Following on from the success of TeaCamp in London and BrewCamp in Birmingham, I am now looking to bring this concept to the North.

TeaCamp (see here) is a regular, informal meeting of London-based people who use the internet and social media to help the public sector do more interesting things and do what they already do more effectively. The concept has also been successfully transplanted to the West Midlands, where BrewCamp brings together people from local government, police, NHS and other parts of the public sector to support each other in their pioneering work with the internet and social media.

TeaCamp / BrewCamp are held in the early evening, after work, in a coffee shop with wifi, and continue the longstanding tradition of people getting together over a cuppa and a piece of cake to chew the fat. They normally involve one or more people giving a little talk about an interesting project, or something they feel passionate about, and often result in people being able to help each other overcome obstacles, and perhaps even work on joint projects.

Being an internet or social media pioneer in the public sector can be a lonely process, so the principal aim of these events is help people get some mutual support. If something more concrete comes out of it, that is a bonus. Following TeaCamp and BrewCamp events, Twitter is normally full of people expressing their joy about meeting people face-to-face in similar circumstances to themselves. Archived live video of the latest BrewCamp can be found here.

So, do you work with the internet and / or social media in the public sector in the North West, Yorkshire or the East Midlands? and, if so, would you be interested in an informal get together on a monthly basis in the early evening (say 5:30-8pm)?

I am looking to run CuppaCamp North in Leeds and Manchester, and my good friend and esteemed colleague, Paul Webster is testing the water about support for a MashCamp East Midlands (if you don’t know “Mashing” is a term used for brewing tea in parts of the East Midlands and South Yorkshire). If you think this is something you might be interested in being part of (you don’t have to commit yourself to anything), then please add your name to this Google Doc. There are three separate tables, for Leeds, Manchester and East Midlands. Feel free to add yourself to more than one table if you could attend in either location.

If there is enough support I will go about sorting venues which will be in the city centres in Leeds, Manchester and whichever of the East Midlands cities is most convenient to attendees.

Extract from the LGIU Local democracy blog

Online Councillor of the Year

Winner: Cllr James Barber, London Borough of Southwark

Highly Commended: Cllr Matthew Ellis, Staffordshire County Council

Cllr Barber’s use of online media demonstrates how councillors can engage citizens within their own space in order to make a difference in their communities. He has established a presence on a citizen-run neighbourhood website by engaging and responding positively to local people’s issues, providing information, giving responses from officers and inviting residents to submit their problems and questions to him. Cllr Barber has been cited as a pioneer in this field in research for London Councils; by offering his services in a citizen centred space.

Unlike other nominees in this category, judges really felt that Cllr Barber’s achievements stood out as being different because he has managed to assert himself on existing media that residents of his local area use – he has gone to them rather than expecting them to come to him. The judges noted that ‘if social media is about anything, it is about being where people are’ and this is an excellent example of this.

The chronological order of the tweets is from the bottom to top. Numbers on the right are the number of followers for the person retweeting the message.

Jacks Bass has been recovered. Couple had taken great care of it. They refused reward and only accepted a ‘token’ after pressing. They put an ad in Examiner, alerted their local police on Sunday morning, Police had got in touch. Couple not impressed with hypnotist seen on the Saturday night but are music fans So Bass back & EC might have two new fans

5 String, Blue, "Shuker" Jazz Bass

By Jack Button.

On 30th October my bass was taken by someone outside the Mechanics in Marsden, Huddersfield. I hope that by creating this group that someone might know the people who did or, that the people who did pick it up get to hear about this group and return my instrument.

There is CCTV footage of two couples picking up the guitar at 12.40am where I had (very stupidly) left it propped up against a lamp post. An eye witness had seen them leaving The Shakespeare pub a few minutes before this. CCTV footage from inside the pub shows that, whilst they were possibly not local residents of Marsden, they did know some people to talk to.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:
If you were in the Shakespeare that night or you are a regular there I would massively appreciate you popping in there and looking at the image that Des (the landlord) has of these people.

For anyone else please keep your ears to the ground about anyone saying they have found it (I know if I had found something like this on a night out it would be something that I would mention to people). Also, please spread the word that I am looking for this instrument, add your friends to this group – they say your only ever a few people away from everyone in the world, luckily this world only has to extend to Marsden and the surrounding areas!

Just to be 100% clear, the bass was not stolen from my person nor was I there when it happened. To all intensive purposes the bass was propped up against a lamp post in the street and I think most people in that situation would have taken it for safekeeping to be returned to the rightful owner later. From the CCTV footage they are hesitant about picking it up and don’t try to conceal what they are doing – I hope they were just doing what they thought was right and, in due course, they will return the bass to me. The police are involved and are currently trying to further piece together footage including trying to retrieve the registration plate of the car.

Thankyou so much for reading this, I really appreciate the support I’ve had so far from everybody. This instrument is my livelihood and with it I hope to build my future and career as a professional musician – it would mean the world to me if it was returned!

I CAN OFFER A SUBSTANTIAL REWARD FOR ITS SAFE RETURN

Jack
07985308455

Description: 5 String, Blue, “Shuker” Jazz Bass. Have a look at the picture for this group. I had this bass made for me personally by John Shuker in Sheffield so there is only one of these basses in existence. If you think you have seen it, it will be my bass.

Research on Health Inequalities in Belfast shows that people in working class areas like the Shankill Road die younger.

Manchester Evening News:  Live – Police use Twitter to post 24 hours of incidents in Greater Manchester

Sky News:  Day In The Life Live: Bobbies On The Tweet

After the last few social media surgeries I’ve taken part in in Huddersfield I have bemoaned the lack of opportunity for the surgeons to socialise, compare notes and have a good old pint together. Though we do normally adjourn to a local pub for a chat after a surgery I thought we might all benefit from something a bit more – but then I would wouldn’t I?

After speaking to @johnpopham, @kevupnorth, @watfordgap and I think even @timdifford at the Huddersfield food festival I decided to try to organise a get together. With Tuesday 16th November being the aniversary of Huddersfield Social’s first social media surgery I couldn’t think of a more appropriate date.    The venue is still yet to be decided – I’m looking for somewhere near Huddersfield train station that has wifi – and things will kick off around 6pm. I’ll put up and Eventbrite page as soon as I’ve finalised the details.

It’s been a busy year in which I’ve enjoyed meeting so many wonderful people. Hope to see you there.

Before Oz Clarke and James May Drank Britain, The Ale Trail was a pleasantly understated affair enjoyed by a small amount of people with a spirit for adventure. Its appearance on TV has made it so popular that the train home from work now seems odd if there isn’t a group of beery breathed middle-aged men, razor-sharp creases ironed into their jeans, shirts awkwardly not tucked in, talking much louder than they would ever imagine they are. Usually harmless but leery and intimidating to the regular commuter they trundle their way to the next pub on the route.

One of the pubs on the route is in the village where I live. Weekends see a steady flow of these groups to and from the train station throughout the day. This is OK and I’m sure it’s boosted local businesses but with it comes the usual problems. My favourite being the – Oh no the train’s due we’re going to have to leave now groups – rushing up the hill back to the train station, pint in hand.

What do you think happens to the glass when they finish their pint?

The first time I noticed that the streets were sprouting pint glasses I walked past tutting and shaking my head, thinking, “Don’t they realise it’s litter?”.  I must admit I walked on for a 10 yards before stopping and thinking further:

beer glasses

• Is it my responsibility? After all I didn’t leave it there.
• If I leave that glass there am I just as bad?
• What if it gets knocked over and smashed? Someone could get hurt.
• My kids play on these streets – they could get hurt.
• The place will end up looking scruffy.
• What will people think when they get off the train and this is the first thing they see?

I went back and hid the glasses in a bush to be picked up on my way back home. I have now done this on several occasions and built up a collection of beer glasses which sit gleaming in my kitchen cupboard where they will remain until they’re claimed by the appropriate publican (well, erm… unless I have a barbecue)

I’m not posting this story to big myself up but hopefully to demonstrate that maybe The Big Society isn’t all about huge social projects like running a school or powering your town with a community run wind farm. It can be simple small acts too.