Telling different stories

We work hard to create projects that build upon people’s innate generosity and desire to support eachother.

Stories are important.

You can read the Leeds City Council Twitter thread here.

There are certain stories that we’re told about what we can expect from eachother.

There are people who’ll have you believe that we’re all out for ourselves.

That people can’t be trusted.

That people take advantage.

That there’s no such thing as society.

I don’t believe those stories.

And I think it’s important to share different stories. Create different narratives.

And to do stuff that demonstrates that people do care. That people do want to support eachother when times are difficult.

This is why you’ll hear us talking a lot about generosity in our work.

Since 2020, at Social Business Brokers we’ve made a real effort to create projects that build upon people’s innate generosity, and desire to co-operate.

You can see that in Leeds School Uniform Exchange, a project that’s been designed to support people & organisations across the city to set up uniform exchanges near them.

People offering uniform. People asking for uniform. People who were offering uniform last term asking for some this term. Mutuality. Co-operation. Community. #CircularEconomy too.

And you can see it in how people and organisations across the city responded to our Zero Waste Leeds Leeds Winter Coat Appeal.

Find out more about Leeds Winter Coat Appeal here.

Over 3500 warm coats donated in a month. Sorted by volunteers from local businesses, and then shared with local people via over 20 warm hubs across the city.

Nearly all of those coats are gone now. And Leeds City Council have asked us to extend the Appeal for another 3 months. So we’ll be encouraging people to donate again. More on that soon.

But in the meantime it makes me happy to see a local Council using its social media to tell a story about the generosity of people in our city.

The role of various Council departments in this is key. Their financial support to us so we can run the Appeal is vital too. Businesses and community organisations across the city have done so much to make this happen. Our role, of course, is important too.

But ultimately it’s about local people — choosing to support eachother. Which we always knew they’d do.

I originally shared this post on LinkedIn.