VolResource Blog

About time we picked up a posting from other blogs we keep an eye on. At Kevin Harris' neighbourhood blog:

Reporting on discussions at a recent seminar on neighbourhood governance organised by The Young Foundation with CDF and Bassac, he looks at a key question of "Do we need unity of voice – consensus – for neighbourhood governance?” Plus more - see quote below.

Neighbourhoods: Community, consensus, and neighbourhood governance

How far the ODPM and the Home Office can push their expectations of voluntary activity?. Rose Ardron, from Sheffield NDC, said:

“I do two days a week on this and I get tired. My colleagues who are also volunteers, get tired. People aren’t breaking down the doors to get involved in local forums.”

A colleague was telling me recently about a local activist who does 76 hours of volunteering per week: he’s seriously ill. Of another it was noted recently, that to be an activist in your own street is exhausting. I just don’t get the impression that this factor has featured much in what has been thus far an overwhelmingly top-down debate.

Posted by John Howes at 06:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Guardian's annual review of corporate social responsibility takes a look at non-financial tie-ups between voluntary organisations and business, around campaigns.

Quote from article:
Amnesty International, for example, has worked with companies operating in zones of conflict to train business executives in human rights issues. Greenpeace, too, has for many years been working with industry, including recently with nPower to develop and promote a jointly branded renewable energy product in the UK.

More:
Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | Campaigners get into the business of business

Posted by John Howes at 07:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

From Risks, TUC's weekly email health and safety newsletter:

A horse sanctuary in East Anglia has been hit with fines and costs topping £45,000 after its 'cavalier attitude' to lethal chemicals led to three of its workers being poisoned and suffering physical and mental injuries that could affect them for life. Redwings Horse Sanctuary - a charity with a yearly income of £6m - could be dealt a further serious financial blow as the victims prepare to launch civil actions against it for what could be six-figure compensation sums. Norwich Magistrates' Court heard this week that the three workers suffered severe symptoms after inhaling fumes from rat poison tablets when they went into a barn to stack hay. No one had told them the poison had been used in the area. They were also left to make their own way to hospital immediately after the incident. All three workers are now on anti-depressants and have faced dire personal as well as health consequences. One was fired without reason, another is having marriage problems because of his violent mood swings and the third faces a repossession order on his home. Along with two of its managers, Redwings was prosecuted in a case brought by the Health and Safety Executive for contravening health and safety regulations on the use of the poison Phostoxin. Sentencing the charity, Deputy District Judge Frazer Morrison criticised its 'slapdash approach' and said 'the company took no steps to safeguard the safety of employees and visitors to the premises. Proper practices could have prevented the consequences.'

Eastern Daily News item

Posted by John Howes at 04:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)