A mention in the Guardian

Yesterday an article was published in the Guardian:
'How data science is helping charities to fight hunger in the UK'

I have provided the link above for you to read the whole article and have provided a few exerts below, including a plug for Pro Bono O.R.

'Over the past 18 months, the Trussell Trust has been working with researchers from Hull University Business School and social innovation agency AAM Associates to explore how new technologies can help them to fight UK hunger.


With data science firm Coppelia recruited to the project, and having taken advice directly from the Information Commissioner’s Office on appropriate data security, the initial analysis highlighted some noticeable regional variations and delivery patterns year on year.


A mapping tool was used to show how the trust’s users are distributed geographically. Heat maps showing demand – the darker the colour, the greater the demand – have allowed us to visualise regional patterns of need.


For charities – especially those on the frontline helping people in crisis – this project highlights the importance of collecting data, and how the potential for aligning open data sets (a charge led well by the Open Data Institute) with that data is rapidly becoming a reality.

Data scientists can be expensive, but data-hungry academics are always looking for frontline partnerships, and bodies such as the OR Society run great pro-bono programmes to help.'

Thank you to Andy Hamflett, Co-founder and director of AAM Associates, for giving us a mention!

Food bank case study: See how O.R. is helping the hungry by improving processes

The rise in the number of people using food banks has increased dramatically in 2014. David McAuley the chief executive of the Trussell Trust says that in reality half a million people are struggling to feed their families.   

In an article in the Guardian, David McAuley said 'Going to a food bank is a last resort when all else has failed'  See the full article here.

Last year two Pro Bono O.R. volunteers were asked to help the Welcome Centre food bank. The centre was expecting a big increase in demand and needed to know how the operation could be improved both in the short term and for the future.  Following questionnaires and a series of workshops the Chair of trustees said 'with your input we feel we are more equipped to deal with the expansion of the organisation'.

For further details of the case study please see the slide below:

For further case studies please visit: http://www.theorsociety.com/Pages/Probono/Probono.aspx or for futher information please email me at felicity.mcleister@theorsociety.com

How small charities can have a big impact

Just came across this article from The Guardian on the voluntary sector network blog. I have taken excerpts below...

'Small charities are increasingly having to innovate and do more with less to survive.

It is no secret that charities are facing tough times. Demand is up and funding is down meaning that charities – especially the smaller ones – are having to think outside of the box to survive.'

During a live debate hosted on 20th June the following questions were raised:

'• What innovative techniques small charities can use to maximise and measure their impact

• How small charities can cut costs while maximising social outcomes

• Where to begin and what to consider when approaching impact measurement'

If you missed it, don't worry.  These are exactly the type of questions that Operational Research can help you with.  

O.R. is about finding ways to apply analytical methods to make better decisions. Third Sector organisations face extremely complex decisions about the direction they should take and how to allocate scarce resources.  These are some of the issues the organisations we've worked with have faced:

 ‘We have lots of different options for the future but it’s impossible to decide which to choose in such uncertain times.’

  ‘We’re under huge pressure to do more with less, and we don’t know how we’re going to do it.’

  ‘It’s hard to stay objective when we’re faced with such emotionally charged decisions.’

  ‘We know we’re doing a good job – but how can we prove it?’

UK based organisations in the third sector can now benefit from O.R. consultancy at no cost. The Operational Research Society is offering third sector organisations the opportunity for free consultancy to help reduce costs and improve utilisation of limited resources.

The society wants more organisations to benefit from operational research and recognises that third sector organisations have an even greater need to be more efficient.

For more information please contact me at felicity.mcleister@theorsociety.com