Social Firms UK

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.

Aberdeen-based Social Firm, the bread maker (www.thebreadmaker.org.uk), won the ‘Best New Social Enterprise’ category in the national heats of the Social Enterprise Awards at the Scottish Parliament on 17 November. CEO Donald Anderson and his Vice Chair picked up the award from Cabinet Secretary John Swinney. Social Firms are businesses set up to create employment for people disadvantaged in the workforce - the bread maker is an artisan bakery and coffee house which provides meaningful work and training for adults with learning disability.

The Social Enterprise Awards recognise and celebrate the vital work carried out by the most successful social enterprises in the UK in terms of their: - impact on society and/or the environment; - innovative approach to addressing social/environmental needs; - quality of business.

Social Firm, Bikeworks (www.bikeworks.org.uk), have won ‘Best New Social Enterprise’ for England in the 2009 Social Enterprise Awards and were presented with their award by Tessa Jowell, Minister For The Cabinet Office, yesterday (Nov 19), Social Enterprise Day, at a special reception at Downing Street.

Social Firms are businesses set up to create employment for people disadvantaged in the workforce – Bikeworks’ business focus is the provision of organisational and public cycle services in areas of social deprivation in East London. It also provides employment and training opportunities for marginalised individuals.

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.