Palming On

Funny old world.

A week ago I noticed the local Morrison's was again running the 'Let's Grow' promo, and pondered if we might again unleash the Voucher Palm again (click the links below for archive backstory)

Well, a bit like careless kings and troublesome priests, no sooner muttered than rushed out... without telling me! Nice 'n all, but I might have helped with the proof-reading too.

Plus actually delivering as promised.

Hence a bit of flashing around this weekend to get the new one up.

All's well that ends well....

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Don't Be Shy, Schools and Shoppers - Choose Your Coconut Today!

Voucher Palm Ready To Do The Business Again in 2010

Another Autumn, another Morrison's 'Let's Grow' Promo.

And, of course, in Ross-on-Wye at least, the Voucher Palm blossoms in complement again, made from all-reused materials by local eco-ideas website Junkk.com, to help shoppers around town 'post' their vouchers to donate to local schools.

Two have so far have asked to have their own coconut on the palm, but there is space for plenty more. Plus plenty of room inside each to donate vouchers to the school of your choice.

So when around town, if you have some vouchers in your wallet in danger of being lost in the back of the kitchen drawer, pop by the EnviroAbility Book Swap Shop, Cantilupe Rd to ensure they get to... and help make even nicer... some very good local home schools... and gardens.

Caption - Eleanor Bennett of the EnviroAbility Book Swap Shop, Cantilupe Rd, Ross-on-Wye, graciously demonstrates Voucher Palm 3.0

The Voucher Palm lives!... again:)

Just had a call from my chums at EnviroAbility.

Seems they have had customers coming in all week asking why there is not another voucher tree in the place as the Morrisons Let's Grow promo is back.

Their wish... is my not really needed excuse to get back in the shed to make some more coconuts (as all the schools in the last one got their vouchers in theirs).

Nice to see a bit of reuse... reused:)

And to think I wasn't going to 'push it' by suggesting we do it again. Especially as, following the massive redemption success of the last one, Morrisons have again forgotten to mention it to me to see if we can put one in their foyer, where it would do most good:)

Curse this shy, retiring personality.

Reaction is probably the best form of complement

News from the "Voucher Tree" front.

We've made two, and they are in two local locations: Terry's Digital and the EnviroAbility Book Swap shop.

The PR has been picked up quite well, with local papers the Ross Gazette and Hereford Journal, and local radio BBC H&W (we think - they interviewed me for sure, but the advised date for airing keeps moving) and WyvernFM (on air and online - we'll try and get MP3s of both stations) being most supportive. It was gratifying to find hard-bitten press folk not seeing a down side to what we are trying to do.

And two more primaries, Weston-under-Penyard and Kings Caple, have asked for a 'coconut' to be added, which has been done.

Though Morrisons has yet to get back to us, we have noticed that in the last few days, if oddly well into the promotion, some 'A frames' have been put in the foyer to advise which schools have signed up. Better than nothing for sure. Shame no invitation to add a tree (or tell us they were doing this, as we could have added it to the PR), but we'd like to think our efforts may have inspired them a bit. That a sister store in the nearby city, Hereford, has only a few schools mentioned to the big list we have in Ross (like, by a factor of 10), would suggest a lot of local interest... for some reason. Still seems a pity not to just get the vouchers from till to tree in one shot.

And we've just been told of an ASDA promo around now that is very similar.

All in a good cause! As is said: 'Every little bit helps', if you know what I mean.

IDEA - Voucher Tree

This, I hope, can be the start of something big.

Let me quote from some PR going out, which I hope will explain:

Sow What?

Local schools and businesses team up to make the most of national retail chain promotional opportunity

Have you got a bunch of vouchers still in your kitchen draw from some supermarket promotion that was over last year? It seems such a pity that these opportunities to get free stuff to the benefit of the local community, especially when they are our schools, often pass by without really being taken advantage of fully.

Well, a locally-organised community collaboration has been launched to try and avoid any such waste this time, and help our nearby schools too.

Shoppers in Ross may have noticed that Morrisons supermarket is running a 'Let's Grow' promo, whereby your purchases can generate free vouchers that your school can use to buy gardening equipment.

There have been many such similar schemes before, but how easy is it to pop these in you wallet at checkout and then never get them to the right person at the right school to be of use?

Well, meet the 'Voucher Tree'. Made by local re:use-advocacy voluntary Junkketeers from old packaging, the 'Voucher Tree' will be available for you to post vouchers when in around town shopping.

Initially, local environmental social enterprise EnviroAbility have kindly offered to place one in their Cantilupe Road shop.

They will then make sure they get to the school you specify (each 'coconut' lists a local choice, plus a generic one whose contents will be divided equally) at the end of the promo.

It is very much hoped that the store itself will also soon be able to have one behind the checkout rows so it can be a simple ‘shop and pop’ in one smooth motion as you leave. But first head office approval is being sought before this will be possible.

As an interesting aside, with some experience in such charitable endeavours, Dennis Humble of EnviroAbility has advised that for some reason many customers still turn down such free vouchers even when offered at the till. Hopefully this initiative, and any publicity that may be generated, will result in higher responses through better awareness combined with more immediate and convenient ways to get the vouchers where they will do most good.

So, when you shop, remember when they ask if you'd like your vouchers – please think 'Sow What' and then come and add them to the tree.

The scheme runs until November 6th.

Now, what we're hoping is that the big guns at Head Office see opportunity staring them in the face. It's happening with or without them. With is better for all, all round.

Because... there's more sinking in:

As an interesting aside, with some experience in such charitable endeavours, Dennis has advised that for some reason many customers still turn down such free vouchers even when offered. Hopefully this initiative, and any publicity that may be generated, might result in higher responses through better awareness combined with more immediate and convenient ways to get the vouchers where they will do most good.

If it works here in Ross, it is hoped it may catch on elsewhere in the county and country and with other promos, too. Hey, it’s a free and easy way to get free and useful stuff to help the community!

If anyone wants to copy the “Voucher Tree” just go to Junkk.com and look in the 'Ideas Section'. But feel free to adapt and/or improve!