Victoria Beckham Wears 'High Vis'.
Now I have to admit I've been watching trashy TV (again)... but did you see the 'Full Length and Fabulous' programme about the Beckham's pre-World Cup party?
Victoria Beckham's dress was a really bright, maybe even fluorescent, yellow. She herself mentioned that she could be helping out in the car park as the car park attendents wear 'those luminous jackets'.
Now didn't I tell you it would catch on? I reckon next year fluorecent colours will be stars of the catwalks. Just remember I thought of it first!!!!!
Monday, May 29, 2006
Saturday, May 13, 2006
Walk to School Week
Monday 22 May will see the start of UK spring Walk to School week 2006 organised by Living Streets and Travelwise.
This year the theme is 'Join the Adventure' to highlight the fun and adventures children can have by walking to school.
What adventures? I hear you say. As an adult you may think that walking to school is just a trot along the road. It's only when you hear a child's comments such as 'there's a crocodile in that puddle' that you realise what a child's imagination can make of an everyday activity.
Look out in the press for the schools taking part in a giant jigsaw activity to celebrate the week. Also your school may have received the official stickers and charts via your local authority which you can use to encourage more kids to walk (or should I say encourage more parents to let their children walk). Even if you haven't received any special resources your school can take part.... why not use the week as an excuse to launch a Walking Bus or Park & Stride scheme?
Monday 22 May will see the start of UK spring Walk to School week 2006 organised by Living Streets and Travelwise.
This year the theme is 'Join the Adventure' to highlight the fun and adventures children can have by walking to school.
What adventures? I hear you say. As an adult you may think that walking to school is just a trot along the road. It's only when you hear a child's comments such as 'there's a crocodile in that puddle' that you realise what a child's imagination can make of an everyday activity.
Look out in the press for the schools taking part in a giant jigsaw activity to celebrate the week. Also your school may have received the official stickers and charts via your local authority which you can use to encourage more kids to walk (or should I say encourage more parents to let their children walk). Even if you haven't received any special resources your school can take part.... why not use the week as an excuse to launch a Walking Bus or Park & Stride scheme?
Monday, May 01, 2006
'Doctor Who' Promotes Sustainable Travel
Doctor Who is back. Saturday nights weren't the same without him. The programme provides TV with a match for the greatest debate in film, ('Who was your favourite Bond?') - 'Who is your favourite Doctor?'. The doctor you like best is often an indication of your age... so I think I'll go for David Tennant.
He does a lot of running and walking. You rarely see him in a car. (Use of cars on set is usually for smashing things, for example to get into alien-infested locked buildings, which I'm not recommending. Although on that occasion I can appreciate it was the only option available).
We saw a good bit on sustainable transport use on the Victorian one when he jumped on Queen Victoria's horse-drawn carriage (not that he had much choice).
I'm not sure how the tardis is fuelled (and I'm sure Dr Who nerds, I mean experts, will be able to advise me), but it certainly doesn't require a fill up from the local petrol pump. The tardis doesn't appear to have an exhaust and so there are no obvious emissions (that's not to say there aren't any though).
Bearing in mind the distance he travels, I'd say he leaves a pretty clean environmental footprint of his travels.
Doctor Who is back. Saturday nights weren't the same without him. The programme provides TV with a match for the greatest debate in film, ('Who was your favourite Bond?') - 'Who is your favourite Doctor?'. The doctor you like best is often an indication of your age... so I think I'll go for David Tennant.
He does a lot of running and walking. You rarely see him in a car. (Use of cars on set is usually for smashing things, for example to get into alien-infested locked buildings, which I'm not recommending. Although on that occasion I can appreciate it was the only option available).
We saw a good bit on sustainable transport use on the Victorian one when he jumped on Queen Victoria's horse-drawn carriage (not that he had much choice).
I'm not sure how the tardis is fuelled (and I'm sure Dr Who nerds, I mean experts, will be able to advise me), but it certainly doesn't require a fill up from the local petrol pump. The tardis doesn't appear to have an exhaust and so there are no obvious emissions (that's not to say there aren't any though).
Bearing in mind the distance he travels, I'd say he leaves a pretty clean environmental footprint of his travels.
HSBC Start Up Stars Award
Last year we were shortlisted in the annual HSBC Start Up Stars awards for new businesses in the UK. Lots of businesses enter this prestigious award so we were really pleased to get to that stage. It gave us lots of free publicity, helping to raise awareness of our high vis products, walk-to-school campaign work and Be Bright message.
Entering business competitions is a really good discipline for new businesses as you have to put together so much information. So many of the ideas in your head have to go down on paper and you have to find ways to measure the impact your business has which helps with your own planning, even if you don't win. Many business awards nowadays don't only look at financial success but also at social and environmental impact (luckily for us as we're quite strong on that!).
Anyway we've just sent in our entry for this year. This time it includes our freshly written Environment Policy and Work Travel Plan as well as figures showing more than 600% increase in turnover since last year (yes, we've broken the £100,000 turnover mark) so hopefully we're in with a good chance.... Wish us luck!
Last year we were shortlisted in the annual HSBC Start Up Stars awards for new businesses in the UK. Lots of businesses enter this prestigious award so we were really pleased to get to that stage. It gave us lots of free publicity, helping to raise awareness of our high vis products, walk-to-school campaign work and Be Bright message.
Entering business competitions is a really good discipline for new businesses as you have to put together so much information. So many of the ideas in your head have to go down on paper and you have to find ways to measure the impact your business has which helps with your own planning, even if you don't win. Many business awards nowadays don't only look at financial success but also at social and environmental impact (luckily for us as we're quite strong on that!).
Anyway we've just sent in our entry for this year. This time it includes our freshly written Environment Policy and Work Travel Plan as well as figures showing more than 600% increase in turnover since last year (yes, we've broken the £100,000 turnover mark) so hopefully we're in with a good chance.... Wish us luck!
Mongolian Feast
Yesterday we went to a Mongolian Feast for the first time. Our host proudly and loudly introduced us to everyone as (Mongolian Feast) virgins. We quickly amended the situation by grabbing a metal bowl, filling it with noodles and matchstick vegestables, slithers of meat and choosing from around 20 spices to sprinkle over. You chuck the whole lot on a vast metal plate which is heated from below and shared by everyone to cook their own feast.
Absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with walking to school or high vis. The only very tenuous link I can make is that the furnace is made out of an old washing machine drum so is a good bit of recycling....which, like walking to school, is good for the environment. (Told you it was tenuous!).
Yesterday we went to a Mongolian Feast for the first time. Our host proudly and loudly introduced us to everyone as (Mongolian Feast) virgins. We quickly amended the situation by grabbing a metal bowl, filling it with noodles and matchstick vegestables, slithers of meat and choosing from around 20 spices to sprinkle over. You chuck the whole lot on a vast metal plate which is heated from below and shared by everyone to cook their own feast.
Absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with walking to school or high vis. The only very tenuous link I can make is that the furnace is made out of an old washing machine drum so is a good bit of recycling....which, like walking to school, is good for the environment. (Told you it was tenuous!).
Oh No: It's 'Safety'!
When we first started out a couple of years ago I used to go around local school fetes and have a stall selling our products. The concept of children wearing fluorescent waistcoats was a bit of a culture shock to many parents (although many dads were used to wearing them for work).
The automatic reaction of some parents was 'Oh no: it's safety, my child wouldn't wear safety' (as if 'safety' was a kind of disease). Meanwhile their child is standing next to them and longingly looking at an orange BrightKidz waistcoat (seeing 'bright funky colours' not 'safety').
So often I need to say to parents (and teachers) 'Have you asked the children what they think?'.
When we first started out a couple of years ago I used to go around local school fetes and have a stall selling our products. The concept of children wearing fluorescent waistcoats was a bit of a culture shock to many parents (although many dads were used to wearing them for work).
The automatic reaction of some parents was 'Oh no: it's safety, my child wouldn't wear safety' (as if 'safety' was a kind of disease). Meanwhile their child is standing next to them and longingly looking at an orange BrightKidz waistcoat (seeing 'bright funky colours' not 'safety').
So often I need to say to parents (and teachers) 'Have you asked the children what they think?'.
These Shoes Weren't Made for Walking
Have you ever noticed how rubbish girl's school shoes are for walking to school? Boys shoes - great - tough, cover the foot, keep the stones and rain out (unless it's a real downpour when wellies are called for).
Girls shoes, even the quality brands, tend to be low cut on the front of the foot - slightest hint of a puddle and tights get soaked. Slightest bit of grit on the path and it gets kicked in through the front of the shoe.... so we have to stop and get it out (hopping may be a good way to keep fit but it's not something I'd force a child to do to get to school!).
I'm talking about shoes for five year olds - not exactly Top Shop addicted 13 year olds (we'll save that for another Blog).
Personally I think trainers would be best all round but it would be tough to convince the schools to make that change as they like the 'smart dark' look. My son has school shoes which are trainer style but black and from Clarks - absolutely ideal. So come on Mr Clarks (and Mr StartRite and Ms Padders and Doctor Marten) bring it on for the girls...
Have you ever noticed how rubbish girl's school shoes are for walking to school? Boys shoes - great - tough, cover the foot, keep the stones and rain out (unless it's a real downpour when wellies are called for).
Girls shoes, even the quality brands, tend to be low cut on the front of the foot - slightest hint of a puddle and tights get soaked. Slightest bit of grit on the path and it gets kicked in through the front of the shoe.... so we have to stop and get it out (hopping may be a good way to keep fit but it's not something I'd force a child to do to get to school!).
I'm talking about shoes for five year olds - not exactly Top Shop addicted 13 year olds (we'll save that for another Blog).
Personally I think trainers would be best all round but it would be tough to convince the schools to make that change as they like the 'smart dark' look. My son has school shoes which are trainer style but black and from Clarks - absolutely ideal. So come on Mr Clarks (and Mr StartRite and Ms Padders and Doctor Marten) bring it on for the girls...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
