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Welcome to the first Community Service Social Enterprise Link Network Newsletter.

Thank you for signing up to the network. The Community Service network is one of the widest ranging of all the ten networks, and covers numerous services that benefit the local community.

Members News and Sector Information

This area of the newsletter is your chance to promote your organisation, share your news and best practice. Also if you come across a useful piece of information about the sector please send it to us, so we can share it with the other network members. Please send your news to Rachel.oddie@sesc.info

Congratulations to Community Service member Urban Biz, who won the Regional Award for Start up of the Year at this year’s Footsey Awards, well done. Runners up included Donna Dixon, LAT, for Entrepreneur of the Year, and Angels Housekeeping for Start up of the Year.

Northern Legacy

Northern Legacy CIC, formed in August, documents social / environmental change using still photography and video combined with verbal testimony. They focus on the relationship between the physical and social environments because it is a very rich area, visually and historically. The North of England has enormous amounts of cultural heritage that they are interested in documenting its traditional background as it enters the twenty-first century. Our ideal type of project is longitudinal, i.e. we would like to record the before, during and after of developments, but we know there are also many short-term projects out there, some of which need urgent attention. Their output is archival material, in both digital and traditional formats, is devolved to publicly accessible institutions in the locality.

Northern Legacy are just beginning their first major venture in Shipley, Bradford, where they are working on putting a DVD together on behalf of Bradford Metropolitan District Council. The DVD will allow the residents of a sector of Shipley to voice their hopes for future developments in their community. Northern Legacy are also approaching developers in the Kirklees area to work with them in recording changes to the fabric of local mills and examining their social impact in nearby communities.

Based at Unit B, Lower Ground Floor, Shipley Wharf, Wharf Street, Shipley, Bradford BD17 7DW, to contact Northern Legacy telephone 0845 050 4522

Well Women Centre

Offer a range of treatments including aromatherapy, reiki, shiatsu, homeopathy, reflexology and hypnotherapy. The Well Women Centre is based at No. 6 Cheapside in Wakefield. Low cost treatments available to women on means tested benefits. For further information telephone: 01924 374005

Global Business

Global Promise is participating in an affiliate programme which is supported by national and local retailers, to raise money for local projects that will connect dis-enfranchised young people and provide them with a positive way forward for their future. Please visit this programme online.

Just Coffe People

‘just coffee people’ is a social enterprise operating as a certified Fairtrade own-brand coffee and tea merchant throughout Leeds in the retail and wholesale sectors, supplying voluntary organisations, Leeds City Council, coffee shops, health food stores, offices, churches and local schools.

Set up in the summer of 2005 as a project by People Matters, a local voluntary sector organisation that develops inclusive communities, 'just coffee people' has a mission to promote ethical trading whilst providing training and employment opportunities in the local community for people disadvantaged in the labour market. As such we are registered with Social Firms UK, and recently we have been awarded Investors in People accreditation in recognition of the value our company places on its employees.

With our passion for social fairness added our passion for great quality coffee and tea, 'just coffee people' offers a set of guarantees unique in the coffee and tea industry.

In time for Christmas we are also now offering gift wrapped baskets– you choose the products, we’ll put it together and solve your Christmas present worries.

Call David Hill on 0113 279 2936, email on info@justcoffeepeople.co.uk or visit our website at www.justcoffeepeople.co.uk

Leeds Co-op

Did you know that Leeds has the oldest consumer co-op in the world, it first opened in 1847

Events

15th December 2006

Networking Event – Kits at Brighouse, from 10.30am to 1pm

This entertaining and interactive networking event is your chance to meet other members from all the social enterprise networks. It’s a great opportunity to meet useful contacts, promote your organisation; share practice and work will your peers to find solutions to issues that affect social enterprises. It’s also your chance to make suggestions and comments about future development of the social enterprise link networks.

30th November 2006

Pontefract Races – Meet the Buyer with Wakefield MBC.

For further information contact Lucy Piatkowski on 01924 241330 or email lucy.p@sesc.info

Past Events

Community Transport

For those of you who weren’t able to attend the community transport event here is a quick summary of what was discussed. Murray Seccombe from Community Transport started the event with an overview of the sector. His organisation has a four million pound turnover, 130 staff, 100 minibuses and 17 vans, with which they also provide a furniture collection service. Murray Seccombe explained that for community transport providers to become sustainable they needed to look for niche markets and alternative opportunities, examples given included assisting schools with flexible shuttle runs for students who attend other campuses as part of the partnership working amongst schools so they can offer a wider range of subjects for students. Another suggestion was taking visitors to prison.

John Henkeel from Metro spoke from the commissioner’s point of view. He said that the event marked a turning point for Metro working with community transport providers and welcomed the opportunity to take part in dialogue to move the sector forward. He emphasised how transport supports lifestyles and needs to be part of the bigger economic picture and how added value impacts on this. Metro have recently won a national award for customer care, and felt this was an area of business that community transport could excel in, with its local customer focus and ability to be responsive to passenger needs. John Henkeel also suggested that one of the main opportunities for the sector was cross sector integration and developing innovation within community transport.

Helen Chapman from the Procurement Team at Wakefield MBC, explained in detail about procuring with the local authority and made the suggestion of social enterprises contacting their local authority to have pre-tendering talks and also about being listed on their approved supplier lists. Chris Dean, Public Health Manager, explained how primary care trusts are being reorganised and that a new social enterprise unit is being set up in the Department of Health in April 2007. Chris Dean explained that community transport was an integral part of the health service as it supports independent living and reduced dependence on health staff, and the number of home visits required, this was particularly important for GP surgeries. All the commissioners took part in discussions and agreed that potential contract opportunities should be over a longer period of time, with the potential of contracts being up to 7 years in duration. This was in order to reflect the large amounts of investments required for the purchase and maintenance of vehicles.

Market Place

Do you run a centre with conference or meeting room facilities? If so we want to hear about your facilities, our Events Manager is compiling a database of venues in West Yorkshire. Please send your details to lucy.p@sesc.info or telephone 01924 241330.

BBC’s Dragon Den programme is looking for budding entrepreneurs to pitch their business ideas to their panel. If you would be interested in applying for the programme please contact Rachel.oddie@sesc.info for an application form.

Tender Opportunities

Window Cleaning Services - Kirklees

Provision of window cleaning services for schools and public building throughout the Authority

Deadline: 20th December 2006

Assessment of retail demand and future opportunities in Dewsbury and Batley

Deadline: 11th December 2006

If you would like to know more about these tender opportunities or would like to learn more about procurement contact David Morrissey, Social Enterprise Advisor (Contracting) on 01924 241330 or email david.morrissey@sesc.info

Cluster Leader Support

Within our networks are identified cluster leaders, who are experienced practitioners in their field. Cluster leaders can provide one to one support either for new social enterprises or those organisations who need assistance regarding a particular business issue. The cluster leaders work alongside the business support provided by the Social Enterprise Link Team.

One of our cluster leaders, Leeds Alternative Travel are currently carrying out support for organisations that are looking to expand their community transport service or for social enterprises who own a minibus and would like to maximise it’s capability. If you feel your organisation could benefit from this support please contact Rachel.oddie@sesc.info

Forum Topics

With each edition of the newsletter we will suggest a sector specific topic for you to discuss with other network members. If you would like to take part in the discussion or make suggestions for other forum topics go to the forum section on our website

This edition’s topic is: “What are the best ways to get community participation when developing a project?”

Questionnaire

Do you own a mini bus or provide a Community Transport Service? If the answer is yes, please complete this questionnaire and return to rachel.oddie@sesc.info

Don’t forget to send us your news to Rachel.oddie@sesc.info

Best wishes

Regards

Rachel Oddie

Enterprise Network Manager