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.

Social Firm, MillRace IT, is among several partners in the “Essex UnITe” project that has been awarded a grant of £428,141 by Big Lottery’s “Reaching Communities” programme. Essex UnITe aims to introduce computers and the internet to older people across Essex through community workshops, and to deliver training to people in supported and sheltered accommodation.

The Essex UnITe partners are MillRace IT, Age UK, Age Concern Essex, Essex County Council, Genesis Housing and Chelmer Housing Partnership. The lottery grant will fund: • community workshops and roadshows across the County for over 8000 older people; • IT skills training and broadband access at 35 sheltered/supported housing schemes • development of community and social networking websites and virtual village halls for older people.

 Emerging Social Firm, Graphic Design & Print has been given an 'Innovation Award' "for its remarkable commitment to invest 100% of its p rofits towards training and employing people with learning disabilities."  The award was given by 'buy local', a social enterprise which supports locally owned businesses in Norfolk.  Graphic Design & Print supplies bespoke graphic design, graphic reproduction, website creation, printing and project management services and is based in Norfolk.

Wholefood Planet, a new wholefood shop in Norwich, is going to be officially opened by Kevin Brennan, Minister for the Third Sector, on 18th March 2009. The store is registered as a Community Interest Company (CIC) and it is set up as a Social Firm which will create good quality paid work for people with learning disabilities from Norwich.

The novel approach of Wholefood Planet is what has attracted the Minister’s interest, and that of the entire third sector. It is the first Social Firm retail outlet in Norwich, it is the first Wholefood Planet store to open in the whole of the UK, it is the first joint venture between Norfolk County Council and Norwich City College to develop a Social Firm, it is the first social licensee to open in the whole of the UK as a Social Firm retail outlet and, in addition to everything else, it is promoting healthy eating and organic products within its local area and therefore meeting other social agendas.