Fellowship at the RSA
Safia Minney, not too small to go unnoticed by the Royal Society of Arts, she asks her favourite man in London, Michael Radomir, to join her there for lunch to celebrate her fellowship.
I’ve been lucky to have the support of a few really special people, fellow ecologists, media and business people that want to see Change.
Michael was one of the first and it must have taken a great step of faith four years ago when People Tree was starting out. Michael introduced us to friends who helped raise the profile of Fair Trade fashion, like Sienna Miller. He’d also send me sweet text messages of encouragement at key moments that I’d ‘save’ and read when I felt a bit tired out – they’d spur me on.
Today, we talked over lunch about a new project in organic cotton I’m starting in Bangladesh and his project to support Romanian farmers. Michael is working to strengthen farmer groups there, develop an infrastructure and is looking at the policy that undermines agriculture and the culture of rural Romania. As we chatted I realised how close our areas of work and our approaches are.
But Social Entrepreneurs have to have fun too! Michael and his brother, Leo, joined us in Japan two summers ago. I took them to my favourite hang-out the ‘Blue Moon’ beach house, near Kamakura, where they were an immediate hit with the Japanese beach babes. Dangerous stuff!
Whether it is fine Japanese ceramics, organic food or walks in the country, values transcend to bridge work and pleasure.
Anyway, it’s great to have a new place to meet kindred spirits, whether it’s by the beach or the more elegant surroundings of the RSA.
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