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In January 2012 we started a research project on Building a Sustainable Community funded by Future Foundations and Constructing Excellence South West. This research focuses on Fox Hill North, a deprived area of Bath and North East Somerset. It will analyse the state of deprivation and consult with residents and service agencies to identify opportunities for improving community well-being. Mark works with Southside Family Project in this area.

Mark gave a highly successful presentation entitled ‘Regions of Growth’ to the Cooperative Group’s South East Region Area Committee Conference in December 2011. The presentation highlighted the unequal regional growth contexts of the Manchester-based Co-op Group’s business activities, with the South East including London providing the biggest market opportunities against a recessionary background in the country as a whole. The presentation can be downloaded here.

Sam is working on an innovative project assessing the impact of environmental factors and access to resources on food security in the West Bank region of the Palestinian Territories. The research is being conducted with Dr Elisa Cavatorta, Department of Economics, Birkbeck College and supported by Georgetown University in Qatar.

Sam is researching social enterprise development and community interest companies in English small towns. This research is based at the Birkbeck Rural Evidence Research Centre. Professor John Shepherd delivered the findings at the Action for Market Towns Reception at the House of Commons on 6th February 2012.

Sarah has recently completed a study for CGAP of global experience with microfinance apex facilities (“wholesale” funds) and how to improve their effectiveness in supporting the delivery of sustainable financial services for poor and low-income clients.  CGAP is an independent policy and research center dedicated to advancing financial access for the world's poor, housed at the World Bank.  The paper will shortly be published by CGAP.  

Mark is delighted to be working with Big Issue Invest on how to define, measure and report on social value for a new social investment fund that is in development.  This fund will invest in growing businesses that are addressing the social, economic and environmental challenges facing the UK today aiming to achieve both financial and social returns for investors.

Our second joint report with Oxford Economics on "The Economic Contribution of BAE Systems to the UK Economy in 2009" was launched at Westminster in April of this year. It is essential reading to all policy makers interested in the government's ambition of rebalancing the UK's economy by sector and by region. The report is available to download here.

Geoeconomics Brief 3 on the Green Knowledge Economy is continuing to generate a lot of interest within the UK and internationally. Integrating two paradigms – the knowledge economy and the green economy – the GKE model is unique, thought-provoking and resonates with UK and EU policy at all levels. You can download the Brief here.

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