Ten sky-blue bikes are to be placed around the University’s precinct, today, 19 October, as part of a launch campaign for the university’s first ever social enterprise society.
The Social Enterprise Project, encourages students to tackle the social problems around them through the many opportunities the scheme has to offer.
Established this academic year, The Social Enterprise Project is currently compiling a work experience directory and a host of events and speeches, aiming to provide guidance to those who are interested in social enterprise or have an idea to help the community.
This campaign is just one example of how University of Bristol Students have natural business acumen but this time with a social conscience.
“Social enterprises are profit-making businesses set up to tackle a social or environmental need. The profit made is reinvested back both into the business and the social objective to help it grow and improve,” said committee member Ruth Fehilly.
Students can come forward with their ideas by emailing The Social Enterprise Project Society using the address advertised on the bikes, easily recognisable by the signature sky-blue colour which symbolises the society’s premise of aspiration and ethicality.
The bikes, which will be securely fixed on the precinct by stakes, only have permission to remain in place for two weeks to ensure they are not stolen or do not become a hazard. Once the society has finished with the bikes they will donate them to the Bristol Bike Project. It must be noted that students are not permitted to place their bikes in or around the university precinct in the same manner. The University state all other bikes should be secured safely to a bike rack with a chain and lock.
When questioned, president of the society, Sarah Abbott, told the Epigram that further campaigns were being planned for the future, such as the “ideas tree” campaign in which “people write on to luggage labels something they would like to change about the world and then hang it on one of our trees. We will then follow these problems up by an invite to come along to an ideas workshop.”
The social enterprise is a free society to join, anyone interested should visit http://www.thesocialenterpriseproject.org.uk/
Assiya Khan
19/10/09
