NSEN AGM

From Norfolk RCC

Norfolk Social Enterprise Network

2008 ANNUAL REPORT TO MEMBERS

2008 has seen a period of rapid growth for the Norfolk Social Enterprise Network, with membership increasing from 60 in January to 125 in December. 23 of these are SEEE (Social Enterprise East of England) members.

WHAT WE DO

Signpost To specialist business support, funding, trading, networks, SEEE, other SEO

Influence Policy through relationships with councils, LAGs , others in third sector Attend local meetings where local SE representation would be beneficial or get other network members to attend where appropriate Publish monthly newsletter which enables SEO to • Share news and views • Publicise SE events • Advertises jobs and advertise courses and training • Share good practice • Share skills • Share knowledge about local policy eg personalisation and individual budgets • Promote SE SEEE • Represent views of Norfolk SE on SEEE board • Communication with SEEE through SRN quarterly meetings and Board meetings • Consult on SEEE and NSEN proposals • Listen to members • Write quarterly reports • Feedback to SEEE • Assist SEEE in its work and aims and objectives • Write website content and news • Write In Touch articles. • Ensure NSEN complies with Heads of Agreement with SEEE

Promote and Inform SE in media including radio and newspapers. • Promote and inform about SEEE - SEEE membership and SEEE activity • Promote and inform about NSEN - promote members trades, NSEN activity, newsletter and identify the social impact of social enterprises • Promote and inform about national news events - SE Day, conferences, training, research, opportunities and funds

Support • Arrange local NSEN meetings and SE day activity including venue speakers budget and PR • Act as first point of contact for SEO info • Secretariat for NSEN • Find information • Write Letters of support • Act as a friendly ear • Find sponsorship for NSEN activity • Find other income for NSEN • Administration of funds, NSEN association - manage all communication for the network • Plan for the future development of NSEN

NEWSLETTERS

Eleven newsletters, which have been used by members to share news, publicise events, advertise jobs and share information of mutual interest, have been well received. The newsletters success is a credit to everyone who submits copy or leads for articles and it is thanks to this commitment by the Network members that we have been able to seek much needed sponsorship for Network activity.

WEB

The support and help of Norfolk RCC enabled the network to create its own web pages at the end of 2007 within the Norfolk RCC Community Gathering. This has enabled us to easily and quickly publish up to date news to a growing readership. Two thousand visitors viewed the pages during the year with approximately 500 visits in both November and December 2008.

THE BOARD

Two members were co-opted on to the board this year bringing the total back to three. The coordinator spends one day a week as a volunteer running the network on the activities in this report. In addition, other members of the Board devote additional time as required. For example; quarterly meetings of the Board of NSEN including preparation time, attending meeting and follow-up activity, plus various other activities as required to meet the obligations of NSEN Board membership.

PR and MARKETING

PR continues to be an important role for the network. A hard copy of the newsletter was produced for the SEEE AGM in June The Network attended the Doing Business in Norwich seminar in March and promoted the network to some of the regions larger businesses resulting in one lead to a member. A meeting was held with Voluntary Norfolk regarding social enterprise representation; the CEO explained that VN had no intention to be the voice of social enterprise in the county. A member attended a seminar on IiC Skills and Employment Event on behalf of the network Success • In Touch the regional Social Enterprise Magazine, has published news written by the network in every issue this year, culminating in a whole page feature for Norfolk, composed by NSEN, in the winter 08/09 edition. • An interview with NSEN about Norwich social enterprises was broadcast on the local radio Breakfast Show in August. • NSEN were the only SRN to compete in the East of England David Lloyd photography competition and were runners up

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE DAY 2008 NORFOLK

In association with the Plunkett Foundation rural social enterprises worked together in Norfolk to celebrate National Social Enterprise Day 2008, with a brewer’s co-op making a special bottled beer, a graphic design CIC producing the labels and community shops providing samples of the ale across the County. Over 400 members of the public learnt more about social enterprise; the day culminated in the launch of postcards promoting social enterprise at the networks stand at The Forum in Norwich, where a huge locally made cake was also part of the celebrations. The Forum stand also proved a valuable space for promoting local social enterprises using literature from a range of members who kindly supported the event. It also provided an opportunity for SE to network with key policy makers in Norwich. The promotional postcards were made possible through the generous sponsorship of The Social Enterprise People. NWES. Norfolk RCC, The Guild, UnLtd and go for it.

NETWORK FORUM

Under the Building Communities programme NSEN has created a forum for use by members for anyone interested in the use of land or building to benefit the community. The use of the forum has been larger than the existing forum on the SEEE website but take up is still very low.

FINANCE

The NSEN account was nil until March 2008 when money representing 90% of SEEE membership fees (£945) was awarded to the network for 07/08 followed by fees of £920 in August for 08/09 How we spend it The money is used to pay the expenses of activity and running the network and in 2008 was held by SEEE.

£1,199 of network money was spent with Social Enterprises in 2008

Expenses fell into the following areas • Travel £134 • SE day £1467 • Post Tel stationery £123 • Meetings £72

Sponsors We are extremely grateful to our sponsors named above who contributed £675 enabling us to involve over 400 local people on National Social Enterprise Day in Norfolk Capacity Builders NSEN joined other SRNs and following consultation of members, put forward ideas for a CB bid in the summer to support activity within the SRNs. It was disappointing that this bid did not form part of the final SEEE submission to CB. SEEE The Coordinator has attended all SEEE Board meetings, apart from one due to a date change and all 3 SEEE sub regional network meetings, plus 1 HR and 1 marketing sub committee meeting. Reports on NSEN activity were written for every SEEE Board meeting and in January 2008 a response to a SEEE paper on Sub Regional Networks and their relationship with SEEE was submitted. Following these papers NSEN along with other SRNs signed a Heads of Agreement with SEEE. NSEN is pleased to report that it has complied with all the terms of the agreement in 2008.

LOOKING FORWARD

With an ever increasing membership NSEN aims to strengthen its position as a grass roots voice for Norfolk social enterprises during 2009