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By Luke, 4 October, 2012 8:00 am

Last Monday 24 September,  GeoVation – hosted “Collaboration and User Innovation in Transport” at the Royal Society of Arts, London.

Whilst this was a GeoVation event with a different flavour, in so much that funding wasn’t up for grabs on this occasion; the open and collaborative ethos that typifies GeoVation was very much utilised throughout the day. Peter ter Haar, Director of Products at Ordnance Survey kicked off proceedings with a welcome and introduction.

Peter ter Haar’s welcome and introduction

This was followed by a number of thought-provoking presentations, videos, posters and discussions compered by Richard Kemp-Harper of the Technology Strategy Board.

Continue reading 'Collaboration and User Innovation in Transport – presentations now available'»

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By Luke, 4 September, 2012 9:00 am

We are pleased to announce our next event – “Collaboration and User Innovation in Transport”  – which will take place at the Royal Society of Arts, in London on 24 September 2012. Brought to you by GeoVation and supported by Ordnance Survey, the Ideas in Transit project, Department for Transport, Technology Strategy Board and SBRI.

With rapid developments in social media technology, smartphone apps, open data, and volunteered geographic information, in a context of doing more with less and doing that sustainably, ‘Collaboration and User Innovation in Transport’ considers: Continue reading 'GeoVation – Collaboration and User Innovation in Transport'»

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By viv, 17 May, 2012 8:00 am

With less than a week to go until the “How can we transform neighbourhoods in Britain together?” GeoVation Camp kicks-off with a meet and greet session on Friday evening 18 May at Ordnance Survey’s in Southampton, the tension is building. Eighteen ideas will be represented and developed at the camp over the weekend, which is a great response – and final preparations are being put in place.

We very much look forward to meeting all the participants and those helping out with the GeoVation Camp process. Our judging panel will be joining the camp on Sunday afternoon with the unenviable task of selecting the “best of the best” from the weekend camp to be invited to submit venture plans, to be pitched at the GeoVation showcase being held here at Ordnance Survey on 20 June; at which time the GeoVation Challenge innovation award winners will be chosen.

So let’s meet the judging panel for the GeoVation Camp. They are:

The Judging Panel Chair is:

Roland Harwood who is co-founder of 100%Open, the open innovation agency that works with the likes of LEGO, Orange and Oxfam to co-innovate with their partners. Roland was formerly Director of Open Innovation at NESTA, the UK’s National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts. Graduating with a PhD in Physics from Edinburgh University, he has held senior innovation roles in the Utilities and Media industries and in addition has worked with 100’s of start-ups to raise venture capital and commercialise technology. In addition he has worked as a TV and film music producer for SonyBMG

He will be joined by:

Continue reading 'Judges join panel for Neighbourhood Weekend Camp'»

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By viv, 2 May, 2012 8:00 am

We’ve had some really great ideas entered on our GeoVation Challenge ‘How can we connect communities and visitors along the Wales Coast Path?’ which was launched on 14 March with a share of £125,000 for best ideas.

The exciting challenge has seen a steady flow of ideas being submitted all aiming to better connect communities, businesses and visitors through the application of geography, mapping, innovation and expertise.

For instance, one popular idea is for a Walkers alert companion – a smart phone App and website to provide information on the nearest located medical support centre or offering  first aid support from a volunteer network of first aiders.

Continue reading 'Last chance to enter the Wales Coast Path GeoVation Challenge'»

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By viv, 26 April, 2012 8:00 am

In the guest post below, Gwenda Owen of Ramblers Cymru explains how the mass trespass 80 years ago on Kinder Scout has made the new Wales Coast Path possible and how the GeoVation Challenge may help people to engage with it.

This week here at the Ramblers we’re celebrating the mass trespass that took place 80 years ago on Kinder Scout. As someone relatively new to Ramblers  I’m only just beginning to truly appreciate the ‘battles’ that have been fought to secure the right to walk on paths that I’ve enjoyed and on the whole taken for granted.

Had the working people of Greater Manchester and Yorkshire not risked imprisonment in challenging the restrictions imposed by many landowners it is unlikely we would be celebrating the opening of the Wales Coast Path on May 5^th.  The account taken from Ramblers.org.uk highlights the steps which lead us to where we are today.

‘It is widely agreed that the Mass Trespass was a pivotal event in the fight for walkers’ access rights. A few weeks later, 10,000 ramblers – many more than the few hundred at Kinder Scout – took part in an access rally at Winnats Pass, near Castleton. A further mass trespass also took place on the Bradfield Moors in South Yorkshire in September 1932.

Less than three years after the Mass Trespass, the Ramblers Association was created from the National Council of Ramblers’ Federations. Although the Federation had not endorsed the Mass Trespass, the newly formed Ramblers Association set about lobbying for access to hills, for the creation of long distance paths and national parks and for better protection of public rights of way.

In 1949, following the disruptions of World War II and a period of hard-fought campaigning by the Ramblers, the National Parks and Countryside Act was passed. Foundations were laid for access rights to open country, for the creation of national parks and long distance paths and for rights of way to be surveyed and recorded on maps.

The events at Kinder Scout on 24 April 1932 were also instrumental in the Peak District becoming the first designated national park in 1951. The Pennine Way, which runs north for 268 miles from the Peak District all the way to the Scottish Borders, was the first long-distance footpath to be opened in 1965.

The Mass Trespass also had far-reaching implications for access, culminating in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 which granted the right to roam in open countryside in England and Wales. This was followed by the Land Reform Act 2003 which granted statutory access rights to almost all land in Scotland, making it one of the most walker-friendly countries in Europe.’

 Wales Coast Path

The Ramblers and others continued to campaign, negotiate and undertake practical work and we are now able to ‘beat the bounds’ of our nation by walking the Wales Coast Path .   This is what we’ll be doing on May 5^th on our Big Welsh Coastal Walk when we’ll be joined by 1000’s of people. The full potential of the Wales Coast Path to have an enormously positive impact on both local communities and visitors has yet to be realised and we hope that the GeoVation Challenge will prove to be one of the key motivators in engaging people in all that it has to offer.

Gwenda Owen
Community Engagement Officer
Ramblers Cymru

If you would like to enter the GeoVation Challenge and be in with a chance to win a slice of £125,000 in funding then hurry, the closing date is 12 noon on 2 May2012

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By viv, 17 April, 2012 8:00 am

As many of you know Coastal Wales was voted number 1 on Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel, top 10 regions for 2012.

The Lonely Planet book states: “What a wonderful thing: to walk the entire length of a country’s coastline, to trace its every nook, cranny, cliff-face, indent and estuary. How better to truly appreciate the shape – and soul – of a nation? Well, in 2012 Wales will become the only country in the world where you can do just that.

With the Wales Coast Path due to open on 5 May and our GeoVation Challenge calling for ideas to connect communities and visitors along the new path, this got me thinking:   Is there a top 10 of things to see or do along the Wales Coast Path?

Here are some suggestions:

1. See dolphins in Newquay – Cardigan Bay
2. Surf at  Llangenith – Gower
3. Play the Prisoner at Portmerion
4. Eat cockles in Penclawdd
5. Catch a show at the Millenium Centre in Cardiff Bay
6. See the starlings flock at dusk on Aberystwyth prom
7. Visit the Great Orme in Llandudno
8. Eat honey ice cream in Aberaeron
9. Walk on Whistling Sands Aberdaron
10. Bird spotting at Newport Wetlands

Or what about these?

• Seal spotting off the Llyn Penninsula
• Enjoying the tranquility and uniqueness of Porth Iago
• Take in the sunset over Worms Head
• Explore the highest sand dunes in Northern Europe in Merthyr Mawr
• Walk the barrage, then dine in Cardiff Bay
• Visit a Castle at Criccieth

(Thank you to Gwenda Owen at Ramblers Cymru and Gareth Browning of Welsh Government for these suggestions)

I’m sure you have your own top ideas to make the most of Wales Coast Path, but don’t keep them to yourself. If you can think of how people who live and work along, or visit the Wales Coast Path can use digital technology to benefit from this ‘world first’ for Wales, then enter the GeoVation Challenge – you could win a share of £125,000 in funding to make your idea happen!

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By viv, 12 April, 2012 8:00 am

I recently visited Pembrokeshire, staying Fishguard, to run along part of the Wales Coast Path with DragonRun 1027.  Since September last year the number of trains arriving in Fishguard (or Abergwaun to give it its Welsh name) has increased which means it is an ideal destination for those who want to travel by train, as I did. It is also a gateway to Ireland with a regular ferry to Rosslare.

The coastal path runs through Goodwick and Fishguard and the town’s history includes being the scene of the last French invasion of Britain in 1797. But our hosts at the hotel we stayed at explained how the economic downturn was affecting local businesses and as we walked around Fishguard we could see this for ourselves with many pubs and restaurants now closed.  While travelling around the North Pembrokeshire coast we could see that other areas seemed to be doing pretty well – for instance, we were unable to get a table at a restaurant in popular Porthgain without a prior booking. But I wondered how businesses and communities could connect better with the Wales Coast Path and make the most of this world first for Wales, the only complete ‘formal’ walking trail to follow a country’s entire coastline in the world. In turn how could this  stimulate sustainable economic growth, health and well- being and social inclusion in coastal communities?

During the stay there we also suffered a day of appalling weather conditions which also helped us to question how the path could be an attraction that could encourage visitors all year and not just in good weather?

On the final day, while out walking on the coastal path around Fishguard we saw children out making the most of activities in the water and I wondered whether anymore could be done to  encourage children to make more use the path and the coast?

I don’t have  the answers, only questions?  So maybe some of you have some ideas on how to make more of this amazing attraction.  If so, enter them on our Wales Coast Path GeoVation Challenge and you could win a share of up to £125,000 funding to get your idea started.

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By viv, 10 April, 2012 8:00 am

Since launching our latest GeoVation Challenge’ How can we connect communities and visitors along the Wales Coast Path?’ I’ve been itching to get out on to the Wales Coast Path and see what its all about!   On 5 April I had the pleasure of joining Arry Beresford-Webb, aka dragonrun1027, a sports therapist from Cardiff on a little part of her epic 1027 mile ultra run around the whole perimeter of Wales. See previous blog.  Arry started out on 24 March from Cardiff Bay and her plan is to return there on 5 May in time for the official opening of the new Wales Coast Path -  having run all around Wales to get there.

Joining Arry on the run

Along the way Arry is aiming to raise £25 000 for charity. As we ran she told me about her the Velindre Cancer Centre , for which she has recently become an ambassador, and the work they do.

Arry has been taking the challenging terrain and incredible weather conditions in her stride (excuse the pun), as she has been making her way around the Gower and Pembrokeshire coastline.  I joined her at St Justinian at midday – when she already had 16 miles under her belt that day.  We covered the 12 mile section from there to Porthgain, taking in Whitesands Bay and Abereiddi.  It was a windy, cold but incredibly clear day and though the  path was pretty hard going at times, we earned some  incredibly breathtaking  views in return.  I could see why this section of the path is so popular, with stunning coastline at every turn, but I also experienced, as a runner, that at times it was difficult to navigate, with a lack of signage at some key decision points; we were grateful for Arry’s GPS when we deviated from the route. Map reading while your running isn’t that easy.

Just checking...

Arry explained that although she had been preparing for 15 months prior to undertaking her challenge and had picked up advice from some top ultra runners, she had still found her body was taking time to adapt to the constant demands on it, though she felt she was slowly getting stronger and becoming ‘marathon woman’. A big fan of many ultra runners and particularly Dean Karnazes ,  Arry uses his saying “Run if you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must, but never give up” as her mantra to keep going and explained how she had developed a love of trail running, particularly with this beautiful coastline to keep her going and  I could really understand why!

Taking a look at the way we've just come!

My experience  during the run has given me an appreciation of the  beauty of the Wales Coast Path , but also a few of the difficulties in making it accessible to those who want to use if for more than walking.  I also have an enormous admiration for Arry. The day before our run, weather conditions had been appalling with driving rain and winds of up to  40 miles an hour but Arry still battled to get 10 miles in, but had to give up. So, to make this up, on the day of our run  after completing the 28 miles to Porthgain, she then backtracked and put in a further 10 before it got dark!

Elevation between St Justinian and Porthgain

On the following day, as I got up full of aches and pains, from 12 miles of hill running, Arry was back out bright and early to put in another marathon run, and will continue to do so every day until 5 May.  So if you’re out and about around the Wales Coast Path and happen to see Arry (accompanied by Puff the dragon on her rucksack), give her a cheer or, even better, sponsor her here.

Myself,  I am grateful I had the opportunity to run with Arry and experience the wonderful coastline for myself –  I certainly want to get back there and do some more running too if I can.  Meanwhile if you have ideas on how you think visitors or communities can better connect of make use of this wonderful first for Wales, then don’t waste any time, enter your ideas here and the best ideas could win a share of £125,000 to get them started.

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By viv, 26 March, 2012 8:00 am

It’s officially summertime! Now that the clocks have gone forward we can look forward to lighter evenings and increased opportunity to get out in our neighbourhoods. There will be more chance to take part in outdoor sports, for children to play and explore and for older people to spend more time outside their homes.

But, all of this relies on a sense of community and feeling that the neighbourhood we live in is a safe place.

For instance, a survey shows that 25% of today’s 8 to 10 year olds have never played outside without adult supervision, while 1 in 3 parents will not permit their children, as old as 15, to play away from their house or garden. So how do we provide safe environments for our children to be active?

How can we establish a sense of community where we live and tackle the issues that mean some residents have become fearful of walking their own streets at night?

It’s good to see that you’ve been thinking about this and submitting some great ideas on our ‘How can we transform neighbourhoods in Britain, together?‘ GeoVation challenge.

One idea is a Residents Green Mapper  to test innovative approaches/tools to support local people to survey and assess their green spaces across the country and enable information to feed into social landlord’s improvement and maintenance planning and build a national dataset.

Another popular ideas is The Place Station which would introduce owners of land and buildings across the UK to social and community entrepreneurs with ideas for transforming their local area. People will be able to search, add and propose new uses for land and buildings.

There are lots of other great ideas that you can comment on and rate, and there’s still time to enter your own, but hurry, the challenge closes on Wednesday 28 March at 12 noon.  Don’t leave it to late to be in with a chance to win a share of £115, 000 (top prize £40, 000) to make your idea happen!

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By viv, 14 February, 2012 8:00 am

Below is a guest post from Daniel Raven-Ellison of Mission:Explore on the new GeoVation Challenge – How can we transform neighbourhoods in Britain together?

I’m very excited to see the new challenge on GeoVation. It’s an exciting opportunity to bring about real change through geography. Thinking geographically is a powerful way to see patterns, make connections, present ideas and crucially, scale-up projects.

We have been lucky enough to win GeoVation awards twice. For us this has not only meant significant and important financial support, but also access to support, guidance and thinking that has helped us to push our solutions forward far more quickly than they would have done otherwise.

Our project, Mission:Explore, is deeply connected to the question that sits at the heart of the current challenge ‘How can we transform neighbourhoods in Britain together?’. At the GeoVation powwow 16 people identified 104 problems and 7 themes. One of these was “how do we provide safe environments for our children to be active?” and this problem sits at the heart of what Mission:Explore is about.  Children being active in their community has a wide range of benefits of course, not least their personal physical and mental well-being as well as that of their wider community.

Through Mission:Explore our solution is to encourage and inspire more children and families to play outdoors. We are working to do this through our series of children’s books and social website that includes hundreds of quirky outdoor activities to do. On our website children and families can pick missions , collect points and earn rewards for doing them. Some missions can be done anywhere but others need to be done in specific places.

Last year we won funding from GeoVation to tackle the problem “How can we improve transport in Britain?”. Our work focusses on the National Cycle Network and using new functionality on the website to find ways to increase the number of children and families using the cycle paths. Focussing on 10 cities in England we’re going to be releasing 500 missions along cycle paths that support playful learning and with a mixture of reward types. Some rewards are just online badges but others will result in physical prizes. For this project the Technology Strategy Board’s Ideas in Transit project has been providing financial support, UWE is helping with research, Sustrans are providing logistical and cycle counter support and the dairy company Arla are supporting us with sponsorship through their energetic Kids Closer to Nature campaign. The website itself is built in partnership with the fantastic interactive agency, The Workshop, in Sheffield. Mission:Explore the National Cycle Network will be going live from the end of this month and will be in full swing before the summer holidays.

We’re currently looking for charities and public sector organisations that would like to use Mission:Explore to challenge children and families to discover new places and learn in creative ways. Later this month we will be launching private accounts which will allow schools to create missions that only their pupils will be able to see.

Our experience of GeoVation has been a powerful and inspiring one. I really recommend that you take part and see how far you can get. Good luck.

Mission:Explore are currently crowd funding their next children’s book, Mission:Explore Food. They are looking for people like you to contribute as little as £1 to help make the book happen. In return you can be illustrated into the book, request an experience day and much more. Visit Mission:Explore Food to be part of it.

Daniel Raven-Ellison
Mission:Explore