InTouch Issue 22

SEEE is a membership & networking organisation for social enterprises and others. We also have a strategic influence on national, regional and local policy relating to social enterprise. Our primary aim is to support and promote the social enterprise sector in the East of England

in cover story Hertfordshire Action on Disability 50th Anniversary Are you a Struggler or a Striver

Ask the Expert

Energize Encourages Social Enterprise Activities for Young People

When I grow Up

Regional roundup: Conference & AGM Update The Cambridge Foodbank

www.who?

SUMMER 2008 issue 22

in inside

Make the most of the moment Spring is my favourite time of year. Suddenly the world seems to be alive again, the trees with their brand new bright green leaves, the fields full of vivid yellow flowers and the promise of summer just around the corner. The Japanese celebrate this magical time of year by holding spring parties, hanami, around the cherry blossom trees and anxiously watch the blossom forecast, sakurazensen, so they catch the blossom at its best. The thinking behind all this is not simply to have a good time, although they do, but to recognise that just like the cherry blossom life is short and its beauty is but a fleeting moment in time.

A few days before In Touch went to press I learned of the death of its former editor David Lloyd and I remembered seeing him at the last AGM, camera in hand as always, making notes in his little book with a stubby pencil and preparing his report for the next edition. Now he is gone and we will all miss him.

Life is indeed short and it’s all too easy to think we have more time to get things done than we really have. It’s often said that we should live for the moment but how many of us actually do?

In our businesses we must plan for the future but live in the present, seizing opportunities when they present themselves and reaping the rewards.

I have some lines from a play on the office wall that express that far more eloquently than I ever could.

“There is a tide in the affairs of men, which, taken at the flood leads on to fortune; omitted, all the voyage of their live is bound in shallows and miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat; and we take must take the current when it serves, or lose our ventures.”

Julius Caesar Act IV scene 3 William Shakespeare Happy springtime.

CONTENTS PAGE

1

Michele Rigby CEO SEEE. HAD 50th Anniversary.

2

Are you a Struggler or a Striver?

Join Us.

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3 pg4 pg5 pg6 pg7 pg

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Ask the Expert.

Councils to run Post Offices.

New Website Makes Essex Healthier.

Workwise - Cavern 4.

Energize. www.thegivingmachine.co.uk When I Grow Up. An Unconventional Route to Fundraising.

Tidy Tim Cleans up for Charity.

Regional Roundup.

Conference and AGM Update.

The Cambridge Foodbank.

Survey.

9 Membership Sandy Lane Ceramics. pg10 www.who? pg11 Owl Café.

Letters to the Editor. pg12 The Companies Act 2006.

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Book review.

Coffee Morning.

13 Virtual Contact details.

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14 David Lloyd Obituary.

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Michele Rigby CEO Social Enterprise East of England

Last year the Office of the Third Sector announce extra funding to provide business support for social enterprises in our region to the tune of £655,000 for the period 2007 – 2011. Here at SEEE we’ve been working hard with Business Link and the East of England Development Agency to develop a programme to help people involved in social enterprises improve their business skills in a variety of ways.

For those just starting their businesses there are Business Link start-up vouchers worth £200, plus an additional social enterprise voucher for a further £130. Members of SEEE will also be awarded an extra £130 towards business consultancy fees making the whole package worth £460.

Hertfordshire Action on Disability (HAD) is celebrating its 50th birthday this year. The Welwyn Garden City-based charity offers products and friendly advice for disabled people, from its newly refurbished Centre, which has been renamed in honour of its late founder Terry Stevens.

The Centre provides useful items including walking sticks, rollators, wheelchairs, shower and bathroom equipment, bath lifts and kitchen equipment. It also hosts the Adult Care Services Fast Track Equipment Service Team (FASTEST) that makes sure people get the equipment they need as quickly as possible.

The Terry Stevens Centre is managed by Diane Stevens, a qualified occupational therapist who gives expert assessments and friendly advice. HAD’s chief executive officer, Annabelle Waterfield has worked tirelessly for the charity for more than 20 years and she says, has loved every minute of it.

As well as the facilities at the Centre, the charity has a mobile unit that takes products out on the road throughout the county and is known to everyone as Ivanhoe. It is a regular visitor to town centres and supermarket car parks and apart from providing an easy way for people to obtain equipment, offers a benefits advice service run in conjunction with Age Concern Hertfordshire.

Other services include a 24/7 wheelchair accessible transport service that provides one-off and regular journeys for work, doctor’s appointments, shopping trips, rock concerts or any

As this issue was going to press, we learned of the sad death of David Lloyd. David was the founding editor of In Touch, and a founder Board member of SEEE. We will all miss him.

There are a whole series of events and special Thematic Workshops taking place throughout the region covering a wide range of subjects including strategic planning, social franchising, access to finance and email marketing. The workshops cost a nominal £10 for SEEE members and £25 for companies that have yet to join.

The workshops are a fantastic opportunity for social entrepreneurs to bolster their skills, meet others in the sector and share their ideas and experiences.

We’ve listed all the workshops on the Events page of our website, www.seee.co.uk, so please take a look and see what’s on offer, I promise you won’t be disappointed.

other activities. The vehicles are fully converted minibuses with floor clamping and inertia reel seatbelts and will take disabled people and their friends anywhere in the country for half the price of an ordinary taxi. They can transport up to two wheelchair users and three seated passengers comfortably. The Centre also has a fleet of specially adapted self-drive vehicles so that disabled people don’t have to miss out on family outings and other trips that need a private vehicle.

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The Centre carries out driving assessments and teaches an amazing 300 people with physical disabilities to drive in specially adapted dual controlled vehicles, as well as offering vehicle appraisals and conversion advice.

To celebrate its 50th birthday HAD is holding a number of special fundraising events throughout the year including a Jazz Night on 21June, a Dance on 13 September to the Joe Loss orchestra, and a Golf Day on 19 September with the chance to win a brand new new Jaguar XF, if you can get a hole-in-one.

Nice!

If you would like further information on HAD’s birthday events, or the charity’s services, please call 01707 324581 or visit www.hadnet.org.uk

PG 1~ SUMMER 2008

> Social Enterprise Ambasador

Craig Dearden-Phillips asks... ... are you a Struggler or a Striver?

This is the story of one day over ten years ago. I was starting my journey as a rookie social entrepreneur and hoping to pick up a few contacts, get a few tips…maybe even get inspired. So I put a day aside for visits.

In the morning I went to see `Strugglers Ltd’. This outfit was based in a dank office covered in political posters from a by-gone era, including that one about women, fish and bicycles… I was made to wait for ages with no cup of tea while the director gabbed on the phone next door, oblivious, it seemed, to my arrival. Eventually I was summoned. Sat in front of me was this severe-looking woman, dressed like a hippy, who had once, somehow, impressed an interview panel.

In our conversation she was preoccupied, in a very morose way, with her organisation’s survival. She had a fervent belief that `The Government should pay for this’. Pessimism oozed from her every pore. She told me that funding was so “desperately dire” that I should give up my dreams for Speaking Up and get a job instead. At no point did she talk about her organisation’s mission. I stepped out into the Cambridge sunshine no wiser about what Strugglers Ltd did for the `oppressed’ of the world than when I went in.

In the afternoon, I visited `Strivers Ltd’. Their office had fresh flowers in reception. There were smiles, a leaflet to read, photos on the wall of what Strivers was doing. Their nice, friendly, well-turned-out CEO told me within seconds about the work that Strivers were up to and why it mattered. She radiated a positive attitude and I found her incredibly inspiring, so much so that I offered to volunteer there and then.

What impressed me was that this young woman showed no sense of entitlement to funding. She accepted without question that she had to make a case. And on top of all this, she was incredibly helpful and opened her network to me. Soon the people funding her were funding me too! This was the start of a long relationship between Strivers Ltd and Speaking Up.

105FM is launche

Join us!

Join SEEE today – and explore all these great benefits…

When you join SEEE, it means you not only have the support, training and contacts you need to succeed, but you also help increase the diversity, prosperity and sustainability of the whole social enterprise sector – simply by being part of it.

• Network and connect for growth There are many powerful networking opportunities you’ll enjoy as part of SEEE. It’s an empowering experience – one that allows you to make useful connections and increase your awareness of the key issues currently affecting your business.

Your membership gives you free access to all activities of the six sub-regional networks. It means you can meet other social enterprises in your area, discuss local issues, explore trading opportunities and exchange knowledge and experience to help boost your development. In addition, you enjoy free membership of the Social Enterprise Coalition – including 10 minutes free legal advice.

• Stay up-to-date and keep your profile high You’ll be delighted with your free subscription to In Touch magazine (usually £24). You also benefit from a 50% discount on Social Enterprise Coalition publications.

At the same time, you can take advantage of low-cost advertising with SEEE. Plus, join members-only web forums to share ideas, information and best practice, ask for help from fellow members and attend regular ‘webinars’ tackling hot topics relevant to your business.

• Make your voice heard As part of SEEE you can play your part in influencing and developing policy and funding, including the East of England Development Agency (EEDA). You have a powerful voice via our well-established channels to key decision-makers at local, regional and national level.

Needless to say, I never saw the woman from Stugglers again.

So, which one is most like you, Struggler or Striver? Do you sit back in despair and wish it was all a bit easier? Or do you get out there and inspire people? When people ask me `How I did it?’, I point to what I learned early on from Strivers Ltd: be upbeat, be evangelical about your mission, build strong networks and remember that nobody owes you a living.

Attitude is everything to a social entrepreneur. So, don’t Struggle, Strive!

PG 2 ~ SUMMER 2008

• Join us today Membership is from just £25 per annum. As you consider all the benefits, you’re no doubt thinking about the plans you’ll be setting in motion as a result of the new contacts and knowledge you’ll gain. So why not start your membership today? The sooner you join, the sooner you can enjoy the whole package of benefits available – and give your business a kickstart for continued success!

> Plan to Succeed Myles Cooper, specialist social enterprise adviser from Business Link, answers your questions about business planning for social enterprises: • A business plan is a written document that describes a business, its objectives, strategies, the market it is in and its financial forecasts. It has many functions from securing external funding to measuring the success of the business.

• Developing any business is exciting and challenging, but developing a social enterprise can also be uniquely rewarding. Having a business plan is essential, not only if you are hoping to gain funding, but it is equally useful to go back to your business plan regularly to check that your business is going in the direction you want it to.

• The process of writing a business plan will help you to identify areas where you have a lack of information. The Business Link website can give you lots of information on the method of writing your plan and there are many resources that can help you with key areas that are specific to social enterprises.

For example, specialist social enterprise development agencies can help you with financial planning, and specialist Business Link Advisers like me can give you guidance on the many considerations of setting up and developing a social enterprise.

• Another very useful resource is a guide provided by Fourth Sector called ‘A Business Planning Guide to Developing a Social Enterprise’. This guide is designed to help social enterprises, from start-up to existing, to plan their business.

There is a complete section dedicated to writing the plan that sets out the key features that all business plans require, but also highlights areas unique to social enterprises such as ‘social purpose’, ‘social impact’, etc.

• Once you have your business plan the real secret is to make it work for you long-term. Don’t just put it in a draw never to be looked at again. Act on the strategies you have chosen and review the plan regularly. Typically you should look at what people (or you) were meant to do during the period and assess how well it was done. You can also use it as a measure of your progress against financial targets, budgets and social aims. But remember, customer needs, shopping habits and social conditions are constantly changing, so at the time of review you should decide if the action plan is still relevant given the events or changes that may have occurred, and amend and re-plan as necessary.

For help with planning your business, and to find out about Business Link’s free Business Planning workshops, call Business Link on 08457 17 16 15 or visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/east.

Up to 50 local authorities are looking at taking over post offices scheduled for closure, the leader of Essex County Council has claimed.

Lord Hanningfield told BBC2’s ‘The Daily Politics’ it was a case of councils "doing something people want".

Essex County Council is considering reopening and running 15 post offices - among 2,500 which are earmarked for closure nationally. Essex County Council, which is negotiating a buy-out price from the Post Office, says 15 branches - out of 31 which have closed or are due to close - could be saved.

Lord Hanningfield said: "If the public want post offices then it's up to us. It's our job to provide them. Perhaps the government and the Post Office are missing out by cutting a service that the public like."

He added: "Up to 50 councils have contacted us around the country... I've been in local government a while and this has been the most popular thing I've ever been involved with." Essex County Council has said it could make a profit by combining postal services with council services. The stated aim is for any investment to be used over three years to help each branch to move towards becoming financially self-sufficient and cost-neutral.

New website aims to make Essex healthier A brand new website to encourage children and adults in Essex to lead more active and healthy lives has been launched by a Social Enterprise in Southend.

Jill Poet and Mike Wilson who run Healthy Life Essex were prompted to create the site by alarming statistics from the Mid Essex Primary Trust that showed almost a third of the UK’s population will be obese by 2010. The website provides useful information to help people lead a more natural, healthier and greener lifestyle.

Jill Poet explains, “Conditions such as cancer and diabetes are increasing with people in their fifties most at risk. With the NHS at crisis point it is more important than ever for men and women of all ages to find out how to keep fitter and healthier - even if that just means a walk in our glorious Essex countryside.”

For further information visit www.healthylifeessex.co.uk.

PG 3 ~ SUMMER 2008

A CHARITY SHOP IN A CLASS OF ITS OWN...

When Melanie Jones, business development officer for Workwise invited me to visit their new charity shop in Bury St. Edmunds, I thought I knew what to expect. A sad little shop that had seen better days with a window full of things that well meaning people had donated, but nobody really wanted to buy. I was wrong. I drove past Cavern 4 in one of Bury’s most fashionable retail districts without even realising it was a charity shop, and when I opened the door and was greeted by Melanie, it felt like an exclusive boutique. It is.

The shop was opened in September last year with the help of a grant from the Big Lottery Fund. It is a showcase for the company’s exclusive products made in their workshops in Bury by trainees on their way back to health after suffering mental illness. Workwise helps around 150 people a year to regain their confidence and self esteem by teaching them a trade, gain qualifications, and helping them find a worthwhile job after their training.

Furniture making is one of the skills trainees at Workwise can learn and the results of their work displayed in the shop are nothing short of stunning. A beautiful double bed made of solid oak with intricately carved head and footboards was the centrepiece of the showroom, covered with impressively embroidered cushions and bedspreads all made by the trainees.

Other training skills on offer at Workwise include Computer Aided Design, Business Administration, Information Technology

PG 4 ~ SUMMER 2008

and Engraving. The working/training environment is supportive yet realistic giving trainees the opportunity to regain and develop usable work habits in a secure environment without haste or pressure. The programmes run for between six months and two years, depending on the type of course and the needs of the trainee.

Attendance also varies, between two and five days a week, again according to what the trainee needs and feels comfortable with. As well as the shop and the furniture making, Workwise is also developing other social enterprises; these include a corporate embroidery business and engraving.

Workwise was the brain child of Dr Pam Bowlin who started the scheme back in 1986 around the time when many of the country’s aging mental hospitals closed in favour of a more open approach to the care of the mentally ill. Dr Bowlin believed that many people with mental problems could return to a normal life if they were given the right help and encouragement to do so. Workwise still believes in those principals and that ideal has remained at the heart of the organisation ever since.

Valerie Beresford General Manager I was very impressed with what the people at Workwise have accomplished, although the glimpse I had of the business represented only a fraction of the things they do there. Their dedication shows what can be achieved when people work together to help others, who have temporarily lost their way, to regain their rightful place in society.

Article by David Jordan Workwise can be contacted on t:01284 755261 e: workw@aol.com w: www.workwise.org.uk

...encourages social enterprise activities for young people In the past six months Energize has been working to give young people with a heart for the community tangible opportunities to make a difference to their communities through social enterprise activities.

The first of these is a partnership with Young Enterprise to work with a large number of schools in Bedfordshire.

By giving a social enterprise angle to their training for Project Business and tangible project advice during Master Classes, the activities will help groups to develop their ideas in school.

Funding has been provided by the Economic Growth Services department of Bedfordshire County Council.

Energize has also followed up its successful social enterprise competitions in Houghton Regis where young people from Kings Houghton Middle and Northfields Upper School have secured £2000 (donated by Bedfordshire Police Authority) through enterprise linked activities in school.

This money will be donated in the form of sports equipment to youth and sports-related clubs in the area. Decisions on where to allocate equipment will ultimately be made by Houghton Youth Voice Experience (HYVE) which provides a ‘youth voice’ to Houghton Regis Town Council.

Julia Warren, Clerk of Houghton Regis Town Council, described how the HYVE group had developed. “It is barely recognisable as the group who started the Social Enterprise Competition in 2007and I am proud to have been part of bringing them to a point where they are now a fully active youth council of the wider town council. They have developed skills of innovation, presentation, administration, financial acumen and regularly put these to work in tangible situations that help their community.”

HYVE is now working hard to fulfil its aim of building a skate park that will be run as a social enterprise in the Houghton Regis area.

Bedfordshire Police Authority has made a further amount of money available to Energize to donate in a similar way to schools in Luton during the summer term, and we would be particularly keen to hear from a non-academy secondary school in the area to deliver a suitable whole year group project over two days. A PDF of the proposition can be found on the website www.energize-solutions.co.uk Energize is also working with Sandy Youth Forum to secure a youth centre for rural youth work in the Mid Beds area.

As a social enterprise, Energize uses the profits from its activities to help young people be actively involved in sport and education projects, both in the UK and abroad. It has listened closely to local schools and has developed and piloted an

exciting new course that will help young people to gain meaning, purpose and the ability to learn and pass on new skills through fishing and photography.

These two activities have been identified as being particularly appealing to young people who find mainstream school difficult and whose education has been effected as a result. They are also in line with the Environment Agency’s objective to widen participation in fishing between now and 2015.

Energize has recently heard that BBC Children in Need has recognised the value of our course by awarding a grant to help make our plans happen, for which we are very grateful. Details of the programme can be found at www.angling4success.com

www.thegivingmachine.co.uk Four dads and a bright idea give schools and charities a regular income without asking anyone for a penny. “It’s like seeing a collection box for your favourite charity or your child’s school and putting in someone else’s money,” says Richard Morris.

Richard is the member of the quartet who manages the day-to-day contact with beneficiaries and givers. Craig McKenzie is the technical brain, Jonathan Bayly handles finance and Mark Clark’s background is in marketing. They spent a year of Thursday nights in Bishop’s Stortford hatching TheGivingMachine, a better way of turning the commissions big companies pay for promoting their online shopping sites into charitable cash donations. The foursome have turned themselves into a non-profit organisation that provides a website linking would-be customers with all the major retailers, ranging from Harrods, to Tesco, to DirectLine car insurance.

Having launched TheGivingMachine last year year in the Bishop’s Stortford area, it is already supporting over 500 schools and charities nationwide and donating thousands of pounds on behalf of its registered ‘givers’.

Much of this rapid growth is thanks to the recommendations of the site’s first users. If your supporters buy on-line, they simply log on to www.thegivingmachine.co.uk first and choose their favourite schools or charities. Then follow the link to more than 100 major retailers and buy from them as normal.

When the retailer pays TheGivingMachine commission for generating business, this is passed on to the shopper’s chosen beneficiaries. This is usually between three and five per cent of the total amount spent and is detailed on the website so the shopper can see exactly how much has been donated.

PG 5 ~ SUMMER 2008

What I wanted to be when I grew up...

by Mark Ashton It was quite simple, I wanted to be a professional footballer.

I had it all planned out in my mind. I’d start by playing for my local team Rochdale, quickly moving on to Manchester United and eventually the England team. Unfortunately, like many childhood dreams, it wasn’t to be and after studying food technology at Manchester Polytechnic I started my career working in the meat industry.

My first job was with a firm in Cambridge that made, amongst other things, the burgers for the Wimpy hamburger chain. I was in charge of the production line which was staffed by a team of girls, which at the tender age of 21 was quite a task. The southern girls had a job understanding what I was saying, I still have a ‘slight’ Lancashire accent, and often said they needed a translator to follow me around.

Later I became a meat inspector for Cambridge City Council. I spent most of my time at the abattoir checking that all the meat, and everything that goes with it, was fit for human consumption. I stayed there for six years, but it was boring, very boring and I decided, with the support of my wife Barbara, to move on.

This was the start of my life as a corporate man and over the years I worked for several major food companies devising recipes and later moving into sales management. I travelled the world and rubbed shoulders with people from top retailers including M&S, Sainsburys and Tesco. Everything looked rosy but then, as often happens in the corporate world, things beyond my control brought my life as a high-flyer to an end.

PG 6 ~ SUMMER 2008

I’d found out about Daily Bread from my son and daughter-in-law and I’d helped out there from time to time.

Many of the people there are recovering from mental illness or have learning difficulties. The company is run as a workers’ co-operative selling wholefoods, fair trade, and organic local produce. The business is run on Christian principals, although you don’t have to be a Christian to work there. Everyone earns the same pay, regardless of the job they do, and that includes the manager.

It was a million miles away from what I’d been used to but I’d always enjoyed the time I’d spent there, and when the opportunity of a full-time job presented itself I decided to give it a try.

That was four years ago and I’m now the manager, although we elect a new one every year so everyone has the chance of taking responsibility for things. What I like most about Daily Bread is that people are treated as human beings and not like machines just there to make money. People who have been through very difficult times can regain their confidence and not feel as though they’ve been thrown on the scrapheap. Having the opportunity to help people do that is very rewarding and I don’t regret for one moment getting involved.

Despite some tempting offers to go back into the corporate world with a top salary and an executive car I’ve decided to stay put. It’s a well worn phrase, but there really are things that are much more important than money.

an unconventional route

to fund raising I am a Student Social Worker on placement for 100 days based at Realife Trust in Bishops Stortford. It is a voluntary organisation and has been operating for 10 years providing support to people with learning difficulties and other disabilities or who are disadvantaged in other ways. The Trust offers advice, information, training, education, direct assistance, and advocacy to enable them to live a full life.

In recent years, it has tried to break away from traditional funding routes to ensure that people get support from both government and non-government sources. Funding comes from Lottery Funds, European Social Fund (ESF) and successful bids from local and national companies and fundraising events.

They are actively involved in dramatics, cultural and musical events, just to name a few.

As a student I was introduced to various projects run by Realife, solely and in partnership with other Trusts. In all the projects I visited the evident factor remained the lack of resources.

Fortunately I was in the company of many experienced ‘fund-raisers’ and ‘bidding-experts’ as I called them. I spoke to them on many occasions and got a valuable insight into the process of applying for funding. I concluded that there were many different ways one could apply, most of which included filling in long, tiresome funding bids and application forms with a host of detailed information.

As a student I had to balance my academic studies with the time spent at the placement, and in all honesty I did not have the time to complete long and detailed forms. Hence I chose to take the unconventional route and started writing emails and letters.

Hertfordshire Action on Disability director Tim Bonnett and wife Trish have got rid of all their household clutter and made money for their favourite charity at the same time.

The Hitchin couple took part in a new BBC1 TV show called ‘Trash to Cash’ which was broadcast in April.

The show’s expert, valuers and handymen have helped restore and repair a whole host of items. These include one of rock fan Tim’s old guitars, his collection of DIY, motoring and gardening tools, a huge collection of old videos and loads of general household bric-a-brac that the family no longer need.

by Sukaina Kapas

By Sukaina Kapasi

The bids were completed after careful deliberation and planning, presenting the organisation’s financial standing and charity status and consequently informing the agencies of the feasibility of projects and the subsequent benefit their funds would have on them.

My first ports of call were the major drug companies, like GSK, Pfizer, MEDA Pharmaceuticals Ltd, etc. I received several rejections but decided to approach the reputable departmental stores like Selfridges and John Lewis Partnership.

I was pleasantly surprised to receive a positive reply to my email from John Lewis Partnership. Although John Lewis Partnership was unable to offer any cash incentive, I was asked to draw up a ‘wish list’ of things which some of the projects could benefit from. Therefore, in conjunction with the staff team and other students based at the Trust, we put together a list of things that could be useful for one or more projects.

It was quite a long list but a few weeks later John Lewis at Welwyn Garden City agreed to give the Trust a Sony TV, a DVD, a video combo and a shredder. We were absolutely delighted and would like to thank the people at John Lewis for their kind generosity.

The experience of applying for funding for Realife Trust has given me an insight into the working of voluntary organisations and how to interact with other companies and organisations. Although my first motive was to successfully complete my learning agreement with the university, the placement and the journey was not just about satisfying my personal objectives but also gaining an extra lifeline for the organisation.

disabled people throughout the county and beyond. With three grown-up children away from home, we seem to have accumulated quite a lot of clutter over the years," Trish, a business development manager with the local Pinehill Hospital, said. "To be able to clear out lots of it and make some money for a worthwhile cause is great news."

Annabelle Waterfield, HAD’s chief executive was equally delighted: "We’ve got a number of fundraising events planned for this special year, to have this added cash is a real boost."

FILM STARS: Tim (second from right) and Trish (second from left) with programme presenters Paul Hayes, Lorne Spicer and Mark Franks

The programme culminated in a giant house sale with £750 raised for the Welwyn Garden City-based charity.

"It¹s great to be able to help HAD as this year is the organisation’s 50th anniversary," Tim explained. "HAD provides products, transport, driving lessons and advice for

PG 7 ~ SUMMER 2008

regional

ro

undup...

Shiatsu, Hypnotherapy and Homeopathy. Sessions are delivered by vetted therapists experienced in working with mental health and wellbeing issues. Anyone can use the service; clients do not have to have a mental health diagnosis and those that do can self-refer.

For more information please contact Ruth Taylor, MBS Manager on 01603 629432 or email mbs@norwichmind.org.uk

From tiny seeds great things grow Join us at the Social Enterprise East of England Conference and AGM

> New Norfolk CIC opens its doors to benefit the community Graphic Design and Print CIC has opened its new premises in Holt. It 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 receiving graphic and print contracts from across the County. For more information visit www.gdpcic.com/about.html

> MBS Re-Launches as a Social Enterprise Mind Body and Soul (MBS), Norwich Mind’s unique complementary therapy and counseling service has reopened its doors once more, in its new guise as a Social Enterprise. The flagship centre was forced to close in June 2006 due to lack of funding, despite having over 8,000 clients accessing its services since its formation in 2001. MBS will now operate as a business by making lower-than-market-rate charges for complementary therapy and counseling sessions. Any profit will be ploughed back into the project to subsidise sessions for clients on very low incomes.

As well as Aromatherapy Massage, Reflexology and Indian Head Massage, the centre now offers new treatments such as

The Cambridge Foodbank has opened a new distribution centre in Newmarket in a move that will expand its services into Suffolk and Norfolk.

The Foodbank was created nearly ten years ago by two charities for the homeless, Emmaus Cambridge and Jimmy’s Night Shelter, and was originally based in a small unit in Coldhams Road, Cambridge.

Mislabelled or short-coded products are collected from wholesalers and supermarkets for redistribution to member agencies working with disadvantaged people. There are currently one hundred member agencies supporting over four and a half thousand people. These include people

PG 8 ~ SUMMER 2008

• If you’re new to social enterprise, come and find out how you can water the shoots of a business idea and then watch it grow and develop...

• If you’re already involved in a social enterprise, come and learn more about sowing new seeds of opportunity and reaping even greater potential from your business...

• If you’re a local authority, PCT or large organisation looking to outsource services, come and find out how social enterprise can help you meet your targets. You’ll watch the leaves of growth unfurl…

Meet, talk and network with those ‘in the know’.

Cross-pollinate ideas. Attend practical workshops. Learn.

Flourish. Blossom... And sustain the roots of social enterprise.

Date: 3rd July 2008 Time: 10am – 4:30pm Venue: Newmarket racecourse, Rowley Mile Cost: SEEE members free, non-members £50

with learning difficulties, mental health and substance misuse issues, the elderly, homeless and people on low incomes.

Sainsbury, Waitrose, Classic Cuisine and Premier Foods are amongst the regular supporters.

The Foodbank has also announced it is about to merge with local charity Open Door later this year. The charity, whose president is former Beirut hostage Terry Waite CBE, operates the Charity Superstore and Training Centre in Craven Way, collecting and retailing donated furniture, clothing and bric-a-brac using help from volunteers, including disadvantaged people. Open Door also runs supported housing for the single homeless and vulnerable aged 16-30 and a family hostel.

Mr Waite said, “I am pleased to support Open Door in assisting homeless and disadvantaged people. The link to the Foodbank is an enterprising innovation to enable people to regain and maintain their dignity, often in difficult circumstances. Access to affordable food makes low incomes go further, and helps people to get back on their feet.”

membership survey The focus of the February survey was finance. The survey was designed to give us some information on how our members are doing financially and therefore what areas we can address with future workshops. We were very encouraged to see that nearly 85% of those who completed the survey wished to increase their earned income over the next two years.

It was also interesting to see where our members receive their funding from, with public sector grants and general sales being the largest percentages.

The focus of the March survey was the AGM. The questions covered in the survey are helping us as we plan this year’s meeting. This included what would be a preferable start time, with 10am being the most popular choice, and that interesting workshops were key in making this a priority event for our members. We also asked for issues that our members were struggling with to make sure we can address them when organising the workshops.

A big thank you to all of you who take the time to complete the Membership Survey each month, they provide the SEEE office with a valuable insight into our membership and also help us to give you a better service.

88.9% said that they would like ideas of how Social Enterprises can get involved in the Olympics, so we will make sure we address this on the website.

The membership surveys are designed to only take 5-10 minutes to complete, if you are a member of SEEE and have not been receiving an invite to the monthly survey please call Anna, network development officer on 01234 834710 as we may have an incorrect email address.

New Members for this quarter: Basildon District Local Enterprise Agency

Essex

St Lukes Healthy Living Centre

Essex

The focus of the April survey was the Olympics. The responses will help us address the topic of Olympics regarding our members and what information to put on the website.

Buy Local

So far only ten members have responded,

The Ethical Back Office

60% of those were not planning for their organisation to be involved with the Olympics.

HCMA

70% had not heard of CompeteFor.

Details of the website CompeteFor are on our website but we need to work on making this clearer and give it greater presence on the site to ensure our members are aware of the procurement opportunities.

Sandy Lane Ceramics Sandy Lane Ceramics was founded by the Dawe Charitable Trust to provide meaningful employment and accommodation for people who find themselves homeless and without work.

The project started in Dereham in 2001 and was so successful that it was decided, in 2005 to expand to the Cambridge area.

The residents are employed at the workshop from 8am to 4pm and paid the minimum wage, with 4 weeks holiday a year. The employees are taught the whole process of making bespoke hand-made tiles and have the opportunity to gain a recognised certificate.

All the tiles are designed in-house and produced to very exacting standards. The skilled craftsmen and artists use only traditional methods to hand make and paint each tile, a process that gives every tile a unique quality and individuality.

Norfolk

Marsh Farm Community Development Trust Bedfordshire Bedfordshire Hertfordshire

Colne Housing Ltd

Essex

Woods Forever

Essex

Hamelin Trust

Essex

Thurrock Local Enterprise Agency

Essex

A special limited edition range offers a huge variety of styles and colours and is constantly growing and changing, drawing on influences ranging from the rustic charms of delft to modern contemporary.

Many of the designs are completely original while others offer a fresh approach to more traditional styles. In addition, the bespoke made-to-measure service offers unlimited potential for designers or custom planners.

PG 9 ~ SUMMER 2008

www.who?

How to get noticed on the web The question I am most commonly asked, by about a mile and a half, is: How can I make my website do better on search engines?

relevant than content which was written months, or even years ago (you know who you are!).

Next time, I’ll talk you through some simple techniques to improve your score on each of these metrics.

A short question, but the answers are many and varied. A simpler question to start with is: What do search engines look for in a site?

As you will see, the answers to question one all stem from the answer to question two.

The key word to keep in your mind when discussing search engines is relevance. The only thing the humble search engine wants to do is return relevant results. With the web being as large as it is (tens of billions of pages at least) this is a job that can only be done by a computer, which is a shame, because computers are about as good at analysing intangible concepts such as relevance as they are at windsurfing. What computers really like to do – pretty much all they can do, in fact – is count stuff. This means that they have to use fairly crude methods, such as counting the number of times a search phrase appears in your text, in order to make an educated guess as to how relevant it is.

So, the more often the search phrase appears, the better?

Well, only up to a point. Search engines are smart enough to realise that bigger is not always better, so an unrealistic phrase count will lead to your site being penalised. They also care where in the page the key words appear, so constructing your web page properly is essential. This is where a web designer who really understands HTML is going to prove their worth.

What else can computers count? Well, Google pioneered the concept of counting the number of inbound links a page has, and storing this as a value called ‘PageRank’ (PR).

Each link into you counts as a vote in favour of your site, and the more links in, the better your PR, and therefore search engine position. Also, a link from a site with high PR carries more weight than a link from a low PR site. Large sites like the BBC and Yahoo tend to have a high PR, so a link from any of these will send your search engine position soaring.

Anything else that computers can count? The number of days since your content was updated, for one. Search engine ‘bots’ will visit your site regularly, and what they really want to see is fresh content. It stands to reason that content which was written last week is more likely to be

PG 10 ~ SUMMER 2008

Iain Row. Prominent Media Ltd

Owl Café

going from Strength to Strength Opportunities Without Limits, known as OWL, is a community-based charity creating work, learning and leisure opportunities for people who are disadvantaged, through a wide variety of social and training enterprises.

Its biggest project to date is the half million pound OWL Café which was designed to provide catering training for adults with learning disabilities. It opened in September 2003 and received lottery subsidy for the first three years; after that time it was envisaged that the café would have achieved a break-even position. However, it wasn’t that easy as anyone starting a new business will tell you. In fact it has taken until now, after a roller-coaster four years, full of ‘learning experiences’, to feel that the café has ‘come of age’ and is now firmly rooted in the community with a healthy turnover and broad customer base.

Despite the management problems of getting the café running smoothly and profitably, from the students’ perspective it has all been rosy. From the outset the café has provided 4 training placements per day delivering entry levels 1, 2 and 3 City & Guilds catering courses in partnership with Cambridge Regional College. To see how the students have responded to the challenges and hard work, and have developed in skills and confidence, it was definitely worth all the fundraising and subsequent sleepless nights. From the start the students have really loved learning to cook, bake, prepare vegetables, use the industry standard dishwasher, serve, and generally be part of the café community. Some of them will soon be ready to take the next step into open employment.

Recently two of our students Carl Reynolds and Selina Fitzgerald were presented with the ‘Level 2 Award in Food Safety in Catering’ by Cllr Tony Orgee, who is chairman of Cambridgeshire County Council. We were delighted to have a visit from him and it was lovely for Carl and Selina who had worked so hard for this award to have such a special guest presenting their certificate to them. All the customers in the café gave them a big round of applause.

It has been the month for awards as the café has also been presented with a certificate for Disability Awareness from the Sawston Pathways Group which campaigns locally for good access to shops, etc. for disabled people. We were thrilled to get this award as the café was designed specifically with disabled people in mind as a comfortable, bright, friendly place with plenty of space for wheelchairs and buggies. The staff and students are delighted to open doors and help in any way they can.

Happily our lovely café is now going from strength to strength and pulling in people from all over the area who have heard about our warm welcome and lovely home made food at affordable prices.

From Lucy Stewart the Café Chef/Manager OWL Café, behind Sawston Free Church, 1 High Street, Sawston CB22 3BG. Tel: 01223 833396.

Open: Monday – Friday 9.00am – 3.30pm.

PG 11 ~ SUMMER 2008

rules surrounding the formalities though, so don’t forget to check first.

The Companies Act 2006 What is it? What does it mean for social enterprises?

The Act is the biggest shake up for company law for over 20 years, and it comes into force between 2006 and October 2009.

Here, I’ve just tried to pick up some of the key changes, including those that came in this April.

Some of the most useful changes are those on electronic communications. Though the old law did make some allowances for technological advances, such as fax, the Act now embraces the digital world. It allows information to be sent to Members/Shareholders by email, or by posting them on a website (subject to Members’ prior permission). Take sending out your annual accounts, for example – no more overheating the photocopier and stuffing envelopes: it can all be done in one email.

Another stride forward is the use of written resolutions instead of face-to-face Members’ meetings. Before, you needed all Members to sign a written resolution – it just needed one person to be away or to forget, and it would be scuppered. The Act says that a written resolution only needs the same number in favour as it would need in a face-to-face meeting. There are

PG 12 ~ SUMMER 2008

There are some other administrative changes. Now, unless your company’s constitution says that you do, most don’t need to have an AGM. As of this April, a company doesn’t need a Secretary. However, you may still wish to retain yours in order to help avoid arguments over who was supposed to have filed the accounts!

Finally, the Act sets out directors’ responsibilities for the first time in an Act of Parliament, most important is the new ‘duty to promote the success of the company’. Directors must show that they have considered a range of factors listed in the Act when making decisions (including the success of the company, but also the impact on community, environment, and employees).

In case of challenge, it’s always best to record the decision-making process in your minutes. Not all factors need equal weight though, just to be considered.

So, what difference will the Act make? For most, it should enable you to spend more time concentrating on your core business and less on administration.

Given all the changes, it’s worth a review of your constitution to see if it could do with a spring clean. You may want to do that now – to benefit from what’s already on offer but which doesn’t apply automatically – or to wait until the whole Act is in force in around 18 months’ time.

Simon Lee, Solicitor Community Regeneration Team, Anthony Collins Solicitors LLP, Telephone 0121 212 7451 email simon.lee@anthonycollins.com

virtual coffee

mornings

book Your Chance to Change the World – the no-fibbing guide to Social Entrepreneurship Craig Dearden-Phillips I’ve been looking forward to this book coming out for a while now, and it hasn’t disappointed – from the foreword by Tim Smit to the last two chapters on looking after yourself and 20 top tips for social entrepreneurship, it is pure gold.

The book takes you on a fascinating journey starting with the really important question of whether or not social entrepreneurship is for you, and dealing with business planning, recruitment, partnership, governance, legal structure, and maturity. It is written in an easy style, modestly drawing on mistakes that Craig made himself and the successes that the 25 others he interviewed for this work have enjoyed. This refreshing honesty leads the reader effortlessly through helpful anecdotes, lessons, pointers, practical templates and checklists, peppered with inspirational quotes from Henry Ford and Bruce Springsteen and laugh out loud cartoons.

It is a book for those thinking about social enterprise; for those who have already started, and even for those who are wondering if they should still be involved. There is food for thought for everyone, and if you are not the type to read from cover to cover, then I recommend that you keep a copy on your desk for reference.

Whether you are facing a specific challenge or need a reminder of why you are doing this at all, Craig will have some wise words – and maybe a template or a checklist – for you.

Every Friday at 11am the Virtual Coffee Mornings take place using the text chat function on Skype.

This is a great opportunity for SEEE members to meet up and discuss relevant topics in real time and make useful connections.

If you’re not sure what Skype is, or would like information on how to download it and how to take part in the Virtual Coffee Mornings, please contact Anna at: anna.robson@seee.co.uk.

Anna will be more than happy to go through the process with you and would love to hear your ideas for future topics.

We have had some great speakers over the last two months, a particular highlight was Sophi Tranchell from Divine Chocolate and as In Touch goes to print we have Jerr Boschee all the way from America, discussing engaging stakeholders.

Highlights for the future include: • Health and Social Care • Business Link and Social Enterprise • Public Speaking • Social Enterprise Magazine • And Penny Newman from Café Direct So don’t miss out. We look forward to seeing you there.

in

Michele Rigby

Issue 22 Summer 2008. In Touch is published by SEEE. SEEE is funded by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA). a: SEEE, Bedford i Lab, Stannard Way, Bedford, MK44 3RZ t: 01234 834549 To communicate with SEEE contact: CEO Michele Rigby e: michele.rigby@seee.co.uk Editorial staff: Editor: David Jordan Assistant Editor: Steve Jordan Graphic design: Berri Art & Design Advertising sales: SEEE office 01234 834549 Please send PR and other information to: David Jordan e: intouch@seee.co.uk t: 01908 695500

PG 13 ~ SUMMER 2008

in memory of

David Lloyd David Lloyd former editor of In Touch sadly died on 26th April aged 60 following a battle with cancer. His wife Margo was at his side.

David was a director and enthusiastic supporter of SEEE and also worked for its predecessor SSEER for several years. He was the driving force behind the creation of In Touch magazine in 2003, his talents as a writer as well as his knowledge of the media proving very useful in his role as editor which he held until last year. He was also local elder of the Cambridge congregation; managing editor of the Church of God News; and a contributor to Vision and Vision.org.

David was managing director of Business for People Ltd, a not for profit company based in Huntingdon which provides a range of guidance training and support services including special advice to help people find their way back into employment following redundancy or other setbacks.

David will be remembered for his integrity, loyalty, artistic and creative qualities, and for his drive and ingenuity. He was warm and quick witted and not afraid to challenge the status quo to bring about positive change for a better world.

It really is terribly sad - Jo has said it all re David's contribution to the development of SSEER, In Touch and of course SEEE. I just want to add that he was always such a kind and courteous contributor to any meeting I attended with him over the last five or so years.

David leaves his wife Margo, to whom he was married for 33 years, and their two sons Rod and Steve.

Andy Brady, Anglia Ruskin University

Here are a few of the many tributes to David received at the SEEE office.

David was a great man with a big heart, and contributed so much to the work of SEEE and many individuals who needed him.

For a man I met so little he had a genuine impact upon me. Please pass on to Margo my sympathy and my apologies that I can not attend the funeral.

Michele Rigby, Social Enterprise East of England I’m shocked, please give my sympathy to his family, he’ll be greatly missed.

Keith Smith, The Ferry Project Steve Liddle I am saddened by David's passing away and request Michele to pass my condolences to his family. For what ever opportunity I got to meet with David I found he brought serious commitment to the SEEE Ltd and his contribution on the In Touch magazine was immense. I am sure he will be missed at our future meetings.

Sachdev Seyan This is just incredibly sad news. David was a founding member of the marketing sub-group on the SSEER project and put his heart and soul into the creation of In Touch - giving far more than the business ever made from the contract. Being part of SSEER was completely voluntary and he brought so much to the partnership including introducing the GET and STENG groups and also working so patiently to channel Peter Durrant's vast knowledge, experience and enthusiasm for the benefit of the sector as a whole.

David will be missed and please pass on my heartfelt sympathy to Margo.

Jo Ransom, Exemplas

I would like to express my sadness at David's death and add my condolences. I had such a positive conversation with him at the away-day in which he set out his intention to either beat the cancer with alternative remedies or live more of a full life (not drugged and exhausted) for the time he might have left. It was such an optimistic and realistic approach to adopt, particularly as I am sure he knew how ill he was, and I hope for his sake that the family felt the benefit of his decision. His contribution to the development of SEEE is well-documented and we shall miss his counsel.

Ben Higham