April 27, 2020, by aczjb1
Creativity in Crisis
In these uncertain times, Ingenuity Lab members have been adapting their lives and businesses to the Covid-19 crisis in many different ways. On Tuesday April 21, the Lab hosted an online event, Creativity in Crisis, where industry experts and Lab members came together to share advice and talk about their own experiences during the crisis.
Yasmin Gregory has moved her yoga and wellbeing services online
Yasmin Gregory, who runs local wellbeing hub at1.SPACE, has successfully moved her services online. Yasmin has set up a virtual yoga platform via Facebook, providing a way for people to connect to the community and practice yoga without leaving their homes.
On top of this, the yoga and wellbeing services are available to keyworkers and NHS staff free of charge.
“Although there is a physical distance between us, we’ve been able to adapt quickly,” Yasmin said. “I feel we are connected more strongly than ever. I feel fortunate to witness such great kindness – my faith in humanity feels restored.”
Members have also moved their educational services online, such as Asma Iqbal of My Success Story and Taofeek Ajibike of White Eagle Education Services. “We’ve redefined our business model introducing a new package to help sustain the business at these uncertain times,” Taofeek explained.
Rob Avery-Phipps, who co-runs the China Britain Regional Initiative from the Lab, has been invited to be a part of the East Midlands Chamber Covid-19 Business Task Force Group. As well as this, he has also been helping to coordinate donations of PPE from Chinese provinces to Leicestershire and Lincolnshire councils with whom he has contracts. He expects to facilitate the donation of around 35,000 surgical face masks.
Olivia Swift was on the front page of the Nottingham Post this month after swapping running a maternal clothing company to join the front–line effort to combat the Covid-19 crisis. Olivia trained as a midwife at the University, where she was inspired to start her business. But with the Covid-19 lockdown causing her factory to temporarily close, Olivia chose to respond to a request from the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to join the temporary coronavirus emergency register and support the understaffed and overstretched hospital services.
“Although it has been some time since I have worked clinically, I feel that more staff working on the frontline is what is needed during the current crisis,” Olivia told the Post. “It is an emotional and difficult time for all small business owners at the moment where many things are out of our control. All of our postnatal support groups have moved online and we will endeavour to continue providing these vital services to women.”
Olivia Swift has joined frontline NHS services whilst her business is temporarily closed during lockdown
Jordana Chin, who opened the Avocafe in Nottingham earlier this year, has reverted to running a food delivery service from her kitchen whilst her restaurant is closed.
She explained “At the moment I’m doing everything myself from taking orders, cooking, serving walk-in and take out customers as well as deliveries. I’m not qualified for the government grants, so I had to keep my business running. We were lucky as we started as a delivery service so we had all facilities in place such as online ordering system and delivery system.”
Peer mentoring app TyFy.co, which is run from the Lab by James Doherty, is continuing to help students at Keele University as they study from home. James rounded off with some sage advice on working from home: “Make sure you’ve got a plan for the day, not just sitting at your computer procrastinating,” he said. “It’s good to see the extra time you’ve got to do more, but also if you do nothing other than get through the day without going insane, you’re doing just fine.”
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