When is the right time to use an occasional table?
Are signet rings somewhat fattening on the hands? Why don't Calpol make lollies? And is it wrong to want porridge for lunch (and maybe dinner)? All things to ponder over whilst you digest this week's news.
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Emilie in Ethiopia
Once a year at innocent, everyone is invited to apply for the foundation scholarship to spend a couple of weeks visiting and working on one of the projects supported by the innocent foundation. In the past, Helen P, Andrew D and JT have all worked on projects in India, Malawi and Kenya and this year it's the turn of Emilie. She's off to Ethiopia on Friday for 2 weeks to work on an IDE-UK project, helping bee keepers market their honey and she's already started taste tests in our very own kitchen. Read her first blog here and we'll keep you posted on her updates over the next few weeks. |
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Car park work out #2
Almost a year to the day since the last official car park workout, rugby stars Dan Hipkiss (of England and Leicester Tigers fame) and Tim Taylor (of Gloucester and John T's brother fame) popped in to do a special training session last week. Several very fit people at Fruit Towers won the session in an auction for Accounting for Africa and as well as some serious weights, some slightly less serious (but no less taxing) speed and agility work using ladders and parachutes and a quick game of touch rugby, there was also a lot of lycra lunging, bicep comparison and fake workout posing. Check out the hard graft right here. |
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Hat's inspiration
Bored at work? Perfected your headstand in the loos, completed a full scale post-it note replica of Mount Rushmore and made everyone tea (twice)? Well, here's a new way to alleviate boredom/ stationery abuse. Back in March, Mr. Luke was a bit bored at work. So he sent us this picture to show us how bored he was. We liked this idea so much we've made it into an official competition called the Big Knit Hat Tag. All you have to do to enter is take a photo of a little woolly hat (comically positioned at a distance over a person/object/building), upload it to Facebook, tag it up and maybe win yourself some smoothies. We've even made a free special kit to get you started. To bagsy one, just click here and let the tagging commence. |
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STOP PRESS STOP PRESS STOP PRESS
Since so many of you got in touch to say you've still got hats to send in for the Big Knit 2010, we're extending our deadline for hats to Friday 29th October. That's the very last day we can accept them in order to make sure they make it into stores for this year's Big Knit. So if you're halfway through a hat or have found some hidden away from last year, pop them in an envelope quick sharp to the usual address and we'll add them to the final pile. |
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And finally...
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And finally, finally...
Only time for one click this week?
 These are the chaps for you .
What's the all about? Just click the birdy and it will let you re-tweet any of our 'and finally' links at the touch of a button. It's all about word of mouse these days.
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inside fruit towers
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Shiv and Tim had a final chocolate showdown, Madhu's lunch got 'borrowed' again, Tom O and Jo H became Lord and Lady respectively, Gurdeep went home early due to new shoe 'issues' and Dan B organised a lid race (which involved everyone passing lidless jars and cereal boxes along a line, putting the lids on them and then running to the kitchen shouting "I've put the lid on". Yep. Really.)
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twit bits...
bob of the week
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This week's Bob of the Week is Jimbob. Not the gangly always-last-to-bed-at-Walton-farm Jimbob but Jimbob the classical composer.
As well as penning symphonies, Jimbob used to live in Brazil and likes drinking in somewhat reedy bars with his friend, Rosie. Know a good Bob? Nominate them for our Bob of the Week right here iambob@innocentdrinks.co.uk
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corner of the week
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Corner of the Week aficionados may have been somewhat privately disgruntled that we have got this far in the corner worshipping calendar without mentioning one of the most famous corners in the land - Speaker's Corner.
It's the sandy bit in the far north easterly corner of Hyde Park where (as long as you don't swear or start fighting) you can go and talk about anything you like and no one can tell you to be quiet. Well, they can. But legally you can still keep yapping. Until the next person wants a go that is.
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How many minutes does it take to boil the perfect boiled egg?
Does anyone really make their own crisps? Is double denim legal in Florida? Questions questions.
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A new old friend
We're pretty sure you liked our peaches and passion fruits recipe last time round, so it’s back by popular demand. Not only is it top of the list of recipes that you ask to be returned, it’s also spreading the word about a brand new campaign, dressed up in a fancy new pack. Read more below... |
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Where the great recipes are at
The campaign in question is called the Great Recipe Archive. With the help of our friends at We Are What We Do, we’re hunting out lots of proper wholesome recipes – the ones that get passed down through the family. And we thought it would be good if you could find all of these recipes in one place, submitted by people from far and wide. So if you have such a recipe, upload it here for all to see. And check out the site to see what’s up there so far. Every week from November 1st , we'll choose a 'Recipe of the Month' and the recipe author will win a case of smoothies (to be that winner, just get all your friends to vote for your recipe) . Get involved here and then get cooking.
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Mo watch
Handlebar . Chaplin .Chevron . Dali. Mario. Anything goes if you’re a Movember man. A week into the 30 day challenge and the "innocent bros" have started growing their dodgy ‘taches. Even if you’re unable to muster the fluff, you could always design your own with a felt tip pen or failing that, join the team in support of those who can or just follow the innocent bros’ mos here. |
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And finally...
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And finally, finally...
Only time for a single click this week? Better make it this one
What's the all about? Just click the birdy and it will let you re-tweet any of our 'and finally' links at the touch of a button. It's all about word of mouse these days.
*probably
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inside fruit towers...
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A trio of lambs moved into the office, Ted got attacked by some leaves, Ben T got jazzy on the keyboard, a jar of pickle was left in the car park, a new lime green kettle joined the KUP (Kitchen Utensils Party) and Emma organised a giant tea party to celebrate the launch of the big knit.
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twit bits...
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 @innocentdrinks @bare_UK Good to hear you enjoyed the veg pots. Why not rate them on our site (just click on the recipe you had)?
 @officialjacks Am I dreaming or DID I just buy an @innocentdrinks smoothie that had a wooly hat on?
@innocentdrinks Spot the Jamiroquai. Then spot our Big Knit hats. (thanks to @mistletter )
 @SimonHume Thinking of using my @innocentdrinks mini knitted hat for a scratch mitt for our month old baby boy
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bob of the week
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This week’s Bob of the week is Bob Marley. One love, one wife, 11 children, 230 hits and 5 pet sea turtles*.
Know a good Bob?
Send us a picture to iambob@innocentdrinks.co.uk and it might be your Bob next week.
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corner of the week
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Dyson vacuum cleaners can go round corners, but should a sofa? It’s the question that has split furniture manufacturers across the globe. Yes, this week’s Corner of the Week is the corner sofa, brought to you in a nice shade of cappuncino mist.
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Should a moustache be accompanied by a beard at all times?
Why all of a sudden is it acceptable to wear velour? And how come the shops are full of things in sets that arent really all that useful? Escape the madness for a few precious moments with this weeks surprisingly sensible news.
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Emilies back
Full of beans and quite a lot of raw meat, Emilie bounded into Fruit Towers on Monday after two weeks in Ethiopia with the innocent foundation.
Shes been working on an IDE-UK project to help local bee keepers market their honey, and by all accounts has done a cracking job. As well as talking to lots of different people about honey, tasting lots of honey and even drinking honey wine, she also found time to take dancing lessons from some smooth moving locals, got a kiss on the cheek from a grateful little bee and temporarily lost the ability to use a knife and fork. Were sure itll come back to her. In the meantime, read all about her trip here. |
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Hats entertainment
Just over a week into our catchily titled Big Knit Facebook hat tag game, and our little knitted wonders have been popping up all over the shop. Clearly loving their new found freedom, theyve been schmoozing with celebs, keeping some of our favourite landmarks warm, sneaking into schools and adorning our beloved pets. To get the competition really going, you can now vote on the round up of some of our favourites so far. Think you can do better? To get in on the action and be in with the chance of winning some smoothies,
just take a photo of a little woolly hat positioned over a building/animal/bewildered colleague, upload it to Facebook, and get tagging. |
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Merry Christmas from the Big Knit
Does the sight of twinkly lights and tinsel make you feel a little bit sick? Does a small part of you die inside every time Mariah Carey fires up her five-octave range and dons that little red suit only to endlessly recite her Christmas wish list? Dont despair. You can ease yourself into the festive season nice and slowly with this lovely little knitted offering, guaranteed to contain very little sparkle, only a smidgen of Santa, one very small, sparsely decorated tree, and absolutely no Mariah whatsoever. Phew. |
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And finally...
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And finally, finally...
Only time for a single click this week? Better make it this one.
What's the all about? Just click the birdy and it will let you re-tweet any of our 'and finally' links at the touch of a button. It's all about word of mouse these days.
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inside fruit towers
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Mark G brought in a size 12 wedding dress that he didnt know much about, the commercial team won a place at the 2012 Olympics egg and spoon race, Glee club got serious, Pete had a framed photo of himself on his desk, the mug fairy made a shock afternoon visit to the mug cupboard, Team PC returned from the roller disco unscathed, and someone was in Lou Bs spreadsheet, again.
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twit bits...
bob of the week
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This weeks Bob of the week is Bob the Border Collie, famed for his inability to travel anywhere by car without barking the whole way.
When hes not chewing on books or entire car back seats, he loves nothing more than a bit of Marmite on toast, buttered right to the edges of course. Know a good Bob? Nominate them for our Bob of the Week right here iambob@innocentdrinks.co.uk
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corner of the week
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This week we bring you condiment corner, the heart and soul of any decent kitchen. Everyday, dozens of bland and uninteresting sandwiches flock like pilgrims to this magical place in search of the flavour they lack, and it never fails to transform them. |
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| If you're on a train moving at 80mph and you see a tree fall in the woods, did it make a sound? |
| Maybe get off at the next station, get a taxi back to the woods and check, just to be sure. |
| Hat tagging goes International |
 Although behatted bottles are only to be found in Northern Europe, the hat tagging phenomenon has gathered further momentum this week and we've gone global. The woolly wonders have been snapped in New York, Marrakech, the Dead Sea,
and Egypt no less. Thanks to Rebecca Flower, Jenna Yee and Ian Hunter for their perspective prowess.
This week also sees the last ever hat of the week for 2010. We see The Knitter take on the Biggest Little Christmas Tree. Cast your final, definitive votes here. |
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| Show me the honey |
 Though snow's on the cards this week, cast your mind back to the balmy summer months when we ran our buy one get one bee campaign. Nigel, of the Goddards National Trust Gardens who received some hives and bees, entered a jar of their hard work into the York & District Beekeepers annual honey show. Not only did it win the best in its class of 'medium clear honey'*, but it went on to claim the glory of best honey in show. So thank you to all of you who supported the campaign, the bees and the fine taste buds of the York & district Beekeeping folk.
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| I can't go for VAT |
 For the last few years we've been campaigning to get VAT removed from fruit smoothies. We don't see the sense in food like pizzas and doughnuts being exempt, when healthy things like our drinks aren't. In fact, fruit isn't taxed, but our smoothies are - when all they contain is fruit. Weird.
So we've been scratching our heads with confusion this morning as the government has decided they will continue to charge VAT on fruit smoothies. Ultimately, if the VAT charge was reduced, we could pass the saving on to our drinkers. So thanks to everyone who signed our petition back in 2008. We'll report back when we've concocted another campaign to try and change things for the better. |
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| Random acts of kindness |
 Bells are tentatively jingling, Santa’s polishing his sleigh, and people across the country are being taken ice skating against their will under the guise of fun and festivity. Christmas is well and truly on its way. If you fancy receiving a little something from us this year, pop your details here and we'll do our best to pop something in the post to you in time for Christmas. You’ll have to be quick - you've got until Tuesday 30th November to enter your details. |
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| And finally... |
It's filling up a treat
Nana's Christmas present sorted
Halloween leftovers
Kinetic Birds
More good betashed men
* According to Nigel, "Medium" clear honey refers to the colour, not the quality". |
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| inside fruit towers |
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| Vicki is polishing her well-earned crown for lady of the sash, Jo's been allocated the monkey hat to wear (which tends to correlate with extensive powerpoint exposure), the kettle got a nomination for employee of the month, Heather has put a toy dog on top of the chocolates so we don't eat them but it's actually just reminding us all that the chocolates are there and Gurdeep's not wearing a festive jumper. "Its Aztec. Not Christmas." |
| twit bits... |
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@innocentdrinks We're making an advert today. It's quite early and all is quiet in the city...
 @charlotteclark I took a photo of the Gherkin with an @innocentdrinks hat on, please vote for my hat here: Thank you!
 @SouthendYMCA Our staff are being visited by @innocentdrinks on Thursday for some free veg pot yummyness. :) Thanks guys!
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| bob of the week |
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This week's bob of the week is actually a Ted. Robert nearly-a-Bob Hunt, our digital hero, has left us for pastures new.
 Thank you for all your ideas and good luck at being helpful.
Know a good Bob? Nominate them for our Bob of the Week
right here iambob@innocentdrinks.co.uk |
| corner of the week |
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Continuing the honey theme, this week's corner is Pooh Corner. The home of everyone's favourite silly old bear.
 If you're ever in Hundred Acre Wood, Pooh can still be found there to this day, annoying rabbit, getting stuck upside down in honey pots yet remaining oddly calm and wearing a t-shirt but no trousers. Pooh Corner is the place that Tigger first arrived, changing the way we name pet cats forever. |
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@knittingpenguin All of my tiny hats are boxed up and ready to go to @innocentdrinks
@NickyAJ
innocent foundation
