This is the 10th such seminar I have run with my co collaborator Jackie Dawkins and during that time we have had numerous and varied charities attend and a huge number of testimonials for this free event.

So what could a marketer or PR person from a charity gain from attending this seminar? Well the seminar will give an insight into how social networking can help your charity to:

• Communicate your cause
• Increase your following
• Interact with the community
• Improve your fundraising
• Increase your volunteer base

As with all our training seminars, interaction and participation are encouraged and we welcome all charities who want to learn how to make better use of these new media technologies in a fun and challenging way.

Booking is simple just use the Eventbrite form below, or if you have any questions or maybe want to talk about a dedicated training for your team why not get in touch here or email alistair@gleavemedia.co.uk.

I spent a fair bit of time discussing the options I have as a domestic user and it was great to catch up with some old friends as well, seems we all have a common idea of benefiting from the feed in tariff and also trying to help the environment.

Also other businesses providing energy saving solutions for the domestic market where there to discuss the options available.  I must add that it is great to see a number of local business working in the local area, like the friendly team of Exeter based solar installer Ecosource Solutions who I had a long chat with.

This kind of local energyshare group called Transition Groups are springing up in villages and towns all over Devon so if you want to really make a change why not get in touch with your local Transition Group and see how your house or business can benefit.

Vulcan at Dawlish Airshow 2009 from Alistair Gleave on Vimeo.

Also we’ve seen the Devon Air Ambulance, Sea King and EH101 helicopters and of course the Typhoon which was quite simply awesome.  So if you’re around Dawlish on the 18th August and you here a low droan of aircraft engines, those will probably be the Rolls Royce Merlin Engines of the Battle of Britain flight.

I will be live tweeting from the event so follow me here @alpenwest and if you do go then please put some money in the collection buckets, its people’s good will and generosity that keeps it going, please be generous.

Friday 13th May the launch of GrowMyCharity, yes we chose the date well!

The launch of GrowMyCharity.com a collaboration between myself (Alistair Gleave) and Jackie Dawkins. Why you may ask?  Well we have both been working with charity clients for a number of years and wanted to find a way to support charities of all shapes and sizes to grow and flourish by providing them with resources, ideas and tools.

Our opening event was at TTS in Bideford, the picture shows me in full flow….  The event saw a number of charities come along for an opening presentation and group discussion on online marketing for their charities, something close to our hearts, and where we believe we can offer real value and support to charities.

The site and events will grow significantly over the coming months with more resources, information and guests posts etc, please come and join us on our new Facebook page here.

We’d love to see you at the next event at the wonderful Seale Hayne on June 22nd and you can book a FREE place for your charity here http://growmycharitysh.eventbrite.com/

This is what Jackie and I are doing with GrowMyCharity.com – COLLABORATING.

It’s true meaning is “working together to achieve a goal” Jackie has added some extra words – “people from two different organisations working together to achieve a goal“. The impact of having people from different organisations, companies, charities, nations working together has great potential. Obviously there has to be an agreed goal and a common aim to ensure that people work well together, a meeting of minds if you like, but think what can be achieved. If you increase the amount of creative thought, energy and enthusiasm you put into a project it’s not unreasonable to expect great results.

Recently St Loyes Foundation and Exeter Drugs Project combined forces to jointly employ an HR Manager, neither organisation required a full-time person for their role and they had similar workforce issues. Their offices are only a couple of hundred yards apart! Obviously, this type of collaboration requires careful planning and a clear understanding of how the relationship is going to work for it to be successful.

Jackie and I are looking forward to collaborating with others in the charity sector to provide great services, exciting events, lively discussion and already we have Mark Tyler of SAV Media and Anita Newcombe of Anita Newcombe Public Relations on board to contribute to the site, others will follow.

Long live collaboration!

www.GrowMyCharity.com

This afternoon I spoke at the excellent Social Networking for Fundraisers at the Exeter Royal Academy for Deaf Education on Topsham Road in Exeter.  The topic was Inbound Marketing for Charities and was a full on session with discussion, interaction and input from the Charity Fundraiser’s from the Devon area who attended.

Regular readers of this blog will know I do a lot of public speaking (read more about it on my blog here) on web related topics and in particular web communication and social media for Charities.  Indeed during the number of seminars I’ve run it never ceases to amaze me the diversity of charities, from Hens to the RNLI (yes I said Hens) we really do have a diverse charity sector in the South West and I am pleased to do my little bit…

Also the Flip Camera that i refer to and heartily recommend for YouTube – i have one and this can be found on Amazon here.  I find the Flip Camera ideal for its simplicity, ease of use superb high quality.  There are other great HD camera’s available and some good examples again can be seen on Amazon here.

Recent Testimonials from our Charity Seminars

‘Really interesting seminar that gave lots of food for thought‘ – Donna, now with RNLI

‘James and Alistair are very entertaining and make the seminar fun!‘ – Anon

‘Really useful, good to think about integration‘ – Chris Penberthy

‘I’ve learning how to use my Twitter account more effectively‘ – Philip King, Devon Air Ambulance

By using the power of SlideShare that presentation is below, i have had to remove a few images and links – you have the key parts below.

I took this image while walking along a winding path finding the Shine Charity lunch where i was presenting, and i dont think the picture does it justice.

Throughout the year DAAT have numerous fundraising events and a dedicated team of volunteers who raise the funds to keep this vital service airborne. And yes i have joined the fundraising by entering the Agatha Christie Sea Swim in September which is a mile long swim which follows a stunning route along the coastline of Paignton, between the beaches of Goodrington and Broadsands in delightful Torbay, so what does this have to do with me you ask?

Well this is where i ask you to please sponsor me for the Sea Swim, i am sure it is going to be hard work and lots of training will be needed. Even though i used to be a beach lifeguard that was a few years ago and i do realise that a mile in swimming is a fair old way so every extra bit i can raise will serve as additional motivation i promise….

I popped down there on my lunch hour and witnessed the Vikings and Saxon having a bit of a barny with each other, Friday i see was designated schools day so lots of kids cheering for either side – its great to see kids getting involved with history and actually seeing in in action.

Throughout the weekend there will be everything from Roman soldiers to craftspeople, physicians, leather workers, spinners and scribes from the eras of Exeter historical times, these include : Roman, Anglo-Norman, Vikings, Medieval, Georgian, Napoleonic, Victorian and World War 1.

Its on all weekend Friday 25 June – Sunday 27 June between 10.30am – 5pm, well worth a visit in my humble opinion.

You can find out more on the Exeter City Council website here.