w/c 18th Sept

19
Sep

Urgent appeal - new home required for Sirona

Sirona Therapeutic Horsemanship CIO is an established charity that provides equine-based therapeutic and educational activities to disadvantaged young people and adults. Their current rented premises are being demolished and developed for housing, but fortunately they have been offered a new home on the beautiful Dartington Estate, near Totnes in Devon. 

This is where your help comes in.

Building a bespoke centre for their work is an incredible opportunity for their horses, their participants, and them. This will enable them to develop and grow their much in demand service, allowing them to offer it to more young people and adults, bringing about improvements in well-being and more positive lives. The money they raise through crowdfunder will go towards a beautiful new stable block for the horses, an essential part of their centre. Many of their horses are rescued and have found a new purpose in life doing this important work. Their welfare is at the heart of Sirona's work and this is why they have chosen to fundraise for their stables with this campaign. 

Take a look at a short video on their work and find out how you can support their future HERE

Stoke Hill Greenredeem pilot scheme is a great success

Exeter residents saving water by the gallon in bid to win playground equipment for local children

Back in July we ran a story about a local community in Exeter who were embarking on a water saving scheme to help local children get better play equipment. We are delighted to report that the scheme has been sucessful and the children are goingto be so happy with their new outdoor play equipment!

Since the launch of Greenredeem’s water saving pilot this summer in Stoke Hill, Exeter, the residents are using nearly 0.5m litres less this year than this time last year. This equates to nearly 6,000 fewer baths, in just one month.

In total just under 500 households have signed up for the year-long pilot in the area so far, and will share a community bonus pot of 46,686 points this month. Residents have earned 57,000 points for learning and earning about water saving, and spent points on rewards in local shops and businesses, submitted entries into a prize draw, and donated points to Stoke Hill Junior School.

Greenredeem rewards people for everyday green actions. Through working in partnership with Stoke Hill Junior School, Greenredeem has made the school a donations partner of the scheme. Through local residents saving water, they can then donate their points to help the school fund outdoor play equipment for the pupils.

Bob Taylor, Operations Director – Drinking Water at South West Water said, “The first indications of this pilot are tremendous. Whilst these are very early stages, it just goes to show that by incentivising our customers to get into water and change their behaviour, it creates a situation where everyone wins. The results of the pilot will help to inform our business proposals for 2020-25 which will be published for consultation in spring 2018.”

A group of 3,200 South West Water customers in the Stoke Hill area have been invited to join Greenredeem and be rewarded for using less water at home. Householders are given points for reducing the amount of water they use at home as part of a community effort, which can be redeemed against personal rewards. These can then be given as a donation to Stoke Hill Junior School or used in Greenredeem’s monthly prize draw.

Residents in the Stoke Hill area can still sign up, by visiting: www.greenredeem.co.uk/swwate

Most importantly, as a result of the scheme, 57,000 points have been reinvested into the local community, businesses and Stoke Hill Junior School

Young Minds in Crisis Conference

Plymouth, Saturday 30th September 

The conference aims to bring together mental health and medical professionals, parents, carers, students, as well as young people themselves to look at wider causes and issues, plus specifically take a look at what is happening here, and what needs to change.

Take a look at the flyer here and find out more about the event in detail/book here

Enhance Social Enterprise (Enhance SE) programme supports social enterprises and social entrepreneurs in Plymouth, Torbay, Devon and Somerset.

Are you a social enterprise or social entrepreneur? Here's your chance for free support

Through Enhance SE, social enterprises and social entrepreneurs are supported to develop and launch new products and services, as well as entering new markets. Workshops and mentoring support are available for social enterprises looking to explore all aspects of their business including digital, leadership development and managing growth. For social enterprises and social entrepreneurs not yet trading, support is available around legal structures, governance and business planning.

Social enterprises and social entrepreneurs can receive up to 12 hours of FREE tailored business support from a range of partners, until Dec 2019.

Digital

  • Digital marketing and communications – social media, e-news, web
  • Digital fundraising – campaigns and platforms
  • Digital Productivity – operations and efficiencies
  • Future trends and digital strategy

Leadership

  • Strategic development and planning
  • Social enterprise vision – values – mission
  • Strategic marketing – building through influence, relationships and position
  • Leading and managing in social enterprises
  • Leading in transition – how to build agile social enterprises

Growth

  • Building sustainable and successful social enterprises
  • Planning for growth – investment, scaling-up, staffing and resources
  • Managing people through growth and change
  • Understanding IP
  • Thinking about exporting

To register your interest in receiving support under this programme please register your details. NB. under Further Information please stipulate that you are seeking Social Enterprise Support.  

If you are seeking support from Cosmic specifically, contact Helen Vines, Social Enterprise Advisor, at helenv@cosmic.org.uk