A New Dr. Who. Now, how about a new Tardis?

Despite being away on hols, certain things you'd need to have been in a cave to miss.

So, the mantle of Dr. passes from William Hartnell to Peter Capaldi. With, possibly, some other incarnations since I last watched. In black and white. Mainly from behind the sofa.

And while Drs. may have come and gone, or morphed, one thing has stayed ubiquitous and constant: the Tardis. His trusty base of operations, with its modest exterior belying a surprisingly vast, and fascinating, interior.

Cue a quick double take as I sidled the other day past an innocuous entrance at the lower end of Brookend St. in Ross-on-Wye.

Where once I used to take my kids to play, a whole new scene was unfolding. The Doctor meets Aladdin's Cave... caves. You name it... it's here.

Yes, the newest base of operations of the mighty EnviroAbility empire has relocated again, and is now established for at least a few years.This nationally-recognised, and lauded, social enterprise has many skilled fingers in many worthy pies, and this new location at last brings them all (well, most... some are out and about in the parks or fields around town) under one roof. Of course, high on the agenda is their commitment to as many 're's' as you can shake a sustainable stick at. Junkk.com first hooked up with them a long time ago when we helped with the 'RE:Box' project, now sadly no longer in place, if fondly remembered still. And since then we've been happy to help wherever we can with corporate ID & marketing concepts. Most of... well, the dafter... divisions were either names or logo-designed by us.

EnviroAbility's commitment to reducing waste and saving money from recovered materials remains as strong as ever. Room after room of furniture, fixtures and fittings (even one set ready to offer IT support to those seeking job-hunting advice) await the eager bargain hunter. Just look at all the bikes alone they have in course of being restored in the cavernous up floor  of their new premises:

Now if it all looks a bit of a dog's dinner still... it is! I was going to await things being more sorted out before running this story, but Dennis Humble, General Manager, asked me to get the word out right away, as they are looking for help to set up, on top of seeking anyone else whose values match theirs to get in touch with a view to making this a literal eco-sustainability superstore.

So, don't be shy.... get along or get in touch!

This could be you, too.

Japan - Priorities

I simply need to know what I can DO, sensibly, in the UK, to help.

I have near given up on our media.

Streaming footage from helicopters trawling about showing SOS signs atop buildings, having evidently made a call on what they might mean, yesterday pushed me to irony overload.

Meanwhile endless 'experts' guessing what 'could' have happened and 'may' yet, across a variety of issues.

The time for such self-serving ratings-driven analysis or, worse, tribal issue debating, is not now.
[Addendum - at risk of becoming part of the blame culture I criticise, this nonetheless is an interesting tally to show what has so disappointed me]

I am not sure if money is what is needed, but if it is, convince me that it goes to where it will do most good, and will get deployed fast, and the online DD is created.

But what I do have in the loft is stuff 'for a rainy day' or my kids' futures. These I can buy again in my own sweet time.

Blankets, tents... if these can be got to an airfield and arrive in Japan to do some good in 24hrs, just let me know.

But spare me the utter horse manure disaster porn I am currently getting from near all of our sorry media.

Day 4 - I am today trying to put together a newsletter to inspire folk into doing something productive locally, as I am trying to do via our local paper. One thing is trying to assess what best defines 'humanitarian needs'. It seems tents may not be it. OK. Food is mentioned more. I am not sure about the logistical wisdom of sending a can from here, so one does need to be guided by those more experienced. However the international/national media remain less than helpful in this regard.

Maybe money to a charity is best. But choose, and invest, with care.

17/03/11

Well, it has almost been a week now, and while things have certainly not settled down (anything but) it may soon be time to move on. I'll be moving this to the home page for a while, and leave the blogs free for, well new blogs.

Some have asked me why I have not indulged in the ongoing 'discussions' regarding the nuclear situation. I have actually addressed it on twitter, but even there gave up. There is no point in endless speculation. Something very bad happened the other side of the globe and, with luck, no worse to follow. All I know is that the Japanese are a generous nation, and have never stinted in helping others. Now it's their turn. May we find the best way(s) to do this.

******************************************

STOP PRESS - 20/03/11

The author of the piece above, who lives in Japan, has kindly responded to an invitation of mine to share what he thinks is needed most, and when, with most reasonable explanations as to why....

I'm waiting for things to clear enough to allow me to go north and participate in the clean-up effort. In the meantime, I have donated to Second Harvest Japan, who are getting supplies to stricken areas.

http://www.2hj.org/index.php/get_involved/donate_money

What I like about Second Harvest, is that because their supplies are given by donation, the money is used for transportation and such, meaning that 1000 Yen (about $10USD) can supply (by their estimate, admittedly) 10 times that in supplies.

Supplies are important because, as I understand it, the main post-quake cause of death is looking to by hypothermia (due to lack of fuel) and lack of medicine.

For the more conservative, the Japanese Red Cross is also a good bet. People can donate through the link provided by Google: http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html

That page also contains good advice on how to help (Google has a presence in Japan, so they're not just blowing smoke).

******************************************

ADDENDA - (as I get 'em, I'll add 'em - feel free to suggest any more).

Disaster Japan

Google Home Page

Google Search

More Google resources

Gear diary

Shelterbox

Red Cross - specific URL kindly provided by a fellow commenter - http://www.redcross.org.uk/Donate-Now/Make-a-single-donation/Japan-Tsunami-Appeal

firstgiving.com - Note: not vetted, but has been passed on

Quakebook - I'm a bit dubious about 'arty'-based donation efforts, as the %ages that come in vs. get passed on can be variable, but some interesting new aspects are presented, esp. in comments, to make this piece worth sharing.

Not saying I agree with it, but a rather off the wall view

A bit of, necessary, light(er) relief.

Does Japan even NEED donations? Another left field post to digest My head aches.

A graphic indication of the scale of the problem.

Not really into disaster porn, but this shows the scale of what took place. This wave was out to sea. Imagine it when making landfall.

Graphic art in support. Nor all great, but some genius.


All a bit circular, but the latest (after a year's absence) Junkk Newsletter has now gone out. I am hoping to at least inspire/be part of any efforts locally that can be made.

Speaking of priorities, in case you were thinking the world has gone a bit mad....

Dear BBC blog contributor,

Thank you for contributing to a BBC blog. Unfortunately we've had to edit your comment below because it contravened one of our House Rules.

Comments on the BBC blogs will be removed if they contain links to other websites which break our Editorial Guidelines. The URL(s) which failed were: http://www.redcross.org.uk/Donate-Now/Make-a-single-donation/Japan-Tsunami-Appeal. For more information, please visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/moderation.shtml#l

Regards,
BBC Central Communities team
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/

URL of content (now edited):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/blog142/F20708486?thread=8119961&post=107299837#p107299837

Posting:
'...our Science editor, will update us on the situation at the Japanese quake-stricken nuclear plant where radiation levels are now at a level harmful to human health.'

So.... still studiously not worrying too much about that earthquake/tsunami thing that was also involved. Had a bit of an impact too.

Not sure if its the best, but many have told me it's up there: [Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator - the Red Cross one... unsuitable?????]

Meanwhile, it's nice to know the BBC is sending as many folk as possible over there to fill rooms and consumer resources, mainly to talk to folk they just left back here.

Guessing the carbon-saving thing is on hold too.

ps: Unverified, but credible, bearing in mind a disaster relief URL was 'unsuitable' whilst their pet fun run one was being pushed 24/7:

@OldHoborn - Remember, without £119,946 donated by YOU to #comicrelief, the "Black Association of Women" would struggle for funds

Messages... and messengers

Piers Morgan solves energy crisis

I was driving to a meeting today (Oh, the irony. However, I did stop off at Ledbury to check out how to get to Brum or London in a more eco and possibly cheaper way... IF the train runs) and listening to the Jeremy Vine show.

It was about charity reverting to home.

Usual wind up. In the stir-up corner was Kelvin McKenzie saying 'sod the rest; Brit is best'.

Against him were lined up at least three fragrant ladies who obviously lunch, but also do good works for 'those less fortunate'. They were very much of the view that more aid rather than less was the order of the day. Folk were starving (true), it wasn't their fault (true. Well, at least the starving ones. I keep seeing nice limos when the Pres lobs up) and 'it's all down to global warming'.

Now, on that last one I am still in a jury that is out. However that all of them opened their pitch with 'I have just got back from flying around...', irony-free, to my mind did not help what else they uttered.

Some are just more equally allowed to 'study the situation' than others, I guess.

Charitable Aims

A slightly 'easier' day newswise, as the BBC seems to have ditched all in favour of the London Marathon.

I think I might give it a miss. Barely started, and the 24/7 news-gathering machine is already struggling to find things to talk about.

But I just watched one piece of some interest, which was a noble group of Masai warriors here to run and raise money for their village. I recall these fine chaps from news several days ago.

However one thing did strike me. They are hoping to raise £600, a more than modest aim, and amazing what it will achieve back home. I am also pretty sure that, with such coverage, they will get a wee bit more than that... if they can find a use.

Thing is, bearing in mind there were a good few of them, I couldn't help but wonder how that amount equates to the flying and accommodation costs.

This does crop up quite a lot. I have been invited to sponsor charity runs/rides, etc in all sorts of exotic places, and the funding seems to kick in only after the participant's costs are covered. Many times that seems like me paying for someone to have a fairly nice holiday with a bit of exercise on top.

I am sure these guys were/are sponsored, but one does have to wonder what the chaROI is in many cases. It is not so satisfying and community bonding 'n all, not to mention no coverage means no PR means no support in the first place, but in terms of getting the maximum amount to where it will do most good you have to wonder whether the aims are being best met for those one presumes it's all intended for.

I'd like to see what the numbers are. Maybe it's all better than nothing as without an event there would be no contributions at all, but it would be interesting to see who the beneficiaries are for each pound generous souls contribute.

Times - The ego marathon - only to show I am not alone on the chugger deal when a sunny clime is involved.

Times - e-mail chuggers, take a hike

NEWS/Commercial PR - Drinks Co. in charity tree planting partnership!

Another commercial/NGO (well, charity) combo today!

We're not always that keen on the 'whack a fir in the firmament' notion, mainly as most press releases allude to some offsetting... off somewhere.

This one is a bit closer to home... and our hearts.

PR mainly as received, with edits. Check websites for details:

Tree Cheers – Feel Good Drinks in UK charity tree planting partnership!

Feel Good Drinks has teamed up with independent charity, Trees for Cities, for a national year long tree planting partnership. This initiative will see Feel Good Drinks and the charity holding ‘Feel Good Carnival Planting Days’, throughout the year.

Trees for Cities is an independent charity that works to transform urban wasteland into green spaces, by getting the local community involved in the tree planting and educating them on how to sustain the transformed green areas.

As well as tree planting, each carnival planting day will include face painting, live music, football games and loads of arts and crafts, including bird box making! On top of planting 1000 trees, Feel Good Drinks will be supporting the partnership with sampling, digital and PR activity.

The first of the five ‘Feel Good Carnival Planting Days’ kicks off on Saturday 1st March at Braithwaite Park in East London.

Serving interests

Grinch time.

I have no real problem with a lot in the business that is charity, but all too often I stumble on 'efficiencies'... perhaps it could be termed 'chaROI', namely what is involved in getting a pound from the public to 'how much?' and in what useful form to the most worthy beneficiaries.

Without naming names, and without knowing the back-story, this was prompted by a fairly hefty news item about a not small group who went to South America to paraglide off a mountain, and raised... £3k. About the cost of the flight of one, plus gear, I'd hazard.

Now if they paid for all and this was just a nice little donation via sponsorship on top, then fine. But having been asked more than a few times to chip in on such things these can often be 'after expenses', meaning the charity goes a long way to paying for a lot of other stuff that doesn't really help those most in need.

So before I donate, or put these up on the site to encourage others, forgive me if I tend delve a bit more into the the provenance chain a bit more.

A new RE on the block...re:place?

I'm about to head off to a seminar in Surrey. And this time I'm a speaker!

That's a nice new twist. I have often had my doubts about the value of a lot of networking events, and have pretty much decided the only ones of real value are when you have a stand of your own, or are on the podium.

At least with these two you can be pretty certain all there at least know who you are. Of course, to achieve the former you are several grand down on the deal, while with the latter you might even get paid. Of course, you might not. Ways to go, I guess. In this case, Farnham, about 250 miles there and back.

Anyway, I have been invited to share the story so far on RE:tie, and by association, Junkk.com.

It's going to be interesting. I have done my PowerPoint, and at 30 minutes it's a long one. Mainly an amalgamation and adaptation of a few previous ones, mostly derived from pitches to try and get funding or PR or a sale.

I was pondering this this morning as I watched breakfast TV.

It was another of what seems a weekly slot where Sir Stuart Rose of M&S gets to flog stuff with Declan holding a rack of schumtter alongside. The PR luvvies and wires between them and the BBC bookers must have been buzzing.

Only this time there was... is (it's a trial, which cranks the eyebrow a tad) a twist. And as stated, it's a reuse story, with win-wins all round, so I am bound to cover it here.

Basically, for now, if you are about to donate your old stuff to the charity shop, make sure you break out the old M&S efforts and get 'em to OXFAM. In so doing, you get a £5 voucher, they get some quality gear, and M&S.... well, they get you to fork out at least another £30 on new stuff. See... win-win.

Only, it's kinda more replacement than reuse. And in many ways the main winners are, in order... who? And... as long as it lasts?

Look , I have no problem with end-benefit driven enviro-initiatives, and this is better than many I've seen. But it just comes across as a bit, I don't know, stretching it... or... grubby?

Speaking of which, there was a whole raft of 'if it isn't suitable or crack squad of sorters will recycle it no problem' form the lady on a nice directorial crack from OXFAM. Were these not the guys who told us recently that if it wasn't brand and spanking to bugger off elsewhere? Maybe this is a corrective mea culpa.

It's just we are talking a very specific effort here, for a potentially limited time period, but by being greenish gets another huge dollop of free-ad PR. And I have to say that, and once I have gone through the Sundays will prove, the 'fashion'; industry doesn't half get a lot of cover for doing a few things that might err on eco, when overall the whole sorry lot are sucking the life out of the planet in terms of consumption and waste and, even, unethical, practices.

Wouldn't it be great to see a few more stories where you, the consumer, get to opt for a necessity (well, ish) that is free yet still can in its purchase help you, aid the marketers... and the planet? Now that would surely be a 'win win win'.

Let's see how I do trying to convince my audience in person. As I can't seem to get the BBC or retailers to be interested as yet.

The cause now seeking a celeb may be found at...

Speaking of celebs (well some in the big business world seem to be accorded that accolade), I found this an interesting 3rd party view on just what it all achieves: Look at us, doing good

Now, no one can or has arched an eyebrow more and higher than me on who bolts themselves to what with questionable consequences and even worse motivations, but to have a skewering from within ranks was novel.

I even pop in a picture I'd cut out last week while we aware in London with a view to going 'OMG, I must get some of those!'

You have to love this, from one of the best examples: “I do Third World, I’ve been doing Third World since 1994,”

So here's a website for those who want to give in a targeted, intelligent and private way, rather than those who only ever get their chequebook out with their tiara: the Big Give

It will be interesting to see how well it does (I guess by definition we won't see much about from whom), and how much support the parasite industries feel like supporting it either, beyond this piece.

Charity begins...?

It must often seem I have a bit of a 'thing' about charities.

Ignoring for now the value they have as a complementary source for social good, they certainly also provide an incredible re:use function as well.

And when done well, on both counts, I am here to applaud and support. For instance, as mentioned before, by trying to figure how to use Junkk.com to divert the much dreaded plastic bag for where it is not wanted... to where it seems it is. That first poster is asking for your old, clean bags!

However, I also feel they can get it wrong, and the other poster is an illustration. I was actually directed to it by an old lady neighbour, who was not impressed. I have to agree. It's bad enough them getting to compete unfairly with rate-paying retailers selling new goods at cut prices, (my view is that they should be re-selling nifty second hand bargains alone), but the symbolism of selling 'brand new hats for Ascot' just didn't sit right.

I think they can find a niche in our consumer sector, and it need not be restricted to a grubby one, but not in this way, with such luxury goods possibly made for the purpose and competing with a nearby haberdasher struggling to compete in a harsh climate.

Suffer little children. It's good business.

I just saw an ad man and a charity lady discuss a kid's ad that has been pulled for 'being distressing'. And justified as necessary to secure money, most of which goes on the next campaign.

I was sickened. But not by the ad.

Here's what I wrote.

These 'tactics' can lead in only one direction. Loads of awards for the ad agencies. Bubbly corks popping in the media agencies. Nice salaries for the expanding charity marketing departments. And how much going to what that tangibly helps kids... exactly?

I would wish this question had been answered, despite being posed more than once.

They are inheriting it. Maybe we should let them save it as well.

Caption:

Me presenting the prizes donated by the local Warhammer shop to the winners, along with a special award from Junkk.com to the young initiative initiator, an antique brass caliper.




Today is Comic Relief day.

So far, so media frenzied.

Frankly, I can take or leave scores of 'celebrities' - some of whom are doubtless sincere, but most of whom have either been told to do it by their bosses or agents, or need to do it to boost flagging careers - mugging to the camera to get the sofa-set to part with cash by phone. I'm sure after the last few weeks it's is all crystal clear and above board, but I'm prepared to bet there are still some admin and handling charges in there.

Meanwhile, in sleepy Ross on Wye, a few days ago a small boy had an idea. And frankly I reckon he has put the whole adult population, from self-centred celebs to sparring pols, to shame.

Because he set up a simple little competition between his mates.

They are all mad for Warhammer, which seems to be a brilliant way to get parents to pay for a 1" character what we used to get in the entire Airfix D-Day recreation set.

Lots and lots of plastic doo-dads which get snapped off and stuck together and painted and played with in strategy games.

And young Dexter's idea was to see who could make the most, and whackiest, creations out of the bits that are left behind in the moulding process (best name heard to date: sprue. But in may be spurl, or Trevor for all I know). One hour, at £1 a character.

My boys made nine. Each. So thanks to this little boy I am now shy £18. Worth every darn penny.

I got wind of it in advance, and for obvious reasons also got quite excited about the notion that kids were doing something a) productive, b) creative, c) worthy and d) fun with reuse. So I flashed around and got the local Warhammer store to sponsor some prizes, which were judged by a panel of proud Dads (not knowing what creation was made by which son).

I'm presenting them tonight. And then I am going to see what I can do to let the Warhammer guys know about it, the media and anyone else who will listen. Because this is worth building upon.

While others talk, these kids just got on and acted for themselves. And had a ball doing it.

Save the children. Save the planet. By and for the children. No adult egos or agendas to be found.

And that... is what it's all about.

Guardian - Last night's TV: Comic Relief does the Apprentice
Telegraph - Priceless gains from spending nothing
Guardian - Comic Relief/The Bits That Aren't Fame Academy: Live
BBC - Comic Relief appeal raises £40.2m