Dear members and friends,
Lots of folk on holiday just now- things are slow- I’m in ‘chill’ mode- Open Golf on telly- odd jobs. Sanding my favourite garden chair for a coat of varnish, I discover that several of the slats are rotten- need replaced. I’m a great recycler of wood and keep a big chest crammed with bits- all shapes and sizes. I love to fashion off cuts into new things- like the ribs of this old chair. I select some lengths of maple- hard to work, but durable. For the next 3 hours I’m off in another zone- like a child absorbed in solitary play- a private place, distant from the adult world. Working on the tools often ‘sends’ me. Pottering in the garden also can connect me to my childhood self- lost in my imagination- enjoying the physicality, the fatigue- feeling the natural living world. I’m particularly pleased with the sweet peas just now – 6 varieties- grown from seed- harvested every day into vases all over my fragrant cottage.
This morning I found a dead swallow in the workshop- don’t know how it got in- so beautiful and delicate and broken. Sad. Bury it under the new Rowan tree- then just sit quietly for a while in my mended chair- sun in my face. The swallows perched on my tv aerial are silent- I wonder if they know- if they grieve. Meister Ekhart said “Nothing in all creation is so like god as silence.”
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A new study by engineering consultants Garrad Hassan claims that Scotland could meet all its electricity needs from renewable sources by 2030. http://www.senscot.net/view_news.php?viewid=8405 The renewables industries claim that they could power the global economy entirely within 20-40 years. This week the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has thrown its weight behind the nuclear industry’s massive lobby for the UK Government to scale back wind power targets. The battle lines are drawn. In his Guardian piece Jeremy Leggett argues that this is a battle of cultures. Those who want the centralised power of massive power plants- against those who want to democratise power- to deliver power to the people both literally and metaphorically. http://www.senscot.net/view_news.php?viewid=8376
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The English Government has this week begun a three month consultation on its proposals for a Social Investment Wholesale Bank. The consultation document makes it clear that it will not give money to front line organisations but will “invest in those who invest in the Third Sector.” The Bank will be funded by unclaimed assets from dormant bank accounts. How will this new English institution relate to Social Invesment Scotland? What’s happening to the Scottish dormant bank account money? Is Scottish Government a bit off the pace? Download document here http://www.senscot.net/view_news.php?viewid=8373
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The Scottish Government’s Community Empowerment Action Plan acknowledges the importance of “locally owned, community led organisations which often act as ‘anchors’ for the process of empowerment.” The problem is that no funding was attached to this policy. By contrast in England £70m (matched by £40m from Unity Trust Bank) has been made available by their Government specifically to strengthen the financial base of “community anchor organisations.” http://www.senscot.net/view_news.php?viewid=8377
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The issues raised by Grameen Glasgow are difficult to discuss because some people see it as an attack on our benefits system. I heard Muhammad Yunus speak in Glasgow and he made clear his support for social security. His intention is to offer a parallel path to independence for those people who feel trapped and disempowered by the present system. Grameen Glasgow deserves our best shot. http://www.senscot.net/view_news.php?viewid=8374
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The Scottish Government wants all public sector procurement markets to be openly available to our Third Sector. A new national contracts portal- Public Contracts Scotland – will send you automatic alerts on any themes in which you register interest; http://www.senscot.net/view_news.php?viewid=8375
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On the 25 June I attended a roundtable hosted by SCVO to explore whether there is an appetite for a shared response from civil society to the various global crises of our times. This follow-up paper building on some of the themes is from Ruchir Shah, SCVO policy manager. I hope this initiative gathers momentum. http://www.senscot.net/view_news.php?viewid=8404
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Network member Tam Cassidy is Scottish manager of Time Banking and is responsible for the successful Time Banking Prison Initiative. Volunteering done by prisoners in 6 participating Scottish prisons is rewarded hour for hour – but the hours are donated to a nominated community timebank for individuals who are in difficulties. I found this story inspiring. http://www.senscot.net/view_news.php?viewid=8406
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NOTICES: We can’t flag all notices here, but submit jobs and events and we’ll post them on our site. See http://www.senscot.net/jobsevents.php. This week:
JOBS: Glenboig Neighbourhood House, ASH Scotland, Rosemount Lifelong Learning, Gowrie Care, Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability, Health in Mind, Paths for All, Community Enterprise
EVENTS: Compassionate Living Fayre (Edinburgh), 25 Jul; Starting your Social Enterprise, 10 Aug; Festival Exhibition, 15 Aug; Stress Awareness at Work, 21 Aug;
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NETWORKS NEWS: Colin writes: This year is Senscot’s 10th anniversary and amazingly it’s already the Social Enterprise Ceilidh’s 5th! We’re at New Lanark again (will this year be the last there?) and the dates are 19th of November, which is Social Enterprise Day and 20th. We’re pleased to be able to confirm support for the event from RBS once again. There will be the usual favourites such as Speed Trading and the Dragon’s Den as well as some new additions for this year including a one to one Legal Clinic (advanced bookings will be required. One difference this year will be that bookings for the Ceilidh will be done via the Networks 1st online forum. http://www.senscot.net/networks1st/showart.php?articleid=98
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Sir Ronald Cohen, the venture capitalist, has joined the ranks of those (including Senscot) calling for new UK legislation equivalent to USA Community Reinvestment Act. He claims that the only way to increase banks’ activity in our poorest areas is to force them to publish how much they lend to deprived areas. http://www.senscot.net/view_news.php?viewid=8403
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Ed Mayo has been appointed CEO of Co-operatives UK when Pauline Green retires this autumn. I first knew Ed’s work where he was with New Economics Foundation (NEF) – a trailblazer of the UK counterculture. When he went to the National Consumer Council (Consumer Focus) his work was beyond the reach of my radar- so it’s great that he’s back in our world. The mutually owned business model has huge potential and a leader of Ed’s calibre can help deliver it. http://www.senscot.net/view_news.php?viewid=8402
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This week’s profile, NATA CIC is the trading arm of North Area Transport Association in Glasgow established in January 2004 with two mini-buses. NATA CIC allows the core values of the charitable group to be achieved by offering commercial services to the public, including private hire for weddings, airport transfers, parties, etc. http://www.senscot.net/view_prof.php?viewid=8409
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The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali were compiled in India circa 300 years before Christ. They are not tied to any specific religion, culture or period- but remain a profound exposition of the mental processes which lead to the expansion of human consciousness;
“Yoga is the settling of the mind in silence:- When the mind has settled, we are established in our essential nature which is unbounded consciousness:- The quest for our essential nature is life’s main task and our only resting place:- Our essential nature is usually overshadowed by the activity of the mind:- Yoga settles this mental activity and leads to a state of freedom:- Freedom is consciousness beyond the influence of desire, a state of choiceless awareness.”
That’s all for this week. Good luck with your adventures
Best wishes,
Laurence
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