My Buzz

‘I Roll Up My Sleeves’ is a new start-up Social Enterprise that was set up in Suffolk and managed by myself, founder Glenn Hoddy and my partner Amy Graham. The mission of our enterprise is to inspire local businesses to engage more with local community projects in an alternative way to how they normally would, whilst supporting them in growing their business. We call it Ethical Business Networking.
After a couple of changes to my life I experienced the support from a local care farm in Bury St Edmunds. One main issue it had was that a list of jobs / projects as long as your arm needed to be completed, which was something that the care farm workers were not able to achieve as it was too manual, and they did not have the volunteer man power to complete them.
This inspired me to create an effective low-cost method for developing business connections, based on collaboration with businesses that can learn from each other in very natural & inspiring locations such as Field of Dreams in Thurston, Depen Care Farm and In-Workshop both in the Bury St Edmunds area. Creating an opportunity for businesses to be more aware of their responsibilities to be seen to support clearly and effectively within their local community. This in turn helps them fulfil their Corporate Social Responsibility Policy.
Danny Cuff Customer services Director at Gipping Press said "Having attended ourselves we really can agree! Fantastic work being done whilst meeting like-minded, local people.”
The benefits to the Community Organisations
• It is totally free to the organisation ( apart from a cuppa tea or coffee)
• An opportunity to broaden awareness in the local business community
• Projects completed for free, that have been on their To-Do list
• Potential for more future volunteers
• Increased attendance for future events
• Free PR across our websites and social media
• Events listed on website and newsletter
• Attraction of new committee members
• Business support and advice
• PR across business websites and social media
• Attract company sponsors and donations

The benefits to Local Businesses
• No membership required to attend, but have cost effective membership levels
• We are completely different to all the other Networking Events
• A real way to tick there Corporate Social Responsibility box
• Show there customers and team there involvement in your local community
• Get introduced to new business contacts
• Network with like-minded businesses
• Raise their brand awareness
• Entry into our business directory
• MoMM - Meet Our Members Monday - Weekly Tweet about them
• Great Positive PR for them and their business
• No restrictions or extra's to network at all of our venues in any County
• Pay for their events as they wish to attend
Some of the projects we have completed so far…
• Built a Beach Hut
• Built Raised beds for a vegetable garden
• Built a polytunnel
• Prepared the area around a pond for building a pond dipping area
• Prepared the ground ready for planting vegetables
• Fence building
• Built chicken runs
• Painted the interior rooms of a building

My Bio

Our Social Enterprise was started in March 2016 by me ‘Glenn Hoddy’ in Suffolk. After a couple of changes to my life I started to volunteer at a local care farm in Bury St Edmunds. It is an amazing place and makes a difference to the people that use it. One main issue it had was that a list of jobs / projects as long as your arm needed to be completed, which was something that the care farm workers were not able to achieve as it was too manual, and they did not have the volunteer man power to complete them. I had been around a few of the business networking groups and was tired of hearing the same things being spoken to the group. I was also amazed by the membership fees and some of the strict expectations from the groups of what you must bring and offer to the group…… From my experience at the farm and knowledge I decided it was time to set up an Alternative way to network with other businesses that could support local community projects. Creating an effective low-cost method for developing business connections, based on collaboration with businesses that can learn from each other in very natural & inspiring locations.

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