Social Firms UK

 Two multi award-winning Social Firms are celebrating being announced as the first social enterprises to receive support from Business in the Community’s (BITC) new campaign - arc.

arc, which launches today, will create a lasting social legacy for the Olympic host boroughs by stimulating the creation and growth of financially sustainable social enterprises – enabling them to provide employment opportunities for 1,000 local people.

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.

The European Social Firms of the Year Awards, which took place during the Social Firms UK and Social Firms Europe CEFEC annual conference, celebrated some of the fantastic work taking place across Europe was showcased and celebrated in style.  Those winners in full:-

Social Firm, Bikeworks (www.bikeworks.org.uk), have won ‘Best New Social Enterprise’ for England in the 2009 Social Enterprise Awards and were presented with their award by Tessa Jowell, Minister For The Cabinet Office, yesterday (Nov 19), Social Enterprise Day, at a special reception at Downing Street.

Social Firms are businesses set up to create employment for people disadvantaged in the workforce – Bikeworks’ business focus is the provision of organisational and public cycle services in areas of social deprivation in East London. It also provides employment and training opportunities for marginalised individuals.