Norfolk Social Enterprise Network
From Norfolk RCC
The Norfolk Social Enterprise Network Association (NSEN) was formed in 2005. One of the key objectives of the Network is to provide a local arena for social enterprises in Norfolk to share information and work together. Peer to peer support and inter trading are key opportunities provided by the network which has over 150 members. A social enterprise is a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners CONTACT US Please email Jane as below.
What our members say
About the e news "Another great newsletter – compact and easy to digest." "Thanks for another very good newsletter and I've now applied for funding!" "Thanks for the Newsletter - some very useful stuff especially the 'ex-offenders'bit" About our support "Thanks very much for all the info yesterday, including the letter of support." "Thanks for the congratulations....we are really encouraged, every day we are getting new people in still finding out about us" About our mentoring "Thankyou for helping us through a very tough period" About our signposting "Many thanks for the information. I managed to speak to the business link man who seems very helpful."
NSEN E- Newsletter
The network publishes a monthly e newsletter; please email Jane at alewifebrewery@yahoo.co.uk to be added to the mailing list.
Help to Buy Local
Produced In Norfolk, a social Enterprise working to create sustainable rural communities, has launched its Fifth annual brochure. Featuring 140 artisan producers from Alpaca jumpers to goose eggs the brochure aims to make sourcing local products easier and open new markets for rural producers. The brochure is available for free from their Farmers Market at Wroxham Barns on the second Saturday of each month and from tourist information centres across the County. It is also available by post for a small P & P fee. More information http://www.producedinnorfolk.com
New Charity Seeks Youth Trustee
The exciting development of the Pennoyer’s Village Centre for Pulham St Mary is underway. Local contractors hope to have the restoration of the old school complete by March 2010 to offer a new Centre for the village. The scheme, which won £934K from the lottery and £210,500 from Norfolks IiC programme, will be forming a new charity to enable two old ones to merge and are looking for two new trustees. One is a youth trustee, so that the interests of young people can be represented by some one who is actually young. http://pennoyers.org.uk/
Norfolk Enterprises Reach Final
Norfolk was well represented at the East of England Enterprising Britain Awards last month with two social enterprises making the final. The East Anglian Brewers Co-op was spotted carrying in parts of a field of barley (luckily the weather was dry) for their presentation to the EEDA board and were delighted to reach the final. Produced In Norfolk, who were judged to be in the top 3, had a Norfolk willow basket full of local produce and were commended by the judges for an excellent presentation which “touched the heart”.
Flourishing Theatre Reaches Dereham
The Norwich Charity Thalia Theatre, which provides an educational arts related learning facility for disabled people with physical and sensory impairments and learning difficulties in particular, but not exclusively, is spreading its wings. A new project funded for six months by the Learning Disability Development Fund, has been created in Dereham, with the expectation that Thalia will have a fully sustainable learning day opportunity based on the Norwich model operating from July. “Thalia” is the Greek muse of comedy and poetry, to “flourish and bloom”, the theatre company is certainly living up to its name http://www.thaliatheatre.co.uk/
Help Available to set up Community Bonds
Citylife Social Enterprise Centre in Cambridge offers social enterprises help with using Bonds and Shares as a fundraising tool. Since 1999 they have issued 7 Community Bonds totalling £10m around the country involving over 1300 investors; ranging from local residents at £100, up to big banks at £1m. They are currently working on half a dozen bonds around the UK including Apsley Paper Mill and the Ferry Project. Martin Clark well-known author and Development Director of Citylife explains “Social Enterprises do the marketing via a pledge process to market test their support base of local contacts. If there is enough interest in lending, we do the bond and hand the Social Enterprise the money. It saves people having to set up the vehicle to issue the bond themselves – though I believe passionately in having more such vehicles in every community.” If you would like to know more, please contact martin@citylifeltd.org
Community Radio Expands in Norfolk
Ofcom have awarded Future Radio Norwich, which currently broadcasts in the west of the city, a new license to cover the whole of Norwich. Future Radio, a charity working with young people and adults, provide a community based, open access venue that delivers services and activities. This includes education, leisure, media training, music studio facilities and ICT facilities, community radio broadcasting and citizenship and wider community engagement. If you are not currently in their broadcast area you can listen to them live or download a podcast at http://www.futureradio.co.uk Wayland Radio has also recently been awarded a new Ofcom FM license; they currently broadcast on the internet and expect to be on air in late August. Broadcasting to Swaffham, Watton and surrounding villages in central Norfolk they will provide direct access to broadcasting facilities for those living and working within this rural area; the station's output will include programming of specific relevance to young people and the elderly. Having a focus on social integration and cultural awareness, the station will also broadcast programmes in minority languages, serving the needs of migrant workers in the area. Listen on line now at http://www.waylandradio.com
New Markets Opening for Local Producers
To help Norfolk’s rural farmers and growers find new markets, the social enterprise Produced In Norfolk (PIN) is working in partnership with the award winning tourist attraction, Wroxham Barns, and running a new Farmers Market. With UK tourism set for a boom year, PIN hopes a market at one of Norfolk’s major attractions which welcomes over 350,000 visitors a year, will open up new markets for the County’s local food and drink producers. In addition a new Produced In Norfolk shop, has opened at Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse, Open on event days only it show cases products that have been made in the County for over a hundred years. Jane Miller Director of PIN says “Much of Norfolk’s social history is mapped through the traditional skills of local people; skills such as basket making and stained glass have changed very little in the way they are made today. The shop will serve as a celebration of some truly talented Norfolk people who are working hard to keep rural skills alive and who contribute so much to make Norfolk such a unique and distinctive place to live or visit. We are delighted to be working in partnership with Gressenhall and hope that this venture will help to create economic sustainability for some of Norfolk’s small rural communities” For more information visit http://www.producedinnorfolk.com
Save Money - Learn How to Fix Your Bicycle
Anglian Cycle Training CIC are pleased to announce they are delivering their first Basic Cycle Maintenance courses in June, starting at the Norman Centre in Norwich, and then if successful, across Norwich and Norfolk, at other community centres and village halls. For more information, phone 01603 665285 or e-mail actcic@btconnect.com
Hazel Blears Hails Norfolk Social Enterprise “Inspirational”
Keystone Development Trust was hailed by Hazel Blears as “an inspirational project” in a recent speech promoting a 'revolution to recycle buildings’. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government was unveiling measures to empower local communities and encourage public agencies to hand over building for communities to manage. Keystone was one of eight projects from across England highlighted as useful demonstration projects for communities to learn from. Keystone's new asset transfer project (a community land trust in Suffolk) was also highlighted. Keystone delivers community development, social enterprise and property projects. Keystone welcomes visitors who want to learn more about the joys, perils and pitfalls of asset transfer, development and management. For further information please email neil.stott@keystonetrust.org.uk
New Retail outlet to offer jobs to people with learning difficulties
A new health food store providing jobs for people with learning disabilities has opened in Norwich . Wholefood Planet Norwich, a social firm offering paid employment to people with learning difficulties, is at new premises on Oldhall Road, Tuckswood, close to the Livestock Market selling a range of healthy and organic foods. The store, the first of a series planned for the UK, was first proposed in 2006 by Social Firms UK, an organisation working to create employment for disadvantaged people through social firms, self-sustaining businesses which employ people with disabilities and invests profits in staff. It is modelled on the award winning Daily Bread Co-op, a wholefood retail business with a store in Cambridge, which employs about 30 people, the majority of whom have learning difficulties. Three retail assistants are currently being recruited, two of whom have learning difficulties. The scheme is expected to expand to provide employment for 15 to 25 people, a quarter of whom will have learning difficulties.
Plea for a Plough
Mental health charity MIND West Norfolk is appealing for help to get an allotment ploughed over, MIND plans to use the half-acre North Lynn allotment to help service users and to grow its own vegetables to sell. Social enterprise development manager Mark Stanford said: “It’s a proven fact that physical exercise helps mental well-being and there are a number of service users who want to get involved, but the allotment has been taken over by nettles and grass. We need someone with a tractor and plough to turn it over for us, and then we need a couple of tonnes of farmyard manure.” Anyone who can supply manure or help with ploughing should contact Mr Stanford on 01553 776966.
Norfolk Social Enterprise Network AGM
The AGM of Norfolk Social Enterprise Network was held in February at Kings Lynn. In addition to the Annual Report a useful session on the new Community Assets Packs was held, plus discussions on a possible new credit union for the area and ideas for the 2009 Social Enterprise Day celebrations in the County. NSEN AGM
400 People Attend Social Enterprise Day 2008 Celebrations in Norfolk
Thanks to events at four community shops across the County and the network stand at The Forum in Norwich over four hundred members of the public are now better informed about social enterprises in Norfolk. The events also proved a great networking opportunity for social entrepreneurs; especially those thinking of starting a social enterprise. The promotional postcards have enlivened media interest in social enterprises and we hope to have more news about this soon. If you want to know more about community shops a new video is available online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXGunkTYLmk .
Photography competition- Norfolk triumphs in the East of England
The Network photograph submitted for the Regional David Lloyd Competition on social enterprise day was runner up, as were entries by Produced In Norfolk and CME. Congratulations to Norwich’s CME for also being the overall winners; the Networks entry will soon be on display at Itteringham Community Shop Congratulations to more Norfolk winners • Congratulations to Graphic Design and Print CIC from Holt who won the Norwich Buy Local business awards for Innovation last month for their commitment to the local community. • Well done to Jane Miller of Produced In Norfolk for winning the East of England Enterprising Women Social Enterprise Award 2008 for helping to create sustainable rural communities • And best wishes to Ali Clabburn of Liftshare who was announced one of the ‘Future 100’ young entrepreneurs during Global Enterprise Week
Social Enterprise Day 2008
Social Enterprise Day is being celebrated across the county on Thursday 20th November thanks to generous sponsorship from • The Social Enterprise People • NWES • The Guild. • UNltd • Norfolk Rural Community Council • Go for it.
Norfolk social enterprise Network is marking the day with a special bottled beer from the social enterprise, East Anglian Brewers who work with local farmers to promote the use of Norfolk grown barley.The labels have been designed by another social enterprise Graphic Design and Print CIC who provide training and apprenticeships for young people with learning difficulties in Holt.
In association with the Plunkett Foundation the beer and special Social Enterprise Day cake will be available free to taste at community shops across Norfolk, whilst in Norwich City Centre there will be a free tasting for all, from 11-12.30 on Thursday 20th November. In addition full colour A 6 postcards have been designed and printed by Graphic Design and Print CIC publicising the wide variety of social enterprises in the County. These will be distributed on the day and throughout the year to everyone interested in social enterprise across the region. If you are interested to learn more about social enterprises or just want to network with other like minded people then please come and visit the network stand in the Forum Norwich- full details below under where and when.
Social Enterprise Day 2008 Where and when
Mileham Community Shop Litcham Road Mileham Norfolk PE32 2PS http://www.norfolkrcc.org.uk/wiki/index.php/Mileham_Community_Shop Open 9-5 for free sample tastings of Norfolk Social Enterprise Day Ale and free postcards to pick up too
Itteringham Community Shop Wolferton Road Itteringham Norfolk NR11 7AF http://www.virsa.org/index.cfm/villageshop/Directory.Details/shop_id/152 Open 9-5 for free sample tastings of Norfolk Social Enterprise Day Ale and free postcards to pick up too
Nourish Café Kings Lynn 113-114 London Road, Kings Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 5ES http://www.nourishcafe.org.uk/index.php . Open 9 – 5 for free samples of Norfolk Social Enterprise Day cake and free postcards to pick up too.
Great Ryburgh Community Shop Station Road Great Ryburgh NR21 0AE Norfolk Open 8.30- 5 for free samples of Norfolk Social Enterprise Day cake and free postcards to pick up too.
The Forum Norwich Millennium Plain Norwich NR2 1TF
11-12.30 Norfolk Social Enterprise Network stand in the forum.11.0 am Launch of the Norfolk Social Enterprise Network promotional postcards. Network and learn more about local social enterprises over a sample tasting of Norfolk Social Enterprise Day Ale (or cake) and pick up a postcard too.
Social Enterprise Launches Record Label
CME is a Norwich based arts charity providing music and multimedia activities for a diverse range of people in and around Norfolk. In November it launched its own in-house record label, Comuse Recordings CME’s business manager Adrian Cooke said: “The launch of our own label is a natural development for us. It will provide a potential platform and outlet of material for the many creative people that we work with. It will also serve as a focus for the increasing amount of vocational training that we are delivering. We hope in the future to be able to offer apprenticeships based around working for companies within the creative industries such as record labels and publishing companies.” http://www.comuse.co.uk
Personalisation & Individual Budgets
A Third Sector conference was held on 18th September in Norwich about Personalisation and Individual Budgets Strategic Commissioning Intentions 2008-2012 Harold Bodmer, Director of Adult Social Services, Hilary Mills Commissioning Manager and James Bullion Assistant Director Community Care Services talked about the Principles for Personalised Commissioning and who is eligible to receive a Personal Budget. There followed a presentation by Hilary MacDonald Chief Executive Age Concern Norfolk. There were extensive questions from the floor and these and the PowerPoint are available from the Network There were several common themes identified, and these formed the basis of a recent meeting between, amongst others, the Chief Executives of Voluntary Norfolk and Age Concern (Brian Horner & Hilary MacDonald) and James Bullion (Assistant Director, Community Care). A commitment has been given to take forward work in four key overarching areas: 1 Work with providers of day services to support change resulting from the day opportunities review 2 Work with carers and carer provider organisations to improve services to carers and improve partnership arrangements 3 Improve the flow and clarity of information about the stages and timings of implementing individual budgets 4 Develop work around prevention
Eostre Organics
The co-operative Eostre Organics established by East Anglia Food Link and supported by Defra has gone into liquidation. Eostre Organics started trading in 2003 and was comprised of 12 founder members in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. It was set up to provide a secure market for members' produce and sought to make organic produce available at prices that were fair for both producers and consumers. It sold to independent retail outlets, farm shops, markets, community groups and the public sector Andrew McTear, of liquidators McTear Williams & Wood, said that premium-priced organic produce appeared to be the latest casualty of the credit crunch. “The company never made a profit either through a lack of gross margin in the early years and more recently because of a lack of sales,” he said. “Post-credit crunch there seems to have been reduced demand for premium-priced organic produce.”
BME opportunities
As well as working with public service providers such as Jobcentre+ and Business Link, Terry Harding Head of Policy and Enterprise, MENTER, is keen to establish links with social enterprises to explore opportunities to employ more staff from BME communities and also to consider the establishment of new social enterprises by BME individuals to meet the needs of BME clients e.g. in the areas of skills development / training, social care etc .If you would like to discuss the research further or if you feel there may be opportunities to support BME communities through your own enterprise, please contact Terry .Tel. 01223 355034 / 07723 575188 terry@menter.org.uk
Social Enterprise as a career?
Ruth Bullard the Manager of Business and Enterprise at Flegg High School in Martham is interested to hear from any social enterprises who are able to visit Ruth says “If anyone is fluent in speaking student and has a degree in Courage, I am always looking for speakers to talk to a class of ethics / business students. Students here are very nice and it is friendly school. Contact me on 01493 749 214 or messages can be left on 01493 740 349.”
Vision for future Norfolk hub – to benefit the world.
A Norfolk social entrepreneur, Frank Richardson, is setting up a new social enterprise to help advance transparency and competency in justice systems across the world and sees Norfolk as an important hub for the future. Opentrial aims, by means of modern technology, to expose and democratise legal processes in order to advance transparency, accountability, competency and, therefore, justice. What it makes no pretensions of doing is passing judgement. An embryonic website can be found at http://www.opentrial.net and Frank is currently developing a fully functioning prototype for Indonesia with the help of an Indonesian lawyer and others.For more info email frank.richardson@opentrial.info
NEW Social Enterprise Hub
Work is underway on two major projects to provide jobs and homes for young people in north Norfolk. The Benjamin Foundation wants to build a social enterprise hub in North Walsham offering young people training and paid employment. The charity with partners EEDA and the North Norfolk Community Partnership is also planning a green-build project, providing eco-friendly and affordable homes. The initiatives are designed to help local youngsters, many with no qualifications, troubled backgrounds or special needs, who cannot find work or homes in the areas where their families have lived for generations. The enterprise project will include a hotel, which could also provide respite care for those with disabilities, offering youngsters training in fields including catering, care and management.
Rural Norfolk Project gets go ahead
Entrepreneurial, Award Winning sisters Sarah Hughes-Wade and Rachel Hughes are delighted, over the moon and ecstatic all at once, to announce that Planning Permission has been approved by Breckland Council for The Precious Playtimes Project. Sarah says “After a seemingly endless wait, the news we have been waiting almost two years for came!” The Precious Playtimes Project is a social enterprise for families and children, to be opened in Norfolk offering a new, unique and exciting fun activity centre that is entirely eco friendly complete with innovative designs in play, creativity, music and drama. It will also have a healthy food deli-café, an orchard, veggie plot and wild flower field. The Precious Playtimes Project encouraging futures through eco fun
Why the Squeeze on Finance?
NSEN has learnt that the current world credit squeeze is making accessing finance for social enterprises a major problem and is inhibiting growth and start ups, with banks reluctant to lend unless directors of social enterprises are willing to personally guarantee loans. Understanding the rationale for the banks stance is difficult when the research looking at social enterprise finance in the East of England “Lend me your Fears” states that social enterprises have only a 1% rate of failure compared to 6% of other SME’s. http://www.the-guild.co.uk/Downloads/lend.pdf see page 36
New publication available on buying local
The social enterprise Produced In Norfolk, who were finalists in the EDP tourism awards for Best Industry Supplier this year,has launched its fourth annual brochure. In addition to 150 entries from rural artisan producers, the free publication educates readers on the environmental, economic and social benefits of buying direct from genuine local producers. Produced In Norfolk has safeguarded an estimated 1000 rural jobs in the County and will be show casing its producers at the annual Food And Ale Fringe in Norwich this October. Copies of the brochure are available from members at Farmers Markets and their retail shops and a for a Greener way you can download an audio recording of a trail around several Norfolk producers. More information at http://www.producedinnorfolk.com
New community shop in Kings Lynn
Sara Burr and husband Jonathan have opened a new community wholefood shop and café on London Road in Kings Lynn. With a Play area and Internet access and the sale of Eco and local products they aim to provide a real asset for the local community. They are keen to link in with others doing similar work Visit their website, or better still visit the café and shop! http://www.nourishcafe.org.uk/index.php
Micro Coaches Continue
Leaders and managers in Norfolk are finding there is high demand to share the secrets of their success with other social enterprises under the micro coaches project. The project, which offers coaching in the form of peer to peer support, has unlocked skills and expertise for many social enterprises in the region. SEEE have announced that the huge success and popularity of the project means that it is continuing, but as a paid for service. Norfolk’s Precious Playtimes is one of over 50 social enterprises to have benefited from coaching. Read their story and find out more about how you could get help at http://www.seee.co.uk/page.asp?section=0001000100190001&itemTitle=Micro+Coaches
Huge NEW Project for Norfolk
A new social enterprise is to start in Norfolk to benefit ex members of the armed forces. Roger Gawn recently bought a disused RAF site near Fakenham with 300 properties spread over 160 acres. The vision is that in five years time, when it is complete, it will be a parish with an active, self-supportive and ecologically sound rural community. Roger, who wishes to reflect on the history of the ex-RAF base, is to create a Social Enterprise called 'Heroes and Heroines' that will offer training and support for ex-service personnel injured from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. He has invited Adrian Taylor representing The Princes Trust and Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service Youth Development Department and colleagues from NFRS and The Police to use the building with this remit in mind. This is a huge opportunity, on a grand scale to develop a dynamic community within a short period of time. They have already identified a wide range of micro enterprises that could be based on the site. Look on the blog for more details. There is a vast amount of space that could be used for a huge range of activities; from enormous scale training events, to workshop space and on-site accommodation. Ecological principles are at the heart of the philosophy of this project. Adrian wants the micro enterprises to be both socially and ecologically responsible. Please use the blog site visit. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=25798082584 Exchange ideas, contacts, pictures, and experiences on here; Adrian will be doing just that over the course of the project. Alternatively please contact Adrian Taylor; email adrianleetaylor@hotmail.com
Weekend Training Workshops for Young Adults aged 11-25
PASTEL CIC, a Suffolk based social enterprise, provides fortnightly Saturday workshops to pro-actively support the personal and social development of children and young people, aged 11-25, who are disadvantaged by circumstances or environment The workshops, which are run by Parent/Carers with professional tutors, use activities such as drama, shadow puppetry, ball games, food hygiene/preparation and media activities to build self-esteem and confidence and improve decision-making, communications and teamwork skills. PASTEL launched their transition workshops in March 2008;.the workshops are especially suitable for young adults with learning disabilities and or difficulties. It only takes 4 or 5 parents or carers working together to make it happen for young adults in an area and they are particularly interested to hear from other Parent/Carers who would like to replicate this innovative service in Norfolk; with active support from PASTEL with its “Working Model and Toolkit”. For further information on the workshops, visit the PASTEL website: http://www.pastel.org.uk telephone Don Tricker 01728 604944
New Norfolk CIC opens its doors to benefit the community
Graphic Design and Print CIC has opened its new premises in Holt .They will employ people with learning disabilities, provide modern apprenticeships and offer training with 120 places available a year. The company is registered with the UK Register of Learning Providers and is delighted to be receiving graphic and print contracts from across the County. For more information visit http://www.gdpcic.com/about.html
New on line forum
Norfolk Social Enterprise Network and Thinking Rural CIC have built an on line resource as part of The Building Communities programme http://www.thinkingonline.org.uk/buildingcomm/ The main focus of the site is to provide an on line forum for social enterprises who manage assets or who are looking to develop projects, but we welcome comments on other social enterprise issues too. Please log on, get involved and make this a really worthwhile resource.
Innovative Waste Scheme Set to Come to Norfolk
Britain's first zero waste centre could be built in South Norfolk after council officials signed an agreement to create a pioneering seven million pound facility with Lowestoft-based social enterprise Bright Green last month. The innovative centre, which could create over 100 jobs, would be a place where people could take unwanted waste and get paid for it to be taken off their hands; the items would then be sold to other people.The landmark memo of understanding between Bright Green and South Norfolk Council means the council have agreed to support the scheme and find a site for it. Bright Green is responsible for securing money forthe operation and running it.It is envisaged that other social enterprises and businesses would also make use of the resources available at the site.
FREE workshops for disabled entrepreneurs
An industrial unit is being converted to provide workshops for disabled entrepreneurs in Kings Lynn, thanks to funding from EEDA. In addition to woodwork metal work and a pottery it will also provide business support services together with computer and training rooms. Access will be made easy for people with multiple disabilities to move about and work freely and independently in the centre, which is due to open in May The workshops will be free for the first three years Tel 01553 770253 for more information
Wrinkle Zappers help celebrate National Social Enterprise Day 2007
The Network celebrated SE day 2007 with some Skinny Berry Boosts and Wrinkle Zappers at Charlie’s Juice Bar in Norwich and were joined by interested local media who are keen to learn more about Social Enterprise as a business model. Charlie’s Juice Bar, billed as being the freshest Community Interest Company in Norwich, is situated at the top end of London Street At the same time as tantalizing your taste buds Charlie’s Juice and Smoothie Bar is playing a major role in helping people who face extra barriers in the job market to undertake training, gain work experience and enter paid employment. It helps people with mental health issues, learning difficulties, physical and other disabilities try out work experience, gain qualifications and gain employment with a purpose
New social enterprise welcomes members
A new enterprise has opened its doors to members http://www.buylocalnorfolk.org.uk. Buylocal is working to make local communities more economically sustainable by encouraging local businesses to buy from other local businesses. Money spent within a community with local independent traders is worth nearly three times as much to the local economy than that spent with multinationals. Buylocal, which has been set up with the help of LEGI funding aims to make an economic and social difference to peoples lives; visit their website for more information
Summer Network meeting
Community Interest Companies or CiC’s was the topic up for discussion at the summer lunch meeting of the network. Held at Artstop based in the beautiful Blickling Hall Estate members were able to learn more about the practical aspects of running a CiC from Meg Foster, Director. Following lunch, a tour of the studios of recent vibrant work with community groups was viewed.