"I′m a sucker for projects where interactive media meets the real world and inspires or makes a difference. Tribe Wanted is just such an initiative. It brings people together on-line and on-the-ground - including on a remote island - to tackle the biggest issues of our day in a totally immersed, committed, fun, human way. How the project is run and presented online shows a very thoughtful, skillful approach to networked media"
- Adam Gee (New Media
Commissioner, Channel 4)

Nov

23

Myfootballclub.co.uk agrees a deal with Ebbsfleet United

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I have blogged about this before. This is no less than an absolutely incredible project, MyFootballClub.co.uk. The plan was to bring together 50,000 people from around the world who would pay £35 each and a football team would be purchased which these 50,000 people would then manage. Incredibly, a deal has been agreed with Ebbsfeet United.

There are a heap of brilliant ideas out there, daily people chat in pubs, homes, offices and dream up incredible ideas. The majority of these ideas do not come to fruitition at all, ever. A number of these of these ideas, sadly, are launched but are not executed properly. A small minority are great ideas, the are launched, excecuted well and become a thriving new concept that takes important and vital strides forward in the world in which we live. Myfootballclub.co.uk is certainly one of those concepts.

I have been astounded by this project. I am one of the paid members and there is a real buzz on the forum with articles being written, members communicating and a whole hive of activity taking place. It really is exciting to be a part of.

The basis of MyFootballClub, i.e. to bring people together in order to do something positive in the real world, is similar to that of tribewanted. I can only speak of nothing but praise for MyFootballClub’s founder, Will Brooks, who has done an incredibly job. This is really inspiring stuff and I am learning as much as I possibly can from him!

Check it out: www.myfootballclub.co.uk

Nov

22

Usman Shiekh: One of the most sincere, humble and passionate men I have met.

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Usman Shiekh is the founder and Chairman of BD3 United FC. Usman Shiekh came second in the Make Your Mark in 60 Seconds Award. Usman Sheikh is one of the most sincere, humble and passionate men I have ever met.

BD3 United is a voluntary football organisation in Bradford that works with over 150 young people a week, with the aim of getting them off the streets and teaching them life-skills through playing football. What an accomplishment for a man of 23 who has 2 children and a wife.

I was lucky enough to spend Social Enterprise Day and I cannot tell you how much we laughed, it was brilliant. We laughed to the point where we were crying and people were looking at us in a very strange way! However, as I got to know Usman throughout that day I got to hear about his work with young people, about the crime and the gangs in his streets, about the guns and the violence and equally about how Usman has built a reputation as a respected member of the community so that young people and adults alike warm to him, listen to him and are quite clearly inspired by him.

Usman Shiekh pitches to the judges

I am a passionate man. I am passionate about positively changing people’s lives and being a role model to others in that area. However, I come to that as a student and I was completely and utterlu honoured to have spent the day with Usman so that I could listen, so that I could learn and so that I could laugh.

Check it out: BD3United FC

Nov

19

Liverpool Culture Cafe wins ‘Make Your Mark in 60 seconds Award’

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What an incredibly crazy week! I spent the whole of last week in London for a whole range of mad and various things. I will update you over the next week with regards to some of these events.

All in all it was a great week and I spent a lot of time with some budding entrepreneurs and ended up learning a heck of a lot! The culmunation of my week was Thursday when all 4 of the ‘Make Your Mark in 60 seconds’ finalists gathered on the London bus that was hired to take the finalists, journalists, other business men and women and Phil Hope, the Minister of the Third Sector, on a tour of Social Enterprise events across London. Our day kicked off at a school in London when the Make Your Mark in 60 seconds competition was launched.

After an action packed day the time came for the winner to be announced and, in all honesty, I was gobsmacked to find out that the Liverpool Culture Cafe had won, I really was. It was the perfect end to a great week in London! Well done to the whole Liverpool Culture Cafe team for their hardwork and effort!

Mark pitched the Liverpool Culture Cafe to Tim Campbell (The Apprentice), Emily Eavis (Glastonbury), Peter Jones (Dragon’s Den)

Nov

9

You can now vote for Mark Bowness on behalf of Liverpool Culture Cafe

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Last week I pitched the Liverpool Culture Cafe concept to Peter Jones (Dragon’s Den), Emily Eavis (Glastonbury Festival) and Tim Campbell (The Apprentice) and the Liverpool Culture Cafe concept was put through to the finals of the Make Your Mark in 60 seconds award.

You can now watch my sixty second pitch to these judges and vote by one of the following:

A) www.bebo.com/60seconds if you have a Bebo profile or would like to create one.

B) http://www.makeyourmark.org.uk/get_involved/mym_change_lives/mark_bowness

With this second option you are required to put in an e-mail address but you will receive no spam.

If the Liverpool Cultur Cafe wins this project we will ont only win £5,000 but will also receive a huge media profile so if you could vote for us myself and The Liverpool Culture Cafe team would be incredinly grateful.

PLEASE VOTE NOW!

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