a positive social , economic and environmental impact .
Managing director Faye Dyer says the company plans to assist its clients to build social value elements into their events : “ The plan is about looking at success in different ways , such as what it can mean for society on a global and local level , not just about profit and loss .”
The organisation is establishing a Community Advisory Group with the aim of ensuring it has a formalised process in which to engage with a diverse and inclusive range of stakeholders and groups across its local community .
Its community goals for the year ahead include delivering more than 200 hours of local volunteer work and donations to local foodbanks , charities and community groups . The company also plans to deliver educational and career support
Glastonbury has long been recognised for the impact it has on its charitable partners
sessions with higher education institutions , and provide a number of apprenticeships .
Dyer says , “ We appreciate that our organisation and the events industry are still in pandemic recovery mode but we have set ourselves measurable targets which we are committed to implementing and delivering . We want to be a company that strives to do the right thing and contributes to society .”
Another new initiative is Yes We Can , which was set up by the team behind Independent Venue Week ( IVW ). The idea of the scheme is to open up the doors of grassroots venues during the daytime to local communities , with activities targeted at groups including young people , LGBTQ +, the deaf , disabled , neurodiverse and the aged .
The scheme is being run by community interest company Can
You CIC It ?, with support from Arts Council England . It was launched on 2 December with a live-streamed event at The Smokehouse venue in Ipswich , which involved IVW and Yes We Can founder Sybil Bell , Arts Council England music relations manager Adrian Cooke , Joe Hastings of music industry mental health charity Help Musicians and Jane Dyball from accessibility charity Attitude is Everything .
Bell says the idea for the initiative dawned on her after she travelled up and down the UK for IVW to visit grassroot venue operators : “ That really brought my attention to the fact that there are venue operators around the country who have a really close relationship with people in their community and , whilst it seems glaringly obvious now , it really struck a chord with me how important they are in their local area . Combining socially beneficial activities with music venues struck me as such a natural fit .
“ Through initiatives like Independent Venue Week , the importance of small independent venues to the UK ’ s music scene has become widely recognised . They ’ re not only a focal point for music and the arts , they ’ re outlets for entire communities up and down the country .
“ Our goal is to encourage even more venues to open their doors and embrace a range of inclusive , community-based activities , giving people the chance to come together , in person , and develop relationships and skills to enrich their lives , all with music at its heart .”
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