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

Nice when you get it

Just had a nice call.

Remember my Voucher Tree idea?

Well, one of the schools we helped has just advised me that they had enough coupons in their coconut to be redeemed for a new wheelbarrow for their organic garden.

Every little bit helps, eh?

But I still can't stop wondering how much better it would have been, for all in the community, if Morrison's had allowed us to put the tree in their foyer to catch folk as they were leaving.

It would have reminded those without kids to collect them anyway, the schools would have got tons more... and the store itself would have gained awesome PR.

PR COVERAGE - Blooming great!

Just wish they'd spelled the name right!

Many either use 'junk' or 'junnk'

To late to change now.

But welcome coverage.

With luck, more to come.

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.

First Self Trumpet Blow of the New Year (sorry)

I know green blogs are a bit of a bore when they talk about themselves all the time.

But I like to think we're pretty well balanced, and when something complimentary happens it does make you proud and feel like sharing.

This was a welcome surprise, and spin-off from our little Voucher Tree initiative from late last year, which did pretty well locally.

Well, it has spun off and gone a bit further, which is nice, all thanks to my Vac:Sac catching the eye of the Hereford Journal photographer.

It was also worth noting that in chatting with the reporter when she was researching the story, the link we now have with Poundland piqued her interest mote than a little, and cropped up more than once in the piece.

I think a New Resolution might be to get back in touch and a) do something jointly to help their customers 'green up' even more with Junkk.com, and b) PR the heck out of it!

Considerations

Commercial schools

Small businesses do face very tough times (letters, 1 December). I am not the owner of a small business but a former teacher, and I strongly object to the large banners hanging on the walls or railings of innumerable junior schools, announcing that the school is collecting vouchers for one supermarket chain or another. Schools are demeaning themselves by allowing themselves to be used as advertising hoardings, and schools should not disadvantage parents who are the owners of small businesses, by giving the impression that supermarkets are the obvious place to shop.

Or, should I say... dilemmas.

Having just, with our Voucher Tree efforts, been complicit in such an effort, This has given me cause to ponder.

I must say that, when we were doing the publicity, we considered using just such a poster on a railing to highlight our collection efforts, and everyone agreed that they did not deserve the publicity. Interesting that such a 'poster site' would usually be subject to a lot of planning, and even more money if not 'in a good cause'. It seems I am not the only one who can be cynical.

A nice way to end the week

Remember the Voucher Tree idea we had? Well, it all came to an end and, I'm glad to say, also to fruition. Also, with a great sigh of relief, it all worked out pretty well and so no egg on yours truly's face.

Bearing in mind we had really only had a month of the programme left, the two stores with trees in them collected a pretty fair amount, and so we decided on a bit of PR to thank all concerned.

And that worked out nicely too. The local media were very interested and supportive, and I think we gave them a nice shot, thanks to a whole bunch of nice folk pitching in (see above - several schools were kind enough to send representatives). Even the weather cooperated.

Here's an edit of the Press Release that went out, and we'll hopefully see the story appear* in various forms next week.

I'd just like to thank all concerned for making it the inspirational success it has become, especially the townsfolk who made the effort to drop off their vouchers.

Give that Town A Coconut!

Local schools benefit from Ross-on-Wye shoppers and businesses teaming up to make the most of national retail chain promotional opportunity

Not too long ago, a locally-organised community initiative was launched to try and make the most of the Morrison’s supermarket 'Let's Grow' promo, whereby purchases can generate free vouchers that schools can use to buy gardening equipment. 'Voucher Tree' palms were made specially by local re:use business Junkk.com from old packaging, with 'coconuts' made with the name of every participating school.

The original plan was to put these in the local Morrison’s supermarket foyer but unfortunately it proved to difficult for them to get head office permission in time. But a quick call to local stalwarts bore fruit, and the trees sprouted at Terry’s Digital and the EnviroAbility Book Swap shop in town.

Terry Thomas of Terry’s was happy to oblige. He remarks: ‘It was no problem having a tree in the store, and worked out well for everyone. Being right next door to the supermarket we were convenient to drop off vouchers, and it made us some new friends in passing too. A real win-win all round!’.

Dennis Humble of EnviroAbility agrees, adding: ‘We were more than happy to offer all those kind enough to pop in a way to make sure as many vouchers as possible would get to where they can to the most good. In fact we had visitors from other towns come by and say what a good idea it was, and how they wished their community was as responsive and had done the same too.’

Now the promotion is over, the organisers will be handing over all the vouchers collected to the designated schools who asked to be part. Says Peter Martin of Junkk.com: ‘It was nice to see every part of the town pull together to make the most of the opportunity, though it’s a pity we couldn’t have had a tree in the actual supermarket foyer as a reminder to shoppers to collect and drop off on the spot. But the bulging bottles we have ended up with show just what can be done when the public, businesses and local media pull together.

It cost next to nothing to set up, but we are very appreciative of the time and effort of all concerned to help make it work. With luck we can think of more such mutually-rewarding community initiatives again in the future!”

*Addendum: It has. Nice one, all

One less reason to shop...?

Has the the lucky Rabbits' foot that is Junkk.com struck again?

Well, for some.

Now, I'd be hard-pressed to say our little effort in Ross is much more than a drop in the ocean, but our local Morrison's has run out of Let's Grow vouchers.

Just popped over to get the boys' lunch, and as the cashier handed me my bill I smiled and asked for my vouchers, too.

"We've run out', she said.

'Well, what do I do to get them,' I asked.... "See the supervisor".

Oddly, I had only got a few words out before this lady was in full 'It's not my fault" mode.

They've run out, they didn't get any more and at this stage (it ends Nov. 6) there may not be any. No offer to log my receipt in case they do.

Now.... I don't know much about marketing, but that rather smacks of a bit of poor planning and rather suspect customer relations at head office.

Happy to play our part in making the scheme a success. Shame we seem unlikely to get any more vouchers, mind.

Anyway, every little bit helps. And maybe we did, a bit, too.

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!