Social Firms UK

FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATOR

£22,221 to £25,472 p.a. pro-rata 21 Hours/Week - Permanent

 Co-operative and Community Finance provide loan finance for co-operatives and community businesses. We are the longest established Community Development Finance Institution (CDFI) in the UK, successfully combining risk lending with financial sustainability.

We are looking for a new Financial Administrator to join our Bristol office and provide accounting, administrative and clerical support to the staff team within a social finance lending environment.

From our Head Office in central Bristol you will be at the heart of the organisation and the CDFI industry, and have an important role within the co-operative movement. You will be central to the delivery of our service package and administrative and information systems to the staff team, the Board of Trustees, borrowers and client organisations.

 In the run up to Social Enterprise Day (17 November), Birmingham based social firm Citizen Coaching is celebrating the achievements of two employees, hoping to inspire thousands of young people looking for work or across the country.

With youth unemployment figures at their worst in nearly 20 years, Nate Sheridan, 25, and James Farrell, 23, were taken on by Citizen Coaching in 2009, both having been unemployed for more than six months.

Nate graduated from university with a Sound Engineering and Music Production degree in 2008, hoping to secure work in a recording studio. After several temporary positions, he eventually joined the increasing number of other young claimants struggling to even get an interview.

Government removes bill's power to support social enterprises tendering for public sector goods contracts.

Social Firms UK is lobbying Nick Hurd, Cabinet Minister for Civil Society about restrictions the Government have made to the Public Services (Social Enterprise and Social Value) Bill which mean that it will not help social enterprises trying to sell their goods to the public sector.

Social Enterprise Manager at Pluss Guy Eatherington is gearing up to cycle the length of Britain in support of the Big Society, and he is hoping to recruit the Prime Minister to lend his support along the way.

Guy’s ambition, when he sets off from John O`Groats on July 29th, will be to cycle 125 miles a day, completing his solo marathon ride all the way to Lands End, weather permitting, in 8 days. But before the big day comes the big practice, and the opportunity this week to drop off a personal invite for the Prime Minister….

Not content with regular training rides of up to 200 miles with other members of his local Cycle Touring Club, 40 year old Guy will be attending a professional conference in Blackpool this week – only to then cycle 303 miles all the way back home to Devon.

Life Changing Retailers Launch Major New ‘Big Society’ Initiative

UK Consumers get a radically new choice across a whole range of goods and services from Tuesday 24th May 2011. An enterprising group of over 180 companies covering the length and breadth of the UK are launching a major new retail initiative - Just Buy.

The unique aspect of Just Buy is that every supplier is in business for good. The Just Buy directory is made up of social enterprises that predominantly employ staff who have a disability, sensory impairment, mental health problem or face some other serious disadvantage when it comes to getting a job.

Just Buy will be formally launched at an event at one of their member charities HQ – Clarity Employment for Blind People, 276 York Way LONDON at 11.00am on Tuesday 24th May 2011.

 Social Firms UK has been given an ‘Outstanding Impact Award’ for efforts in Global Entrepreneurship Week 2010.

On Social Enterprise Day on the 18th of November Social Firms UK raffled hampers sourced entirely from Social Firms to staff at Communities and Local Government, Ministry of Justice and Wates Construction head offices.

Only 131 out of over 700 organisers qualified for this badge of honour – which is awarded to those whose events were both inspirational and high impact.

See all listed with the others winners here http://www.gew.org.uk/badgeofhonourwinners.

Social Firms UK is very pleased to announce that Wates Group, the family-owned construction services company, has joined as a Corporate Member.

People, partnership and sustainability is at the very heart of the way Wates does business and a strategic partnership with Social Firms UK epitomises that approach. Demonstrating a long term commitment to corporate, social and environmental responsibility, Wates works with like-minded organisations to enable change at a local and community level.

Social Firms UK has been working with Wates to identify social businesses that can operate within their supply chain, supporting its members via trade opportunities across the UK.

Catering2Order's John Charles has been named as one of the most inspirational UK entrepreneurs at Barclays Trading Places Awards in London on the 30th of November.

He was runner up in these national awards that recognise people who have overcome personal adversity to successfully establish their own company.

Charles didn't let blindness stop his ambition and he set up London catering company Catering2Order in 2007.

The overall winner was Richard John Cartwright of Newcastle Books and the Community Award winner was Andrew Kent, who set up a car repair shop after a near fatal stroke and employs disabled and disadvantaged people from his local community.

Social Firms UK is very pleased to announce that Sims Recycling Solutions, the world’s largest electrical and electronic equipment recovery and recycling company, has joined as a Corporate Member.