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June 2008: FREdome got through to the final stage of its application to the National Lottery to scale up to a national operation in order to support the 17 areas across the country who are ready to adopt their own community programmes based on the FREdome model. The remaining 4 areas in the UK will have to be funded by an alternative source. May 2008: FREdome-YEA, organised its second awareness/fundraising party at Area Nightclub. The number of youngsters who attended grew from 550 to 770. Not a single problem. The second Watford Celebration event was held at the Watford Colosseum.
Greg Peachey chair of FREdome also chairs the core organising team for
Celebration. April 2008: C-Green Solutions project was short-listed by NESTA in the semi-finals of the Big Green Challenge. If it is the outright winner, it will receive a prize of £1 million. March 2008: FREdome-YEA (Youth Encouraging Adults) organised its first party at Area Nightclub, to raise awareness and funds for C-Green Solutions – a single solution to climate change, the energy crisis, starvation and disease. The Mars Patrol headlined the live music. 550 youngsters took part. All had a brilliant time and the whole even went without a hitch. See the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kwu0QNrnzw February 2008: Up and coming indie band, The Mars Patrol, managed by Dave Prowse (“Darth Vader”) and tipped for the top by the News of the World, partnered with FREdome, running a campaign based on their new song “Take a Look at the World”. Listen at www.MySpace.com/TheMarsPatrol February 2008: FREdome Youth is keen, organising a fundraising/awareness-raising music event at Area Nightclub in Watford on 25th March 2008. We will bring you more news soon. January 2008: Enthusiastic response - 20 hoteliers then came forward to Greg expressing interest in adopting a replica model of the FREdome concept in their own areas of the UK. Some of them were highly enthusiastic about working with him and understood exactly how the FREdome approach - combining events, workshops and a local website - could benefit their own businesses by appealing to a huge range of local people . Greg has to contact each of the hoteliers individually to establish a dialogue. Aiming high - funding from the Lottery has to be won in order to cover the administrative costs of the next stage. Greg is now confident the application can be put together as all the required pieces are in place: "Crucially , we can show the measured benefits of the FREdome model and a proven track record of success in creating tangible results from previous grants" says Greg. Our young people are amazing: The FREdome Youth team, incorporating the C-Green Solutions project team at St Michaels college has used social networking on Bebo and MySpace. Since early January a jaw-dropping 1572 friends have joined teenage Youth Representatives Jasmine and Sophie in their quest to start a world-wide movement to pressure adults to support research into Carbon Cycling - FREdome's most successful community-changing project to date. "The girls are screening the applicants - most of whom are between 14 and 16 years of age". says Greg. "We can't publicise the site to adults, but any young people can contact me if they want to find out how to join." It's Our World too Jasmine, Sophie, St Michaels School and a number of FREdome supporters and sponsors have been involved in a big effort to raise £5000 for the C-Green Solutions science project. The team recorded a one-minute video called "It's Our World too" and have entered it for the Bebo 60 Second Challenge - an online competition for funds for youth-led community project ideas. The closing date is Feb 18th. You can view the FREdome entry at www.bebo.com/60seconds The WeCareFREdome team will face a panel of "Dragons" if they get into the final. A fantastic effort - well done all. Latest from C-Green Solutions Want to know what is going on with our top community project at St Michael's High School and Specialist College? Visit www.c-greensolutions.comNovember 2007: On Friday 9th November 2007, young people from St Michael’s College joined Watford business leaders and representatives of the FREdome Visionary Trust gathered at the Best Western White House Hotel in Watford to launch C-Green Solutions - our revolutionary project in support of Global-Eco’s carbon cycling process. The ambitious project aims to eliminate or even reverse the carbon footprint and promote sustainable living, initially by growing high yield, nutritious vegetables in water not soil. The experiment is being promoted by the FREdome Project to raise awareness of the benefits of hydroponic growth, and – with the support of the local community, entrepreneurs and government – to implement hydroponic growth on a scale that will benefit the town's young and destitute. The ultimate aim is to scale up and convert carbon from the air and sea nutrients cyclicly into world resources using the fastest available natural process – photosynthesis by marine microalgae in dilute seawater – on land. Over fifty people attended the event including young people from the school, teachers, representatives and sponsors from the local business community. The afternoon was introduced by Charlie Kenny, Business Network International plc - Regional Director for Herts & Beds. He called the project “A launch pad for the community’s most beneficial idea.” Jasmine, FREdome Youth Leader gave a young person’s perspective on the world problems that the project sets out to resolve. Greg Peachey recounted how the young people at a community workshop selected and adapted this as the idea with the best potential to tackle the world issues that their generation will otherwise inherit. He went on to explain the concept itself. Harry Hart, the 77-year old originator of the Carbon Cycling Process, travelled from his home in Suffolk to give the details of the process, answer questions, meet the young people and wish them well. Hertfordshire-born Harry, has accumulated a huge amount of research data which he hopes to be able to pass onto the young people. Summing up his impressions at the close of the evening, Tony Poole, Chair of Watford Borough Council, said, “This is an idea that attacks problems that are becoming ever-more urgent. If this research can bear fruit then it can make a real difference, but you will have to overcome the natural suspicion that it’s too good to be true.” For more information about the project, visit www.c-greensolutions.com October 2007: Great Stuff Hydroponics offered to donate the initial equipment required, and Ocean Grown offered to donate the initial sea nutrients. Top Position is following the project and publishing series of media releases. Dr Tony Miller of Rothamsted Research will provide practical guidance. September 2007: On 01 Sep 2007 the interactive Ideas Website was delivered to St Michael’s Catholic High School and Specialist Humanities College for internal trials. August 2007: The FREdome Visionary Trust took a stall at the Family Fun Day held
at Stanborough Park, WATFORD to feedback the latest FREdome news to
the local community. First two FREdome-backed ideas: NonPaperSurvey.com survey launched to estimate the number of trees wasted in making unopened or scarcely-read weekend newspaper supplements. Idea submitted by Jehangir Sarosh, European President of World Conference of Religions for Peace. Initial results suggest that around four million trees go straight into the bin every week (even taking account of recycling). Visit www.nonpapersurvey.com. Global Eco: A well-researched (over 30 years by 20-30 including eco-scientists), ingenious yet common-sense grass-roots idea for resolving very pressing and topical issues. It proposes a radically new application of rapidly-multiplying microalgae - fed only on sun, dilute seawater and air - to reverse the greenhouse effect with stunning rapidity and provide vast renewable resources for the world's carbon-hungry needs. With sufficient take-up it could address a whole raft of global issues, including: climate change, the energy crisis, world poverty, water shortage, food shortage, pollution, territorial conflict, malnutrition and biodiversity threat. Idea conceived by Suffolk-based Harry Hart FBIS. April 2006: FREdome and Joseph Rowntree applicants form into seven task forces: Infrastructure, Funding (Charitable & Commercial), Team Building, Events, Public Relations, News Comment and Networking. FREdome seminar at Conference in Ilfracombe. March 2006: FREdome teams up with grass-roots visionaries and social entrepreneurs who applied to the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. This will enable us to gain collective clout for funding and publicity. February 2006: FREdome Variety Conference at Hilton Hotel, Watford, incorporating features and performances relating to the Arts, Enterprise and Beliefs. Described by Watford Interfaith Association as a "hugely entertaining programme." January 2006: Partner School, St Michael’s Catholic High School, is awarded Humanities college status. November 2005: FREdome presentation and theme song at Family Matters Institute AGM in Bedford. CBeebies presenter Sidney Sloane and BBC news presenter Alastair Yates add their public support to FREdome. (See Sponsors page.) October 2005: Award from Institute for Global Ethics - The panel congratulated FREdome on a "bold, wide-ranging and imaginative project." FREdome was showcased at the Museum of London. FREdome Musical Drama at the School to communicate the vision was attended by Senior politicians and MPs from the major political parties, and representatives from arts, entertainment, social, and faith organisations. Forty grant-making trusts also invited. St Michael's Gospel Choir sings FREdome theme song to 80 Watford Chamber of Commerce businesses at Shendish Manor Golf Club, Hemel Hempstead. July 2005: Awareness/fundraising coffee morning at Barclays Bank, Harpenden. FREdome project presentation to Watford Chamber of Commerce businesses at School. June 2005: FREdome theme song written. Hope to release this as a single. BP visits school to learn about their work in the community, most recently FREdome. Children write to over 60 celebrities and public figures appealing for support. May 2005: FREdome week at St Michael's. Story so far of FREdome is presented to a local faith community through drama. April 2005: Children do 'leaflet drop' at Conference in Ilfracombe. Local and national organisations agree to actively consider the top ideas to emerge from the project - these include the major political parties, Hertfordshire County Council, and key organisations in the world of the Arts & Business - e.g. British Phonographic Industry, Watford Museum, Ambassador Theatre Group, Amateur Photographer, FRA Literary, Film & Television Agency and intermediaries for National Business Angels. (See Sponsors page.) R Stephen Rubin (Chairman) declares that: "Pentland Group is delighted to see the FREdome initiative of St Michael's Catholic High School, which it believes can only be for the betterment of mankind." March 2005: Initial website launched. January-February 2005: Contacted 200 corporations in the Institute of Business Ethics and in Business in the Community about the project. October 2004: FREdome became the principal community project of St Michael's Catholic High School in Watford, Herts. July 2004: Greg Peachey began an (unpaid) career break in order to launch FREdome - a movement to re-connect the positive will of the people to what happens in society. Many of the things we see on our screens everyday are not what the community want their children to inherit, because of a widespread disconnection between ideas and resources. Experience suggests that, however bright, an idea from an ordinary community member will only be taken seriously, when there is a mandate from the People behind it. As a grass-roots initiative in itself, FREdome will both serve to illustrate and need to overcome, the very hurdles it seeks to dismantle. |