Join me for my interview with Shann Jones of Chuckling Goat on Wednesday July 1st

As part of my work with the Wales Co-operative Centre and Hwb Menter I got the chance to interview Shann Jones of Chuckling Goat a couple of weeks ago and I will be playing the interview as part of a series of digital business webinars on July 1st between 2 and 3PM. Shann, along with her husband Rich and a team of staff have grown their business from a smallholding in Wales to the point where they are delivering product to thousands of customers across the globe. During the Covid crisis the company have given away over £100,000 worth of product to people working in the NHS. Chuckling Goat are 100% online and have been fully equipped to deal with the crisis created around social distancing and lock-down. I wanted to create these webinars to give a helping hand to other people struggling to find their way through the ‘new reality’. We have a unique opportunity in Wales to deliver value driven enterprise to a much bigger market than we would have been able to do before the internet, and Chuckling Goat is a brilliant example of a business that has made a success and also transformed lives. Hope you can join!

Join me for new digital business models webinars – starting July 1st

Very pleased to be able to say I am launching three new digital business webinars this week featuring five Mid- and North-Wales entrepreneurs. The webinars, part of my work for the Wales’ Enterprise Hubs (Hwb Menter) and Wales Co-operative Centre, will help people struggling during Covid to make the most of online digital opportunities by listening to people who have already done it themselves. The five people I’ve interviewed are Shann Jones of Chuckling Goat, Lizzie Spikes and Becky Barratt of Driftwood Designs, Beth Maiden of Little Red Tarot and Kayte Ferris of Simple and Season. Each enterprise combines what our first interviewee Shann Jones describes as a ‘heart based’ approach to business with a clever use of digital technology and strong social media presence. Every webinar includes about 40 minutes of interview, introduction and Q and A. The webinars will be between 2 and 3pm on July 1, 8 and 15. Book through Eventbrite on the links above. Look forward to seeing you there!

Join me today at the RSA Virtual Coffeehouse

Still time to book here. I recommend this quick three minute video from the Affordable Homes Commission and the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence.

Join our first Community Led Housing Wales Network meeting – June 25th, 12PM

Join the Communities Creating Homes team for their first-ever all Wales virtual network to discuss all things community-led housing.

At the session we’ll be reflecting on the current community-led housing movement in Wales as well as looking at what the future holds, post Covid-19. There’ll be a chance to discuss and share learning with other projects and like minded people in your area.

You should attend this event if:

• You want to know more about community-led housing and the Communities Creating Homes programme
• You have a project idea but aren’t sure how to make it happen / are looking for other like minded people to make a project happen
• Are an existing / developing project looking to connect with other projects
• You are in a position to facilitate more community-led housing e.g. local authority, planner, developer, housing association, town councillor, landowner, investor/funder.

The session will be in English. You will receive the joining instructions by email prior to the event, please check your spam/junk.

Register on Eventbrite

Ymunwch a’r tîm Cymunedau’n Creu Cartrefi ar gyfer eu rhwydwaith digidol Cymru gyntaf i drafod popeth am dai dan arweiniad y gymuned.

Yn ystod y sesiwn byddwn yn myfyrio ar y symudiad tai dan arweiniad y gymuned yng Nghymru a thrafod beth mae’r dyfodol yn edrych fel ar ôl y bandemig Covid-19. Bydd siawns i drafod a rhannu dysgu gyda phrosiectau a phobl yn eich ardal.

Dylwch ymuno a’r digwyddiad os:

• Rydych eisiau gwybod mwy am dai dan arweiniad y gymuned a’r rhaglen Cymunedau’n Creu Cartrefi
• Oes gyda chi syniad ar gyfer prosiect ond ddim yn siŵr am y camau nesaf dylwch gymryd / yn edrych am bobl arall i ymuno a’ch prosiect
• Yn brosiect / grŵp sydd yn bodoli’r eisoes / datblygu ac edrych i gysylltu gydag eraill
• Rydych mewn safle i hwyluso mwy o dai dan arweiniad y gymuned e.e.. awdurdod lleol, cynlluniwr, datblygwr, tai cymdeithasol, cynghorydd, tirfeddiannwr, buddsoddwr.

Bydd y sesiwn yn Saesneg. Byddwch yn derbyn y cyfarwyddiadau ymuno trwy e-bost cyn y digwyddiad, gwiriwch eich sbam / jync.

Register on Eventbrite

Narrative is fractal – read this blog by Elena Blackmore

Got so much out of reading Elena Blackmore’s blog post on the mosaic of white supremacy this morning. And it comes with so many useful resources for anyone who wants to think and act more deeply on racism in Britain. We need to open up these narratives about empire. I’m always astonished when I read surveys in Britain like this one that say one of the things people in Britain are most proud of is the empire. And that many people wish it still existed. Do they realise the full implications of that wish? It suggests a failure in the way in which our history is told, that runs from our school learning through to the TV programmes we watch. I studied Economic and Social History at University and it was only there that I realised much of the history learning I had at school was inaccurate or overly weighted in favour of empire, and the glories of the British past. There is no doubt that British history is rich and incredible and full of achievement but we also need to make sure that the narratives we carry around with us our balanced and nuanced and tell so many of the other stories too. Otherwise we carry on living in a world today that isn’t representative and that in the end brings us all down. The weight of history is pressing down on all of us, and it takes such strength to dislodge it from our backs. A more truthful history is a power jack to lift us all up. I hope we can find it.

My first year as Wales first Cohousing Officer – a blog post for Housing LIN.

A year ago I was appointed as Wales first Cohousing Officer. At some point I’ll write a longer piece about what this has been like but in the meantime check out the short blog I’ve just written for Housing LIN. Housing LIN are a fantastic organisation and their website is second to none, providing an incredible range of up to date resources on housing and how it relates to ageing in the UK. Can’t recommend it highly enough.

Join me on the 19th June at the RSA Virtual Coffeehouse

If you want to have your say about equitable housing join me and Good with Money co-founder Becky O’Connor at the RSA Virtual Coffeehouse event on the 19th June. Usually these events are held in London in the RSA offices so it’s very exciting to be able to take part from Wales. Becky and I will be speaking for ten minutes each and then listening to your questions on equitable housing. Looking forward to hearing what you ask and how we can support each other creating more affordable housing throughout the UK. I will be representing the view from Wales and the Wales Co-operative Centre and will be speaking about community led housing. Becky is looking at a more institutional investment approach. Be interesting to explore the intersection. The event is free and open to all but you need to book here.