Sophia Hub update

Ros Southern writes;

'Vic Norman led a powerful session at the enterprise club on Tuesday and vastly increasing social media skills is the focus of January and the whole year! Read here about the enterprise club session and follow up help.

We are getting help to run a Redbridge portal for start-ups and there is a social media working session on Tuesday 20th January at the enterprise club, so put the date in your diaries. (see above link)

Blogging and linking to each other's websites is the best way to promote your business. Read Manzoor Ahmed's guest blog here and please send me yours.

Plans for the Timebank community skills swap are going well (Taira Khan is leading a creative writing session and Vic Norman a twitter training) - please publcise and let us know your ideas. Flyer here.

The East London Small Business Centre is coming to Sophia Hubs for Tuesday's lunch time enterprise club (13th January at 12.30) for a practical session and info on loads of resources. Click here to see what Claudia will be covering.

Thanks for the responses to last week's requests for mentors and expert help. More needed, and especially volunteers willing to help start ups and Sophia Hubs with social media.'

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The New Basement Tapes - Kansas City.

Sophia Hub update

Ros Southern writes:

"We have made an appearance on Radio Ramadan this week and are grateful to Minhaj Mosque for this opportunity.  Click here for info.

The enterprise club this coming Tuesday lunch time is on business plans led by Ola Asgill and will be a longer session.   12.15- 2 with 45 minute presentation and 45 minutes plus to work on your business plans with support from Ola and others.  Read more here.

Thanks to Nnenna Anyanwu for leading a very helpful session last Tuesday that took a deeper, reflective look at who you are and a bit of a skills audit.  Read more here.

Manzoor Ahmed, speaker on 15th July is running a pop-up restaurant on Thursday 31st July.  I am going.  More info here.

Very pleased to have recruited our 4th volunteer today - Lynette St Cyr Caeser.   Lynette will be working as a Timebank broker as part of a team. Delighted to have you on board Lynette.  We need people to keep registering and to start trading - please do give it a try.  Click here.  For more general information on the Timebank click here.  To find out about volunteer opportunties click here.

The enterprise club will  not be running on Tuesday lunchtimes during August but we will be holdiing evening sessions on 5th and 11th."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Beth Rowley - Beautiful Tomorrow.

Sophia Hub update

Here is the latest update from the Seven Kings and Newbury Park Sophia Hub:

Sophia Course

Day One completed of the latest Sophia Course. This Sophia Course is aimed at Valentines Ward residents (funding from the Community First fund) and is a reflective and transformative opportunity to look at the community in which we live and generate ideas that can become social enterprises.

The six participants, plus Ros Southern and I, all loved this day together.  We are shaping businesses with a heart.



We looked at:

• our best examples of community projects and community spirit; 
• what our values are;
• what our neighbourhood is like (mainly, but not exclusively, the bad bits);
• using statistics to back-up our perceptions;
• finding the root value of the ideas we have for community projects and businesses; and
• setting the homework!

Day two is next Saturday.  It is possible we could fit in another person or two, particularly if you live in or near Valentines ward in Ilford.  Get in touch if you are interested or want to be contacted for the next course.

Comment from participant: “What I found inspiring was the sharing and caring and everybody thinking together” - Nima.

Thanks to Flirt Cafe for being a wonderful venue for us in the upstairs room.  It’s nice to be supporting a new enterprise in the area.  The cafe address is 361 Ley Street, Ilford IG1 4AA and telephone number 0208 001 7061.

Enterprise Club

A quick rundown on the speakers programme. July sessions will run from 12 – 2pm with the speaker starting at 12.15 pm (parking restrictions end at 12.00 noon).

15th – Manzoor Ahmed, community chef & promoter of pop ups.  Director of local business, Fusion Foods.

22nd – Nnenna Anyanwu a business growth development consultant and runs her own local business.  She is on the steering committee for Sophia Hubs Seven Kings and wants to talk on the personal characteristics needed to work for yourself.

29th – Ola Asgill, Managing Director of Ketco Ltd, based in Chadwell Heath,  He will be leading a session on business plans and will be here from 12 – 2.  He will present for about 45 minutes and then set some tasks and give time for feedback and support.  Ola is also on our steering committee

In August there will be two evening Tuesday sessions 7 - 9.00pm and then a break for two weeks.

Tuesday 5th August 7 - 9.00pm, St Johns Church – speaker to be arranged.

Tuesday 12th August 7 - 9.00pm, St Johns Church – speaker to be arranged.

No sessions on 19th and 26th.

In September the first session will be led by Sue Howard on the Map of Meaning. This will be a longer session looking at the map and working out how to make our work meaningful and fitting in with the meaning in our life.  We are starting the new term with something deep and reflective.

With thanks to volunteers Jenny Coverdale and Elaine Freedman who have been supporting the enterprise club over the last few months.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lloyd Cole and the Commotions - Brand New Friend.