This weekend we’ll be mostly…

Doing fabulous things for free:
- Taking a stroll around some secret West-End architecture
- Boogieing with the Soul Jazz Sound System at Café 1001
- Charity shop shopping, Mary Portas-style

Ain’t no mountain high enough

What with the tube strike and all, getting to work has been tricky this week. But the extra exercise is coming in handy for us here at Collective. That’s because we’re in training for The Three Peaks Challenge this September. Yes, it’s really happening, and it's just as mammoth a task as it sounds.

The aim: to climb Britain’s 3 highest mountains in 24 hours, all for the Wig Out charity. But don’t worry, we’re a pretty determined bunch, so it’s heads down and keep walking people! More on this soon…

Nothing like a good sing-song

A few of us popped along to the “She Says” event last night, so we thought we’d share a couple of the award-winning pieces of work that inspired us.

When it comes to recycling, a musical interlude doesn’t immediately spring to mind. But since we met Hank, the singing bottle, recycling glass is all we can think about – we urge you to join his mission! Then there’s Belgian bank Axion, who created banner concerts, bundling young musicians into banner-shaped boxes to perform online gigs. It’s a brilliant way to spark the interest of the tricky twelve to twenty-five-year-old market - and totally unique.

End-of-term nostalgia

Collective rekindled its school day memories by assembling for a Class of ’09 photo this morning. (All inspired strangely enough by the arrival of our iris shelving back from the Honda greenhouse – it made the perfect steps for us all.) Can you spot who’s the class swot, who’s the prom queen, and who’ll be kept back a year.

Dan’s engaged!

Congratulations to our lovely designer Dan, who popped the question to his girlfriend Rhi while on holiday last week. Here he is channelling the spirit of ‘Angry’ Anderson for his own Neighbours-style power ballad when he walks down the aisle next summer. Congratulatory hugs to you both from all at Collective.

Free Range talent

Collective is proud to be sponsoring Bournemouth University as they present their interactive degree show, ScreenGrab, at the Free Range exhibition this year. A few of us at Collective are Bournemouth graduates, so we’re thrilled to be able to support up and coming talent.

If you’re near The Old Truman Brewery in Brick Lane, pop by and have a look. The Bournemouth exhibition is up until Monday 1st June, with the entire show running until 20th July. Visit www.free-range.org.uk.

Honda: good to grow has a winner!

Day 58 in the greenhouse. We have 14 blooming irises. We've had visits from magicians, ballet dancers, and even Santa. We've given away eco-friendly goodies every week in our Insight Challenges. And now we have our £10,000 winner.

Congratulations to Nicholas Bone, who won £5,000 for a good cause of his choice and £5,000 for an eco friendly holiday. A big thanks to everyone who took part, it’s been great fun. www.honda.co.uk/cars/insight.