The final winners, drawn from every corner of the UK from the familiar to the entirely unsung, will be announced on 13 June in central London at the annual event dubbed the Green Oscars. Two craftivists will be attending

This year’s awards have attracted a record-breaking number of votes from the general public which makes it even more special! Lucy Siegle, awards founder and chair of the judging panel said: “‘People have voted and nominated in their thousands. I believe each vote has been motivated by a desire for change. We’re tired of wanton ecological destruction and the sort of exploitation in supply chains that lead to disasters such as the Rana Plaza catastrophe in one of the main garment districts in Bangladesh. Each finalist in each of our categories has stood up and asked whether we really find this acceptable and come up with a different way of operating. Our finalists are all proven change-makers, squaring up to the environmental and social justice battles we all face and coming up with real solutions.”

 There are ten award categories and the shortlist is decided by a mix of votes and judged decisions. This year’s judging panel is made up of leading figures across science, culture and business. They include Livia Firth, creative director of Eco Age & co-founder of The Green Carpet Challenge; James Wong, TV Presenter and Ethnobotanist; VW Brown, singer and model; Tim Burgess, lead singer of The Charlatans and Paralympian Martine Wright.

The shortlist covers all categories and includes the Ecover Young Green Champions award (sponsored by Ecover), where young people from North Yorkshire, Bootle and The Isle of Man will battle it out to win £6000 bursary from Ecover. 

As well as internationally famous brands and companies, the shortlist features local projects, from a unique social enterprise in London which offers walking tours led by homeless guides, ‘Unseen Tours,’ to a company in West Sussex that specialises in ‘closing the loop’ and has developed its own paint range, ‘Newlife Paints’ from recycled paint.

The Observer Ethical Awards, celebrate and support the standout campaigns, breakthrough business ideas, people and initiatives which make sustainable change and social justice a reality. 

 The full shortlist can be found here

Craft Crush #5 is…. Carrie Reichardt!

I met Carrie in 2010 when she attended one of our free London craftivism sessions in Royal Festival Hall cafe on Southbank. This particular meeting was with members of the Shoreditch Sisters who we were supporting by doing their Embroideries project.  Carrie came with a lot of passion for craftivism, a big smile, lots of questions and jar of plastic eyeballs to add to the pile of craft resources. Since then Carrie & I have sat in her incredible mosaic’ed home and had lots of long conversations with a cuppa tea about what craftivism is, what being an artist means, what is effective activism and we had some heated discussions about how to go about making change. The more I know Carrie the more I respect & admire this incredible artist. We disagree on many methods of activism but we talk honestly and openly about why and challenge each other in a respectful way. I definitely have a Craft Crush on Carrie – her creativity, constant hard work, passion for justice and urge to support like-minded craftivists just oozes out of her it there is no denying her work provokes conversation on global injustices.

Name: Carrie Reichardt AKA The Baroness 

Website: www.carriereichardt.com  

What do you do? I’m a renegade potter, anarchist ceramicist and a craftivist.

What are your first memories of crafting? My mother was a very creative women and a wonderful knitter and as a child she would take me to the V&A. I always loved to make stuff – trying my hand at most arts and crafts.  As a child, I wasn’t particularly good at it but it was the thing that I most enjoyed.  

What inspires you? My parents and the people I have written to on death row and The Angola 3  and Kenny Zulu Whitmore. The A3 and Kenny are political prisoners, ex black panthers and the longest serving men in solitary confinement in the USA. They have each been locked up for more than 3 decades yet they remain the most inspirational people you could ever wish to call your friends.

Who do you have a craft crush on? Niki de Saint Phalle is one of my favourite artist. I have loved her work since coming across her whilst at college in the late 1980’s. Her absence from the Art History books is evidence of the shocking lack of representation of female political artists. I am also just blown away by working with Craftspace in Birmingham on the ‘Craft in Mind’ project. I have been working with some young people who have really shown how powerful craftivism can be, not only to the viewer, but perhaps more importantly, for the maker. The work they are now creating is truly inspiring.  

What three things could you not live without? My family and friends, my ability to create and colour.

How has craft been a positive influence for you, your community or society at large? Throughout my life creativity has been my cathartic response to the painful situations I have found myself in. Had I not found my creative voice I would probably be dead or institutionalised.  Every person I ever written to in prison has kept their humanity and their sanity by being creative. Art has the power to heal and to bring communities together and we must fight to ensure that the ability to create is given to everyone. I am working with Acton Forum Arts

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be? Inequality.

I bet you have a Craft Crush on Carrie now don’t you?  

Craftivists Kirsty McGuinness (local contemporary Cross Stitch artist from Redhead Thread) and Lucie Corcoran (community artist) have been working hard organising to host the jigsaws and installing each piece (it took me 5 hours to put up in Manchester!). Please do go and see their hard work and the beautiful pieces craftivists from across the world have created.

The installation will stay up until the 1st June. For more information check out the Facebook event or Belfast listings here page.

And don’t forget, anyone who wants to host the installation in their area or wants to get involved in other ways needs to speak to Save the Children at Campaign@savethechildren.org.uk 

I heard on the grape vine that there are plans for it to go to Bath next… 

What’s a ‘Pop Up Craftivist’? Sounds a bit odd… 

Pop up shops are soooo last year. This June New York City has its very own pop up craftivist: Me (Sarah Corbett, Founder of Craftivist Collective) will be with my little suitcase of craftivism hanging out in Union Sqaure with a smile (and secretly very nervous!) hoping you & your friends will join me. Look out for me and come join me in some crafty activism or just chat to me about the history and benefits of craftivism. Get a free tutorial to go with your free craftivism footprint resources and join in the free footprint activity below. I’m a nice craftster, I promise!  

What’s with the fabric footprints? 
Well… in the busy world we live in it’s easy to forget to make time & space to reflect on social justice, the impact we are having on the world and what we hope to do in the future to help or at least not harm others. We live in a messy world and can easily take a step onto the wrong road and follow the wrong path.

For this activity please thing about the imprint you are leaving on this world. That might be the journey you are on as a global citizen, your carbon footprint, putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and the struggles they may face or how you are going to walk the walk not just talking the talk about social justice. 

You can keep your footprint for yourself to remind you to stay on the right road and not be tempted on a different journey or you could give it to someone else to encourage them to be their best selves and leave the best mark on this planet. That could be your local political representative, your friend, family, colleague, teacher, anyone you want to show your support for an remind them to fulfil their potential. Or you could even leave it in a shoe shop next to some nice trainers or stilettos to get people thinking

You probably saw in the news that over 500 people have been killed in the collapse of a building in Bangladesh which housed garment factories making clothes for Primark, Matalan, Mango, Bonmarche and other major brands. Over a thousand more have been injured in one of the worst industrial disasters of recent times. For me, was a shocking reminder that clothes and the fashion industry can create beautiful, innovative pieces of art & help us express our individuality but also still has a very ugly side to the industry that we shouldn’t ignore (however much we would like to). Please sign the urgent petition  to add to voice to change these awful practices. 

We are currently working with War on Want, Fabrications and Traid planning the “Upcycling Academy” at this Autumn’s Knitting & Stitching Shows to engage people in understanding more about the garment industry looking at unethical fashion, fashion’s impact on the environment and how we can use fabric to campaign creatively. So this incident has been close to our hearts and making our meetings very poignant. 

Primark, Matalan, Mango and Bonmarche make huge profits off the backs of workers in factories like these. How is that fair and just? We need to come together to encourage them to responsibility for their actions by ensuring justice for the workers and taking action to ensure this never happens again.

For the families who have lost relatives and the workers injured in this disaster, nothing can undo what they have lost. But as they face the terrible consequences of this tragedy it is vital that we offer our support to campaign and demand that they  are paid full compensation from these companies, including their lost earnings as well as put a spotlight on this awful side of the fashion industry don’t you think? 

The National Garment Workers’ Federation, has fought for many years for workers in the garment industry to be able to work safely. The hundreds of deaths from such horrific accidents are heart breaking for this trade union and others. We have an opportunity out of this awful incident to stop this negligence. The deaths of these workers could have been avoided if these companies took workers’ protection seriously. 

Please take action & show your solidarity now by calling on Primark, Matalan,Mango and Bonmarche to sign the Bangladesh Fire and Building Safety Agreement to prevent the future deaths of garment workers. It is such a simple action which would save so many lives. PETITION HERE

Also please take this time to reflect on what we can do as voters, consumers, shoppers, fashion-lovers and global citizens to not be part of the ugly & unethical side of the fashion but be part of the solution to make all of the industry beautiful.

As always, we will be encouraging people to make Mini Protest Banners around the time of London Fashion Week Sept 2013 to provoke consumers to think about the power they have as shoppers & hopefully lovingly challenge retail shop workers to think about how they can be part of changing this ugly side of the fashion industry. Check out what we did last year. Please join us in September and October to do this craftivism project  

Sarah x

More info on the collapse here: 
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/24/bangladesh-building-collapse-shops-west

Craft Crush #4 is…. Barley Massey!

I met Barley through a friend who took me into her Barley’s beautiful craft emporium Fabrications on Broadway Market, Hackney. My friend introduced us and said we should get to know each other. That was about 3 years ago now and since then Barley constantly inspires me every time we meet and work together. Not only is she an incredibly talented craftsperson who makes beautiful clothes, soft furnishings and can knit with giant knitting needles (!) , she also pioneered upcycling in the UK over 15 years ago and still creates some of the most beautifully innovative upcycled clothing and accessories. She also provides the wonderful service ‘Emotional Baggage Handling Service’ - genius! Barley is a social entrepreneur who has managed to create and sustain her craft business, with regular customers buying from her shop, going to her workshops and spreading the word about this beautiful haven that encourages and offers to nurture every one who comes through the doors & is constantly evolving. Barley quietly practices what she preaches, is one of the most  humble people I know and deserves to be hailed as Craft Crush this month  

 Name: Barley Massey

Website & : Fabrications  

What do you do? I’m a modern day rag and bone woman, maker, shop keeper, teacher and emotional baggage handler

What are your first memories of crafting? Learning to knit with my grandmother and making squares with all her scraps of wool. I eventually finished this blanket in my teens!! Another early memory is going through tins of buttons, suitcases of fabric, off cuts, old trim, lace with my other nan who had worked in the Lancashire cotton mills so she had a great stash!

What inspires you? Everyday life and how it unfolds, but I’m especially inspired by people who encourage and support others in the face of adversity.

Who do you have a craft crush on? Lucy Orta. Her performative style of work combines architecture, fashion and social activism. I love her “Identity + Refuge” and “All in one basket / Hortirecycling Enterprise” projects.

What three things could you not live without? Good health, Family & Friends and Creativity

How has craft been a positive influence for you, your community or society at large? Craft has kept me grounded, positive and connected through some difficult times. It has given me a trade and sustains me financially and artistically. It has brought me unexpected opportunities and allows me to meet inspirational and caring people I might not ordinarily get to meet. It has enabled me to be resourceful, do more with less, be productive and to value and be valued. It has taught me the importance of patience, to learn from my mistakes, that perseverance is rewarded and good things and change can be created!

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be? Wouldn’t it be wonderful to eliminate human corruption?

Please do support independent shop owners like Barley by buying from her shop (online or in person), recommending people to visit Fabrications nd spreading the word of her shop & services she provides!:) 

Sarah Corbett here asking my fellow craftivists (that’s you!) for your advice, solidarity & help pleeeeease.

So you might have noticed from my NYC themed images on Instagram and excited tweets that I am finally having a holiday after over a year and heading to New York City for 10 days on 10th May with 2 brilliant friends (who are also craftivistas woop woop!). I really feel I need to get away, breathe, rest and reflect on what’s happened over the last few years. I’m excited to have time to go to galleries, talks, workshops, read some books and cool magazines, wander around the park, go to some craft shops, craft for fun & hang out with my awesome mates.  

Image courtesy of www.heartlandhouse.com

But why I am really blogging is because I’ve decided to stay (after my friends go home on 20th May) until 10th June & I want to get your thoughts on an idea.

I’m hoping that being in New York, a hotbed of creativity, will inspire me and also give me much needed  head space to think about what the Craftivist Collective can do and be in the future to support people to use craft as tool to do activism and be their best selves. I’m going to write some more Crafterthoughts, scribble down thoughts for my craftivism column in Crafty Magazine and monthly blogs I do for Brave Discussion website and make some crafitvism pieces to leave around and give people & test out new crafitivism ideas- I can’t wait!:)  

The idea I want your advice on please:

My big (and super scary!) idea I keep thinking about is bringing our #popupcraftivist suitcase with me to NYC and sit in Union Square one Saturday or Sunday afternoon in June before I leave, for a few hours with either #imapiece jigsaw kits, footprints project (see below image) or other craftivism projects & a blanket and humbly hope people want to join me. I could promote the time, place & activity beforehand encouraging people to come join me in some crafty activism or/& have a chat about craftivism, it’s benefits people find for themselves as makers, viewers and in the activism world. What do you think? Should I do it? What craftivism project should I focus on? Do you think people will come? Can you help me promote it online and through any contacts you have? 

Plus:

1. Is there anything else I should do in NYC whilst I am there to help me learn more that will help me with running the Craftivist Collective & inspire new ideas?
2. Is there anyone you think I should ask to meet for a coffee or cake and discuss craft & craftivism with, working together or just learning from each others discussion?
3. I could give a workshop somewhere (I’ve contacted Trade School NYC to see if they would find it useful and interested for me to do a workshop)- do you know any places that might want me to do deliver a workshop? 
4. I could do some talks or discussions (I’m in talks with The New School University who are interested in me doing a talk & discussion with their students) – do you know any organisations, institutions or events this might be useful in?

I want to use my time in NYC as productively as possible and be as useful as possible for this craftivism movement whilst I am there. It might be that I just write, think, stitch and take time to do that alone or it might be that I meet with people, do some workshops, talks and discussions. What do you think I should do and do you think you could help me and the collective during this trip in anyway with contacts, promotional help or other ideas of what to do whilst I’m there?

All my respect, humility & solidarity

Sarah x

Please RSVP by adding yourself to the Facebook event - and please invite your friends & contacts, tweet out the event etc even if you can’t come so that other’s done miss out not hearing about it.

Save the Children Facebook Event page

Together we want to ensure that Prime Minister uses his G8 presidency this year to push world leaders to invest in life-saving interventions that will save millions of lives.

Since the launch on World Food Day in October 2012, craft lovers across the UK have been busy stitching hundreds of handmade jigsaw pieces with their messages about why tackling hunger and malnutrition is so important to them. See some of the videos, photos, blogs and tweets on our #imapiece website

On Friday 1 March, we unveiled our first #imapiece installation at the People’s History Museum in Manchester. Over 600 hand-stitched jigsaw pieces came together as a breath-taking installation- a clear message to the Government that the craft community wants them to take action on hunger this year.

The pieces will come together as art installations at different locations around Britain to raise awareness of hunger and show world leaders that the UK public wants them to act on hunger.

Many craftivist converts have also stitched pieces to give to their MPs, to ask them to be a piece of the solution and use their position to encourage the Prime Minister to take action on hunger this year. Read a blog from one craftivist Laura Butterworth who, with fellow crafty activists met with her MP to give her jigsaw pieces and have a chat.

How can you get involved?

It’s not too late to add your piece to the puzzle- get in touch. All the info is on imapiece.craftivist-collective.com including downloadable instructions, a #imapiece instruction video, you can buy a Jigsaw kit here if needed, there are examples on our Flickr Set of what others have done and you can contact Save the Children for any extra support you need on campaigns@savethechildren.org.uk and you can always ask us if you have any other questions and please do keep us updated so we can share it

The art installation will also be travelling around the country over the next few months- keep an eye on our Events Page for updates and  get in touch with Save the Children’s campaigns team if you want the installation to come to a venue near you campaigns@savethechildren.org.uk. Follow #imapiece on Twitter & Instagram for the latest action.

We are excited to give our first Trade School Workshop at Hub Westminster and invite you all to join us: Tuesday 16th April 1pm-2pm. Please sign up here as there are limited places.

Check out this Trade Schools video below to be inspired and head down to your nearest Trade School to skill swap or set up your own Trade School.

Trade School Everywhere from Alex Mallis on Vimeo.