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Walk your Talk

prone was invited deep into the heart of Wales to witness the leading edge in sustainable business practice for a post-peak-oil world.

We’ve looked on the face of the future, and seen the joy of a child and the wisdom of an adult.

Looks like we might need both.

Fifty investors and financiers, entrepreneurs and creative artists gathered on 4th to 7th November at Buckland Hall near Brecon, a place of unsurpassed natural beauty (anyone who hasn’t been to Wales yet should go there immediately).

From Harvard to Hebden Bridge they came. And having got there, from all parts of the UK and from abroad, at personal cost and in working time…they played.

They put their wellies on and rambled around the lanes and woods. They said they were butterflies or bumblebees. They built wood fires and set off fireworks. They freely followed their interests.

They posted discussion ideas on walls. prone led a session on talking your walk. Who’s going to get the message out, and how?

This is the technique of ‘Open Space’, designed to allow genuine, real connections and truthful discussions. Happiness, it turns out, can be a sophisticated way of achieving, in just three days, a step change in thinking about how business can become more sustainable to face the climate crisis ahead.

“Is our action congruent with our intention? That’s the founding principle of Walk your Talk,” organiser Mike Zeidler told me. “We’re making a change in the way we do business and the way we relate to each other. What does sustainability really mean to each of us?

“The point of Walk Your Talk is to leave us feeling re-energised, with more people to call on, with fresh ideas and challenges. Some will draw on that and start expanding their initiative or work. Others will leave with new understanding or convictions.”

It all started when Dame Anita Roddick founded the New Academy of Business to put sustainable business ideas into practice.

But now it’s a mighty movement, pushing for social change.

Groups are springing up to face the challenge. The Social Venture Network; the Association of Sustainability Practitioners; Pioneers for Change; Ethical Junction. Huge numbers, tens of thousands of us walking our talk every day.

“What you’re seeing is the visible edge of a phenomenal and powerful movement of people. It’s real and it’s out there,” Mike said.

It’s fantastic to be on the crest of this wave. To be using your business to build a more just and sustainable world – could there be anything better?

The future’s here.

Harvey Kicks

prone’s had a lot of fun this year bringing out our latest tome : Harvey Walden IV’s No Excuses Fitness Work-Out.

Watch out the Booker Prize … we’re coming atchya.

Heart throb Harvey’s the tough marine sergeant dude who appears on TV’s Celebrity Fit Club to boot the stars into shape.

With enough black belts to hold up a wardrobe full of camouflage pants, martial artist Harvey’s not the kind of guy to mess with. I put on a stone this year, better not let him catch me. Hey Harv, it’s all that sitting around writing the freakin’ book, man.

While you’re working with him, he’s getting all these calls from women off the show; makes you feel really overweight, unhealthy and unattractive.

Yeah, what I’d give to get texted by Vanessa Feltz, Anne Diamond and Carole Malone.

Sometimes even Russell Grant calls up.

prone even got Harvey his own spread in the New York Daily News. Guess all those large Manhattan types want to shed a few fast food pounds.

Seriously, the book’s about getting in the fight for life, because we are all going to lose several years off our lives if we don’t keep in shape and get that cardio work done.

Harvey’s message is that just 30 minutes a day will do the trick. The book’s apparently doing a bomb on all the US military camps, where the guys want a little of what Harvey has.

Sell it to the marines!

The best days of his life

“Muddy Marvellous,” says Michael Eavis

We went back to his old alma mater, the Wells Cathedral School in Somerset, with Michael Eavis the other day.

It’s just a few miles from Glastonbury Tor and Pilton, the site of his farm and the world’s top music and performing arts festival.

Michael, who as well as being a farmer and cultural entrepreneur, has also been a miner and merchant seaman, is part of the team planning the multi-million-pound Cedars Hall project – a world class music performance and learning facility at the school, which will coincide with its 1100-year birthday in 2009.

prone is guiding the early stages of press coverage and marketing.

The school has selected leading architect Eric Parry. And Michael, the quiet man of rock ‘n ‘roll who has raised millions for various charities and has championed the Green causes so close to prone’s heart, is pleased to be involved.

“I must be one of the oldest old boys left,” he said during a prone photo shoot in the beautiful medieval city.

prone also sends its congratulations to Michael on being given the school’s first fellowship, in honour of his lifetime’s work and achievements.

Rugby World Cup - Grave doubts over England's Finest

The Rugby Union World Cup kicked off in the South of France and prone’s very own team was there to see it.

It was a tough task pulling together a fit squad of publicists and photographers to promote the sporting battle for the William Webb Ellis trophy, but hey, someone’s got to do it.

Based in the historic Cote D’Azur town of Menton, it was prone’s job to bring to the watching billions news of the Salford, England, lad who famously picked up the ball and ran while playing football at conveniently-named Rugby school back in the 19th century.

Why Menton? Well it’s a mile from the Italian border, nestles below the French alps and hugs the Med, while having some of the best restaurants and bars in the whole of the land.

It also happens to be the final resting place of William, who died in the town that had become his home in the battle against TB.

prone discovered his grave three years ago and launched a campaign to renovate it. Come on chaps, I mean the rugger world cup makes multi milllions and the man with his name on the cup was slipping down the mountain into oblivion.

And we are pleased to say that the mission was accomplished. William now has a safe home for the rest of eternity. The grave is shored up and polished. And he now has a beautiful bronze statue at the entrance in tribute to his sporting first.

A true tomb with a view (see photo)

Polska - Flying Tonight

We went to the Polish Embassy in London to hear about business and investment in the old country and to talk about PR and promotion, Polska-style.

prone’s association with Poland reaches back countless generations. Some pronites have very aristocratic roots indeed. Scout’s Honour. (a clue)

But we don’t like to talk about that, no, no no … not unless there’s some cherry vodka and roast wild boar to tempt us. And, I kid you not, that is exactly what I have in hand now. (see photo) Well, minus the wild boar.

But I, I’m sorry to say, have no such Eastern European connections, although I do like vodka. (see photo again)

I snuck into beseiged Warsaw back in ‘82 posing as a sports reporter. A couple of captured Brit hacks were in various stages of decomposition in some lubiyanka or another. My old Fleet Street Cricket Club chum Greg Miskiw was one.

The Communists had been forced to allow the English Under 21 footie team into the country under martial law, at pain of being kicked out of world soccer sine die.

The proles were revolting and to lose Matchski of the Day could have really brought the wall tumbling down.

So in we go undercover. Meet Michael of Solidarity in the third cubicle to the right in the airport loo, sign the forms, swap a tenner for eight trillion blackmarket zlotys and Lech’s your uncle.

I’m an honorary member of the most romantic outlawed political movement in the world running on a bent visa and I could be banged up for life if I get caught. Another wódka please.

I’m in. Quick chat with Archbishop Glemp, a word with Wałęsa through the prison fence, some in-depth briefing from the so-Solidarity crew around Old Town hostelries and a sleigh ride back to the Inter-Continental before 8pm or face instant incarceration.

The game was drawn. A couple of world exclusives rattled the headlines (I was working for the Reuters organisation, so the reality of life under the jackboot went out globally on the wires to every media outlet on the planet).

Mission to inform accomplished. And lifelong relationships and love for the country and its heroic people established.

I will always remember knocking back tumblers of the colourless stuff at Stansted airport with a couple of hearty Poles while waiting for clearance to depart to the dark heart of the closed country. Legless take off. Painless.

Tannoy: “Would our friend in seat 34B pliz come to the cockpit.” It was my friends from the bar. Pilot and Co-pilot. And we had another drink.…

The Poles have always been great pilots.