Social Firms UK

 The Social Firms UK Board has appointed Michele Rigby as the organisation’s new Chief Executive. Michele is currently Chief Executive of SEEE, the East of England’s social enterprise support agency and will take up the post from January 2012. Michele replaces Sally Reynolds, co-founder of Social Firms UK and its Chief Executive since 2004, who decided to leave due to exceptional personal circumstances.

Simon Hebditch, Chair of the Board of Social Firms UK, said today:-

'I am delighted to announce that Michele Rigby, currently Chief Executive of SEEE, has been chosen as the next Chief Executive of Social Firms UK. She has worked long and hard in the social enterprise sector and we are confident that she will make a major contribution to the organisation in the next few years.

 The Future 100 Awards are designed to recognise the talents of young social entrepreneurs who are running a business with a triple bottom line. The awards are organised by Striding Out, sponsored by Ernst & Young, and supported by our PR partner echaritybox.

The Future 100 Awards can be entered by entrepreneurs aged 18-35 who demonstrate entrepreneurial flair and innovation in progressing a responsible business venture with a strong commercial foundation and social and/or environmental impact.

To find out more and request an application form visit www.future100.co.uk

Deadline for entries is the 31st October 2011 at 5pm.

 Applications for Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) funding have always been fiercely competitive and never more so than at present. With a large number of innovative projects across a range of industries vying for each year’s allocation, it is worth noting that only a small number of them come from the third sector. Therefore, Social Firms UK being awarded one in partnership with Middlesex University is a clear acknowledgement of the relevance and benefit the project will have within the sector.

The funding will be used to recruit a graduate Research Associate for one year to assess the business success factors in establishing and running a Social Firm – an important hire in the current economic climate.

The project aims are threefold:

The board of Social Firms UK have announced they have reluctantly accepted the resignation of CEO, Sally Reynolds, who will step down at the end of the year. Sally has been committed to the sector since the inception of Social Firms UK in 1999 and as co-founder has worked tirelessly to champion fair employment opportunities for the most disadvantaged in society.

Reynolds stated “Social Firms UK is at a very exciting point in its development as an organisation. We have a highly capable, competent and committed staff team and a strong board – because of this I have no qualms about handing the reins over to someone else to lead it into the future. Unfortunately, exceptional personal circumstances means that I am no longer in a position to continue in this full time post.”