First Norfolk Social Enterprise Mark Holder

August 23rd, 2010

SEN Social Enterprise Mark sm

Congratulations to Graphic Design and Print CIC near Holt who have become the first Norfolk social enterprise to gain the Social Enterprise Mark.

The Social Enterprise Mark is the brand for social enterprises and was launched 1st February, 2010. The Mark identifies businesses which meet defined criteria for social enterprise, and it is envisaged consumers will recognise that businesses displaying the Mark are trading to benefit people and planet.

Meet and Eat at the Seaside

August 19th, 2010

A stunning community café, which opened earlier this year in the heart of a coastal village, is offering a range of delicious Italian food plus traditional cream teas, through to a Sunday roast and bangers and mash.
Cibo Community Interest Company runs the café which is part of the new sheltered housing scheme at Marram Green off Hall Road in Kessingland.
Director Helen Meneghello has worked in supporting adults for a number of years, but it was coming second in an East of England Cook Off cookery competition that led her to set up a restaurant as a social firm, to provide employment opportunities for adults disadvantaged in the labour market.
“I’d been looking for something that I could use as a social firm and once I realised my cooking was so good, I thought I could really use food as a vehicle for developing the idea.” said Helen
The light and airy café, adjacent to the new local library provides the ideal place for villagers and holiday makers to meet and eat, as well as providing a seven day a week service for residents. Cibo currently provide two training places for adults who have difficulty with conventional study methods and hope that as customers increase they can expand to provide more places and assisted employment.
Marram Green also has meeting rooms available to hire.

Contracting Opportunity

August 19th, 2010

Contracting opportunity on behalf of NHS Suffolk for the provision of a skin cancer awareness campaign for men over 50
Full details at http://www.supply2health.nhs.uk/5PT/Lists/Advertisements/DispForm.aspx?ID=20
Tenders are required by 5pm on 24th August 2010

Wanted Social Enterprises who can make bat and bee boxes

August 19th, 2010

SEN bat boxA regional housing association is looking for local social enterprises that can make bat and bee boxes. If this sounds like you please get in touch with us by email info@socialenterprisenorfolk.co.uk  or telephone us on 01362 698216 and ask for Social Enterprise Norfolk

Social Enterprise Exhibits Photography of the River Waveney

August 19th, 2010

Between 24th and 30th August 2010 visit Wingfeild Barns to view a photographic exhibition “A Celebration of the River Waveney” illustrating the beauty of the river and its environment, between Bungay and its source at Redgrave Fen. Wingfield Barns became a Community Interest Company in April and is a beautiful venue for conferences and meetings just over the border in rural North Suffolk. Find out more at www.wingfieldbarns.com

Is Your Social Enterprise in Need of a Volunteer?

August 19th, 2010

SEN CSVThe CSV Vocal project enables adults with learning difficulties to learn new skills and become more independent via training and volunteering in their local communities.  It has the following aims:

o    To enable people to integrate into and contribute to their own community through volunteering.
o    To enable people to be the givers rather than the receivers of care.
o    To enable people to access training in order to develop skills to enable them to volunteer in their own communities and to become as independent as possible.
o    To reduce dependency on services specifically set up to support people with learning disabilities (including CSV).
o    To develop volunteering roles of genuine benefit to the local community.

Part of the national volunteering organisation, CSV (Community Service Volunteers), the Vocal Project was set up in Downham Market in 1989 and now has offices in Downham Market and King’s Lynn with volunteers busy in areas across West Norfolk, including Hunstanton, Swaffham, Fakenham, Wisbech and Methwold.
The project supports the volunteers with any needs they may have in order to volunteer successfully by matching them to “Support Volunteers”, who are also from the local community. This support can include transport to and from their placement or one-to-one support at the placement.
Volunteers with the CSV Vocal Project meet new people, learn new skills, become more independent, and take part in activities which are both of interest to themselves, and of genuine benefit to their local community.  We currently have volunteers at cafes, allotments, children’s nursery’s, conservation projects, befriending placements, charity shops and many more, including one social enterprise in King’s Lynn!

If your social enterprise is in need of a volunteer, or if you would like to learn more about what we do, then we would love to hear from you!

Please contact Charlie or Hannah on 01366 385839 or 01553 766953 respectively. Alternatively, email cstewart@csv.gov.uk or hscotten@csv.gov.uk .

Win £750 for a Social Enterprise Photo

August 18th, 2010

SEN Social Enterprise photo Keith OsbornThe 2010 National Social Enterprise Photography Competition has opened for entries.
The judges are looking for images that show the passion, people and places using enterprise to drive positive change.  So if you’re working for a social enterprise take a photo that highlights your day to day activities and tell us the story behind the image.
The winning photographer will receive a cash prize of £750. 

The social enterprise featured in the photograph will also win £750 along with one year’s free associate membership to the Social Enterprise Coalition, an entry ticket for two people to Voice 11, a year’s subscription to Social Enterprise magazine and £1000 worth of print advertising in Social Enterprise magazine.
Deadline for entries 5 pm 1st October 2010
For an application form please visit http://www.triodos.co.uk/en/about-triodos/news-and-media/social-vision/

Looking for a photographer? Keith Osborn of Hillside Gallery is member  of the social enterprise Produced In Norfolk.  As a keen supporter of social enterprise Keith’s understanding of the subject combined with an artistic eye has produced some great social enterprise images which have featured in the regional competition and in various social enterprise publications.

Keith’s image below was taken at Itteringham Village Shop

SEN Social Enterprise photo Keith Osborn

A call for evidence from rural social enterprises

August 10th, 2010

The Commission for Rural Communities, are keen to show that rural communities and organisations have already embraced the community approach to identifying and tackling their needs that lies at the heart of the ‘Big Society’ approach. However, they also want to ensure that central and local government recognise, celebrate and more importantly support the continuation of  efforts, for the benefit of rural people.
They want to put something to the Rural Affairs Minister in early September, about the effect of the economic climate and current and planned changes in public spending on civic society organisations working with rural communities. Full detail are in the attached PDF, Submissions are required by 20th August 2010 SEN PDF Call for evidence

Norfolk Social Enterprise holds Premiere for Young Film Makers

August 4th, 2010

SEN Girls Allowed Film CMEShort films made by young people in Norfolk through Community Music East’s First Light project premiered at a Norwich cinema next week. The four films were shown at a special screening at Cinema City in August, attended by the young film makers, their youth workers and key arts professionals. The films are now available for young people to watch at the Open youth venue in Norwich. The project, supported by the Lottery through the UK Film Council’s First Light Movies initiative, gave young people from Dereham, Thetford and Ashill the opportunity to make films under the guidance of CME’s expert multimedia tutors.

In ‘Ashlink’, a film made by eight to 12 year olds from Ashill, a mutating ink-based virus spreads through their sleepy village and all Megan, Kayleigh and Paige can do is try to survive, which is pretty difficult when your mum’s turned into a zombie!

‘Where are the Bones of Thomas Paine?’ is an animated experimental documentary by eight to 12 year olds in Thetford about the disappearance of the remains of one of the founding fathers of the United States who was born in the town in 1809. ‘Ghost School’ is a spine chilling tale of a group of children who meet their match when they explore an empty school, made by 12 to 16 year olds from Thetford.

‘Breckland School for Girls’ was made by Girls Allowed, a drop-in group for young women in Dereham, and tells the story of when a missing bracelet causes a chain of events to spiral out of control within a group of friends.

The young people came up with the ideas for the films and were involved with every aspect of the production process from drawing storyboards and writing the scripts to directing and lighting the films. Megan Colley, 13, from Ashill said the project was a great boost for her confidence. “I enjoyed the acting part the most, but thinking of the ideas for the film and putting it together was exciting, because you then try and picture it all,” said Megan. “I now feel confident in front of the camera am no longer shy about trying new things. I am very excited about seeing the finished version of the film, because of what I’ve seen so far was good.”

Clara Gauntlett from CME said: “The young people worked hard on their films and learnt many new skills along the way. The teamwork boosted their confidence and some will be inspired to pursue careers in the media industry. “The Cinema City premiere will be an opportunity for them to see the finished products on the big screen and for the groups to meet each other.” First Light is a nationwide organisation which helps young people, aged between five and 19, make films. To fund projects First Light distributes £1.1 million of National Lottery money, through UK Film Council funding as part of the ‘Young Film Fund’, each year. Community Music East provides music and multimedia activities for children and adults in Norfolk. For more information visit www.cme.org.uk or call 01603 628367.

Get Involved with a New Youth Cafe

August 2nd, 2010

SEN TL youth cafe 2TL Youth Café – TL stands for Tuckswood and Lakenham  is a new venture based at Locksley School; the former South Harford Middle School in Lakenham, Norwich. Its vision is simple:
“To create a space where young people can meet, grow as individuals, apply themselves and learn to be an accountable adult in the community.”
Initially a Youth Club for 11-to-16-year-olds, TLYC will be providing young people with a space to chill out, meet their friends, play games and have snacks and something to drink. Long-term TLYC will develop into a self-sustaining social enterprise whose profits will fund the Club’s activities. The plan is to extend TLYC’s services to 16-to-18-year-olds to run the Café side of TLYC once trained, a good stepping stone for potential future employment.
Working closely with Norfolk County Council who are in charge of revamping the former South Harford Middle School, TLYC is planning to open its doors after the summer break. Initial opening times will be Saturday afternoons with the view to extending opening hours to include evenings as well.
If you know of anyone who would like to become a volunteer at TLYC, then please encourage them to get in touch with me. Role Descriptions and Application Forms can be found on the website.
Birgit Lenton
TL Youth Café
www.tlyouthcafe.org.uk