Our stories | On Purpose

25 Jun 2018 A blended future: Addressing the funding needs of the small charity sector

We all want impact investing to go mainstream. After all, who would be against generating a positive financial return while also creating positive social and environmental change?The term “impact investing” was coined at the beginning of the 21st...

10 May 2018 Rediscovering community spirit in an increasingly digital world

In this post, Matt Cooper, an Associate from the October 2017 cohort, reflects on how his On Purpose experience has prompted him to increase his engagement in his local community.“How engaged am I as a citizen?”“What sort of social impact am I...

01 May 2018 I’m a recovering pessimist about the future of humanity

Jo Alexander, who is a Geologist and an April 2017 Fellow in London, writes about her transformation from a pessimist to an optimistic On Purpose Fellow.Geologists are very good at scaring people (including ourselves!). As a geologist, I have a...

Supporting refugees one bread loaf at a time

25 Apr 2018 Supporting refugees one loaf of bread at a time

Ariane Nikpur, who is part of the On Purpose core team, writes about Breadwinners, a small charity supporting refugees with work opportunities in the UK. Breadwinners has been shortlisted in the top five of People's Projects supported by Big...

18 Apr 2018 Personal sustainability and illness prevention center in the heart of London

April 2017 Fellow Katarina Fischerova interviewed Jane Hutchison, designer and founder of the cancer prevention charity Hello Beautiful Foundation.Katarina visited their wellness space, or ‘spiritual’ home, where all sales generated at the...

03 Apr 2018 Building karma through supply chains

In this blog, Tania Han, who is currently on the October 2017 Associate Programme, writes about how a small company from New Zealand is doing good whilst challenging the soft drinks market.I first tasted in 2016, on a tiny island called Waiheke,...

07 Mar 2018 What does value mean in healthcare?

Sifa Porter joined the On Purpose Associate Programme in October 2017 and is currently in her first placement at King’s Health Partners. In this blog, she explores what she has learned over the past few months about the meaning of value in...

22 Feb 2018 Reducing food waste one canapé at a time

Ariane Nikpur, who is part of the On Purpose London team, met with Sophie Andre, a social enterprise caterer in London.Sophie Andre set up Elysia in 2016 and since then has been catering quality artisan food made out of British surplus...

08 Feb 2018 From climate change zero to climate change hero

Premila Sattianayagam, one of our Associates in the April 2017 Associate Programme in London, writes about her cohort’s project ‘Ready, Steady, Zero Waste Cook’ and her personal experience of living a more environmentally friendly life.Proud....

05 Feb 2018 Connecting people and place; A weekend in London’s East End

David Romain, who is an April 2017 Associate in London, writes about the latest of our inter-city exchanges of our Associate Programme participants in London, Paris and Berlin.On Purpose Associates from Berlin and Paris joined the London crew for...

31 Jan 2018 Can this small start-up convince Britain to go green?

Michael Hilton, April 2018 Associate in London, interviews in his latest blog Hayden Wood, who is the co-founder and CEO of Bulb Energy, a renewable energy start-up.Bulb Energy was named UK Business Of The Year at the 2017 . Its offering is...

29 Jan 2018 Social Investment : Anything but Vanilla

Clare McCartney is currently in our October 2017 cohort and in her first placement. In this blog, she explores some of the challenges and opportunities of the social investment landscape in the UK.Before starting the On Purpose Associate...