blue skies newsletter a mission blue skies to stand the ...blue skies newsletter a mission to stand...
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Pelican News
July 2016 | #125 Blue Skies Newsletter
A mission to stand the test of time BlueSkieshasreneweditscommitmenttotheJointEffortEnterprisebypublishinganewpostercenteredaroundafresharticulationofthecompany’smission.Called‘TheMissionMap’,theposterhighlightshowBlueSkiesisaJointEffortEnterprisewhosemissionisto‘buildtogetheraprofitableenterprisewherepeoplerespecteachother,carefortheenvironmentandinspirealegacyforthefuture’.TheMissionMapisdesignedtoensurethevalueswhichunderpinthebusinesswillcarryonenduringasthecompanycontinuestogrow.
YoucandownloadtheMissionMapfromwww.blueskies.com/missionmap.pdf
Blue Skies calls on Ghana to sign EPA
BlueSkieshascalledontheGovernmentofGhanatosigntheEuropeanEconomicPartnershipAgreement(EPA)toensurecontinualityoffreetradebetweenEuropeandGhana.CurrentlyBlueSkiesisentitledtotarifffreeaccesstoEUmemberstateshoweverwithMarketRegulationendingthisyear,thisissettochangeunlessGhanaratifiestheEPA.ThosewhoopposethetradedealclaimthatGhanawilllosemoreinlostrevenueonimportsthanthemoneysavedfromßtarifffreeaccesstotheEUforexports.BlueSkieshoweverarguesthatsustainableeconomicgrowthforGhanaisonlypossiblewithabiggermanufacturingandexportssectorandlessdependencyonimports.BlueSkiesFounderAnthonyPilesaid:“Ghanahasabundantnaturalresources,atalentedandenterprisingpopulationandadesperateneedforemployment.It’sabouttimethegovernmentembracedthisandhelpedtobuildavibrant‘valuedadded’manufacturingsectorthatwastheenvyoftheworld”
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Blue Skies inspires local schools in UK
ThroughoutJuneandJulyJulesFurnivalandSusanBrightwellhavebeenworkingwith16-18yearoldsinlocalschoolstobuildtheirknowledgeandimprovetheirskillsintheworldofemployment.Oneschoolinparticular,MalcolmArnold,tookallchildrenofftimetableforthedaytobroadentheknowledgeofallagesfrom11throughto18yearsold.Both
HilarioJesusandLornaDixjoinedJulesandSusaninsupportingtheinitiativetodeliverbespokequalitytrainingsessionsforallthechildren.Thisinitiativewillcontinuethroughoutnextyear’sschooltermworkingcloselywithNorthamptonshireenterpriseteamandlocalschools.
ReportbyJulieFurnival,BlueSkiesUKHRManager-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
New canteen for Ghana takes shape
AnewcanteenforBlueSkiesGhanaistakingshape.Workiscurrentlyaround80%completeandthenewcanteenisexpectedtobeoperationalbyOctober.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blue Skies sponsors agricultural boot camp BlueSkiesissponsoringanagriculturalbootcampinGhanaorganizedbyDainNetwork.TheBootcamptakesplaceoverthreedaysinAugustandaimstohelpaspiringyoungagriculturalentrepreneursgaintheskillsandconfidencetopitchtheirbusinessideastopotentialinvestors.
BlueSkieswillsupportbygivingatalkaboutthebusinessandprovidingfreshjuiceandfruits.TheBootCampisalsosponsoredbyNestleandGhanaGuinnessBreweries.Youcanfindoutmoreatwww.dainnetwork.org.-------------------------------------------------
The juice bar from the air
Pictured:theBlueSkiesjuicebaratDobrofromtheair.-------------------------------------------------
#SayHello
#SayHellotoBaibaSipola,QATeamLeader@#blueskiesUK.Baibalikespainting&photography#helloBaiba-------------------------------------------------
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Meet Mbali MbheleIamMbaliMbhele20yearsofage,borninNovember1995.Myfamilyismadeupofbothparents,Ihaveabrotherandtwocousins.IamthefirstchildofMorenaandRebeccaNkosiandtheybothworkatBlueSkiesFreshProduce.
I'maveryloud,openandinteractiveperson.Istartedschoolattheageof7atBonukhukanyaPrimarySchoolthenwenttoBalfourPrimaryschooluntilgrade7.In2009IwenttoBalfourCombinedSchooluntil2013whereIcompletedmymatric.
IstayedinBalfourfor12yearsuntilIfinishedmyhighschoolandthenlefttothecityofJohannesburgwhereIstayedfrom2014untilpresent.IstudiedBusinessAdministrationatRichfieldGraduateInstituteofTechnologyfortwoyearsanddidmypracticalsatBlue
SkiesFreshProduceunderthesupervisionofHRmanagerWayduNhlapointhemonthofJanuary2016.IamgratefulandhonouredtobegiventheopportunitytoworkwithBlueSkiestofulfilmycareerendeavor.
Onthe7thofJune2016Igraduatedwithmyfirstqualification.IamproudtosayIamaqualifiedbusinessadministrator.MydreamistostudyfurtherasfarasIcan.IhopeinmyfutureIwillgetthejobofmyheartdesireasIresumewithmysecondqualification.TomyparentsthankyouformakingsurethatIamwellequippedformyfuturebygivingmethebesteducation.
Pelican News Editorial
Stronger Together SincetheUKvotedlastmonthtoleavetheEuropeanUniontherehavebeenmixedreactionsfromamongoursitesoverwhatthismeansfortheUKandforBlueSkies.WhileBrexitundoubtedlyimpactsBlueSkiesduetothesuddencollapseofthepound,farlessunderstoodisthemessagethe‘leavevote’sendstherestoftheworldabouttheUK’sattitudetodiversityandinclusivity,twoofthecornerstonesoftheBlueSkiesJEE.
ManyofthosewhovotedtoleavedidsoforunderstandableconcernsoverhowtheEUismanaged.Whetheritbethelevelofbureaucracy,thethreattosovereigntyorthelackofdemocracy,itiswidelyacknowledgedevenamongtheremainvoters,thattheEUmustbereformed.Butwhathasstoodout,particularlyforthosewatchingfromoutsidetheUK,ishowBrexithasfuelledworryinglevelsofxenophobiaandracismamongaverysmallsectionofsociety.Thisofcoursemaynotreflecttheviewsofthevastmajorityofleavevoters,howeveritisthesidewhichhasbeenseenbymanypeoplelivingoutsidetheUK,notleastbyourownstaff.SoshouldwenowbelievetheUK,onceabeaconforenterprise,charityandmulti-culturalism,hasnowcloseditsdoorsontheworldanddeclaredthatitnolongerwishestoplayitspartasresponsibleglobalcitizens,helpingtosolvesomeofthemonumentalchallengesfacedbyourplanetanditspeople?
No,ofcoursethisisnotthecase,butwehavearesponsibilitytoassurepeoplearoundtheworld(andputpressureonourgovernmenttodothesame),thatdespiteBrexit,Britainisnow,morethanever,anopen,inclusiveandproudlydiversesociety,whichrecognizesthepartthatimmigrationhasunquestionablyplayedinshapingourcountry,drivingoureconomyandputtingtheGreatinGreatBritain.
Andthesearethevaluesthatwemustcontinuetopromoteanddefendasabusiness.TheyareattheheartofourJointEffortEnterprise;diversity,equalityandprofitability.Westrivetobreakdownthebarriersthatdivideusandembracethedifferencesthatmakeusunique.Itisthisspiritofunion–ofbeingpartofonefamily,regardlessofwhoweareorwherewecamefrom–thathasenabledustosurviveandtothrive.
SowhileweworryaboutwhereBrexitwilltakeus,BlueSkiesstandstallwithunwaveringconvictionforourvaluesandacompleteconfidencethattheywillultimatelyseeusthrough.
Blue Skies Weddings
CongratulationstoBlueSkiesDirectoranddaughterofAnthonyandJenny,HarrietandherhusbandHenry.HarrietandHenryChurchillweremarriedonthe16thofJulyatAllSaints’ChurchinPitsford.OnbehalfofusallatBlueSkies,wewishthembothawonderfulandhappylifetogether.------------------------------------------------
Baby News
CongratulationstoVictoriaandKwameontheirfirstbornson,Dylan.TheBoamahfamilyarepicturedabovewithDylankeptcarefullywrappedinthecoldclimateofGhana!---------------------------------------------
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More Foundation projects completed
Nearlyallour2016FoundationprojectsarenearingcompletionincludinganewclassroomblockforKyintoJuniorHighSchoollocatedneartothefactoryinGhanaandanewprimaryschoolforthepapayafarmingcommunityofPampanso.Our2016SchoolFarmoftheYearprojectisalsowellunderwaywithoverfiftyschoolscompetingtobecrownedthewinnersofthecompetitioninDecemberduringGhana’sFarmersDaycelebrations.
Above:ThenewclassroomblockatKyintoJuniorHighSchoolwiththeirschoolfarmintheforeground.
Above:thenewclassroomblockforPampansoPrimarySchool.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2015 Report is published
ThelatestBlueSkiesFoundationreporthasbeenpublished.Itcontainsanoverviewhttp://www.blueskies.com/foundation2015.pdf-------------------------------------------------
Amali and Tor visit South Africa projects Waydu,StephanandJusticehostedavisittoBlueSkiesSouthAfricabyAmaliBunterandTorHarrisfromWaitroseonthe18thofJuly.AmaliandTorvisitedanumberofFoundationprojectsincludingaDayCareCentrefordisabledchildrenneartothefactoryinSiyathemba,wheretheFoundationprovidedarefrigeratorandcookertoassistinthepreparationofmeals.
Above:ThechildrenhappytohavetheirphototakenattheDayCareCentreinSiyathemba.
Above:AmaliandTorwithstaffatBalfourPrimarySchool.---------------------------------------------