Turning ideas into reality with CrowdPatch

The RSA is embarking on a new journey by teaming up with CrowdPatch, the community crowdfunding platform run by RSA Fellows, which provides social entrepreneurs with the ability to fund and find volunteers for projects that impact communities at local, regional and national levels. We’ve selected three fantastic projects that aim to have a positive impact on communities in London, who we’ll be supporting to raise up to £3,000 by Thursday 18th August.

All three projects launched this week and have already reached the £200 mark or more in the first few days. For each donation you’ll receive a reward, there are some great things on offer, and donations can be just £1! As well as contributing to campaigns there are also plenty of opportunities to volunteer or even just help spread the word. So please read on and support the project that grabs your attention.  

Campaign 1 - Parent Friendly Co-Working, Ann Nkune FRSA

Ann set up Bloomsbury Beginnings to help parents work flexibly around their children, start new businesses, and grow their personal and professional networks. They do this by providing pop up co-working and learning events for start-up entrepreneurs, freelancers and parents going through a career transition.  Their onsite crèches provide safe, nurturing, flexible childcare for under 5s, so that parents take some time for themselves, whilst their little one is learning and playing in an exceptional early years setting right next door.  Since starting in 2013, over 30 new businesses have been launched through their ‘Parent-Cubator’ programme, and over 200 flexible working parents have earned income, built new skills and extended their networks by attending co-working sessions and workshops. Their main site, The Calthorpe Project, is a beautiful community garden in the heart of Kings Cross, which houses a range of initiatives that improve the health and wellbeing of people living, working and visiting the neighbourhood. And this is why they are launching this campaign…

“We are hoping to refurbish the co-working room at the Calthorpe Project to create a more productive working environment for hot desking, meetings, events and workshops.  We need improved lighting, dedicated quiet and social spaces, new office furniture, IT and audio-visual equipment.  We also share the space with a vegetarian café and community groups such as a refugee support group, young peoples’ play project and fitness classes who will all benefit from the changes we will be making. 

We are seeking volunteers to design and refit the space, donations of items or money and people willing to share our story with others who may be able to support our venture.  We will be offering some very special rewards: plants from the garden, art from our crèche, advertising on our popular line channels and dedicated use of the Calthorpe Project for your own event. So please check out the campaign page and get involved” – Ann Nkune

Support this campaign

Read their blog

Campaign 2 – Small Gatherings for Big Thoughts, Luisa Spina FRSA

Small Gatherings for Big Thoughts is an invitation to bring your own ingredients, meet a stranger and cook together without a recipe. It is not a cooking workshop but a process in which to explore ideas of how we can come together with our differences and co-create new possibilities. The project is designed to offer a space of dialogue in which food becomes the catalyst for ‘bigger thoughts’ to take place. In a safe and inclusive environment people can connect with each other through their own relationship to food and learn from each other. As a sense of humanity in continuous movement and transformation comes alive through the alchemy of cooking together and a space of reflection and exchange is opened up.

“At this point I’m looking to collaborate with experts in wellbeing, food, politics and decision-making processes to further devise sessions for organisations and groups that are looking at solving issues of difference and integration with the focus on freedom of movement, migration and food. I’m trying to raise £2500 and the money will be used for an intensive development period of three months in which I will offer to the public 6 sessions. This will enable me to purchase kitchen equipment, food, venue hire, and expert consultation. We have some fantastic rewards on offer including unusual food waste tips, special recipes, a variety of handmade ceramic items for your kitchen, and for £250 you can have your own small gathering workshop! There are lots of ways you can volunteer to please have a look at the page and help in any way you can.” – Luisa

Support this campaign

Read Luisa's blog

Campaign 3 - Quality Interactions & Creativity (QIC), Talmud Bah FRSA

Talmud's project QIC trains young people (19-29) from diverse backgrounds in unique skills of creative and solution focused thinking to work with vulnerable children in Lewisham primary schools (years 4-6) at risk of exclusion. By offering this provision at no cost to the schools, it guarantees access to those most in need, giving them positive role models and mentors, whilst creating paid work opportunities for young people and adults. Talmud grew up in Lewisham and this is his way of giving something back to his local community.

“My vision is to inspire and enhance the quality of interaction of vulnerable children and young people in Lewisham primary schools personally, socially and emotionally, through creative education. To enable them to develop, empathy, communication and interactive skills, remove their barriers to learning and foster collaboration and problem solving by using my diverse experience, my unique perspective and insight, and my belief in the untapped potential and limitless capacity of human beings.” - Talmud

Check out Talmud’s two minute video to hear about the campaign and how you can get involved.

Read Talmud's blog

Support this campaign

To keep up to date with all these campaigns, join the RSA London Patch now!

This is an exciting opportunity to boost and give momentum to Fellows’ ideas and initiatives. Crowdfunding at CrowdPatch is totally free, which gives everyone the power to turn their ideas into reality. If you would like any further information about CrowdPatch, getting involved with these projects, or might be interested in crowdfunding via CrowdPatch please get in touch with Chris Norris FRSA at [email protected]

Mark Hall is the Regional Manager for London Fellows at the RSA. You can get in touch with him at [email protected] and follow on twitter @MarkHallRSA.