Our ExCel-lent Friends: Sea Shepherd

Last week, yr humble author and Guru Ian took a trip to London, visiting a big outdoor show in London's ExCel Centre. It gave them a chance to meet some of their pals, and find out a little more about what's going on in their world. This week, I'm opening up the blog to them.

Let's start with one of the major marine conservation charities out there. With a swashbuckling, piratical image and their own fleet of ships, these guys are serious about taking care of the ocean and its inhabitants. Let's have a chat with Sea Shepherd...

Sea Shepherd are a direct-action group who take the fight straight to the illegal poachers threatening protected environments and species. With a fleet of four ships, and a large number of inflatables and other smaller vehicles, Sea Shepherd are well equipped to ensure that justice is best served salty. They're not called Neptune's Navy without reason...

For 2016, two major campaigns are running. Operation Sleppid Grindini is a continuation of last year's successful action, aiming to prevent the systematic slaughter of over 1,000 pilot whales by Faroe Island fishermen. The whales are trapped in a narrow channel before being beached and butchered, a process that can take up to four agonising minutes. The Islanders claim that the grindadráp is a traditional way for the Faroese to feed their families–despite their own government's warning that, due to pollution, the whale meat is unsafe for human consumption. For the most part, it's simply left on the beach to rot.

Entire pods are eradicated as part of the grind, leading many conservationists to question the legality of the event under the Berne Convention which Denmark, of which the Faroes are territory, have signed. Sea Shepherd aims to be back at the Islands this summer, to help prevent this meaningless and illegal slaughter.

 

Meanwhile Operation Icefish is already underway. Sea Shepherd's flagship, the MV Steve Irwin, has headed out from Perth in Western Australia towards the Antarctic. The job: to prevent illegal toothfish poachers from plying their bloody trade in the cold Southern waters.

Operation Icefish has two specific targets. Icefish poaching vessels Viking and Kunlun are the only remaining ships trawling in protecting waters, after last year's mission targeted and shut down most of the so-called 'Bandit 6' boats. These last two are wanted by Interpol. They're a juicy target. The objective for 2016 is to chase down Viking and Kunlun, and end icefish poaching in Antarctic waters for good.

It looks like another exciting year ahead for Sea Shepherd. Ian and I would like to thank the team at the London International Dive Show for making us welcome and sharing their plans for the coming year with us.

Get to the boats!

 

 

 

All pics: © Rob Wickings 2016

 

A Grand Day Out

Yesterday was a rare opportunity for me to see daylight and sniff fresh air. Guru Ian unlocked the keys to my writing shack, urging me to bring my camera and notebook. We were off to That London, to visit some chums.

To be precise, we were away to the ExCel Centre in Docklands, home for the next few days to an interlocking set of shows based around getting out and about. The Telegraph Outdoor Adventure And Travel Show, The London International Dive Show, The Triathlon Show and the London Bike Show were all in one place–an ideal opportunity to check out what's new in the outdoorsy world and meet up with some pals of the blog.

Next week will be exclusively dedicated to our adventures, but I can exclusively share a few pics I took while we were there. If you're at all interested in getting fit in the outdoors, and especially if you're a fan of cycling, there's lots to see and do. Speaking personally, I had to keep my hands well away from my wallet. Difficult when there are beauties like this steampunk velocipede from Boxer Cycles available...

 

Meanwhile, Guru Ian, ever the petrolhead, had his eyes on something a little more low-slung and high-spec. Like this Lambo. Note the bike rack on the top, though. I bet that cuts through the MPG figures...

 

We were both impressed and amazed by this little caravan. Doesn't look like much? It's made completely from Lego, and took a team of twelve over three months to build.

 

And it isn't an empty shell, either. Check out the detail on the inside! Breakfast is served...

 

 

Ian and I had a blast, so I hope you'll join us next week when you can find out more about our friends at Bite-Back, Sea Shepherd and CTC, and why they were at the show. For now, though, it's back to the shack for me. I need a sit down after all that walking about...

 

(All photos © Rob Wickings 2016)

 

The London Wildlife Trust: Keeping The Capital Green

Pic credit: Hedgehog III by Kalle Gustafsson via Flickr - https://www.flickr.com/photos/kallegustafsson/

Image provided through a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode

 

We think of London as a thriving, busy urban centre. A place of art, commerce and culture. We don't really consider the green parts of the city at all. But our capital is scattered with parks and wild spaces, with an honest to goodness National Forest licking at the eastern boundary of Greater London.

These places are important. They're good for the soul and the health of the capital and the people who live in it. From the grand expanses of Hyde Park to the calm sanctuaries of Sydenham Hill Wood, London is in some ways defined by the spaces that turn their backs on the stone and skyscrapers.

The green spaces of London are home to all manner of wildlife. From insects to birds to foxes and hedgehogs, if you know where to look old London Town is alive with interest. It should be another reason to celebrate.

But of course, things are never that simple. Developers and property magnates are always hovering, ready to swoop on unwatched and unprotected green spaces and build on them. Their argument: London needs more buildings. It's an argument that ignores the role that the parks and meadows play in the health of the capital as a whole. They are not just places for people to relax, or animal refuges. London's green spaces play a vital role in maintaining a heathy eco-system, helping with temperature control, air quality and even flood protection.

The guardians of London's green spaces are the London Wildlife Trust, who have been keeping an eye on the ecological life of the city since 1981. Their remit is simple: to protect and maintain over forty nature reserves across the capital, and to ensure that Londoners know that they don't have to travel outside the M25 to see a patch of grass. They work on projects that open up neglected areas of the city, not to another block of over-priced flats, but to the people of London as a whole. From Tump 53, an old munitions site in the heart of Thamesmead that's now a nature reserve, to the re-opening of the capital's most expansive purpose-built waterway, Walthamstow Wetlands, the London Wildlife Trust is working hard to connect the capital's green spaces into a necklace of jade jewels. A beautiful, natural gift for a glamourous city.

The current campaign is a little more down to earth. They're fighting to protect London's original street urchins–the hedgehog. Numbers of the spiny critters have plummeted over the last 50 years by almost two-thirds, as their natural habitats disappear. Plans for the HS2 rail link will further endanger hedgehogs, putting at risk the last known breeding population, in Regent's Park. Supporting the campaign, writer and adventurer Ben Fogle says:

“Everybody loves hedgehogs! It’s a tragedy that they are disappearing so quickly particularly when it’s easy to help them. We can all have a go at planting a native hedge, creating gaps in fences for them to pass through, leaving leaf or log piles and allowing parts of the garden to grow wild to give them a home.”

It's a campaign that's well worth supporting, as is the work that the Trust do as a whole. Here at The Pier, we've been supplying the London Wildlife Trust with custom apparel for years. They're doing great things, helping to keep the nation's capital green.

For more on the Trust's Hedgehog campaign, check out http://www.wildlondon.org.uk/hedgehogs2015.

 

Mitzvah Day

Mitzvah Day is almost here! This Sunday, 22nd November, sees one of the biggest inter-faith community events in the country reach out to make a real difference to those in need. Founded in 2005 by Laura Marks, Mitzvah Day is a chance for people to to donate their time and energy to a diverse range of causes that make a tangible difference to those in need around the world.

 

Acts of kindness are engraved in the Jewish way of life, as individuals give selflessly of their time and of themselves. Every year on Mitzvah Day, over 37,000 participants do just that, through a multitude of projects based on the principle of doing acts of kindness. Although it's now a major part of the UK Jewish calender, the main focus of Mitzvah Day is inclusiveness–everyone is welcome. In fact, the interfaith appeal of the project is part of what has made it so successful.

Mitzvah is the Hebrew biblical term for 'deed' or 'commandment' and has become synonymous with doing good. You could argue, then, that every day is mitzvah day–the desire to do good cannot be confined to one day. They're right of course, so Mitzvah Day's doors are never closed, ensuring many of the projects and partnerships under the umbrella have year-round reach.

 

The range of these projects is dizzying. From shopping for foodbanks to collections of craft materials, from ground clearance and maintenance to day-care for seniors and children, there's something for everyone. This year, Mitzvah Day is putting a special focus on help for refugees, with donation drives, bakeathons and help with the make-up of care packages all on the menu. And the reach is spreading, with Mitzvah Days also being held this year across Europe and even in Australia!

The point of the event is to give freely and cheerfully of your time, to make a difference through an unselfish contribution. You don't need to be a member of a synagouge or church. All you need is the will to help.

There's still time to get involved! Check out the Mitzvah Day site for available projects, or to see how the organisation can help with your idea.



Pier32 have been involved with Mitzvah Day since 2008. This year, we supplied the organisation with t-shirts, bags, beanies and baby bibs. Maybe we can help with your event. Give us a ring, or get in touch through our QuickQuote service.

 

 

Pier32 and Swansea University

A couple of weeks ago, Swansea University held its Undergraduate Open Day: a chance for dewy-eyed newbies to start to get to grips with college life at one of the prettiest campuses in the UK. It was a rambunctious affair, with plenty of opportunities for selfies with the University's seagull (or maybe a swan?!) mascot.

pic.twitter.com/U0JCiAJNXL #SwanseaUni

— Will McLaren (@WillMclaren93) October 10, 2015

Student ambassdors were on hand to help out with questions and guidance. They were easily spotted, as they were wearing bright green polos and hoodies you could see from a mile away. You can see where I'm going with this now, can't you? Those tops were provided by Pier32–as they have been since 2006.

Gerry, the Voice of Pier32, tells me that our relationship with Swansea University started thanks to our strong stance on ethical and environmental issues. Since then it's gone from strength to strength. We supply tees, hoodies, hi-vis and jackets for the Fresher's Fair, and the full gamut of clothing for Residential Services, from Workwear Trousers to tabards. The College of Sciences and English Language Training schools order t-shirts from us as well.

If you're a college or university with a need for customised apparel, and understand how important it is to find promotional clothing that's ethically produced, then why not get in touch and see what Pier32 can do for you? If nothing else, it gives you a chance to pick up the phone and hear Gerry's dulcet tones slip like dark velvet into your ears...


There are some more good pictures from the day on Swansea University's Storify account. Check it out...
https://storify.com/SwanseaUni/swansea-university-open-day-october-10th-2015

Helping Hippotherapy Northumberland

We work with a lot of lovely community clubs and charities here at The Pier, but none have given me a glow recently quite like Hippotherapy Northumberland.

Let's dispel a few misunderstandings right off the bat. Hippos are not involved in any way, means or form. This is not some weird mis-spelling of the word "hypnotherapy". No, hippotherapy uses the characteristic movements of a horse to provide carefully-graded motor and sensory input to kids with disabilities. Simply being on or engaging with horses has remarkable therapeutic results. However, the 3 dimensional 4 point movement of the horse stimulates normal reflex and posture. In conjunction with a therapist alongside who knows how to optimise the experience and therapeutic effect, hippotherapy helps to normalise and bring down spastic and high tone episodes.

Hippotherapy Northumberland is founded and run by Angela Torsch, a recently-retired NHS local community paediatric physiotherapist from the area. She says of her area of specialty:

“The intention is to present this as an activity the child with disabilities can engage in and gain from, physically, emotionally, cognitively and relationally, and helps to encourage posture, strength and balance.

“For many, it is the first time they can engage in a leisure/recreational pursuit and it is a very special opportunity that raises the quality of life for children with even severe disabilities.

“It differs from, but can lead to Riding for Disabled, helping many who are not yet able to access this fantastic service.”

Founded in 2013, the club is going from strength to strength, and we're really happy to be supplying Hippotherapy Northumberland with hoodies. Angela sent us a shot of them in action.

 

In further good news, Angela tells me that Hippotherapy Northumberland has recently attained charitable status. They're now looking for sponsors to partner families, which will help to make access to hippotherapy an affordable option for kids who could really benefit from it. Their registered charity number is 1163434, if you want to help in any way.

If you want to know more about Hippotherapy Northumberland, your best bit is their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hippotherapy-Northumberland/376814322445071

 

 

Angela was supplied with Varsity Contrast Hoodies from the Just Hoods range by All We Do Is.

http://www.pier32.co.uk/product/jh003-varsity-hoodie/

http://www.hoodieprinter.co.uk/product/jh003j-kids-varsity-hoodie/

 

Keeping circuses cruelty-free with Animal Defenders

The circus. A happy place, full of fun, thrills and good clean family entertainment. Unless you're an animal that's part of the show. Then you're more likely to be spending your life in cages that are too small for your needs, subject to cruelty and mistreatment by your owners and handlers.
There's a wide consensus that circuses featuring wild animals are un-necessarily cruel. But it may surprise you to know that they haven't actually been made illegal in the UK. A ban was promised by the government in 2012. In 2013 it published draft legislation to that effect, but it has still to be passed. This is a shame, as across the globe bans are taking shape and being enforced. In Peru and Columbia, lions, tigers and bears are being rescued from their cages and rehabilitated. Although it would be great to release them back into the wild, most circus animals have been declawed and suffer from broken teeth. So they're given a forever home in a sanctuary preferably in their native habitat, or as close as rescue workers can get to that.

A lot of that essential work is being done by groups like Animal Defenders International. Founded in 1990, the charity uses video surveillance and powerful campaigns to get the message across about animal cruelty in all its forms: in entertainment, the illegal harvesting of ivory and the fur trade. It was thanks to ADI that the news first broke on Anne the Elephant and her cruel treatment at the hands of her "owners", Bobby and Moira Roberts. ADI were directly responsible for the ban on wild animals in Bolivian circuses, and continues to work on their rescue and rehabilitation.

In fact, ADI are on hand at most protests, demos and rallies where animal welfare is the primary concern. Which is where Pier32 comes in. If you've seen an Animal Defenders tee or scrub on the news, it's come from us.

Junior, getting help from a dentist after being rescued from a circus in Peru.

We're proud to be associated with a world-wide charity that's doing so much to help animals in need across the globe. Their ongoing project working with rescue circus animals in Peru is fascinating, and shows a real sea-change in the way we view the use of wild creatures in entertainment.

To find out more, visit the website: http://www.ad-international.org

Animal Defenders use our SW350 Cool Tee: http://www.pier32.co.uk/product/sw350-cool-tee/

Good News Friday

Wedenesday's post was a little bleak, so let's finish off the week with a couple of pieces of good news.
First up, EU member states have unanimously voted to extend the ban on a substance found in most clothing that has a negative hit on the marine environment.
Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) are rinsing agents that are released from clothing when it's washed. It's been found to cause hormone disruption in fish, harming fertility, growth and sexual development. Though NPE has already been banned in the EU since 2004, the new legislation extends to imported textiles.
A 2011 study by Greenpeace found NPEs in two-thirds of a clothing sample it examined, including items from big name brands like Ralph Lauren and H&M. Although they stress that the chemicals pose no risk to human health, the new legislation is specifically aimed at protecting marine life and the aquatic environment.
Manufacturers grumble that as NPEs are so prelavent in the global supply chain, it's will be difficult to phase them out in the time scale that the EU have demanded. Our View: I'm sure they'll figure something out.
In client news, Sarah Howcroft of Gift Your Gear has been in touch. The charity has just won a major prize at OutDoor, Europe's most prestigious outdoor trade show. The Gold Award, which was given to 9 winners out of a field of over 300 entries, praised Gift Your Gear for its innovative approach, pointing out that reuse is a much more appropriate use for outdoor clothing than recycling. Sarah told us:

"The OutDoor Industry Gold Award to Gift Your Gear is a wonderful recognition of the importance and value of ‘reuse’ to the industry.
Gift Your Gear has provided unwanted outdoor clothing and equipment to over 350 UK community organisations, youth groups and charities working with young people in the UK outdoors. Recondition such as this helps in the general understanding of the real benefits reuse can bring to the outdoor industry.
A big thank you to everyone who has supported Gift Your Gear and donated so generously."

This September, Gift Your Gear will once again be teaming up with Rohan to make the donation of your unwanted outdoor clothing even more simple. Just take it into any Rohan store, and you'll get a money-off voucher for new purchases. Our View: can't say fairer than that, can you?
That's it for this week. Have a great weekend.

How To Get A Start-Up Charity Off The Ground

In the current, less-than-supportive atmosphere surrounding charities (more on that later in the week) it seems strange if not downright bloody-minded to be kicking off a start-up focussing on environmental issues. But then Trewin Restorick, head of Hubbub UK, has never been one to take the easy route. He recently posted the story of the start-up on his LinkedIn page, and has very kindly given us permission to quote from it. Stories are always better straight from the source, don't you think? 

Trewin describes the launch of Hubbub as "a mid-life crisis". Up to then he had been the CEO of Global Action Plan–a comfortable, safe place to ride out the last ten years of his working life. But he was worried about the low profile of environmental issues, and he saw a gap in the market... and the narrative.

Hubbub grew out of a growing sense of frustration. The science on climate change is increasingly robust and bleak, yet the level of disengagement and scepticism within the UK remains high.  We are sleeping walking to a future which will give children less opportunities and greater hardship. 

Closer examination revealed there are virtually no charities – a sector which still has a relatively high level of public trust – communicating environmental issues to a mainstream audience in a way that is compelling and accessible.  It is this group that Hubbub is aiming to reach – people who have a nagging doubt that society is not heading in a great direction but who would never describe themselves as environmentalists.

The trick is, rather than talking in scientific or darkly gloomy terms, Hubbub UK try to engage people by applying the message to the things they care about–fashion, food, sport, homes and neighbourhoods. They set simple goals like 'ending food waste' or 'making clothes last longer' (we're with you on that one, Trewin) and, working in conjunction with the appropriate government department and think-tanks, build campaigns around those issues.

The first campaign #PumpkinRescue (we like a good hashtag) was inspired by the fact that 18,000 tonnes of pumpkin are landfilled every Halloween.  We brought together a myriad of local food groups in Oxford to create a Pumpkin Festival https://www.hubbub.org.uk/oxford-pumpkin-festival-2014. Over 2,000 people attended festival events and 800 turned up for a Disco Soup in the town centre feeding on warm soup created from food that would have been wasted.  National polling to get the public’s reaction to food waste combined with a wealth of celebrity pumpkin recipes resulted in extensive media coverage in the Sun, the Daily Mail, Vice Magazine and even a TV appearance on Moscow Today.  

We discovered that seasonal campaigns, run at times of year when more food waste is generated, are a great way to create a national debate.  Our Festive Freeze run with Marks and Spencer encouraged people after the excesses of Christmas to freeze food that would have been wasted.  The campaign was stimulated by research from Hallam University Sheffield showing that this simple act would save households £250 a year and could cut domestic food waste by half. 

It's a populist approach, but it has impact and more importantly, gets the average person thinking more carefully about issues like waste management that would turn them off if you called it ... well, "waste management", for example. These are the things that everyone needs to consider more carefully if we're to stop climate change having the catastrophic effect about which many scientists worry. The message needs to get out in the most effective way possible, and Hubbub UK might just have the approach that's going to work.

Trewin has a clear idea of how he sees Hubbub Uk develop, and he's baked them right into the founding principles of the charity.

The first is a desire to ‘open source’ everything we create making it freely available to organisations capable of using the resources to run their own version of the campaigns. Embedding this giveaway and share mentality runs counter to natural instincts but it is the only way change can be delivered at the speed and scale required. 

Secondly collaboration is core to achieving success.  We want to build relationships between unusual bedfellows involving multi-national companies, social enterprises, civil society and education establishments.  It is only by bringing these partnerships together that truly innovative and fresh campaigns will develop that have the authenticity and capacity to engage the mainstream.

Thirdly we want to create a new positive social movement.  We are encouraging people to register for free on our website and over time we will give them access to a growing range of sociable, fun and engaging activities that do good.  This network will be available to all organisations who share our ambitions giving them a place to test new approaches and fast-track development.

We're very happy to be associated with Hubbub UK here at The Pier, and wish Trewin every success with the onward development of the charity. We're here if you need us, sir.

Here's an earlier piece on a Hubbub campaign in central London:
http://blog.pier32.co.uk/2015/05/neatstreets.html

For more on the charity, off to the website with you!
https://www.hubbub.org.uk/

A Big Night Out With The Big Issue

Finally, the warm weather is here, and we can cheerfully spend more time outdoors. Get on with some gardening, perhaps. Have a barbecue. Maybe, if we're feeling adventurous, we could spend a night out under the stars.
Of course, for hundreds of homeless people across the UK, there's no other option. Rain or shine, winter or summer, they spend most of their time without adequate shelter. Our friends at The Big Issue want this to change, and they want you to help.
By joining them in a sleepover.
The Big Sleep Out, an annual event that's been taking place since 2012, gives you the chance to experience a night under the arches of a railway bridge in Vauxhall. It's not going to be a party (well, it might turn into one, even though it's a dry event) but it will give you a very particular insight into the problems every homeless person faces when they want to get their heads down for the night. The Big Issue puts it like this...

Whatever the weather on the day, this atmospheric venue will be cold, dark and different and there will be rumblings of trains above while we sleep. Sleeping out in the tunnel won’t be comfortable, so we definitely recommend that you bring some warm clothes and a sleeping bag to wrap up in and some cardboard to sleep on!

There'll be chat and some live music (see, I said it could turn into a party) before the lights go out. Previous attendees of the event have described the experience as "haunting" and "eye-opening". A safe, warm and comfortable place to sleep feels like such a simple, commonplace thing. Taking that away, even for one night, can really give you a different perspective on homelessness.
The Big Sleep Out is taking place on August 7th. To sign up, or to find out more, go to The Big Issue's Big Sleep Out page.
And don't let the bedbugs bite.

#neatstreets

There's something strange going on in Villiers Street, in the heart of London. And it might just change the way we think about a big urban problem.
Litter is one thing we humans are really good at creating. It just seems to appear, wherever we are (or, in some cases, in places where we've never been seen: take the phenomenon of ocean plastic). The thing is, half the time we don't even realise we're leaving it. It just seems to be there, and there's not much we can do about it.
Well, that's rubbish. And patently untrue. All it takes is a little education and positive reinforcement to keep Britain tidy. Which is why our pals at Hubbub are doing a little thought experiment in Villiers Street, near Charing Cross, to help people keep it a little cleaner and neater. Hence the hashtag: #neatstreets.

Would you want to drop litter on Julien's street? Course you wouldn't!

There's some clever stuff going on here. Empathy is part of the mix: if you care about somewhere, you're less likely to mess it up. So Hubbub are putting up posters featuring the guys and girls that work in the area, tying a place to a face. There's humour involved too: one of the bins on Villiers Street will belch and munch when it's fed on your rubbish.
How about the sticky issue of chewing gum, which seems to be a permanent fixture on our streets, under tables in pubs and restarants, on the soles of our shoes...? Well, here Hubbub have teamed up with Gumdrop, an initiative seeking to recycle old gum into new products like coffee cups and wellies. After all, chewing gum is effectively just flavoured rubber. Using Gumdrops-On-The-Go, a neat solution to what you do with the stuff once it's lost its minty freshness, the hope is to cut right back on the grey spackling that dots every paving slab in the city and do something useful with it.

Don't drop it... Gumdrop it!

It's a fascinating experiment, and here at the Pier we'll be intrigued to see what comes of it. Could this be the first street that leads the way to a cleaner capital?
For more on Hubbub and #neatstreets, check the link: https://www.hubbub.org.uk/a-litter-bit-of-this-and-that

Go Wild With WWF!

This June, our chums at WWF think it's about time you went a little wild. Now, I'm not talking about dancing on your desk at work or blowing your savings on a VW camper. I mean, you can do if you want, but that's not what I mean.

On June 5th, the WWF are asking you to Wear It Wild, to help raise money and awareness for their brilliant and important conservation work. What do they mean by wild? Well, that's up to you.

You can keep it as simple as wearing a pair of leopard-print socks. Maybe a pair of those cat-ears on a headband. Or you could go completely ape and wear a gorilla costume. The choice is yours.

When you sign up for the event at http://www.wwf.org.uk/wild, you'll find action packs and a ton of great fundraising ideas: a sponsored walk, perhaps, or an animal-themed rugby match. I wonder if anyone's told the Springboks?

However you do it, it's easy to go wild in a sustainable way. Have a nose round your cupboards, hit the charity shops. Get out the glue and card, and get creative. And, needless to say, it's fake fur only, please!

All the fun helps WWF with their work, which is more important than ever. In the last forty years we’ve seen wildlife populations decline by more than half. The number of tigers in the wild, to take an especially worrying example, has reduced by 95 percent in the last hundred years. Thousands of other species are also threatened. WWF need your support to show you care.

So, what are you waiting for? With less than a month to go, the time is right for you, your friends, family and workmates to Wear It Wild! Get involved. It's gonna be grrrrrreat.

http://www.wwf.org.uk/wild

Vote for Space For Cycling!

You might have noticed that there's an election coming up in the UK. In a couple of weeks, there could be a major change in government, in the way business is conducted in this country. For once we have the people who want to be elected to office actively seeking us out to ask for our support. If you have a pet peeve or cause, now's the time to mention it.
Cycling has been in the news more than ever, as more of us get on our bikes and realise that traffic infrastructure is not fit for purpose. Britain's roads, for the most part, were never intended to carry the amount of cars they see on a daily basis. As petrol supplies dwindle and we are encouraged to get out and get active, then the choice seems obvious. We need more space for cycling.
Our friends at the London Cycling Campaign have been working for years to make the roads of the capital safe for cyclists. With a membership of 12,000 they're hardly a minority voice--in fact it's now estimated that more people in London cycle than drive to work. That's a group with enough collective push to persuade the powers-that-be to make the streets of the city safer and more pleasant for those of use on bikes, whether you're pedalling for pleasure or work.
With local elections taking place at the same time as the General Election, this is the ideal time to buttonhole your local councillor or those running for office, and ask them what they are doing for cyclists. After all, they are the ones that could really make a difference to the local road infrastructure.
The LCC has plenty of campaigning tips that don't just apply to London. However, if you are a cyclist in the capital, they are a cause that you really should be supporting. Check out their campaigning tips here, and sign their ongoing petition here.
Remember, elections are the one time when we the people really get the chance to hold the politicians who claim to represent us to account. Make sure your voice is heard, and take a few minutes to get Space For Cycling onto the agenda in May.

Gift Your Gear This March!

We've talked about award-winning charity Gift Your Gear before, but it's always good to big up a friend of Pier32 when they're doing great work.
Let's recap, in case you missed earlier bulletins. Gift Your Gear are a charity that takes in and retasks pre-owned clothing. Not so unusual, you might think. But GYG specialise in the retasking of outdoor clothing, whether that be jackets, waterproof trousers, or base layers. They even take equipment like tents and camping gear.
These unwanted items are donated to UK community organisations, youth groups and charities working with young people in the outdoors. This is important work, especially with disadvantaged kids who might never have been out of the urban environment. These charities enable others to benefit from life changing experiences in the great outdoors, regardless of their circumstances.
Over the past few years, over 300 groups have benefitted from the gift of gear. This year there are even more organisations set to gain from your good will, and the regret at buying that slightly too-tight pair of walking shorts.
Gift Your Gear are teaming up with outdoor and travel clothing company Rohan this March to make the donation of your equipment and clothing a quick, easy and worthwhile process. If you have any outdoor gear that's cluttering up the wardrobe, you can do a spring clean and take it in to any of Rohan's shops across the country through the whole of March. You'll snag a 15% discount off anything you buy instore that day. Handily, Rohan have just launched their spring and summer range, so it's the perfect time to freshen up your walking gear as the weather starts to warm up.
Outdoor gear belongs outdoors, so why wait? Have a dig around, and this spring gift your gear to people and charities that can really use it!
For more details, check out the Gift Your Gear website: http://giftyourgear.com

(BREAKING: Gift Your Gear will also be at the Sheffield Adventure Film Festival on the 20th-22nd of March. There's a donation point at the venue, and the chance to pick up some bargains as they're teaming with the ShAFF Kit Sale. For more, go to http://giftyourgear.com/shaff-kit-sale-2015-to-support-gift-your-gear/)

What Are You Made Of?

Cancer. It's the one word that's guaranteed to get a reaction. The 21st century's greatest bogeyman. A cruel and indiscriminate enemy.
There's no such thing as cancer. If only that were true. What I mean is, the disease we call cancer is a massively complex subject that acts in different ways and needs different treatments, dependent on which part of the body it attacks.
Take blood cancer: a particularly nasty strain of the disease. Every 20 minutes, someone is told that they have blood cancer. There is a chance to survive it, thankfully: a blood stem cell donation. But currently, just half of diagnosed patients are able to find a match for their blood type.
That's where the rest of us come in. Our friends at Delete Blood Cancer have just launched a new awareness campaign, to let people know how quick and easy it is to register as a blood stem cell donor. Just 60 seconds with a cotton wool swab, using a procedure you can do at home, is enough. If you're matched with someone that needs your help, the procedure is a lot like giving blood, and is completed in 4-6 hours. Not much, when it comes to saving a life.
It's desperately important to increase the numbers and diversity of blood stem cell donors in the UK. The larger and broader the base, the more likely it is that doctors will be able to find a match.
It's quick and easy to take action. You can can sign up to become a donor online, and you'll get a pack directly to your door in days. So what are you waiting for? This spring, let's all do something worthwhile, and help make blood cancer a horror story we no longer need to be scared of.
To find out more, and to register as a blood stem cell donor, check out the Delete Blood Cancer website:
http://www.deletebloodcancer.org.uk/madeof

Welcome To Our House!

You might know Pier32 as the go-to place for charities to get their customised t-shirts, hoodies, hats and bags. We're proud that our ethical credentials have made us the first choice for organisations that need to know they're buying from a transparent and reputable source.
But that doesn't just apply to charities. We work with universities up and down the country who know Pier32 are responsible, reliable and eco-friendly.
Take the guys at Roehampton University Players Society, who have a solid rep for rep... repertory theatre, that is! They've just ordered a box of hoodies from us to help advertise their upcoming show. Our House: The Madness Musical is, as you'd expect, a riotous assembly of tunes from Britain's favourite Nutty Boys. You can expect to hear all your favourite ska-pop hits, tied into a story of family, community and the essential elegance of the pork pie hat. Here are the guys from Roehampton in their Pier32-supplied hoodies. Looking good, guys!

Our House is showing from the 1st-4th of March at the Jubilee Theatre, University Of Roehampton. If you fancy a night in the House Of Fun, contact Anna Howard for more details and to snag tickets: mailto:howarda@roehampton.ac.uk
That's Pier32 for you. Always going One Step Beyond to help our clients.


The Roehampton University Players are wearing Varsity Hoodies from All We Do Is, which are available in five sizes and 32 colour combinations. Could your society use some hoodies? Give Gerry or Ian a call, or check out the Pier32 website for more details and to order your own.
http://www.pier32.co.uk/product/jh003-varsity-hoodie/

East African Playgrounds

Charities working in the developing world are doing vital work, bringing essential services to the people who need them most. We've talked in the past about how our friends in the charity sector have brought irrigation techniques, help with farming and the chance for native artisans to become independent businesses and move away from charity handouts.

But there's another, equally important benefit that one charity, with whom Pier32 have been proud to work, is bringing to the kids of East Africa.

The ability to play.

East African Playgrounds (EAP) are a UK-based charity that understand that play is an essential part of the healthy upbringing of any child. It stimulates learning, and unstructured play enables kids to develop problem-solving and socialisation skills that will serve them well as they grow up. And, after all, the UN Convention On The Rights Of The Child puts it clearly in Article 31:

Children have the right to relax and play, and to join in a wide range of cultural, artistic and other recreational activities.

The volunteers of Team Buwenda, 2014. Nice t-shirts, guys!

EAP work principally in Uganda, investing in the development of a dedicated team of local playground builders. They're supported each summer by 150 student volunteers from places like York (where the charity was founded in 2009). The local touch is vital: it's essential that the communities that will receive playgrounds are involved in its construction from breaking the ground to the first scamper across fresh monkey bars. EAP understand that a playground isn't just for the kids: it's a clear sign of community cohesion, a meeting place and focus for the parents of the kids that use it.

EAP build playgrounds to exacting international standards, designed to be durable and long-lasting, so that they don't become unsafe over time. The construction teams spend time talking to the community and, most importantly, the kids, to ensure that the playground meets their needs and gives them everything they're hoping for. It's essential that the final build includes facilities for the four elements of play that children use to understand the world around them and develop life skills: Active, Game, Free and Imaginative play.

The colourful playground at Mustard Hill Academy, one of EAP's recent builds.

The playgrounds use recycled materials like tyres whenever they can, while ensuring a sturdy and above all safe construction ethic. They work closely with the communities and schools that will use the playground, making sure that ongoing care of the project is considered once the build is complete. The onus is on building a community resource that will help generations of kids to play, have fun and grow.

Here at the Pier, we couldn't be happier to help a charity who are doing such important work, and focussing on an essential element of a child's life that often gets sidelined in charity work.

To find out more about East African Playgrounds, and perhaps to get involved yourself, check out their website, that will also tell you more about the importance of play.

http://www.eastafricanplaygrounds.org/

Sea Shepherd: Got The Money

What would you do if you won the lottery? Go mad on holidays, new cars and houses, get that gold-plated pony you always wanted? Make sure your close friends and family were looked after?

If you're like our friends at marine rescue charity Sea Shepherd, the choice is clear. They used the money from a hugely generous donation in the only way they knew would make sense.

They've bought themselves a brand-spanking new ship.

Amsterdam's Good Money Gala, an annual lottery-funded award given to organistaions that the judging panel feel are working for 'a fairer, greener world', gifted Sea Shepherd a stonking €8.3 million--their largest donation to the charity to date.

CEO of Sea Shepherd Global, Alex Cornellisen, outlined how the charity planned to spend the money.

"Sea Shepherd will now be able to have a custom-designed ship built, capable of achieving speeds that far exceed any of the vessels in our current fleet. After researching possible shipbuilders for the last two years, negotiations with Dutch shipbuilder Damen has resulted in a blueprint of our ideal ship.
"We are now able to proceed with the purchase of our dream ship and lift our conservation efforts to protect the Southern Ocean from illegal exploitation to the next level."

This is obviously fantastic news and a major boost for a group that's already doing fantastic work, defending the beautiful ceatures of the deep from poachers. Pirates, beware!

The Year At The Pier: 2014

It's been an odd year for ethical fashion. An optimistic year, that showed a real advance in mainstream attention for the sector, yet one that was also dominated by the continuing repercussions of our Year Zero event: The Rana Plaza Disaster.

The deaths of thousands of garment workers and destruction of so many families in Dhaka's overcrowded fashion quarter has had profound effects in the CSR of many big brands, in labour relations and in the way we view and shop for our clothes. Change that seemed so slow in coming, has ramped up significantly in the past twelve months. There's still so much to do, but 2014 showed the first real signs of a profound shift towards a more sustainable, ethical model of fashion manufacture.

It's been a busy year for the blog too. Here are a few of the high (and lowlights) of a year at the Pier.

January had me musing on the link between money and denim, and how skinny jeans are more harmful for the environment than you might think: Money In My Jeans Pocket (warning: contains Anton Du Beck in a veeery tight pair of strides).

In February I celebrated the launch of our Salvage Collection, made entirely from recycled fibres, and boggled over the work of scientist Anka Domaske, who created a new eco fabric made from milk proteins: Milking It.

March was our Client Month, with profiles for our pals at Sea Shepherd, Children Of The Andes and Marine Conservation Research: worthy causes all. We also noted how fast fashion leaders Zara were suffering big losses as their model was adopted by smaller, leaner competitors: Peak Fast Fashion.

In April we celebrated as our friends at childcare charity Kid's City had a visit from The Amazing Spiderman, and considered a radical solution to the environmental impact of washing our clothes: Take Two Garments Into The Shower?

As May rolled around, I put my money where my mouth was and invested in a pair of ethically-produced Vans sneakers (I was lucky to find them, and they're a great buy). We're big on the intersection of fashion and tech around here, and documentary film The New Black had some really interesting notions on the way forward.

June showed how striking garment workers in China were getting support from a surprising source: the multinationals who had the most to lose from the walkout. In a year of paradigm shifts and redefinition of the often fraught relations between workers, management and the big brands, this was perhaps the most... striking. Sorry.

In July we explored the surprising link between prawn fishing and garment production, and how the UK government's stance on slave labour could significantly improve the lives of people caught in the net of slavery. We also noted how the chorus of big fashion names calling for the end of fast fashion was growing, as Michael Kors added his disapproval.

As the weather warmed up in August, we explored the phenomenon of the Ice Bucket Challenge, and what it meant for charity fund-raising: Water Way To Donate To Charity. We also celebrated the work of students at Nottingham Trent University, who saw the increase in waste at festivals (including discarded tents) as a resource to be converted into clothing: Loitering Within Tent (August was also the month where I couldn't resist terrible puns, apparently). 

September saw an amusing spat between Patagonia and The North Face, as both companies vied to show they were the most ethical over goose down. We also wondered whether it was time to forget the whole notion of the fashion season, and concentrate instead on clothes that were designed to last more than half a year.

The weather began to cool again as October came around, so naturally we cheered the arrival of Wool Week. When Halloween darkened our doors, we were there with our list of best-dressed horror icons. Who couldn't bow down and worship Morticia Addams?

November's big ethical fashion story was The Fawcett Society's mis-step over their 'This Is What A Feminist Looks Like' t-shirt. This was a tale that brought all sorts of surprises, including the first (and probably only) time that The Mail On Sunday would put an ethical fashion story square on the front page: The Right Story For The Wrong Reason.

And finally, here we are in December. We were amongst the first this month to feature Nervous System's 3D-printed dress, and highlighted boardshort company Riz's attempts to make clothing out of the vast floating islands of waste ocean plastics.

So, another busy year for the Pier32 blog. We hope you find us informative and entertaining. Thanks to everyone that's commented, retweeted or mentioned us over the past twelve-month. If you have any ideas, tips or suggestions, my door's always open.

Here's to a happy, ethical 2015.

A Hubbub about Refashion Day

Our pals at Hubbub are hosting a Refashion Day this week, and we think you should know about it.
Hubbub are advocates of sustainable shopping, and the aim of Refashion Day is to get you to think again about what's in your wardrobe. Whether it's that old shirt with the buttons missing, the jeans with that hole in the embarrasing place, or simply something you've grown out of (either stylistically or, you know, physically), Hubbub wants you to refashion that old gear into something new and interesting.
The event, held tomorrow at Somerset House on the Strand in Central London, is there to help if your idea of upcycling is putting the clothes you don't wear on a high shelf. There are a series of talks and workshops to give you inspiration and show you that end of shelf life doesn't necessarily mean the end of the line. The free Sew It Forward workshop, running from 12-4, will take in items that need mending, or show you how to do it yourself. Traid will be leading a class showing how to turn unwanted jumpers into bobble hats (handy for that unloved Xmas gift from Auntie). There are also talks on upcycling in fashion, and even a jewellery-making class.
You get to leave with a goodie bag, safe in the knowledge that you're doing good in more ways than one: profits from the day go to homeless charity The Connection. The Refashion Day runs from noon till 8:30, so there's every opportunity to pop in and see if that well-loved but threadbare (or hated but sturdy) item can get a new lease of life. As the season of conspicuous consumption looms large, it's good to see an event that's all about making the most of what you already have.
For more, check out www.hubbub.org.uk/fashion. Or get yourself over to Somerset House between noon and eight-thirty tomorrow. There's a real hubbub brewing over this one...