WARNING – This post contains
unsafe levels of toxic goodwill and community spirit.
Yesterday while lounging poolside I received an email from a friend of the Despotic Queen, Dane. Attached was a press release regarding Australian canvas / plimsoll brand Gideon and their charity work with the Ted Noffs Foundation. I thought, so what, Imelda does (over) charities all the time. Then I remembered that the late Rev Ted Noffs is considered to be one of Australia’s greatest humanitarians and pioneered a number of the most important drug and alcohol related initiatives for young people, including co-founding Lifeline and the Aboriginal Affairs Foundation. And it got me thinking if I post about this then not only would it relieve my conscience but perhaps the late Rev could have a few words with the little baby Jesus in his Christmas crib and maybe, just maybe, next Christmas I’ll get that Indian Call Centre I asked for.
Not overly familiar with Australian canvas brand Gideon I took a looksee at their website and was horrified to discover that Gideon are upsetting the apple cart by openly publishing an ‘Ethical Manufactory’ policy. Unlike most companies, Gideon weren’t just playing cool, the brand had conducted a comprehensive ‘Ethical Audit’ of the factory and it’s work practices. Yum Yum, would you pass Imelda her smelling salts!
Then in a shock bigger than when I was told by Producers I was too old to audition for Philippines Idol, I read, “NO USE OF CHILD LABOUR WHATSOEVER”, forget the smelling salts, fire up the defibrillator.
Heart stopping shocks aside, the collection isn’t huge but it I did find a laceless two tone number called ‘sparrow’ that would look mighty sharp with THIS OUTFIT.
Considering how diametrically opposed we are on issues like ‘quality management’ and ‘working conditions’, I figure after this post not only will I get that Call Centre but there’s a gulag in North Korea that has my name written all over it!
So here’s the skinny - the brand has teamed with Matt and Rupert Noffs (of the Ted Noffs foundation) to create an exclusive collection of canvas plimsolls for Australian retailer General Pants. For every pair sold Gideon will donate $5 of the $39.95 to the HipHoperations Desert Project, which would be about one fifth of Gideon’s profit margin, and in the current economic climate a mighty big (albeit tax deductible) chunk of business.
The HipHoperations Desert Project runs hip hop workshops for young Indigenous people in remote parts of Australia and has been operating for four years. Facilitated by Matt and Rupert Noffs and a dedicated team, the project has nurtured communities by working with over 1000 young people from the Great Sandy Desert, Torres Strait Island, Palm Island and Central Australia. With the assistance of the Gideon donations, HipHoperations continues to roll out its community projects around Australia by recording hip hop music and producing film clips with disadvantaged youth.
Before you ask, yes Imelda has offered to breakdown her deadly Krumping moves in any future clips. With my good deed for the year done, let the karma roll on in.
