
Article 25 Presents "Life's a Pitch! Corporate Social Responsibility in global Architecture"
Summary
So many businesses are building their own unique ways to support great causes. You might be working for one of them right now! Humanitarian architects, Article 25 developed its own "Cornerstone" CSR sponsorship programme to create an engaging way for the UK's construction industry to support the charity's work both in the UK and overseas. Tune in to hear Article 25's David Murray in conversation with Architecture Social's Stephen Drew, to learn more about CSR in practice, and how you could pitch your own company's support to Article 25 this #GivingTuesday!Article 25 Presents "Life's a Pitch! Corporate Social Responsibility in global Architecture"
===
Stephen Drew: [00:00:00] I am Steven Drew from head of architecture at McDonnelly company, and I am a part of the Architecture Social. We are live. We are gate crashing LinkedIn. We are gate crashing YouTube. Twitter, everything else, with a fellow compadre, I guess someone that I've known through the architectural circuit for a little while, David Murray, who heads up the fantastic charity Article 25.
David, how are you? Are you alright?
David Murray: I'm good, thank you. Yeah, the sun is shining today, so I'm feeling a bit more chipper than yesterday's misty, murky Monday.
Stephen Drew: I know, I know. Well, here we go. We're live. Now things can go wrong, like you've seen earlier. Hopefully my camera doesn't flag out and probably best not to start on a screen, which everyone knows about.
It's probably best to see us, but we will get [00:01:00] through it together. And so, David, you brought this to my attention, but today is actually What's it, it's, it's an important day in the charity sector that I never heard of before. Yeah, yeah,
David Murray: of course, yeah, so this is called Giving Tuesday, it's an annual thing and of course this year, my word, has the charity sector been smacked to pieces by the coronavirus.
There's over 10 billion pounds worth of money not raised. And that is just such a breathtaking figure. And it just, it's too big to be able to even think, what does that really mean? So I, I wanted to firstly to say thank you to the supporters who stuck by us through thick and thin. Because we've raised over 200, 000 this year in spite of the coronavirus and in spite of so many fundraising events that just couldn't get off the ground.
We couldn't do them, we had to part them, postpone them, cancel them. So Giving Tuesday is just this great point in the year when the whole sector gets together and says, let's celebrate what we're about. Let's actually engage with [00:02:00] the community at large and let's ask for people to give back. And that's what it's all about.
This is Give Back 2020 on Giving Tuesday. And here we are talking exactly about the charity sector and about Article
Stephen Drew: 25. Brilliant. I think that's the time to note. So Giving Tuesday. So it's been a bit of a bad year. It's not been the best year for anyone. All right. We're all, we're all kind of struggling together, but there is a bit of light on the end of the tunnel.
We've got stuff next year and obviously. Article 25 for anyone that doesn't know, because we did a little podcast before we went into it, but I love the charity because to me, what article 25 is about is actually building buildings in places and communities that actually make a difference. So we've got a video here, which is probably really, maybe we can put, should we play the video first?
Yeah. Okay. Oh, I've got to get the video working now. Let's, let's make sure. Oh, wrong button. Started on the wrong button, David. We're, we're, we're going to It's okay. I can sing for holding music. [00:03:00] Oh yeah? I won't do that. I won't do that to people. Well, you're more impressive than me. I can't sing. Okay. So, can we hear the sound?[00:04:00]
Hey. That was good, wasn't it?
David Murray: Great stuff. Thank you, Stephen. Thanks for sharing it. So, yeah, I suppose we're, we're all about, oh, here comes Boris, what's he about to say? I know,
Stephen Drew: this
David Murray: is, this
Stephen Drew: is the risk with you two, you see what I was on about
David Murray: earlier? You just don't know what it's going to throw up at the end.
Maybe he's about to say we're, we're stepping out of lockdown for good, but hey, we're getting past. That is
Stephen Drew: wishful
David Murray: thinking. It is, maybe so. But look, Article 25 is, is about, like you say, we're a design and build charity, we're a not for profit humanitarian architects, and we design and build [00:05:00] schools, hospitals and homes overseas in some very challenging settings, which I suppose you've just seen a bit from, from that video.
And I mean, goodness me, resilience. That's one of those words this year, isn't it? We've all been knocked in so many different ways.
Stephen Drew: And
David Murray: actually the communities that we work with over the last 14 years have been knocked time and again. It could be natural disasters. It could be recovery from conflict. It could be simply that they're Sadly, born into a community that is one of the most impoverished in in the world.
But in spite of all of that, like you said, there is light at the end of the tunnel. There is talent. There's energy. There's commitment to do to do hard work and turn that hard work into something for these communities. So we, we work as a catalyst. We work with the local community and we create opportunities to learn new skills, which can in themselves help to double or treble earnings potential.
And when. That earnings potential [00:06:00] might be a mother in a school and then a child can actually go to that school that their mums have just built. You can see on that projects page, the middle picture is of Child Support Tanzania. It's an inclusive preschool and there's a lovely little visualization from one of our architectural assistant volunteers just showing what we've done.
And here's the first school classroom block. Wow. This is a one of a kind project. It's sadly the, the only one of a kind that provides formal education for disabled enabled bodied children together in a 1000 mile radius in Tanzania. So this is the work that we're doing. This is the work that people are supporting us to do, and that's what I'd like to just maybe talk a bit more about shortly is, is how we might be able to pitch to, to the construction industry.
And to, to others, employers to get behind, get behind our charity and our work to help help us do what we do. [00:07:00]
Stephen Drew: Sounds good. It sounds like, it sounds like a plan. Well, I think this project in particular is awesome. It might be timely to showcase the video that goes alongside it. And then we can jump in maybe who's been involved behind the back scenes.
And maybe for anyone that's not familiar with the process, David, and you can explain how actually sponsors and how far, you know, their help goes and how it's so important to get that.
David Murray: So just before we jump, just before we jump onto that other video, I should say we've actually got two live projects in Tanzania.
And the one that we're about to hop to is, is another one. It's a children's village in Tanzania. But we can talk about, we can talk about both and it would be great to show what Hayes Davidson have done for us this year. It's just amazing. So,
Stephen Drew: Yeah. And, and the video itself is so, so cool. It's gorgeous, isn't it?
It's a really good one. It actually popped up on my YouTube feed before and I was quite impressed actually. So. Let's get this up now, and I'm just going to, before we go in, let's just get this [00:08:00] full of cinematic experience because it is pretty good, isn't
it?[00:09:00]
Well, there you go, huh? Check that out. That was amazing. Oh, we've got Seven Continents song popping up now this time. There you go. We'll go back. Amazing. Amazing. Such a, such a cool video, that one, isn't it? In particular. We can go into it, we'll talk about the project now, but just one second, how in, I've never seen a video like that, a pop up book for children, it's very, very clever Oh,
David Murray: Hayes Davidson are absolutely awesome, they're big, big supporters of ours, and this is just one of the latest things that they've done for us, they've, They've just lent their, their time, their talent, their entire studio, basically have gone behind, behind us and behind this project.
And I've made a breathtaking little [00:10:00] animation, which is showing this kind of children's pop up book come to life to, to showcase this project that we're, we're trying to get off the ground, literally. And, and we're in partnership with a charity based out of Ireland called Tiananog. This breathtakingly inspiring woman called Louise has been working in this community for.
For many, many years we just want to help make this project a reality. But it's a big, big ask. Unfortunately, buildings don't pop up quite as easily as the next cool video on, on YouTube. They, they require a lot of money and a lot of time, care, and attention to make the right kind of buildings for the right people in the right places.
And that's what we're trying to do with this, this one. I think it's just over 90, 000 orphans in, in Northern Tanzania. And this children's village is just, it's just a part of a much bigger call to arms in the area to help support children early on in life and give them the space that they need and the care that they need and the care [00:11:00] that organizations just like Tinanoga are trying to give.
So yeah, we would love for people to get behind this. Share that video share the GoFundMe page, take a look at Louise's latest award winning documentary about the work that they've been doing over in Tanzania as well. And yeah, here we are talking today about GivingTuesday and actually here's there's her live appeal.
To, to anybody who wants to get behind that project.
Stephen Drew: Yeah, there's a few, there's a few layers we can do it. But just before we continue on, we've already got some fans here, David. So we've got, so Nicholas says, good video. Nice music indeed. Good job. Thank you so much. And Joseph, wow, amazing video. So everyone, everyone's loving, everyone's loving the video.
It's probably worth mentioning then on that note that you can find. The video on the article 25 YouTube channel. So I'm just going to put this here so everyone can have a little look here because that might be a nice way because there's so many levels and [00:12:00] supporting, isn't it? And so what I'm guessing, and you can expand as well now, David, is that everyone, well, if you're working within an architectural practice, or if you're working, you know, in a developer, or you're working For instance, you mentioned Hawley, which is a fantastic company that has been so, so instrumental in helping all these all these projects come to life.
If anyone's working in these kind of companies and they want to get involved, one of the best things that someone can do is actually probably to spread awareness and showcase the video here. So I'll put this link I'll put it somewhere, but you can basically, if you type article 25, you can find you guys on, on YouTube.
And it's quite nice to see now you've got some discussions come in. And we've got, we've got the image of the project here as well. But it's probably, again, important to mention Article 25. Article 25. org is where you can find all of the information. And if a company sponsors you, David, they're listed here, isn't it?
So you showcase everyone's good work. [00:13:00] And you can see there's already some amazing people behind it. But yeah, do you want to kind of go into how it all works with? The sponsors, because they're so essential to making these buildings happen, right?
David Murray: Yeah, absolutely. So look, Life's a Pitch, they say, and Jack Pringle has been teaching that.
He even lent me a book called Life's a Pitch. I've read it. It's, it's just one, it's one of those great books, isn't it? From a a former Harvard guy who says, look, even in the best universities in the world, you're not really taught very much about sales and marketing. And sales and marketing. I mean, what are you talking about when you're talking about a charity?
It's not about sales and marketing. Of course, it's very very different But there are so many businesses who are building a very unique own ways to support great causes And you might actually be working for one of them right now. We've got this growing community of what we call cornerstone Donors from the construction industry in particular, but they can come from literally anywhere And so I think it would be [00:14:00] great if people would be happy to share the video of of some of the work that we're Doing and just ask ask, who who your company is supporting in the charity sector And is there a way for them to be able to to support article 25?
You might be surprised to see that there will be already things going on in in lots of companies It could be payroll giving it could be that they're going to match fund you if you go for a marathon when we're allowed out again to go running it could be like with paulie that They'd like to give some, some money to our charity, and they'd like to give some of their engineering expertise support to our project for free, so that we can deliver these projects that are really hard to fund, but we can get them done.
And actually, this is one way that companies Architects, engineers, manufacturing industry at large have got behind us over the last few years, but this is very much a clarion call. There is no better time to help us to build from where we've got so far than, than [00:15:00] this year. If you're in a position to be able to support us, we'd really appreciate it.
And we know it's so, so tough. We know that every sector has, has had to, to suffer, but it's not, it's not impossible. So there's no, there's no harm in asking.
Stephen Drew: I agree. And what I'd like to highlight as well, because what I think article 25 way, it's a unique charity because I love the architects benevolence society.
I love article 25, but to me, article 25, you are almost like a little bit, you are an architectural practice and a charity. And that's what was really interesting of what you're talking about, because it's. So many different ways to support you wholly again, I'm paraphrasing what you just said, but if you look here, right, to visualize article 25, because before I actually, I many years ago, I went to one of your design team meetings.
In Canary Wharf and it was quite nice because I was given a glass of champagne and I was like, Oh, this is, this is quite a nice experience. And it [00:16:00] was really nice to be involved. But the point of the design team meeting is that everyone here was sitting down talking about, at the time, I think it was, there was two projects and one, it was a hospital, which there was a huge problem in this existing hospital.
I forget where it was, but it was in a company which has had poor development and the, the water was. Everyone was drinking dirty water in a hospital. And so, you know, the whole project was to make it a much, much better hospital so people can live, you know, it's like, so people are, you know, keeping people alive.
And the other part of it is you're building schools, education. children of the future. And so what I love about the charity is you're literally making projects which can tangibly be seen. But the reason I brought this up now is that within the charity you've got architects, haven't you? You've got site architects, look at this, architectural assistants, and that's what's interesting when we talk about Hawley is that structural engineers can get involved.
You know, if [00:17:00] anyone like that, or anyone in mechanical engineering, or for instance, I'm guessing anyone in a consultancy which specializes in AutoCAD or Revit, or kind of help you out as a practice, that's welcome, as well as a literal donation. Everything's welcome, but there's, the point is, there's many ways to go about it, and even if you're a student, just sharing the, the, the videos.
That's all helping to spread awareness to get to, to help these projects come to life, right?
David Murray: Yeah, absolutely. Look, Giving Tuesday isn't just simply about dipping into your own pocket and giving some money or saying, I'm going to sign up to give a few pounds every, every month, or even asking your boss whether they might be able to do the same at a company level.
There's so many different ways that you can support. A cause and actually some of them we've put together a little blog and seven different easy ways that you could support article 25 in any course that matters to you If you [00:18:00] go shine i'll just maybe rattle some of them off now just as we're here So look you can go shopping on amazon or you can go shopping on amazon smile and it's exactly the same shopping experience But if you head to smile then amazon themselves will donate a percentage of profits to the charity that you've supported You want to support and that's just a great way.
It doesn't cost you a single penny and it doesn't really change apart from the website that you visit. As the same with a charity organization called easy fundraising, a whole bunch of retailers have got behind. Giving in support of charitable causes, and we're registered on both of those, but actually there are so many causes that undoubtedly people, you know, it's close, close to their, to their hearts and they want to support and just giving a few pounds from the company that you're buying from.
So it's not changing anything in terms of your own pocket. You know, it could be John Lewis. It could be it could be Tesco's. It could be any big brand that they're actually already doing this. And all you need to do is head, [00:19:00] head to those sites to do the shopping through them or use the apps that are available to help you spot where you can and can't shop and support a charity.
But there are other ways as well. So. Like you said, if, if it's just sharing, sharing the word about an organization that you really love, we would love that. We, we're a really small international development charity. There are something like 170, 000 registered charities in the UK and our work can't be seen right in front of our own eyes because it's everywhere else in the world.
So actually. Sharing who we are and what we do is a great way to spread the word about the work that we're doing. And maybe somebody else might take take interest and want to come and support us. Isn't just about giving it, you know, we're part of the voluntary sector and we're powered by volunteers and something like two times as many volunteers exist than there are employed people in the charity sector.
So just imagine, just imagine the charity shops that wouldn't be running. Just [00:20:00] imagine. The National Trust properties that we like to go and visit on a weekend that would not be in existence with tour guides and everything else when we're out of lockdown. The whole sector is, isn't just supported by volunteers, it's powered by them.
And we're so lucky to have volunteers. In our charity and they could be a part ones and part two architectural assistance. They could be marketing supporters. They could be pro bono engineers working in on another desk in another office in another company. This is all volunteering. And without it, I promise you, we would not have done half of what we've managed to do in the 14 years we've been going.
So you can You can volunteer time, you can just shout about who we are and what we do and why, why it matters to you, why you support us. That's, that's all so, so powerful. It's all grit to the mill. It doesn't matter whether it's a few pounds a month or a few thousand pounds a month or a few hours a month of your time.
Everything, [00:21:00] every type of support is very, very welcome and needed.
Stephen Drew: Yeah, I agree. And that's why I've been, why I've been clicking away in the background here is going through a few projects because I think the important point to remember is that actually these buildings get built and all this wealth and knowledge that, that luckily, or hope people hopefully contribute.
It does go somewhere. So it does, it does literally change lives. And that's one of the nice things I like about this charity as well, because you can actually see, the end. The tangible difference and you know, when you were involved in the article 25 team, like I was there on the design team, me and you talk about obstacles, you learn a lot as well.
And that's why, you know, when we talk, because we, we talked about the subject as well on, on the, our podcast episode a bit, David, but as you know, students can get involved, architects can get involved for as little or as much as they want to, but. What you can take away from it and you touched upon it, which I like is experience.
[00:22:00] Okay. Now everyone's got a life. Everyone's going to, everyone needs, you know, if they've got their job and sometimes that can take a lot of time. And of course we need money to survive in here, but what you're on about is. a little bit extra if the person wants to get involved. But what I can say, and this is my opinion, is that where it is rewarding if you get involved is you actually see schools, hospitals, and community centers being built.
I mean, and you can see here that is one of two projects in, in London, but we're talking about Morocco. India, Tanzania, it just Mozambique, we're on about places all around the globe, which which make a difference. And who knows, maybe there's a project in particular, which is close to your heart as well.
But it's it's such a great cause. And we talked about it before. And actually, I've seen a lot of students that have gotten involved. And of course, you. You would, in theory, love to hire people nine to five there and, you know, pay a full time salary. But in the [00:23:00] case that someone an architectural assistant wants to get involved for a few hours, you know, the point is that there's stuff that can go in their CV which can hopefully get them a job.
And we've talked about it before. You want people who will get involved with article 25 who are in the younger part of their career as well. You want them to go to full time jobs where they're happy. And I think there was an example you mentioned, wasn't it? That someone who got experience on an article 25 project then joined a company like TP Bennett or something like that, was it David?
David Murray: So it was HTA Design, yeah, one of our architectural assistants who was volunteering with us for, I think she spent just over six months volunteering with us, and, and now she's in HTA, she just picked up that job during the summer, you know, really, really tough time to try and kind of build, build a career, of course, because.
The sector is, has been knocked sideways by, by COVID, but it's not impossible. And that's the thing I'm remembering myself, you know trying to get [00:24:00] into this kind of cause led career myself, how could I get in? And I was doing two jobs. I was working an office job Monday to Friday. I was working in a bar in central in central Cardiff.
Thursday night till late in the hours. Friday night, Saturday night, sleep on Sunday, go again. So when's the time to volunteer? And it was actually, it was impossible. It wasn't until I managed to just take a little bit of time out. to volunteer just a day a week and that's exactly what got me what I needed.
It's exactly that kind of give back of volunteering towards something that I believe in and I love and that is exactly what an employer I think wants to see over and above the qualifications. the learning that you might get through, through studies at university. What else can you give? And what, where's the evidence of that?
That's, that's often what an employer, I think, and Stephen, you're, you're no better than me being in, in recruitment. But I think if you, if you're trying to compete, what are those marginal gains? What are [00:25:00] the tiny little things that you might be able to add on top of what you might expect other candidates to be coming in with?
You can have a breathtaking portfolio. You can have a fantastic CV, so what else could you give? And actually, if it just so happens That a part of your portfolio also is a disabled accessible school in Tanzania. Now you've got an amazing talking point during your interview to say, yeah, actually I gifted some of my time to this charity called Article 25.
This project is in construction right now and I was a part of this. phase of the design process. That's, that's amazing. That's, that's difficult to find in, in the commercial world.
Stephen Drew: Yeah, you, and it's important to remember they're real projects. So if we, you know, an architectural assistant on these projects will deal with, you know, construction problems, they will deal with getting things on site logistics.
And so it's really, really good experience. And you hit the nail on the head. I mean, HTA is a really good example because. They're a really good architectural practice and they care about [00:26:00] community a lot. So reading between the lines, it, it makes a lot of sense that they appreciate the community aspects of the projects here.
Cause yeah, a lot of HTA projects are in the UK, but UK regulations come down the line. Point is you're learning something and you're doing a lot better than lying in bed watching Netflix or anything. We've all, we've all done that, but I just think it's a, it's a really good way around it. But of course you're always open to people fitting it around their real lives.
If you need to work, you know, full times, cause you've got to pay the rent. That's the important, that's an important thing. But what you're saying is if you can make that wiggle room, and if you can give a little bit more, the point is you'll get that experience and they will really help you ideally secure in the role you want for, you know, a great practice like HTA.
So it's quite interesting. We've got one or two little comments in here from the BIM initiative. This experience, you know, you gain, I'm guessing what we're talking about now is absolutely vital. Construction industry is a variable comparison, [00:27:00] especially UK, Africa and sustainability. Exactly. I think I completely agree.
I'm glad you do too. So yeah, I think, look, it's, it's really great. And I loved about what you touched upon earlier that even if you're shopping on Amazon, because it's Christmas right now. It's Christmas. You're going to be, you're going to be doing your, you're going to be doing your shopping. If you go on to Amazon Smythe, then that's just such an easy way to help a charity.
But I think the one that everyone can get involved in here is showcasing the projects in, in wherever you are, if you work in the structural engineering company, mechanical engineering company, or if you're a developer and you want to get involved in all this stuff, then what a great cause. So.
definitely showcase it with your boss. I think that's the first thing I would do. Showcase it with your boss and everyone will hopefully showcase it with their boss and their boss and their boss and up and up and up the chain that goes. So even if you're, you know, an architect, if you're an architect or an architectural assistant and you're just starting out, just show people, say how cool is the [00:28:00] projects.
I think that's a really good way of going about it.
David Murray: Yeah, I've even heard from our friends at Hawley, they're being asked by graduate engineers coming in for their own interview and one of the first questions they ask at the end of the interview is, what charities do you support? So, so they're on the back foot like, okay, we need to make sure that our CSR program, our corporate social responsibility program is great.
It's genuine, it's authentic, it's actually doing something. And Hawley can tick that box very much because they've been doing this for years with us. You get a fantastic opportunity to work with us in London overseas and haw up right behind it. And I know that there's sustainability champions too. So for those who are heading towards engineering, I, I would recommend Ali as a prospect.
I think they're a wonderful, wonderful bunch of people.
Stephen Drew: Well, Andy, we've got so many people have supported you, so let's do a quick rundown. It's kinda a bit of, I need like a drum roll noise here. I haven't got a drum roll, I haven't got a drum roll, but We'll, we'll do like, well, what noise can I [00:29:00] do?
They'll clap for everyone here. All right, holy, well done for supporting the article 25. We've got so many here. We've got Allen and Nesta, Ferguson Trust, Canary Wharf Group PLC. Yeah, that's true. And they actually let you, you're in one of the buildings, aren't they? That's such a cool way. Yeah,
David Murray: yeah.
Stephen Drew: Cloud Peloton.
Is that, is that the, the fitness guys?
David Murray: So those are the guys behind the cycle to Mipim from London. So they're a big, big supporter of Coram. They've been a supporter of Article 25 and a number of other initiatives. Big these, this is them. So if you love riding a bike and you're in the design world, they'll help you get from London to the South of France the best way to get to Mipim.
Even if you don't actually go into Mipim, I'd still cycle down there, touch it and cycle back.
Stephen Drew: Do you know what, David? I need to get involved in this club. I've got a few pounds I need to This lockdown is like, it's a good thing that the camera's up here, do you know what I'm saying? But like, that's brilliant, and that's not [00:30:00] an obvious link you would think, and that's the point we're on about is that It's really cool to see all these places get involved.
And let's have a shout out to Perkins and Will actually, we bring up Perkins and Will. Huge
David Murray: thanks to Steve Thornton at Perkins and Will and the team at large. So Daniel Parker, he created an amazing artwork for our 10 by 10 art auction. They've been supporters of ours. Great practice and very much standing behind us in a very tough tough year as well.
So huge thanks to everyone at Perkins and Will. Do you know what
Stephen Drew: I absolutely love? It's probably, we just had the 10x10 so it's gone, but should we touch upon it briefly because I quite like the 10x10 event and it will come next year. I'm a bit gutted that I never buy who's the guy who does I want to say Laurie Chet, Laurie Chetwood, you know, the amazing You know, his butterfly paintings.
Oh my God. They're so good. They're always good. And I'm always amazed that how, how, how they go, how I think they're worth a little bit more [00:31:00] than they, cause you can grab a bargain in my opinion, in this event. So for anyone that missed it this year and 10 by 10, I imagine we'll be going next year as well.
David Murray: Yeah, so it was, we were in our 10th year this year and it was, of course, it was challenging because normally, as you can see from those pictures, we'll have two or three hundred people in a room that have this theatre of the live event. And you like, you can see we're at the RIBA last year hosting the event.
We have an amazing ex Sotheby's auctioneer who's just full of charisma. I think he's the equivalent of Tim Vine and Jeremy Vine combined. You know, he's got the comedy and he's got the patter of and that year we were doing the Isle of Dogs as the theme. There's Peter Murray, just from NLA. And yeah, we normally have a hundred pieces of art that are created and donated to our charity.
And there's Sinan Prasad, our former chair, who's still active trustee of the Board of Trustees from Panora and Prasad, great supporters. So. We auction off the artwork through a [00:32:00] silent auction and through a live auction event. This is Adrian Bedell, the guy from Fine Art Ltd from Sotheby's who helps to drive the prices up whilst people are actively bidding and trying to outbid one another to support us.
So we raised just over 34, 000 this year. In that's you know, that's huge. That's really big for us. We really appreciate the support that people have given even though we couldn't put on this big event that we normally would and even though It's been a tough year for everyone We've managed to raise a lot of cash and look the artwork itself Like you say laurie chetwood my word is is breathtaking.
He's his talent is is unbelievable We had rebecca salter who's president of the royal society of arts and created beautiful little piece of art specifically for for us to auction off. We've had support from not just the architectural community, but from the art world as well. We had a couple of Banksy of England [00:33:00] 10 notes in the auction this year from a gallery.
We had a Grayson. Harry piggy bank Brexit piggy bank with two heads. And we had a whole host of others, you know, so HTA are active participants in, in 10 by 10 as well. So that's just another neat way that companies can get behind us is. is actually to create artworks that we can then we can auction off in, in support of our cause.
And look at this, this makes me feel bad because look, these are the things that we haven't been able to do as well as what we have. That Tanzania cyclone. We're about to head out. This September and ride to that school, that child support Tanzania school. And I really hope that we can do it next year at some point.
We'll get, we'll get out there and we'll get fundraising and we can actually go, go visit one of the, one of the sites that's still in construction. We put our talks online, so make design matter. We try to host those and act as a platform to share some of the work of, of others [00:34:00] overseas as well. So yeah, there's so many ways that you can engage with us and help to get the word out.
I just really hope that you might find something there that sparks some excitement and makes you want to help support us.
Stephen Drew: Yeah, and I'm sure that you're always open to other ideas for raising, for events where you can have a bit of fun next year and raise money for a good cause. It's kind of a win win, isn't it?
So, Let's fill up this space, guys. Any ideas for next year? Let's do it. Let's get some, there's, it'd be nice to see this filled up and hopefully, depending how it goes, this Christmas and maybe another third, hopefully not a third wave. Can you imagine? It's just going to be Oh, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm done with this year.
Now, do you know when I feel like I'm just like, ready to go? Do you know? And you're just like, I've, I've had, I've done 2020. We've all up . Yeah, we've, yeah, I'm done. I'm done with the furlough. I'm done with our, I'm further. I, I'm ready, ready, ready, ready to go. So I'm looking forward to it. Fantastic. So I think that's a great overview.
Perhaps [00:35:00] what we can do, David, for anyone that's tuned in, I'm gonna bring up me and you now, and what I'm gonna do is. But the website down below, but perhaps maybe we can just little because I think that was a great overview and perhaps if you want a little summarize it and how to get in contact. So I think that's really important and that would be great.
Oh, thank
David Murray: you. Thanks so much, Stephen. And thanks everyone for listening. If you want to get in touch with me directly. Just email me at info at article 25. org and I'll pick that message straight up. I'd love to hear from you if you've got any ideas when it comes to fundraising or to pitching Article 25's work to your boss.
Just drop me a line and we can arrange an initial chat so that we can talk through how we might do that. There's so many different ways that you can support our charity. And it isn't just about giving money this Giving Tuesday. It could be giving time, it could be just giving in terms of social media promotion.
See something you like, post it, share it, like it, spread the word. You're going to do a lot [00:36:00] for us. Even if it doesn't feel like a lot, it means a lot to us. So thank you.
Stephen Drew: No problem. And David, I promise when I buy my Christmas presents, I will do it through Amazon Smile. Okay. That's, that's my little immediate bit, but we'll, we'll come up with some wacky ideas and I've got my eye on Laurie's next his next painting, but this year's been a little bit tough, so I'll saving it up for the next 10 by 10.
I'm going to be there in the bids.
David Murray: Oh,
Stephen Drew: good
David Murray: man. We'll have you on the front row ready for Laurie's.
Stephen Drew: Yeah. Yeah. Don't you go bidding on that painting now David, I've got my eye. I won't. I won't. No insiders. It's got to be fair. Thank, thank you so much, David. I really appreciate this. Thank you to everyone that's listening.
See you soon. See you next week. Bye. Bye. Thanks so much. Bye.