ColaLife and the UK’s Big Society policy
July 7, 2010 by Simon Berry · Leave a Comment
ColaLife on the iPad - there were no shortage of gadgets at last night’s Big Society Network event. iPad (and hands) courtesy of David Wilcox.
A core theme of the UK Conservatives election manifesto was ‘Big Society’ (see David Cameron’s speech). The basic idea is that government has got too big and that ‘Civil Society’ (ie people like you and me) should be empowered to do more. Whilst government helps by removing barriers to this happening and, where necessary, putting in place enablers, such as new legislation, we would contribute through more active citizenship. So, there is talk of support for parents who wish set up their own schools and to others who wish to take on the delivery of services currently implemented by government at the various levels. I think it is true to say that the detail behind ‘Big Society’ concept is still to emerge and it is up to us to work a lot of this detail out for ourselves and come up with ideas on how the policy might be implemented in practice. The other issue is that government has no money and so critics are saying that this is just a ploy for government to withdraw from public service delivery to leave citizens, some very vulnerable, to fend for themselves.
Last night around 150 people gathered in a very hot room in the Department for Communities and Local Government to talk about how ‘Big Society’ might work in practice. So, why did I go along? Well, for two reasons really. Firstly, these gatherings tend to attract the more creative, enthusiastic and innovative elements of the not for profit sector (at least those who can afford to get to London) and it’s in these sort of places that I get my ideas. And secondly, ColaLife might be a case study for how elements of ‘Big Society’ might work. This is what I said, when I applied to go to the event:
ColaLife is about putting unlikely alliances together to do extraordinary things. To do more with less and to tackle problems that cannot be solved by one particular sector (business, public, civil society) alone. I think there are lessons in the ColaLife experience that are very relevant when it comes to realising the vision of the ‘Big Society‘.
- Given these people power. It’s given us enough power to get the attention of one of the world’s biggest brands - Coca-Cola
- Allowed knowledge to emerge from different kinds of people - who might not usually share ideas with each other - and be used for good. In our case it has resulted in refining the basic ColaLife idea and making it better, bringing in expertise from global health, supply chain, designers, non-profits, PR and corporates and so on.
- Given more and more confidence, to those involved, that ColaLife is a concept worth trialling
All these things: empowering people; pooling ideas and knowledge to come up with better solutions to the challenges we face, are at the foundation of ‘Big Society’. Well that’s how I see it.
ColaLife presentation at TEDx London - Part 1 and Part 2
January 27, 2010 by Simon Berry · Leave a Comment
OK, I obviously need to polish my presentation techniques but for those who couldn’t be there, here is the presentation of the ColaLife story at the inaugural TEDx London event on 4 November 2009. Any comments?
Live! ColaLife Presentation today (12/11/09) at 9:30am (GMT)
November 12, 2009 by Simon Berry · Leave a Comment
Follow this link to watch the ColaLife presentation at the Chain Reaction event, Canary Wharf this morning at 9:30 (GMT). It will be 15 minutes long.
ColaLife autumn speaking tour hits the trains
October 22, 2009 by Simon Berry · 3 Comments
Through a string of very fortunate coincidences, tomorrow I get on a train to begin a pretty high profile (although I say so myself!) ColaLife speaking tour! The first stop is Rotterdam for the 8th Annual World Food and Innovation Conference to give a plenary presentation on ColaLife to the big boys and girls of the food industry:
Then it’s back to London where Colalife is ‘headlining’ at TEDx London (4/11/09) - at least that’s how it was put to me! I think all the speakers there are also ‘headlining’. I want to use this to try a get a spot at global TED at some point in the future:
And then Colalife will one of the two short plenary sessions kicking off the wonderful Chain Reaction event in Canary Wharf (12/11/09):
This string of activities has inspired ColaLife supporter (and son) to put together a brilliant animation showing how the ColaLife AidPod works. This will go onto YouTube and this blog after the Chain Reaction event. Can I urge you to consider coming to the Chain Reaction event. It’s free if you are under 21. I guarantee you will have an inspiring day - the programme is simply amazing (ColaLife only gets 15mins!).
Sarah Brown tweets for ColaLife!
July 14, 2009 by Simon Berry · 2 Comments
Tonight, Sarah Brown (yes, I know it might not actually be her) tweeted for ColaLife! Bless her (or her representative). She has 387,653 followers. We will fill Trafalgar Square yet! Can you come to support ColaLife this Friday at 3pm?
Coca-Cola say ‘Yes’ (probably) to trials this year
April 22, 2009 by Simon Berry · 16 Comments
Image credit: Alison Pearson. Thanks to the children of the N’gombe Compound in Lusaka, Zambia.
A handful of ColaLife supporters attended the public Business Fights Poverty event at the Commonwealth Club last night to hear Euan Wilmshurst, Stakeholder Engagement Manager, The Coca-Cola Company, give a qualified YES to trials of the ColaLife idea before the end of the year in Tanzania. Euan did give himself a fair bit of ‘wriggle room’ but this is highly significant development for our camapign. This is the first time Coca-Cola have mentioned ColaLife in public. 350 people registered for the event and most of them came. The auditorium was completely full and 70 people watched the event live over the internet.
Coca-Cola’s response to the Business Call To Action has always been tighly focussed on growing Coca-Cola’s core business in Africa but doing this is a way that maximises impact in terms of the alleviation of poverty (see a fuller explanation here). However, last night, Euan made a specific reference to ColaLife and stated that they wanted to go beyond their original intention and look at the opportunities for social marketing and the distribution of ’social products’. This is a big step for Coca-Cola and the campaign and in the right direction.
Delegates were invited to ask questions and my question went something like this:
My name is Simon Berry and in my spare time I run the ColaLife Campaign which Euan generously referred to in his presentation.
ColaLife wants Coca-Cola to open up its distribution system to take social products like Oral Rehydration Salts, Mosquito Nets, Vitamin A Tablets and so on. We have suggested that they do this using pods like this [waves aidpod in the air for people to see] that fit between the necks of Coca-Cola bottles in the crates.
There are more than 8,500 people around the world on a Facebook Group who want to see this happen. They range from logistics professionals to people working on the frontline in public health projects in developing countries.
Usually, the word ‘campaign’ is followed by the word ‘AGAINST’. But the ColaLife campaign is not AGAINST Coca-Cola. We want to make it easier for Coca-Cola to step a little outside their comfort zone and do something innovatory, something extraordinary, to help save lives, particularly children’s lives, in low income countries.
My question to Euan is: Will we see trials of the ColaLife idea in Tanzania before the end of the year? [laughs from the delegates!]
Euan’s response went something like this (hopefully you will be able to see precisely want he said when the video of the event is available).
The response to Simon’s question is easy. Yes, we are planning to run trails of the ColaLife idea before the end of the year. I think I have allowed myself enough wriggle room there. [he then went on the expand on the 'social' elements of the planned trials but re-stated that it was crucial that this element did not undermine the success of the core business - something that we would agree with]
This is an amazing achievement for us and a big step forward for the campaign. But we can’t just sit still and wait. If trials are going to happen before the end of the year, there is work to be done right now. We are going to need thousands of aidpods that have been prototyped and produced by then. So that’s our next task - to ensure that when Coca-Cola are ready to start the trial, there are thousands of Aidpods avaiable in Tanzania for our idea to be trialled properly. Google! Where are you?
Onwards and upwards!
Addendum
Since this post, Coca-Cola have re-affirmed their commitment in a Radio 4 interview. You can listen again here.
Coca-Cola presentation to be streamed live
April 15, 2009 by Simon Berry · Leave a Comment
Last week I drew your attention to the fact that Coca-Cola are poised to make a statement about trials in east Africa at the Business Fights Poverty event on 21.4.09. I urged those who were able to attend to register. Thanks to those who did that - see you there!
For those who can’t make it. Don’t worry. The event is going to be streamed live over the internet AND you will be able to ask questions. You will all be able to watch the presentations here from 17:30 UK Time (GMT + 1). Note that Coca-Cola’s presentation is the third one (of 4). It would be wonderful to get some questions from ColaLife supporters from around the world.
If you are able to follow the event online and are moved to ask a question, please identify yourself as a ColaLife supporter.
My question to Barack Obama – a reflection on the G20 Summit
April 3, 2009 by Simon Berry · 1 Comment
Image credit: Daudi Were of mentalacrobatics
Apologies to pure colalife-ers as this is a bit off topic. To everyone else these words are from a bystander who was privileged to have been able to watch, first-hand, the culmination of the G20 Summit. I am certainly not qualified to be a political blogger. But here are my thoughts anyway.
Having sat through Gordon Brown’s press conference at the G20 Summit yesterday, I decided (egged on by fellow G20 Voice Blogger, Nick Booth, it has to be said) I’d have a go at putting a question to Barack Obama. Well, if you don’t try . . . and I now knew how the system worked. Needless to say he didn’t pick me from the sea of hands. On reflection, dressed in my bright red ‘colalife.org’ sweat shirt, I stood out a bit too much and probably looked like a bit like a ‘shoe thrower’.
Anyway, this was my question and it sums up what I felt about the communiqué that was produced at the end of the summit, which I have to confess I did not fully understand. Am I the only one who thought that parts of it begged more questions than provided answers?
My question went like this:
Mr President, thank you.
Albert Einstein said:
We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.
Would you describe the communiqué as being full of new thinking?
Pretentious or what? But seriously, what I’d heard had been uninspiring and sounded very similar to the gobble-gook that got us where we find ourselves right now. If people don’t understand what is being done to them, or done in their name, how are they going to rally behind what is being proposed and give it a chance to succeed?
ColaLife is off to the G20 Summit!
March 11, 2009 by Simon Berry · 1 Comment
Thanks to the support of Facebook Group members I am off to the G20 Summit! I heard today that the nomination to be a member of the G20voice team of bloggers from around the world had been approved by Number 10. This is huge honour and responsibility which I will be taking very seriously. If there’s stuff you think I should be saying please comment here or email at G20voice[at]colalife[dot]org.
It’s going to be a great global gathering of bloggers. The G20voice site says:
We are inviting 50 influential and knowledgeable bloggers from around the world to join us at the London ExCel centre with the G20 leaders and the world’s press. The UK Government recognises the growing importance of bloggers debating the issues around the G20 Summit and have allocated space and passes within the Summit venue.
We have a three day programme of events including an intense schedule of world leaders, thinkers, high profile activists and, of course, fellow bloggers on the actual day of the summit.
We are planning to invite
15 bloggers from the developing world
10 bloggers focused on poverty reduction
10 bloggers focused on climate change
1 bloggers from each of the G20 countries
10 high profile and eclectic bloggers
I think I’m in the eclectic category!
I’m the second blooger to be announced. My colleague is Cédric Kalonji of CongoBlog.
I will post more details as I receive them.
Thanks to the ColaLife supporters who nominated me.
Can we get ColaLife INSIDE the G20 Summit?
March 7, 2009 by Simon Berry · Leave a Comment
There is an opportunity to get ColaLife INSIDE the G20 Summit but it would need to be nominated. Is anyone up for doing that? If you are, please nominate ColaLife here.
This initiative, called G20Voice, has been initiated by Oxfam (GB) who are looking to gather 50 bloggers from around the world to report from inside the summit.
This would be a fantastic way to raise the profile of the ColaLife Campaign and remind people that, economic downturn or no economic downturn, 4 children a minute die from simple causes such as dehydration from diarrhoea and have done for decades.
Carrying on as we have been doing is good but not good enough. We need innovations (like ColaLife) to provide the step change required to solve these injustices.
Please take a moment to put in a nomination for Colalife. Thanks.
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