Friday 23rd March 2018 - A productive week

Posted 1:15pm
It's been quite a busy week - and it will certainly be a busy weekend.

With the upcoming course with HGMP, it was important to clear a path of outstanding paperwork so we can concentrate on delivering a proactive and informative programme. A lot rides on this as I think we will be overseen by a few interested parties - well we will be inviting along certain people, including Council, PPG and Public Health.

So this weekend I want to really blitz a lot of the paperwork that needs to be finished and delivered. I talked about it in yesterday's blog, and there is a lot to do. A couple of proposals (the Council one is most important, the corporate one can evolve from that), a PowerPoint presentation for the Council to print off for next week, a completed thorough spreadsheet to accompany said proposal.

I also have several other papers to finish off - personal and workwise.  If I can get all of them done by the end of Sunday that will be brilliant.  I am meeting up with Scott in Canary Wharf to go over them on Monday, and print them off, so I can deliver on Tuesday - where we will request a chance to present to the Council.

With regards to the HGMP Ajani course, we can pay for insurance at the end of next week - and get them papers and arrange our meets with them. They are very keen, which is fabulous. I can cover the volunteer costs for the guys, and we can look to get some more fitness equipment (mats are essential) too.  It's quite exciting at the moment - so we need to grab this opportunity.

Personally, I am going to use this positive time to work on my weight again. Seems like I am always fighting what should be an easy target. One pound a week. I can be my own service user on our course. Yay!!

Thursday 22nd March 2018 - opportunities

Posted 3:00pm

We had another fun walk this morning - it is nearly a year and a half now - that will be in May. I am determined to find some money and expand them. We laugh and exercise for over an hour. It really makes a difference to the walkers. I did forget, however, to hand out the feedback forms so will have to do that next week.  We want to get some quotes for the website, as well as for marketing materials.

HMHB is reviewing its opportunities as we move forward. We met with Highbury Grange Medical Practice in regards to the Ajani program we will run with them, funded by Cripplegate. We have to supply our insurance documents, naturally - so when the money comes through at the end of next week we will be able to renew our insurance (great timing as it expires at the end of this week), and then plan our program - which should be lots of fun.

We are also looking at developing a proposal over the next few days to hand in next Tuesday to the Council in regards to working on council estates - which looks like a no-brainer if the right money is spent. The savings can be extraordinary. We have to supply a document showing what the current problems are; how they can be solved; why we should be allowed to manage that; how much it will cost and how that is cost effective; the outcomes that we would be looking to achieve;  All of this is short and long-term goals.

We are also looking to develop a proposal to take to bigger companies in regards to corporate events that we can manage - providing outcomes around confidence, better health, understanding on nutrition, and better thinking.

Finally, we have sent off the Awards For All to do four programs with job centres - and we are messaging with SHP to get us on the Dynamic Purchasing System with them.  So lots going on - hopefully we can be given the time to do this.

Monday 19th March 2018 - Awards For All finally going off

Posted 11:45am

Who would have thought that funding applications could be so difficult (except anyone who has actually completed one I guess).  Ironically, the Big Lottery Awards For All Online Application Form is quite basic, albeit asking everything they need.

Apart from the usual contact details etc, plus bank details and who you are intending to help, the two hardest sections are the 4000 character explanation of the project itself - where you have to show what you are doing, why you are doing it, the outcomes you expect, how you will achieve these, and hopefully demonstrate that you deserve the grant.  The other section is a breakdown of the amount, which I would have much preferred to have sent in a spreadsheet, but instead you have to just list the amounts.  I wish we could also have been able to add explanations for these figures.

I realise it has taken a time. There has been many rewrites of the 4000 character explanation. I have passed it to several people and taken on board some excellent advice, adding figures, and more details about the process and outcomes.  I think we have done well, but tonight it will be going off online, thankfully.  I believe a decision is made within three months, and the four programs we intend to run with the money we can start from July.

Meanwhile, we must start finding seed funding for salaries.

Thursday 15th March 2018 - to do list; planning

Posted 3:15pm
It's incredible how just a simple piece of good news can totally change your mood. The funding success, albeit for one program, is immense.

I have done a letter to confirm acceptance of the amount, as well as signing some Terms and Conditions that come attached to the funding - which is fairly basic, as well as understandable. We should receive the funding towards the end of next week.

I have already been in touch with Highbury Grange Medical Centre, where the Ajani programme will take place. We need to organise a meeting to get the start date (hopefully around four weeks from now), as well as the referrals onto the course - discussing with the mental health professionals in the centre, as well as others who could benefit. I want Luke and Dean at that meeting, and I think we are all excited at the possibilities. It's an incredible opportunity - and one we must grab. There is a lot of work to do, but the door is opening wider.

With that in mind I have been working on a to-do list. I have to complete the Business Plan, Awards For All (not gone off yet as needed to adjust the breakdown of the costs - good advice from Scott on that point), as well as review the forms and handouts for the programme.

I have sat down and carefully gone through the expenditure for the grant money - which means we can spend through the year as well as on the program, conforming with our application, as well as keeping everyone happy.

Moving forward though. :-)

Wednesday 14th March 2018 - Cripplegate funding: VAI; personal health

Posted 9:30pm

I am delighted, and excited, to announce a small funding grant from Cripplegate to deliver an Ajani programme with Highbury Grange Medical Centre. It was about time we got some good news, and it had completely lifted spirits.  It shows that we must have something good. Someone has put a four figure some on it. Lots to do to get that off ground. Meanwhile we will continue to work on current issues.

We are halfway through our Capacity Program with VAI, and had our assessment today. I think we are doing well, and getting good help.  Luke is going to join a mentoring programme being run by The Big Alliance in Islington.

There has been a spate of celebrity deaths recently, demonstrating that all of us in the end are heading in the same direction.  Hopefully, while we are here, we can make our mark. I have been reminded of that personally with recent test on my eyes, throat, and feet. And that doesn't count the mental health. We all must remain as strong as we can.

Monday 12th March 2018 - reflecting on our situation - bags of taste

Bags of |Taste

9th March 2018

Posted 2:30pm

I guess, like a lot of projects trying to get off the ground, we are still struggling around the subject of money. We are still waiting to hear from Cripplegate re Islington Giving money, which we feel we should have an opportunity of getting, but the longer it goes on the less we feel the opportunity will come. If we do not get it, and should find out this week, the future looks bleak.  Years of work may be about to collapse. We have options, but not time. I could carry on all year, but I would not be allowed to by the benefit system. So we need to get it soon.

We continue to build great contacts. We are meeting the Elfrida Society this week - who are based kin Islington helping disadvantaged adults. We joined in with the proactive cooking program (Bags Of Taste - pic above) on Friday - creating a tasty French Onion Soup, as well as a yummy Singapore Noodle dish. This project is one we wish to promote with our own service users. We had a good chat with the organiser who said he had funding contacts in other boroughs, and we are hoping he will facilitate some meetings for us.

More news on the Awards For All.  I had to do a breakdown of the costs of each Ajani program (we are applying to fund four at £25000 each - a program actually costs between £3500 and £4000 but we will do these at discount to get the funding). I have completed the breakdown now, and am just waiting for agreement from my board. I will therefore send the application off tomorrow and keep everything crossed.

I had an interesting meeting with the head of Brickworks Community Centre (where the cooking project was being run) last Friday. They have excellent links with other Islington centres. We want to apply to the Gunners Fund to run an Ajani program through the Centre, and they seem keen. More news to follow.

We were going to restart our Fitness Bootcamp sessions on Highbury Fields last Saturday, but had trouble contacting our Personal Trainer, and others cried off., So hopefully this coming Saturday we can get something going.

Wednesday 7th March 2018 - Twitter - the good and bad

Posted 3:00pm.

Really looking forward to seeing our Board member Rosemary this evening. She is based in Scotland, but has work in London, and catching up is always great. Her advice is invaluable too.

Bright sunshine outside, and I have started work on updating our Business Plan, which is going to take a few days. Then we are building a funding proposal we will be taking round to bigger companies, with a twist that we feel might actually give us an advantage - I am not putting that here for the moment.

Twitter is something I am focusing on today.

I had never actually used it before the project, but have found it to have some good and some bad.  It does enable us to contact and reach many who would not know about us. We have gradually built up a few followers, but cannot really afford to promote ourselves too much.

The bad, is that there are people who try and buy followers. And therefore we get people liking and following us who have have non idea who we are - it is all about promoting themselves thorough us. Difficult to control I guess. You also get very inappropriate people who have paid to push their, often, personal service pages. We report and delete them.

The worst thing so far though - we used a little of the Local Initiatives Fund money to promote our GoFundMe page - which also includes Izzwalkz. We did not get a lot, so the £50 we spent was a big chunk to us. We were told it would go to 22500 relevant people.

We anticipated some response. HMHB sends tweets, and retweets other pages, frequently - and often we get liked and followed from them.  However, following our paid promotion we got Zero likes, Zero retweets, and Zero new followers. We find that extraordinary, and very difficult to understand. That was in January. Since then we have contacted their help and support people five times for an explanation. We have had no response from Twitter either. Very happy to take our money quickly, however.

I like Twitter. I like the way we can reach out and spread out message. But we are a small project, with limited cost, and frankly we are not happy about the way we have been treated so far. I have followed up today by tweeting three different twitter accounts - I wait to see if anyone comes back. I will be visiting the london offices soon if they do not.

Monday 5th March 2018 - Business Plan: Dealing with issues

Posted 3:15pm

The snow appears to have disappeared from the middle of London, finally. Really do not like the stuff.  People fall over, hurt themselves. I suppose not as bad as around the country.  Had a trip myself.

But back to project this week. It really can help with issues. The original concept came about due to my own personal problems, and being unable to find certain help that I knew would get me back into life quicker.  There are some great organisations out there helping people, but I found a niche that would enhance that intervention.

It does not mean everything is golden afterwards. But does mean that as other issues emerge I can deal with them in a better way. I am currently being tested again. The ins and outs are not important, but I feel I can deal with them better now - even if they are demanding. A few years ago I would just turn inwards, and try and block out life with drugs or food (I'm still working on the food part!). Now, even if it is hard, I am trying to fight things head on. I think it is always good to show that even the people running courses can be having a tough time.  But enough about me!!

I will be working hard this week on three project issues. Firstly, and most importantly, money!! It is fundamental to everything now. Luke and Dean are relying on me to get it, and I need it myself. That sounds quite selfish in a way - and can I add that the project is central to everything - but we all have lives and bills - and to concentrate and focus on the project properly we need to know that our personal lives are okay.

Secondly, and this might seem personal but it is very much project based, is my own health/fitness. I have yoyoed in weight for five years now. My problem. But the project is about maintaining and focusing and doing the right thing. Maybe, I am a great example of how issues can affect people, But ultimately I need to reach my goals and then maintain that. It was brought home to me this weekend when I realised that I had only one pair of trousers that fitted me - and even they a couple of years ago I could only wear with a belt. Now they are stretched. My colleague Luke kindly bought me a new pair, but I have to work hard on my health/fitness/weight from now on. I have neglected it a lot lately due to project - but that is an excuse. To prove Ajani and Izzwalkz are good, I have to have the same mind-set we are promoting!!!

Lastly, Business Plan. We worked on it recently with VAI and I have to completely overhaul our current one - untouched for 2 years. So much has changed in that time. Outputs, outcomes, concept, delivery etc. The aim has always been the same. I am sure, very soon, people are going to be asking to see it. So much work has to go on there.

If only we could get some salary funding!!!

Friday 2nd March 2018 - walk, council; and how do we continue?

Posted 2:20pm
More snow flurries outside as I type during the coldest spell for March on record.

With that in mind, yesterday was our first ever Izzwalkz in snow. Five of us braved a wind chill that was biting, and had a terrific laugh for 90 minutes. Admittedly, we did stop at the Clissold House cafe for a coffee/tea and chat - which was really nice. It is frightening to think that if we do not get seed funding soon that walk, and the ones we want to do, will end. I hope some kind of sponsorship can be found.

On that point, we had a very good meeting with Islington Council today. There are over 50 Estates in the borough, and they are looking to get people more active on them - which could produce fantastic short and long term benefits, both healthwise and financially.  We have put a proposal to them of how it can be done, and we would very much like to be part of this new project - to run alongside Ajani and Izzwalkz.  But again, this comes down to money.

So how do we continue?  It's a good question, and very difficult to answer.  I hate coming back to money all the time, but work cannot be done without it. We have to find major grant or sponsorship soon.  We have some ideas, and I will be running them past my board next week. But both Luke and myself need full time salaries somehow.