Social Firms UK

The MoJ's National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has announced two new funding opportunities (each totalling £200k) for social enterprises in England to develop creative approaches to service delivery.

If you could deliver a supervision model incorporating skills and employability training in a work environment or could create training and work opportunities within the sustainable/green sector, then check out the full details and click here.

The European Social Firms of the Year Awards, which took place during the Social Firms UK and Social Firms Europe CEFEC annual conference, celebrated some of the fantastic work taking place across Europe was showcased and celebrated in style.  Those winners in full:-

Following their success in a Social Firms UK competition, 3 students from Manchester’s Radcliffe Riverside High School - Mohammed Saad, Chloe Gaffney and Elliot Bramah - visited Brighter Future Workshop in Skelmersdale on the 29 January. Over lunch they were introduced to Peter Cousins MBE and Jackie Tittle who spoke to them about Brighter Future Workshop as a Social Firm. They were then given a tour of the impressive workshop. All three students thoroughly enjoyed their visit. They were particularly amazed at the energy and enthusiasm of Peter Cousins MBE who they found to be a real inspiration. Having the opportunity to see a Social Enterprise in action, rather than as a theoretical activity, was particularly motivating for the students.

Social Firms UK recently ran a competition for schoolchildren to consider what would make a good Social Firm. Two groups of teenagers aged between 14 and 16 years old, one from Bournemouth and one from Manchester have been selected as the winners.

The competition, run to celebrate Social Enterprise Day, asked students to consider what type of Social Firm they would set up and why. Says Sally Reynolds, CEO of Social Firms UK, “Congratulations to all the students who took part. We were really impressed by everyone’s entries and delighted that young people, who are of course our future, are engaging with the idea of running a Social Firm.”

Social Firms won several prizes at a glittering ceremony at last night’s Social Enterprise Awards in London. Brighter Future Workshop (www.bfworkshop.co.uk), from Skelmersdale in Lancashire, was crowned overall winner of ‘Social Enterprise of the Year’ and £5,000. Bikeworks (www.bikeworks.org.uk), a London-based Social Firm providing cycle services, was awarded the UK’s ‘Best New Social Enterprise’ and £1,000. Meanwhile, Cardiff-based Pack-IT (www.pack-it.com), who provide storage, distribution and fulfilment services, won the UK’s ‘Best Small Social Enterprise’ and £1,000.

Social Firm, Brighter Future Workshop (BFW), won the "Best Recycling Scheme" award on 19 November 2009, in the Lancashire Green Awards.  Peter Cousins MBE and Jackie Tittle were presented the award by County Councillor, Mike France.

Jackie, General Manager, said "Today we went to 10 Downing Street and met Gordon Brown. We've won the 'England's best social enterprise 2009' and been put forward for the UK finals. We're over the moon to get this award as well. What a week we've had!"

Photo:  Steve at Brighter Future Workshop

Skelmersdale-based Social Firm, Brighter Future Workshop (www.bfworkshop.co.uk), won the ‘Best Small Social Enterprise’ category in the national heats of the Social Enterprise Awards in London yesterday afternoon. Peter Cousins and Jackie Tittle picked up the award from Tessa Jowell, Minister For The Cabinet Office. Social Firms are businesses set up to create employment for people disadvantaged in the workforce – Brighter Future Workshop’s business focus is the provision of mobility equipment repair services and training. It also provides meaningful employment to disabled people.