Spreading the Green Goodness

At the TLS we are all about spreading the love of things Green, especially when they save us money. For this reason the Knowledge Thurrock Innovation Associate project is hosting a "Save Money by Carbon Foot-Printing" workshop on Thursday 11th Feb. Aimed at local business owners and managers, the workshop will show companies how they can save money and the environment by understanding the inter-relationship between carbon equivalent emissions reduction, resource efficiency measures and investment. Email Richard at r.a.snell@uel.ac.uk if you would like more details about this free event.

The Green Thing

I've been trying to think of a heading for a series of posts I'm going to write about the "greening" of the Thurrock Learning Shop but my mischievous mind keeps sniggering at the colour. You see, I studied in Spain for awhile and over there green translates to blue. So if for example you watch a blue movie, the Spanish would say a green movie; to tell a blue joke would translate to a green joke and the phrase "dirty old man" is "viejo verde" or "old green". Suffice to say, when you meet your madrileno flatmate's mother for the first time, don't be asking her if she has green fingers - it doesn't translate well.

So back to the Green Thing and today I've picked up the recycling bin for the Thurrock Learning Shop so we can start to collect the used paper without causing a fire hazard. I was hoping to get a second-hand bin from our friends at 2ndGeneration in Thurrock but it seems that bins don't get recycled often. Getting the bin is the start of the journey towards carbon reduction that we've documented in the Thurrock Learning Shop's Green Commitment. Hopefully there will be some fun things too like growing our own herbs on the window-sill and a potato-bucket in the car park so if anybody has any knowledge of moon-phase planting, a spare watering can or some spare seed potatos that they would like to donate, please email me at r.a.snell@uel.ac.uk

Social Enterprise Round Table

The Learning Shop is looking forward to hosting it's first event for Thurrock's social enterprise community on Friday 5th February from 0830 until 1030. Social Enterprise is the fastest growing business model in Europe - some of the more well known names include retailer John Lewis, The Eden Project in Cornwall, Jamie Oliver's restaurant group 15 and Cafedirect.

Social Enterprise East of England Director Andy Brady will be talking briefly about the opportunities and threats facing social entrepreneurs in 2010 and then Richard will be explaining how Social Enterprises can take advantage of subsidised support from the Knowledge Thurrock Innovation Associates project.

The Round Table will also provide an excellent opportunity to meet other managers of social enterprises, network and do business over bacon butties. More information is available from r.a.snell@uel.ac.uk or by calling 07500 802 311.

Siberian Winds Blow Towards Grays

Well, I must of chosen the coldest day of the year to visit the recently opened Thurrock Learning Shop. The journey from East London to Grays town centre was thwarted by one car in the garage, one woman unwilling to drive in the ice and a broken down C2C train. But make it I did (along with Gail and Ray also from UEL) to meet with Development Corporation colleagues to talk about the launch and official opening of the new Shop.
Wow, what a change from the pictures Debbie (shop manager) had previously posted on the Blog. Pleased to report the heating is now working, the interior is very impressive and the kettle is fully functional (thank you to one of the partners who made me tea). Despite the very poor weather, over a couple of hours there were a few interested individuals, families and couples that called in to find out 'what was going on' and 'could it help them'. Richard did a great job on the meeting and greeting front whilst Debbie attempted to leave Grays (we kept getting texts that she was still on the station waiting for a train). Sadly, we forgot to give Debbie leaflets to distribute whilst she stood on the platform to promote the next Saturday learning and community event taking place at the end of January focusing on health and well-being, drat........

Countdown to opening

September 2009 Newsletter

Progress to Date

I’m pleased to report that the building work is now fully underway and all going to plan. I have attached some photos and although it still looks very much like a building site I am assured that good progress is being made! We have been informed that we should be able to open at the end of November which is very good news.

Learning Shop Tours

Unfortunately I haven’t been able to arrange any further tours at present due to health and safety requirements. I will make sure that photos are posted on the blog regularly though so that you can see how the work is progressing.

First Aid Courses

When the shop opens, it is essential that we have a qualified first aider on site at all times. We really need to get as many of us trained up as possible. Please can you contact me if you’d like to attend a certificated first aid course – there is some funding available for this.

Transformation Fund Bid

I’m pleased to report that Ray Wilkinson’s bid was successful and we now have funding to run a number of Saturday taster sessions at the Learning Shop. The first two have been arranged and are:

A talk on the history of the local area (including the Post Office) followed by a minibus tour – Saturday 21st November

A Christmas arts and crafts event – Saturday 12th December

We need your help in running at least another 5 such events. Possible ideas include the following:-

· Session on business start up
· Healthy living promotion
· Environmental project
· Visit to the RSPB
· I.T Sessions
· Introduction to foreign languages – possibly parents and children
· Concourse event for car enthusiasts

The purpose of these sessions is to engage the community and get participants interested in learning so they can be fun and enjoyable. We need your help in planning and running these. Please contact me if you have anything you’d like to run or wish to discuss further.

Staffing

We now know that we will be opening between mid and end of November. Some of you have already indicated your availability but please can you confirm the regular days/times you will be able to work in the Learning Shop so that I can begin drafting a rota of cover.

Opening times are:-

Wednesday – 9.30 am to 5.00 pm
Thursday – 9,30 am t0 7.00 pm
Friday – 9.30 am to 5.00 pm

Due to health and safety, it is essential that we maintain a minimum amount of staff at all times, so if you could let me know your availability that would be very helpful.

Common Procedures

As the opening of the shop approaches, I think it will be very important to develop common procedures so that we all work in similar ways. Examples of this include the following:-

- how we record clients who come into the shop
- how we refer clients who come into the shop
- how we deal with any complaints

Any ideas on this would be appreciated as it is beneficial to share good practise. I am going to work on a number of these and arrange a meeting nearer the opening of the shop so that we can review and agree together. Again, if you have any ideas before then, please contact me or post to the blog.

Action Required

Please contact me with the following at d.brisco@uel.ac.uk

· The completed grid showing the days/times that you or any member of your organisation is available to work at the Learning Shop.
· If you would like to complete a first aid at work qualification.
· Any ideas of good practise in developing common procedures.

August 2009 Newsletter

Progress to Date

Update from Paul Kitson – Delivery Manager, Thurrock Thames Gateway Development Corporation

“The month of August has been dominated by the works to remove asbestos from the building, this work is complete and the building has now been given the all clear. These additional works, all essential to ensure the safety of occupants, have done nothing to help in getting the Learning Shop up and running as the refurbishment contractors have been unable to gain access to the building. Basildon based contractors, Haynes and Smith, will begin work on the refurbishment in early September, their work will take around 10 weeks to complete resulting in the shop being open for business in mid November. Keep visiting the blog for updates and pictures of the works underway and for details of visits and events”.


Layout of Learning Shop

The plans for the layout of the shop have been fully approved after consulation with partners and can now be viewed on this blog.

Learning Shop Tours

Many of you have now had the opportunity to take a look around the Learning Shop and have seen how much work needs to be done! Unfortunately the tours planned for the 8th and 22nd September have had to be cancelled and at this stage of the building works it is impossible to predict when we can safely gain access. However, I will let you know as soon as possible and hopefully we can rearrange within the next few weeks.


First Aid Courses

When the shop opens, it is essential that we have a qualified first-aider on site at all times, so we really need to get as many of us trained up as possible. There is a course running at UEL’s Docklands Campus on the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th September. Further details on what the course covers can be found in the July Newsletter.

Please contact me if you would like to attend this, or any other course available locally.


Cross Training Days

The first cross training day was held on Tuesday 4th August at UEL’s Dockland’s campus and was well attended by the partner organisations. It was an opportunity to find out more about UEL, The Creative Way and Next Steps. We’re hoping that this will be the first of a number of these sessions as it’s important for those of us who will be working in the shop to have an idea of what each others organisations do. So we’re looking for volunteers to host the next session, possibly in September. Ideally it would be good for us to visit another organisation and possibly cover a number of places during one session as we did on the 4th August.. Please let me know if you’d like to host a cross training event or present at the next session.


Transformation Fund Bid

Ray Wilkinson has recently submitted a transformation fund bid to fund a number of exciting activities to take place on Saturdays at the shop. Further information can be found on a separate entry on the blog. We have not received any information as to whether this has been successful yet, but will let you know as soon as we hear.


Opening Hours

It has been agreed that initially our opening hours will be:

Wednesday – 9.30 am to 5.00 pm
Thursday – 9.30 am to 7.00 pm
Friday – 9.30 to 5.00 pm

Some of you have already indicated your availability but please can you confirm the regular days/times you will be able to work so that I begin working on a rota of cover. Due to health and safety, it is essential that we maintain a minimum amount of staff at all times so if you could let me know your availability that would be very helpful.


Common Procedures

As the opening of the shop approaches, I think it will be very important to develop common procedures so that we all work in similar ways. Examples of this include the following:-

- how we record clients who come into the shop
- how we refer clients who come into the shop
- how we deal with any complaints

Any ideas on this would be appreciated as it is helpful to share good practise. I am going to work on a number of these and possibly arrange a meeting nearer the opening of the shop so that we can review these together. Again, if you have any ideas before then, please contact me or post to the blog.


Action Required

Please contact me with the following at d.brisco@uel.ac.uk

- If you would like to complete a first aid at work qualification.
- If you would be prepared to host, or take part in a cross training session.
- Any ideas of good practise in developing common procedures.