Thurrock International Celebration of Culture

To mark this year's Celebration of International Culture the Thurrock Learning Shop will be hosting an event on Saturday 16th July between 1000hrs and 1400hrs.

Activities available on the day include;

International arts and crafts
Careers guidance
Help with your CV

Additionally, between 1000hrs and 1200hrs there will be a Skype workshop. Skype is a software application that allows users to make voice and video calls and chats over the internet. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free, while calls to both traditional landline telephones and mobile telephones can be made for a fee at a much reduced rate.

Skype is a cost effective and easy to use way of keeping in touch with friends and family from all corners of the globe. The free workshop is aimed at beginners and improvers and will be delivered in our fully equipped training room. To reserve your space call Chloe direct on 01375 485490.

Free Business Event

Business Link, Low Carbon Business Programme, and Thurrock Council have come together to bring you a business breakfast and two follow up workshops on the subject of procurement. They have been designed specifically, although not exclusively, for Thurrock businesses.
The breakfast is a free networking opportunity where you can find out about the procurement procedures and initiatives of Thurrock Council, how you can build your green credentials and what CSR means for small business, and how to win Olympic contracts.
The two follow up workshops are also free and will go into more detail about Public Procurement and Tendering, and Resource Efficiency and Green Procurement. With both workshops we will provide you with enough information and advice so you can apply it straight into your business.
Thu 30th June - Business Link Breakfast - Public Procurement and Energy Efficiency
Time: 0745-1000
Venue: Orsett Hall, Prince Charles Avenue, Orsett, Essex. RH16 3HS
To book: http://www.bookevents.org/
Two follow up half day workshops are also on offer;
Wed 13th July - Half Day Workshop - Public Procurement and Tendering
Time: 0930-1230
Venue: Thurrock Learning Shop, 17 George Street, Thurrock RM17 6LY
To book: http://www.bookevents.org/
Tue 19th July - Half Day Workshop - Resource Efficiency and Green Procurement
Time: 0930-1230
Venue: Thurrock Learning Shop, 17 George Street, Thurrock. RM17 6LY.
To book: http://www.bookevents.org/

Social Enterprise Seminars

As this blog has mentioned before, Social Enterprise is the biggest growing business model across Europe. There are many different definitions of what constitutes a Social Enterprise but basically they are businesses with social aims at their heart, that reinvest their profit back into the community. Examples can include companies limited by guarantee, registered charities, community interest companies and much more.

Taking place in the coming weeks are a number of seminars which may help anybody who is considering taking the next-step in setting-up there own Social Enterprise. The dates are;

• Start-up Basics Seminar - Social aims, earning profit, starting-up, governance and marketing Monday 23rd May, 6pm - 9pm



• Neighbourhood and community groups and forums - Generating revenue from assets, asset transfer, appropriate legal structures Monday 6th June, 6pm - 9pm



• Voluntary groups providing services for residents - Competing for contracts, Community Interest Companies, what are trading subsidiary companies, the benefits of trading Monday 13th June 6pm - 9pm

All of the events are taking place at The Beehive Centre in West Street and to book your place, call 01375 389893 now.

Potato Cup

It seems to have come around so quickly but the warm weather and the hint of summer on the air heralds the start of the annual Thurrock Great Potato Growing Competition. Competitors include last year's winners, TRUP who have displayed the cup proudly and who are hoping to make it twice-in-a-row. Hoping to improve on last year's poor performance is IKEA, leading the Thurrock Learning Shop we have Debbie and Chloe, and this year's new entrants are Lifestyle Choice and Solutions and The Royal Opera House.

Due to public sector cuts, the number of seed potatoes has been reduced by 20% to 4 but again as with last year, the green-fingered teams will be growing the Maris Peer variety which are second -croppers and make a marvellous potato salad.

Further updates to follow but competition sponsor, Knowledge Thurrock Innovation Associates wishes every team the best of luck

Shrove Tuesday & Birthday Celebrations

Competitive as always, on Shrove Tuesday we challenged our neighbours with whom we share the former Post-Office building to a pancake race. The event took place outside on George Street and involved two teams, each with three members in a relay around the monument and back along the side of the State Cinema. As you can see from the picture, the TLS team included our Student Ambassador Receptionist Kaitlyn along with Chloe, our newest recruit on the right.

Chloe, who first came to the shop as a member of the Next Top Boss cohort, has joined as the new Apprentice Receptionist and will be working both at the TLS and our big sister, the Barking Learning Centre. As Chloe lives locally, she'll hopefully also be taking on the responsibility of watering this year's potato crop on the weekends; a strategy which we think will bring the Thurrock Potato Growing Challenge Cup back to it's rightful home.

Next Thursday morning is the 1st Birthday of the Thurrock Network Group at the TLS. Organised by Louise of Dotty Hippo Design in conjunction with Knowledge Thurrock Innovation Associates and the Federation of Small Businesses the network has been organised by local businesses for local businesses. Research into Innovation and SMEs shows that good networking is a key to growth, referral sales and also offers local entrepreneurs the opportunity to share experiences, intel and challenges. Local MP Stephen Metcalfe will be coming along and further details are available at http://essexfsbthurrocknetworkgroup.eventbrite.com/

Get On 2 Get On

For the last couple of weeks, the Thurrock Learning Shop has been sharing the High Street with the Get On 2 Get On bus which provides basic computer training and guidance to the local community. The bus is kitted out with ten work stations, two data projection plasma screens, a coffee machine and unlike the TLS, two fully-functioning printers. The on-board tutor provides straight-foward computer courses and taster sessions including word-processing and internet surfing and thanks to the bus' mobility, it's able to reach all corners of Thurrock.

The Headlines Today

......in breaking news today the mystery of the Old Post Office Ghost has been resolved. After just over a year of head-scratching, speculation and scientific investigation it turns out that the Thurrock Learning Shop does not indeed have a ghost. It remained unexplained just how the air-conditioning could magically turn itself on in two of the control panels and not the third. Overnight internal CCTV footage has been systematically reviewed for proof of the phantom presence and more recently a trap involving a strategically placed piece of A4 paper on the floor uncovered no evidence. In an unexpected twist today, it was revealed that the air conditioning units had been secretly programmed on a timer.

.......and in entertainment news the shock revelation that the Gray's Town Centre Pan-Pipe Player has been miming through his full repertoire of 5 songs. Local worker Mrs Brisco said "It was such a shock as he was playing his Pan-Pipes quite happily into the microphone with the backing track as normal. A dog barked at him and he ran away but magically it was still possible to hear the sweet rendition of Celine Dion's award-winning and haunting Titanic song." In a statement released by the Pan Pipe Player's PR Manager it was stated that "many current artistes such as Brittney Spears and Cheryl Cole mime sections of their songs in order to compliment and enhance rigorous dance performances. We can offer assurance however, that when he sits down with his accordion his renditions of ABBA classics are live and genuine performances."

Thurrock's Next Top Boss

Last night Debbie, Ray and I attended the Thurrock Next Top Boss award ceremony at the Thameside Theatre. Over the summer many of the competitors used the Thurrock Learning Shop as a base, pulling together their research, brain-storming ideas to resolve challenges or even attending balloon art workshops. From the start of the summer there was clear development in many of the individuals taking part and there was something really special about seeing some of the perhaps more "energetic" or "cheeky" little scamps hold their own on a stage in front a crowd. Above all else, they all seemed really grateful to have been a part of the process, voiced their thanks and genuinely looked proud. It's good when good things happen.

New Year's Resolutions at the Thurrock Learning Shop

For many people, the beginning of January is an opportunity to take stock of the previous 12 months and make plans for the coming 12. There are plenty of statistics that indicate that making resolutions is a waste of time, that making them is setting yourself up to fail but really if you don't make them now, when will you make them? Of course, sometimes it helps to have some support so below we've listed a few popular resolutions and ways in which the Thurrock Learning Shop can help you achieve them...

1. 2011 is going to be the year when I get a great job

There are a number of events taking place at the Learning Shop to help you achieve this resolution so whether you are looking for a fresh challenge or to pick-up a part-time job around school hours it might be time to brush up your CV and job search techniques. Daphne is holding interactive workshops on both these topics on January 11th and even if you are not looking for a job straight-away, it's always good to be up-to-date.

Not content with sharing her top-tips for making an outstanding application, Daphne is then holding an Interview Techniques workshop on January 25th. Detailing her confidence-boosting strategies, hints on positive body language and techniques for making a good first-impression this workshop will help you achieve your goal.

2. 2011 is going to be the year that I give something back to the community

Making new friends, donating your time to improve the lives of others or simply changing your routine are all benefits of volunteering. It's also a way to demonstrate to a future employer that you are keen, adaptable and prepared to take-on new challenges and looks good on your CV too. If you would like to know more, sign-up for the "What is Volunteering?" workshop taking place on January 26th.

3. 2011 is going to be the year that I rediscover my artistic skills

It's always good to use the other half of your brain so if the last time that you picked-up a paint brush, stuck your fingers in some clay or made a seasonal table decoration was at school then it's time to sign up for one of our Arts & Crafts sessions. Taking place throughout the year, the next one at the Thurrock Learning Shop is February 1st and places are limited.

4. 2011 is going to be the year that I find out more about the way the country is run

Why is there a toll on the Dartford Bridge? How do I influence a decision that my local MP votes on in Westminster? What exactly does the Speaker of the House do? If you've wanted to know more about the way the country is run, sign up for the "Understanding Parliament" seminar on February 16th.

As for resolutions at the Learning Shop itself, I think we have a few ideas;

We are going to strive to achieve our Bronze Award from UEL's Energy and Environment Team.

We are going to win the Great Potato Growing Challenge and bring the cup back to it's rightful home.

We are going to grow some more of our own lunches.

We are going to work with more of our academic colleagues to apply knowledge to local issues.

In the meantime Happy New Year.