Social Firms UK

Tel:  0211 533 3500  

Riverside Centre provides accessible community services, including:

* conferencing * day care * functions * meeting rooms * Quay House * social groups * therapies * corporate hospitality * disability equality training * fully licensed restaurant * outside events * gym * specialised training * workshop.

The Pluss Organisation is a provider of employment, development and equipment services for people with disabilities in South West England. Its main bases are in Exeter, Paignton, Barnstaple, Plymouth and Bridgwater. It is one of the UK's first exceptional Social Firms to be officially awarded Star Social Firm status. The company offers disabled people a range of training and recruitment services and direct employment in their own manufacturing and mobility equipment business.

Pluss' manufacturing services include: * Contract Packing * Light Assembly * Light Engineering & Sub-Assembly Work * Desiccant / Silica Gel Supply * Personalised Corporate & Leisure Wear - Embroidery & Printing

People Matters is a Leeds based organisation that develops inclusive communities by bringing people together to enjoy leisure, learning and employment. The focus of their work are people who experience disadvantage, particularly through learning and other disabilities, and who live within Leeds and the surrounding area.

Mow & Grow's services include:

• clearing and maintaining gardens 
• promoting interest and learning in gardening
• facilitating garden maintenance by creating low maintenance and drought gardens  
• enabling older people and people with disabilities to enjoy gardening by creating appropriate spaces 
• creating safe gardens for children
• promoting community projects and interest in and use of shared spaces, assisting community schemes by providing expertise, advice on grants, equipment and a team to work with local volunteers.

Mow & Grow is now expanding its range of services to include training and qualifications in the building trades – painting and decorating, plastering, floor and wall tiling, artexing and coving.  

MillRace IT are specialists in:

- IT disposal and recycling - secure data eradication - accredited computer training.

The business developed from a project run by InterAct Chelmsford Ltd, a registered charity, and MillRace IT's parent organisation. 

Customer comment: "I have always found both the staff and other volunteers at Millrace to be helpful, friendly and non-judgmental. As I am not the most computer literate person in the world, this has been a great bonus!"

Photo: Jane Rigler teaching an older resident of a sheltered housing scheme how to look up family history records.

  Lambeth Accord provides managed workspace and conference facilities to disability groups in Lambeth. It also offers room hire.

  iSE provides training services and room hire.

  Star Social Firm iSE has been awarded Star Social Firm status, signifying that it is a first-rate business with high standards of employment for severely disadvantaged people. Customers have a real social impact when they buy from Star Social Firms.

  Groundswell is the UK's leading client involvement and self-help organisation in the field of homelessness. Its services include peer led research, consultancy on cient involvement and training both in how to gain maximum benefit from client involvement and on how to involve homeless people in service development or running their own projects.