Dan Wedgwood and "Pedal Walla"

From: Dan Wedgwood
Hi Everyone,
I'm writing to ask for a quick favour - we've entered our new company into a
Barclays business competition and a bunch of clicks on our entry page online
could help us win a sack of start up funding.
If you have a minute to 'back this idea
<https://www.takeonesmallstep.co.uk/Entry/View/6588> ' on the website it
will help our chances of getting shortlisted and then potentially winning
£50k of funding over the first year.
It's called Pedal Walla - Bristol's first pedicab company! You can watch the
intro video and back us here
<https://www.takeonesmallstep.co.uk/Entry/View/6588> or click this image.
<https://www.takeonesmallstep.co.uk/Entry/View/6588> Back Pedal Walla to
win £50k
Time is short so to make an impression on the judges before they decide on
the shortlist it would be great if you can do some clicking, and commenting
if you like it, to help us out. Much appreciated.
We reckon Pedal Walla will go down a storm in Bristol and we intend to run
it in a way that creates jobs and gets loads of people involved. We'll carry
passengers around Bristol, at festivals and events, run local advertising
and a bunch of other stuff like tourist sightseeing and private hire for
parties.
We're going to offer community groups and charities reduced rates and
subsidised advertising and we're also going to make it possible for small
groups of people to hire out a bike and run their own micro-pedicab-business
which could be good for busy people that have always wanted to start their
own project on the side, students, or just a bunch of mates who like the
idea.
I'm working as part of the same team behind The Adventurists which is all
about running extreme adventures that raise money for charity. While the
adventures and the teams raise money for the official charities, in this
case Pedal Walla is going to donate a percentage of profits to initiatives
and charity projects in India supporting Rickshaw drivers - the pulling,
cycling and driving kind. A relevant and massively worthy cause which will
have knock on benefits for the families of the drivers and their own
communities too.
Cheers for your help. Grovelling apologies to anyone I haven't been in touch
with for many moons, I hope you're well and would be great to hear from you.

If you're on Facebook, you can join up to Pedal Walla's page here.
<http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pedal-Walla/124144347612160>
Dan
ps. here's a picture of the cycle rickshaw beasts we're bringing to the good
folk of Bristol:
Pedal Walla
http://www.pedalwalla.com

--
Dan Wedgwood
@danwedgwood <http://twitter.com/danwedgwood> | @pedalwalla
<http://twitter.com/pedalwalla>
facebook.com/danwedgwood <http://www.facebook.com/danwedgwood>
0117 3290884 |
Communications Director
Pedal Walla | pedalwalla.com <http://www.pedalwalla.com>
The Adventurists | theadventurists.com <http://www.theadventurists.com>
Spirit of Genghis | spiritofgenghis.com

Dr Tristram Hunt MP

The Hon. Dr Tristram Hunt, eminent historian and new MP for Stoke-upon-Trent Central has confirmed to me via e-mail that he supports our fight to Save the Wedgwood Museum. The Museum is not directly in his constituency, but he clearly recognises the importance of the Museum as an important attraction and national asset. I hope that other North Staffordshire MPs will follow suite. Thank you Dr Hunt!

• Tristram Hunt on Twitter

In Praise of the Wedgwood Museum – “The Guardian”

In praise of … the Wedgwood Museum

Josiah Wedgwood was one of the of the late 18th century, his life a model of industrial, political and intellectual progress Josiah Wedgwood was one of the remarkable men of the late 18th century, his life a model of industrial, political and intellectual progress. An anti-slavery campaigner, a member of the Lunar Society and founder of the factories that still produce fine ceramics in Stoke-on-Trent, his work is celebrated in a thriving museum that now faces the most unjust of threats to its future. The Wedgwood Museum in Stoke, which reopened in 2008 after a lottery-funded transformation, risks being dragged down by a legal quirk. 
When the ceramics firm went bankrupt last year – and transferred to new owners – five members of the museum's staff remained in the pension fund. As an accidental result of a new law intended to protect pensioners, the museum has found itself liable for funding the pensions of 7,000 ex-Wedgwood factory employees and a £134m deficit, an impossible task. The museum trust was forced into administration last month as a result – though the museum remains open and as busy as ever.

Its administrators are waiting for a court ruling which may compel them to break up and auction off its extraordinary collection. Such vandalism is barely imaginable: the museum's contents trace 250 years of cultural and manufacturing history, including many pieces of global importance and immense value. The court could rule that the museum is not liable, but if the sale begins, no donor could ever be generous enough to rescue its contents from a forced sale to private collectors abroad.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/may/17/in-praise-of-wedgwood-museum


 

Wedgwood Museum forced into Administration

Press Release from The Wedgwood Museum.

"The Wedgwood Museum Trust Ltd can confirm that is has been placed into Administration, although the prize winning Wedgwood Museum will remain fully operational and open to the general public as usual.

The Administration is a necessary step to enable the Wedgwood Group Pension Plan to seek the support of the Pension Protection Fund, the body established to provide a guaranteed minimum level of pension payments to members of eligible pension funds. Five of the Wedgwood Group Pension Plan's 7000-member scheme were employees of the Museum Trust when the Wedgwood companies became insolvent last year, leaving a large deficit in the Pension Plan. As a result, the Museum Trust is now deemed to be liable for the shortfall.

The Museum's Trustees are in discussions with a wide range of stakeholders as to how the Trust's internationally renowned Designated Collections can be preserved, and are determined to ensure the survival of the Wedgwood Museum.

The Trust's Chairman, George Stonier, said: "Bob Young and Steve Currie of the Stoke-on-Trent office of Begbies Traynor, the UK's leading independent professional services firm, have been appointed Joint Administrators of the Trust.  The Museum's Trustees and their advisors are now working hard to find a solution to this extremely unfortunate situation. The Trustees are extremely grateful for the continued support of the Museum's staff and its many friends, and remain optimistic that the Collections will continue to be available to the public in our museum in Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent."

It is open daily from 9.00am to 5.00pm (from 10.00am on Saturday and Sunday).  Admission is £6.00 for adults, £5.00 for concessions or £4.50 for children (under fives go free).  For more information, please call 01782 371900 or visitwww.wedgwoodmuseum.org.uk"

Supporters may also consider becoming a member of the museum. The Wedgwood Museum Trust is a registered charity (number 1072442) and relies on the support of everyone - especially those who belong to our membership scheme. Your support really counts.

Membership Individual membership (UK)  - £20 European Individual membership - £25 Rest of the World membership - £28 Joint membership (UK) - £35 European Joint membership - £40 Rest of the World Joint membership - £43 Family membership (up to 2 adults and up to 4 children) - £45 Overseas Family membership - £50 Corporate membership - £200 Overseas corporate membership - £300 Schools membership (Local Authority schools in Stoke and Staffordshire only)  - £150 Membership Application Form Gift Membership

Donations Another way to help the museum is through a donation. Donations are publicly acknowledged. Donations can be made in the following ways In person at the museum By post By standing order If you'd like to make a donation by post please download the donations form. All donations should be sent to: The Museum Director The Wedgwood Museum Wedgwood Drive, Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. ST12 9ER. Cheques should be made payable to The Wedgwood Museum Trust Limited.