Dear Reader,
Welcome back from the summer break – finally we have good weather… I hope that you have had the opportunity to have a break this summer. As you know we pause for August, to try to encourage a break in volunteering across our Supporters and Volunteers. My first task is to welcome Sophie Dehnel, our new Support Manager, who you will all meet soon if you haven’t already. I am sure that you will join me in welcoming her and bear with her as she gets up to speed on our activities etc.
Report Phase 3
COP26 and Awards
One of the highlights of our year will be our Hybrid Open Technology and Sustainability event at COP26 on 11 November, sponsored by Federated Hermes and Red Hat, followed by our Hybrid Awards Ceremony, that evening sponsored by Bristows. We will be sharing more sign up details in the next newsletter, but for now, please save the date for the Open Technology and Sustainability Day, which will be keynoted by the Rt Hon Francis Maude, Lord Maude of Horsham and take place from 10am – 4pm. Our Awards will take place from 6-8 and digital attendees (listed to 150) will receive catering and a Treasure Bag.
Office Hours
Exclusive volunteer events
Open Kids Camp and Digital Glove Giveaway
Our 2021 giveaway for our Digital Glove inspired by MiMu which allows young people to participate in our second OpenUK Kids Camp will begin on Tuesday 7th September at 10am. This year we are supplying 100 community groups and schools with 30 gloves each and 800 individual children their own free glove. Globes require a micro:bit 1 or 2 and are supplied with speaker and crocodile clips. We will also be distributing 1200 gloves with micro:bits to digitally excluded children.
The Camp will commence on 27 September and content will be shared weekly on Mondays excluding the October half term. Each week we will share an episode being made up of a fun animated lesson and ezine.
Our first camp was the Runner up in the 2020 Gnome Community Challenge and this second course focuses on the Open Source Definition and Sustainability.
Please do share our tweet: https://twitter.com/openuk_uk/
Brand new Future Founders Training
We will be sharing the application form for Start Up Founders and potential founders to participate in our Future Founders Program on Thursday 9 September.
In addition, Matt Barker, our Entrepreneur in Residence will select 10 Founders from the applicants, who will receive Mentorship from our OpenUK team and a business surgery as well as having the opportunity to participate in our course.
We will also be sharing the initial report from the Founders Forum and our Entrepreneur in Residence on Thursday.
Cabinet Office Open Standards Board
l am pleased to share that I have joined the Cabinet Office’s Open Standards Board on a two year appointment and will look forward to updating you over time on our work. I am joined on the Board by our friend Simon Phipps.
