User:Mattstuartalpington/MattBird

Matt Bird is a social entrepreneur, businessman and motivational speaker who has authored five books and founded and co-founded numerous profit and not for profit organisations. He is best known as the founding Director of the Make It* Happen group of companies known for their ability to turn their clients ideas into reality.

Introduction
Matt Bird was born in Hammersmith, London in 1969 and grew up in Maidenhead Berkshire. Later he read a Bachelors Degree in Theology at Birmingham University 1992-1995, a Masters Degree in Missiology at Sheffield University 1995-1997 and a Masters in Business Administration through the Open University Business School 1999-2002. He was founder of a national youth mentoring charity Joshua Generation during which time he published five books 1997-2004. He was elected as a Councillor in the London Borough of Merton 2002-2006. He was a Director of SOULINTHECITY an initiative that mobilised over 20,000 young volunteers in community service across Greater London in 2004. Since then he has focused on Make It* Happen.

Entrepreneur
Matt Bird founded the Make It* Happen group of companies: Make It* Happen Campaigns (campaign, project and event creation), Make It* Happen Philathropy  (income generation and new philanthropy), Make It* Happen Advocacy  (political advocacy and public relations), Make It Happen Advisory  (business development advisory service), Make It* Happen Bureau  (speaking bureau) and Make It* Happen Events  (business marketing event management).

Philanthropist
Matt Bird is Co-creator and Chair of the Board of the Cross Pollinate Foundation a 'dragons den' for charities whose inagural event was hosted at the private bank Coutts & Co in July 2007. Since then Cross Pollinate has raised over £400,000 for social change charities.

He has a prolific involvement in the charity sector. Currently he is a National Leadership Team member of the community mission movement HOPE, Executive Committee member of the Churches Olympics and Paralympics charity More Than Gold and on the Leadership Team of Hillside Church, Wimbledon. In addition he is also a National Board member of YMCA England and the Chair of the Board of the Cross Pollinate Foundation.

Speaker & Author
Matt Bird is a motivational speaker with a reputation for challenging and practical insights into life, work and organisation strategy. Make It* Happen Bureau also represents a number of other world class speakers including Bishop Wayne Malcolm.

He has authored five books - Destiny (Hodder, 2000), Manifesto for Life (Hodder, 2001), Exploring your Vocation (Authentic, 2002), Culture Changers (Kingsway, 2003) and God and the Generations (Authentic, 2003). Manifesto for Life was awarded a book of the year prize in 2000.