Nominations - Campaign for change

TheNag.net is a "cheeky little motor for social change" (The Metro), a lovable hive of innovation and impact.

The Nag does things like:

Making a user-generated guide to 'Horizontal Holidays' (thenag.net/holiday/holiday_guide), that makes no-fly holidays more normal and desirable

Running a Make Planes Cheaper Than Planes campaign (thenag.net/holiday)

Helping people switch to green energy, (thenag.net/energy/impact), throw less stuff away (thenag.net/lunch/gmap), and give their loved ones the most romantic valentines day flowers around(thenag.net/valentines).

With 6700 members and over 100 crowds (see, for example, thenag.net/crowds/otesha)

The Nag is stimulating debate (newstatesman.com/life-and-society/2008/02/valentine-kenya-clear-ethical), learning (thenag.net/lunch/facts) and Change.

All in all

Nominated by Briony Greenhill, 31 May 2008

TheNag.net is a "cheeky little motor for social change" (The Metro), a lovable hive of innovation and impact.

The Nag does things like:

Making a user-generated guide to 'Horizontal Holidays' (thenag.net/holiday/holiday_guide), that makes no-fly holidays more normal and desirable

Running a Make Planes Cheaper Than Planes campaign (thenag.net/holiday)

Helping people switch to green energy, (thenag.net/energy/impact), throw less stuff away (thenag.net/lunch/gmap), and give their loved ones the most romantic valentines day flowers around(thenag.net/valentines).

With 6700 members and over 100 crowds (see, for example, thenag.net/crowds/otesha)

The Nag is stimulating debate (newstatesman.com/life-and-society/2008/02/valentine-kenya-clear-ethical), learning (thenag.net/lunch/facts) and change.

Nominated by Briony Greenhill, 31 May 2008

A site about Anti-Apathy deserves at least one comment.

The fat and lazy are always the easiest to govern!

Submitted by Business Sensei, 27 June 2008

Since 2005, The backlash coalition of organisations has campaigned fearlessly and tirelessly for an issue that most of the public feel will not affect them, but which contains the seeds of devastating changes in the way sexuality is seen by the law. When they began their campaign, it is likely that very few MPs or Lords would have paid any attention to this matter, but through the efforts of backlash, it has been debated vigorously in the House of Lords, and amendments to the measures were only defeated by the Government's use of the whip. The campaign continues energetically to see that the law does not go any further.

Nominated by Oliver Thornton, 07 May 2008

Excellent work, often maligned and over looked because of its attention on minority sexual practices which should be protected by law rather than criminalized. They're not just here so MP's can be the only safe perverts.

Submitted by Hans Lucas, 07 May 2008

Bhojpuria.com proved to be an eye-opener for the entire National Media in India. One Film Star Manoj Tiwari tried to spread a rumour that Dutch Govt have issued an official postal stamp with his photo on it.

While the big newspapers like Times of India, and The Economic Times were busy praising the actor (Type "dutch stamp Manoj"(without quotes) in google and you will see how popular the story became), and the television was busy showing his clips, Bhojpuria.com came up with the reality that there have been no stamp issuance. You may read the article here

http://www.bhojpuria.com/samachar/news.php?a=5056

They even Guided, how easy it was to make personal stamps in Netherlands.

The Entire national media is now blaming the star, and praising the efforts of Bhojpuria.com

Nominated by Abhishek Yadav, 28 May 2008

it"s really a fantastic site.the best thing about this site is it has proved to be very helpful for bhojpuri speaking people

Submitted by neelam sharma, 11 November 2008

St John Ambulance is a well recognised UK charity; but it is have to go through a massive process of change. Historically a very military-styled organisation, it is having to adapt in recognition that many of its volunteers don't want to be involved with rank and a rigid hierachy. The whole role of providing first aid has changed; and St John Ambulance has become a major youth organisation. The reality of being a volunteer in this period is documented on BlogStJohn by a number of volunteers with different roles in the organisation.

Nominated by Oliver Benson, 27 April 2008

Dan used his blog in an innovative way: instead of whining or ranting about the issue in question, he actually did something about it. Or, more accurately, he encouraged others to do something about it: Dan orchestrated, via his blog, a mass MP-pestering that led to a meeting in Portcullis House and an Early Day Motion in Parliament.

Again, attendees had learned of the event through a network of co-operating bloggers -- and many of them had never been involved in any kind of activism.

The goals of this campaign have yet to be achieved, but nevertheless Dan is a credit to the blogosphere.

Nominated by Christopher White, 10 April 2008

To quote the rationale from the campaign site itself:

"Being the people who run TheyWorkForYou, we spend lots of our time taking rubbish, broken information from Parliament and fixing it up so that it makes a nice, usable site so you can find out whether your MP is actually working for you or not. Lots of people seem to like it, nearly 2 million came to visit last year. It’s time for Parliament to improve its act and start publishing these vital documents properly in the first place. Quite apart from the fact that we’re a tiny charity without many resources to fix this information, we are all, as taxpayers, paying for them to produce it in a uselessly old-fashioned way. Unless Parliament produces better bills:

* we can’t give you email alerts to tell you when a bill mentions something you might be interested in;

* we can’t tell you what amendments your own MP is asking for, or voting on;

* we can’t help people who know about bills annotate them to explain what they’re really going on about for everyone else;

* we can’t build services that would help MPs and their staff notice when they were being asked to vote on dumb or dubious things;

* we can’t really give a rounded view of how useful your MP is if we can’t see their involvement with the bill-making process; and

* we can’t do about 12 zillion other things that we’re not even bright enough to think of yet."

After having spoken with Parliament in an altogether friendly manner, attending meetings and discussions, it became clear that Parliament has no interest in constructive criticism or opening itself up to the public. Indeed, we have been accused of being naïve for believing that the public might actually be interested enough to want to know what goes on at the heart of our democracy and intelligent enough to understand the information coming from it. It's not even as if we're asking for lots of our tax-pounds to be spent on this system. We believe it's around £10,000 of work and we even scoped out what we would suggest such a system could look like.

We believe that this simple change to the process of Parliamentary draftsmanship could make a measurable difference to the efficiency of the British democratic process. Even if the only improvements we can achieve are the few enumerated on the campaign site (and above), we feel that could significantly increase and improve democratic participation. But we're pretty sure that last bullet point is the really impressive one — it's not the results we can think of that will be the killer app, it's the projects we can't think of yet that will mean we end up wondering how we ever managed before Parliament published Bills as well-structured XML.

Nominated by Owen Blacker, 18 May 2008

Individuals can make an impact but a community can make a much bigger one.

Green Thing is aimed at anyone who cares about the planet but who finds it too hard, confusing or futile to do anything or anything much about it.

According to DEFRA and TGI research, almost 40 million Britons are ‘inclined to be green’ or ‘occasionally green’ and are receptive to a proposition based on online entertainment:

But as well as awareness, COI data shows us a resistance in practice; only 16 % of us want to walk more, cycle more or use public transport; only 14% want to switch off unused lights or appliances.

Enough people get the imperative, the goal is to convert their realisation into habitual action. Green Thing is achieving this byt turning sustainable behaviour from an administrative chore into a pleasure. And it’s working!

Green Thing is 234 days old today. So far, 106,441 people have paid Green Thing a visit doing 21,014 Green Things saving 2,562.56 tonnes of CO2. In addition to this the monthly videos produced helping people to do the green thing have been viewed by close to 2 million people.

Since its inception Green Thing has grown into an online community of users who are now making active, positive and measurable steps to reducing their carbon output. Members are also generating content, and looking for ways to take Green Thing into their communities at a local level. Green Thing aims to encourage and develop this collective, collaborative enthusiasm as it’s not an easy thing to obtain.

Nominated by Katia Wengraf, 22 May 2008

Really like the practical and fun parts of this site. It's not preachy or worthy. Everything seems do-able and everything seems fun to do. I'm a big fan.

Submitted by Mecca Ibrahim, 03 June 2008

I would like to nominate www.hmrconline.com

HMRC on Line, aka ‘HMRC is Sh-te ‘is dedicated to the taxpayers of Britain, and the employees of the HMRC, who have to endure the monumental shambles that is Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC). This site is ‘a living monument to the incompetence and arrogance of Gordon Brown’, who set HMRC up. It seeks via satire and humour to expose HMRC\'s mismanagement and inefficiency, including its excruciatingly painful bungling of the Tax Credit “system” which wounds 2 million innocently-overpaid Tax Credit Casualties/HMRC mugging victims each year, and the loss by HMRC of 25 million data records similarly entrusted to its safekeeping. It seeks to humiliate those that run HMRC into improving its quality of ‘service’, a laudable aim given this Orwellian organisation’s complete lack of accountability and scruples.

HMRC Is Shite is run by Ken Frost, a well known, highly qualified chartered accountant who runs a number of sites dedicated to improving the quality of life in Britain and highlighting political ineptitude, inefficiency, mismanagement and urban decay. Sites like this push for change by exposing abuses HMRC and Brown would rather we never knew about… and HMRC on line deserves to win the ‘Campaign for Change’ award.

Nominated by Ali Myers-Ward, 12 May 2008

I second that - I would like to nominate www.hmrconline.com

Ken Frost does make me chuckle and I read his blog daily without fail.

I am a practising tax advisor (and ex HMRC employee) so know what he is talking about.

Submitted by Shaun McGuinness, 14 May 2008

Thirded for hmrconline.com. The information is factual, to the point and well delivered.

Voted (4/5); otherwise perfect although lost one point for no use of video media.

Submitted by Mike Wilson, 14 May 2008

This site is very useful as well as entertaining. Thank goodness people like Ken are around to stand up to the bully boys at HMRC

Submitted by Sarah McCall, 14 May 2008

Hmrconline is one of those websites that is, unfortunately, very necessary in Britain nowdays.

In the daily reportings of Ken Frost, a highly qualified and respected accountant, the truth is told about HMRC. The general media skirt around the ever-growing abuse of power and maladministration that are the hallmark of this nations chancellery.

Ken Frost refuses to avoid the issues, delivering scathing critique in his very own style, backed by front line knowledge.

A deadly combination, that deserves wide recognition!

Submitted by Graham Forrest, 16 May 2008

Ken Frost has his finger on the pulse of HMRC. His writing is funny, insightful and extremely well informed.

Submitted by Nick Morgan, 17 May 2008

I can't really say it makes me chuckle but as one of the millions who has had to expend time and money challenging lazy assumptions and unfounded assessements I think a few blogs like Ken's are well overdue.

Submitted by xoggoth, 26 May 2008

Nice Site!

http://google.com

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Submitted by unsecure cards, 08 June 2008

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Submitted by Willi, 04 August 2008

Nick Morgan took on the tax man and won! After a gruelling and unfair tax investigation, Nick refused to stay quiet. He created his www.tax-hell.co.uk website which catalogued the seriously insane investigation, showing the tax man to be the monster we always knew he was!

Nick then went on to write a double page spread for The Sunday Times. Tax man beware - don't think you can bully us into submission any more.

His website is inspirational and gives a

brilliant 'how to' guide for anyone who is currently under investigation.

27 May 2008

We all feel somewhat powerless against the leviathanic tax system, but Nick has shown us that with due dilligence and a easily navigated web site we can make our voice heard, share our experience with others and hopefully make a difference to the way such tax investigations are handled in the future

Nominated by ian waite, 28 May 2008

It's quite pathetic that a hack who scrapes by on £6,000 per year is trying to build a career on the back of the taxman.

Submitted by Evangeline Wilson, 28 May 2008

The website is the brilliant work of a brilliant journalist who should be paying the tax-man a lot more money... when he is left alone to get on with earning it.

Submitted by Mary Stuart-Miller, 29 May 2008

Excellent and insightful reporting. But with the bonus of an easy-to-read site and clear signposting. This is how to do it. Investigating the tax investigators is that very un-British thing, the common man saying: "Hang on, that's not right, I'm going to do something about it.".

Submitted by Danny Broderick, 30 May 2008

Seems to me that we’re pretty fortunate having low earning gifted hacks out there, still in a position to see the underbelly. While PAYE is ‘cosy’ tax oblivion, HMRC should not be permitted to act indiscriminately and infect people’s lives as they clearly do. The fact that we are apparently paying for HMRC caseworkers to negotiate how much personal enjoyment you derive from magazines and newspapers, tools of your trade, in an effort to increase their revenue, is stomach churning. The everyman in action, nice one! P.S. Top site.

Submitted by Ian Ashton, 30 May 2008

Stick it to them!

www.hmrcisshite.com

Submitted by Ken Frost, 30 May 2008

All taxpayers should take interest in their Tax affairs and confirm their obligations with whatever help that is available.

Submitted by Shiraz A Rahemtulla FCCA,CTA, 30 May 2008

This 'all round hero of the people' states on his website that he lives in a house worth half a million, has no mortgage, and a wealthy wife who pays all the bills. Hardly 'modern day Robin Hood' material.

Submitted by Julian Wilde, 03 June 2008

SOE is an e-bay for learning, more focussed than a craigslist but just as viral. It could have a huge impact on how knowledge is shared and power is distributed.

Nominated by Molly Webb, 17 February 2008

Great teaching is all about inspiring someone and for that, there's nothing quite like face-to-face communication. School of Everything is all about facilitating this kind of offline interaction using online tools to draw on the long tail of teaching talent that exists out there.

But School of Everything isn't just about connecting people, it's also about changing the way we learn and how we think about education. Traditionally, education has been a top-down affair. Teachers talk; pupils listen, whilst the system decides what it is they should know, how they should prove they know it and what they will get out of knowing it. School of Everything turns this on its head: everyone has something to teach - whether you're a professional tutor, a committed hobbyist or simply someone with something interesting to share. Learning is all about pursuing what you're passionate about, meeting new people and having fun - it's an end in itself, not just a means to an end.

The team has just secured their first round of investment and they're working away building a strong community of users, with support from the likes of the Young Foundation and Channel 4 Education.

22 May 2008

The team at School of Everything is a very interesting and inspirational group of social innovators. Their collective vision and energy, articulated through their social learning network (both on and offline), is about the appreciation of learning through and around personal relationships, creating opportunities to connect knowledge with interests.

Long term SOE has the real potential to impact very widely how people view learning, not just as a formal, academic or tradition path to qualifications and a career, but as a life-long engagement with our own curiosity.

This expansion of how learning is perceived and organised is made all the more exciting but direct connection with others. Most importantly it is also a new way of interacting with concepts of learning, participating not just as an enthusiastic and reflective learner but also as a contributor.

It is a wonderful project.

Nominated by Tessy Britton, 23 May 2008

Simon told me of the powerful campaign he has started "that Coca Cola use their distribution channels (which are amazing in developing countries) to distribute rehydration salts, by dedicating one compartment in every 10 crates as 'the life saving' compartment".

He first had this idea 20 years ago while working in NE Zambia where 1 in 5 children die before the age of 5 from dehydration caused by diarrhoea - a situation happening then which is still happening now. At that time he talked to various people about the idea but it failed to gain traction.

Simon was inspired by the CEO's conference hosted by Gordon Brown to blog his idea on 6/5/08. He then repeatedly contacted Coca Cola but was having no impact. He tried to get his idea debated on Radio 4's iPM programme without success. So, on Sunday, 18/5/08, Simon set up a Facebook group which grew rapidly and he re-started lobbying iPM. This time a feature was run, Eve Graham (The New Seekers) sang new words to 'Let's Teach The World To Sing' and the BBC got a response from Coca Cola, who have now agreed to talk.

After only two weeks, the Facebook group is already 1,400 strong and is now growing very quickly. It includes members from most countries in the world. Membership includes a frontline organisation that has been working in rehydration for 20 years. No one has said this is flawed idea.

Without New Media this idea could never have been progressed by 'an ordinary citizen'.

Winning this award would add further weight to the campaign and increase the chances of success. Success would mean that thousands of children's lives would be saved, year in year out.

The Facebook group is:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=18947780476

The whole story is documented on Simon's blog:

http://beamends.typepad.com/simons_blog/

Nominated by Paul Webster, 01 June 2008

This is a marvelous example of the way the social web can be used to promote causes and gain traction in a way that simply wasn't possible before the days of Facebook and blogging.

Not only is it a brilliant and innovative idea, the way in which Simon has used new media to spread the word and get a real groundswell behind the campaign has shown the benefits that this approach can give any worthy cause.

Winning an award of this stature would be sure to bring even more welcome publicity for this campaign. The thought of unorganising one's way into getting a huge corporation like Coke involved in a new humanitarian project would be an unbelievable achievement.

Submitted by Dave Briggs, 01 June 2008

I've been following this campaign with real interest. It is a great example (with Simon's use of the iPM programme) of old-media and new media coming together...

Being able to see the campaign unfold over Twitter - and feeling involved and engaged with it has been quite inspiring...

Submitted by Tim Davies, 01 June 2008

This is such an excellent campaign and is really demonstrating the power of online campaigning via a host of blogs, Facebook, Twitter, UltdWorld, and many other online vehicles. It has been a pleasure to assist Simon in his excellent vision.

Submitted by Julie Harris, 02 June 2008

I think this is an absolutely brilliant campaign.

It's creative, extremely relevant and it's practical, making it achievable, and potentially a platform for great positive impact where it's needed most.

Submitted by Alberto Nardelli, 02 June 2008

An absolutely fabulous campaign that shows the power of new media. I am aware of several people who have never used Facebook until now but have joined up to join Simon's group.

Submitted by Colin Harrison, 02 June 2008

Simon has always been an innovator and this exploitation of Web2.0 to capture the imagination of so many concerned people is another great example. The award would be not only a great reflection of Simon's efforts but would also boost the campaign even more, making it difficult for Coca Cola and others with such networks to ignore.

Submitted by David Head, 02 June 2008

I agree with all the previous comments. I also think this demonstrates a form of creative journalism which puts ideas together with an audience to create pressure for change. One of the key elements though has been tone. Throughout the campaign has not attacked Coca Cola, but simply appreciated that this idea may make sense to the company and worked on the assumption that there are people in the firm who will want to find a way to make it work.

Submitted by Nick Booth, 07 June 2008

Simon has demonstrated how effective and simple using online can be to gather momentum and goodwill around a great idea.

Submitted by Jeremy Gould, 10 June 2008

I thought an update on progress would be helpful.

May 1988 - May 2008

No progress at all!

Since the facebook group was formed on 18/5/08

* Featured on iPM (Radio 4)

* Eve Graham (ex lead singer - The New Seekers) sang supporting lyrics to 'I'd like to teach the world to sing'

* Written statement received from Coca Cola 'willing to talk'

* Telephone conference with Global Head of Stakeholder Relations and UK conterpart - 5/6/08

* Face to face meeting with Coca Cola in Brussels planned for 16/6/08

* Group has grown from 0 to 2,115 in 26 days

* Membership includes a 'frontline' Rehydration Project in India

* Members of the group have posted: 7 videos; 34 links; 9 photos

* There have been 7 discussion threads started and 83 Wall Posts

5,500 children die every day in Africa before the age of 5. This initiative could save thousands and thousands of children's lives through collaboration between the private and NGO sector. And now we are talking.

Submitted by Simon Berry, 13 June 2008

I think there is often too much hype and attention given to privileged white middle-class 'new media' types in these sorts of events, and sometimes it's important to remember that the web is for everyone. Sokari's work stands out in my mind as something truly inspiring, hard-hitting and compassionate, and she deserves recognition for her efforts, not only for herself, but for all African, Asian, Latin American bloggers trying to build communities online committed to positive social change.

Nominated by Adam Ma'anit, 30 April 2008

I concur wholeheartedly with Adam.

Despite trolls and other ridiculous behavior, Sokari remains consistent in the quality she delivers.

She is courageous and deserves recognition for her work.

Submitted by Jay Sennett, 01 May 2008

Sokari's Black Looks blog is one of the nest on the web, and she deserves recognition, for giving a different and important perspective from African eyes, always compassionate, well informed and well written.

Submitted by Andy Newman, 01 May 2008

This campaign site effectively highlights the World Society for the Protection of Animal's campaign into long distance transport of animals and makes good use of other web services (YouTube, CafePress) rather than trying to do everything itself.

Nominated by Mark Pack, 15 April 2008