datasets
o Dynamically use the data within applications (including with other datasets) that can then be deployed anywhere on the web.

Examples of usage could include displaying the relation between crime rates or regeneration initiatives in different areas and social enterprise’s and social entrepreneurs operating in these areas; building comparison clouds to display how interests, skills and needs differ in two different cities through a comparative tag cloud; measuring the relevancy of service provision by mapping what is offered with the needs and skills of social entrepreneurs: the research lab data would allow to assess real needs and identify gaps in service provision.

UnLtdWorld also announced that it is working to display and release additional datasets, and on enhancements to the API’s capabilities in terms of both accessing and using data from the Research Lab. UnLtdWorld has also integrated Clickpass, an OpenID and cross-platform authentication provider and issuer, into the platform. This will mean that members will be able to register on UnLtdWorld and also access the developer platform using OpenID authentication credentials and those of popular services, including Yahoo!, Google, Microsoft Live and Facebook. Alberto Nardelli, Chief Strategist of UnLtdWorld said:

“How information is produced and exchanged is critical; it affects the way we
see the world as it is and it influences how we understand what can and ought
to be done. Social media provides us with an unprecedented opportunity in
enabling and empowering this exchange by setting free the relevancy of data
on a societal scale. In other words, data becomes the platform.
We don’t aim to attract developers to one site; our vision is to make insight
and context shareable anywhere. Through the Research Lab, UnLtdWorld
aims to help build the capacity of social entrepreneurship, to enhance the
efficiency of relations between relevant stakeholders, and to support research,
understanding of issues and relevant initiatives by providing critical social
insight and context anywhere. Anyone, no matter their size, can access, use
and take advantage of this platform.
This for example could mean measuring the relevancy of service provision by
mapping what is offered with the needs and skills of social entrepreneurs;
comparing issues in different locations; or to view the relation between crime
rates or regeneration initiatives in different areas and social enterprise’s
operating in these areas and fields.
There are some great, and quite diverse, examples of data being valuably
used in very different contexts, and at UnLtdWorld we’re profoundly
committed to contributing to the realization of this potential, which is why we
developed the UnLtdWorld Research Lab and are announcing its evolution
into an open platform today.
We also feel that the integration of Clickpass adds even greater value to the
proposition, as it makes access to the platform even easier for users,
researchers and developers.”

Established in March 2008, in the UK, with support from UnLtd – the foundation for social entrepreneurs – www.UnLtdWorld.com connects thousands of social entrepreneurs worldwide, including some of the biggest names in social enterprise.

UnLtdWorld was a finalist in the 2008 New Statesman New Media Awards, Innovation Category. During the Start-up 2.0 2008 award’s at 10th Digital Global Congress in Barcelona; which was partnered by Microsoft, La Caixa Bank and Sun Microsystems, www.UnLtdWorld.com was declared the runner up. The prestigious competition sought to promote and reward the most innovative European start-ups that work in the field of Web 2.0 technologies.

FRANK Water Projects require Charity Trustees.

Join this young grassroots International Development charity run by a small and enthusiastic team based in Bristol. Our aim is to provide sustainable clean water projects for communities in India and Africa. Previous charity experience preferred.  Expertise in either finance, public relations, marketing, water technology/provision overseas development or law required. Attendance at quarterly Trustee meetings and some other input expected (Max approx.4 hours a month) For more information please visit www.frankwaterprojects.org or ring 0117 3700999 .

Please send CV and letter explaining your interest by email to hello[at]frankwaterprojects.org by the Monday 8th September.