Year: 2026

The O2 and Music Venue Trust Forge Landmark Commitment to Fuel Future Talent

Stuart Mitchell

The O2 and Music Venue Trust (MVT), the charity which represents hundreds of grassroots music venues across the UK, have announced a groundbreaking new commitment that formally recognizes the essential role of the grassroots circuit in creating the future headliners for the UK’s world-leading live music scene. The pioneering initiative will see The O2 make a direct donation to Music Venue Trust each time a new artist headlines the arena for the first time as part of a wider three-year commitment. This ensures that the grassroots ecosystem, which nurtures artists…

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The State of Purpose at Work: Leveraging 2025 Data To Define CSR Strategy in 2026

Stuart Mitchell

The landscape of corporate citizenship is undergoing its most profound transition in a decade. It is no longer enough for companies to simply have a social impact program; they must demonstrate that these corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives are strategically aligned, clearly supporting business objectives, outcomes-oriented and authentically woven into the fabric of the business. In the Benevity Impact Labs 2025 State of Corporate Purpose Report, leveraging proprietary data from the collective giving, volunteering and granting activities of over 1,000 leading global brands, we reported that nearly two-thirds of companies…

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School walking initiative puts pupils on the right path

Stuart Mitchell

A NEW pilot scheme bringing the benefits of walking directly into schools is proving a hit with pupils and staff at a Midlothian secondary school. The Walking Schools programme, developed by Walking Scotland, is being piloted in five schools across Scotland. Lasswade High School has emerged as an early success story, with the initiative already reshaping how pupils and staff view walking and active travel. Over the past year, Walking Scotland Development Officer Gavin Fort has been embedded in Lasswade High, working closely with the school to deliver a wide…

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British Red Cross announces Helen Bennett and Gabrielle Inglis to join board of trustees

Stuart Mitchell

The British Red Cross is pleased to announce the appointment of Helen Bennett and Gabrielle Inglis to its board of trustees. Both formally joined the board on 1 January 2026. Helen Bennett is CEO at Weber Shandwick UK, bringing over 25 years of experience in integrated communications for leading global brands. With a track record spanning FMCG, retail, financial services and the not-for-profit sector, she is passionate about guiding organisations through complex change and issues. Helen has spent 18 years at Weber Shandwick in senior leadership roles, including Global Lead…

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Nepal launches national campaign to bring informal workers into social security

Stuart Mitchell

Nepal today launched a National Campaign on Social Security for Informal Workers and the Self-Employed, a major step toward ensuring that millions of workers currently outside formal safety nets can access protection across the life cycle.  The scale of the challenge is clear: over 86 percent of workers in Nepal are in informal employment, and women are disproportionately affected—over 90 percent of employed women work informally. Yet, while nearly 2.7 million workers are registered with the Social Security Fund (SSF), the number of informal workers and the self-employed enrolled is…

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