Social Firms UK

 The government is calling on Social Firms to help it get hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people into work. Our CEO, Sally Reynolds, is featured in Social Enterprise Magazine (online edition) discussing work with the government to create employment for the most vulnerable people in the labour market. Sally is the only social enterprise representative in the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Social Inclusion Advisory group and is therefore ideally placed to ensure the Social Firm sector is well positioned in the move to job creation, rather than job placement.

CEO of Social Firms UK  Sally Reynolds has been made a member of the Department for Work and Pensions social inclusion advisory group- the only representative of the social enterprise sector. 

The new Coalition Government is 'desperate' for job creation initiatives and is working with Social Firms UK to ensure that there is''job creation, rather than job placement', for those most disadvantaged in the labour market.

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:- Best Overall winner 2010: Oxford Wood Recycling Ltd, UK

The launch of the ‘Just Buy’ campaign last month by Social Firms UK invited consumers to buy on a regular basis from their local Social Firms. The campaign so inspired social enterprise advisor Bob Northey, Director of Social Traders, that he offered his services in order to create a new Google map using the latest mapping tools provided by the popular internet search giant.

Bookdonors were awarded the Future Jobs Fund placements at the start of January 2010 which gives us support to employ 15 people for 6 months. We have already taken on 8 people over the last few months with another 7 starting with us in the near future.

The fund was announced in the 2009 Budget and the money is to be spent between October 2009 and March 2011. The fund is run by the Department of Work and Pensions in partnership with the Department for Communities and Local Government, with input from Jobcentre Plus Regional Government Offices.

The Scottish Business Diversity Awards 2009 was held on Thursday 26 November in the Glasgow Science Centre. Bookdonors won the award for best Social Enterprise/Social Firms Category. This award category recognises good practice and innovation in creating employment opportunities for disadvantaged people within this sector.

ITV's Wales Tonight programme showcased Ten Green Bottles' fantastic glassware recycling operation in New Radnor. Boss Lorraine Powers was delighted with the coverage and we hope that the attention brings in the customers to support their new shop. View the new item here.

Three girls from Bournemouth-based Avonbourne School visited wood@aldingbourne last week as their prize for winning a national competition.

Social Firms UK ran the competition as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week. Avonbourne’s winning idea was to create a leisure/community centre for disabled soldiers returning from conflict which the judges thought was: "…really original, timely and full of potential for turning into a Social Firm."

Social Firms UK member, Ten Green Bottles Powys CIC, has opened a new shop in New Radnor, Powys. Stocking plenty of gifts and all sorts of glassware using recycled bottles, it's bound to be busy. If you're in the area, pop in and show your support.

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.