Well, Saturday was a great day – not only was the weather fabulous but 7 hardy souls from Alchemis gave up one of their precious days off and spent it gardening for a homeless charity in Vauxhall called Thamesreach.

Having raised over £2,500 for the Sport Relief run we wanted to devote our time and energy to something equally deserving and found Thamesreach through one of our Business Development Managers.

They have a large garden which is an ideal space for residents and visitors to relax in. Although hiding some hidden treasures (rose bushes, sweet peas and a variety of vegetables), the garden had become very overgrown with weeds and thigh high grass. Within 4-5 hours the Alchemis team, ably commanded by our very own Monty Don (aka Leggers) transformed the space into a weed free garden worthy of a spot at the Chelsea Flower Show! Most satisfying for all of us were the number of residents who either helped or who were clearly interested in the project.

Our plan now is to visit the garden weekly to help maintain its weed free state and to start planting – watch this space.

If anyone has any good ideas for a south facing wall with hard soil, do let us know (I’m thinking lavender, clematis….)

Sunday saw some much welcome sunshine for the Alchemis team to stretch their legs in The Sport Relief Mile whilst raising more than £2000 for charity.

Richard “Leggers” Legget certainly lived up to his name, completing six miles in a very impressive 39 minutes. I believe he was spurred on when he heard a rumour that his mates Charles and Camilla were handing out the medals at the finishing line and those with the fastest times won a year’s free subscription to Cheshire Life.

Another mention should go to Algie Salmon, who thought he’d done a Roger Bannister after completing his three mile run in a staggering 12 minutes before realising he’d only been round the course twice. Just as well there are no flies on him when it comes to his business development skills!

On a serious note, it was a great day out for a good cause and a special thanks should also go to the WAGS (and kids) who turned up to give their support and encouragement to the team… and to look after the bags.

Since watching my mum as a photographer when I was a nipper I have grown up filled to bursting with the desire to become a wildlife photographer, or even an amateur filmmaker (I’ll take either) but sadly, all the skipping around with my vintage cameras and super 8 cine cams has yet to earn me world recognition.

While I wait for the call from National Geographic insisting I hop on the next plane to the Monteverde Cloud Forests of Costa Rica to document the life of the Isthmohyla rivularis tree frog, I work diligently as a business development manager, which has given me a direct connection to the marketing services sector and some of the most inspiring creativity in the UK.

Being a visual person I love viral marketing videos, and have a great appreciation for creativity that leaves you feeling inspired, moved, or simply giggling like a 10 year old girl.

As viral marketing has evolved over the years any video that keeps people engaged and evokes these feelings can be harnessed to market a product or brand, and will spread like wildfire. An effective and budget friendly alternative to TV advertising.

How viral marketing is changing becomes apparent when you look at Mashable’s 10 Most Innovative Viral Video Ads of 2009 from ‘piano stairs’, to ‘catching laptops with your butt’ they all keep you watching and deliver an end brand message.

If you only have the time to look at one of these videos, I suggest number 10. JK Wedding Entrance.

This brilliant video was never intended to be a marketing promotion of any kind, but as the couple’s wedding entourage dances down the aisle to Chris Brown’s song “Forever,” Sony Music decided to use the video’s popularity to sell more Chris Brown albums instead of stripping the video of its music — something copyright owners are permitted to do on YouTube. A classic example of the evolution of viral marketing.

Top 10 of 2009 aside, a favourite viral of mine so far for 2010 has to be the Specsavers parody of the iconic Lynx ads. Thankfully, I did go to Specsavers!