This is my grandma. At 84 years young, she spends her days running a little restaurant in Kwun Tong called TH Vegetarian.
Category: community
Values as Currency
TENT is a collaborative working space in London’s Kings Cross area housing startups, individuals and entrepreneurs and a range of diverse people. In a building that will be demolished in a few years time, co-founders Simon and Laura Willows have created something wonderful in what would otherwise have been a vacant, lifeless space.
Rivers of Flowers
London based Illustrator Hiromi Suzuki has collaborated with the Rivers of Flowers to make this lovely little animation. Without being preachy or instilling guilt, this video highlights the importance of wildflowers to ecosystem function. Flowers = pollen = bees = food = life.
Being a bus driver in London is a tough gig. A earlier this year, a report was released revealing the high numbers of abuse bus drivers receive. Whilst the majority verbal abuse, around a thousand recorded each year, the second biggest threat was physical abuse. That’s crazy. Imagine someone attacking you for simply trying to do your job. Imagine having to sit behind protective glass whilst at work to protect you from aggressive people.
Zan Barberton, a documentary cinematographer and director has spent the last year trying to capture the magic of city farms in London. In a beautiful 26 minute documentary, Zan has shown the incredible stories and people that keep these farms alive and such an important part of the community.
Last year when Hackney Laces was volunteering at Hackney City Farm we met Emma. Emma was a 16 year-old girl who had been kicked out of school and was part of the pupil referral unit at the farm. When you’re not in a formal school environment, you lose access to extra curriculars like sports. One of the farm managers approached us and asked if we’d let Emma into our squad as she loves football. We said of course and she’s been with us ever since.
This week we released Hackney Laces’s Annual report. As a community club, transparency and honesty are at the core of what we do. We have made mistakes; we’ve had incredible luck; and most importantly, we’ve learned and grown as individuals and as a club.
An annual review will never fully capture all that we do but we think it’s a good way to shed some light into how we operate. Please have a read and share. And, of course, all suggestions, comments and ideas are welcome.
The Things You Already Own
This video is worth 27 minutes and 53 seconds of your time. It’s more than a story about a brand doing something differently. It’s the story of a way of being; a life with more.
At a time of year where we are bombarded with messaging about buying and needing to own the latest and greatest things, Patagonia has emerged as a grounding force for people who value quality and the things they already own.
The Worn Wear initiative is incredibly refreshing. The idea that you’re buying something for life is the way it should be. Telling stories and creating emotive narratives around objects isn’t a new idea but it’s a powerful one. We all have items of clothing that we don’t want to get rid of. Ones that have traveled with us, been there for big moments, ones that carry a sentimental value. We keep these things. We treasure these things.
Ignoring the small matter that is my deathly allergy to bee stings, Petalon is my kind of business. It’s a brilliant combination of local, sustainable and beautiful. For just £20, Petalon offers people a lovely bunch of flowers sourced from the Flower Market based on what is freshest and in season and then they get delivered via bicycle to you. For every bouquet purchased, they donate £2 to the Capital Bee project, which aims to protect the declining bee population.
This is Jed
Hamilton, Ontario is my hometown. It’s famous for a lot of things, like producing 60% of Canada’s Steel, being home to Dundurn Castle and for having the first ever Tim Horton’s shop.
It is now also known for being the home of Jed. Jed is our dancing man. I hope if you’re ever in steel town you get to meet him.
This film was made by Human Stories, two guys who believe everyone has a story to tell and share.
Awesome. WANT.