News items
This page contains a selection of news items relevant to social enterprise at national, regional and local level. Details of funding opportunities and grant-making bodies can be found in the Support section. We endeavour to keep this page up-to-date but if you know of a piece of news that would be useful to share, please email info@wssen.org.uk
Phone Co-op named as top social enterprise (06/01/09)
Britain’s top social enterprise has been named as the Phone Co-op at the Enterprising Solution Awards in London. Go to full article »
Prime Minister thanks social enterprises (06/01/09)
Gordon Brown has sent a message of thanks to all those who work in the third sector for the "vital role" they play in the life of the nation. Go to full article »
Develop your Career - public interest website (23/12/08)
Non-profit-making, public interest website offering advice on career development. Go to full article »
BusinessZone.co.uk (23/12/08)
The business of doing good - how to start a social enterprise. Go to full article »
ProfitNet - supporting businesses to make positive changes and developments (22/12/08)
ProfitNet was created and developed by the University of Brighton to bring businesses and organisations operating in similar environments to work together. Go to full article »
Office of the Third Sector fundraising statements - final guidance published (22/12/08)
The Office of the Third Sector has published in final form, its guidance on fundraising statements to be made by professional fundraisers and commercial participators under the Charities Act 1992. Go to full article »
Procurement of public services - FaithAction Newsletter (22/12/08)
Hope in the Community is the South East partner of FaithAction and produces FaithAction, a social enterprise newsletter. They would like to hear from any faith groups who have been awarded contracts to become a social enterprise. Go to full article »
Public Benefit Sub-Sector Guidance (22/12/08)
The Charity Commission has published final versions of its public benefit sub-sector guidance for - charities for the relief of poverty; charities for the advancement of religion; charities for the advancement of education; and fee-charging charities. Go to full article »
New charity will match charities with free economics expertise (12/12/08)
Martin Brookes, chief executive of New Philanthropy Capital, is setting up a charity that will harness the skills of economists and deploy them to charities that want help to measure their impact. Go to full article »
Social enterprises - nurses urged to be entrepreneurs (12/12/08)
A nurse practitioner who developed a social enterprise that works for PCTs and out-of-hours providers has urged colleagues to follow her lead. Go to full article »
No interim help for charities with frozen accounts (12/12/08)
The government has rejected a suggestion by Shadow Treasury Minister Mark Hoban to establish a temporary funding facility for charities with money frozen in failed Icelandic banks. Go to full article »
Social Business Plans (09/12/08)
Blog offering information on branding, marketing, business planning for social enterprises. Go to full article »
Business planning guide to developing a social enterprise (09/12/08)
Toolkit from Forth Sector has been written for voluntary and community organisations that want to develop new social enterprises. Go to full article »
Socialedge - online community for social entrepreneurs (09/12/08)
Social Edge is a global online community where social entrepreneurs and other practitioners of the social benefit sector connect to network, learn, inspire and share resources. Go to full article »
New fund to help charities bid for big public sector contracts (09/12/08)
Futurebuilders England is preparing to launch a new fund to help charities bid for large-scale public sector contracts in coalitions. Go to full article »
Online health information sources: the changing face of medicine (09/12/08)
Patient Opinion, a not-for-profit social enterprise, lets patients and carers find out what other people think of local hospitals, hospices and mental health services, and to share their experiences. Go to full article »
Elements of success: good practice for community-based social enterprises (08/12/08)
Handbook for social enterprises from Turning Point, a social care organisation that provides services for people with complex needs, including drug and alcohol misuse, mental health problems or those with a learning disability. Go to full article »
Action Plan to support third sector (02/12/08)
Kevin Brennan, Minister for the Third Sector, has announced his intention to develop an action plan of government support for charities, voluntary groups and social enterprises through the economic downturn. Go to full article »
New HMRC Gift Aid Declaration Forms (25/11/08)
HMRC have amended their pro forma gift aid declarations to take into account the reduction in basic rate tax to 20p in the £ and transitional relief. So charities may wish to update their gift aid declarations. Go to full article »
Social Enterprise Fund - request for partners (25/11/08)
The Office of the Third Sector and capital for Enterprise Limited have published a request for proposals to establish one or more funds investing risk capital investment to social enterprises. Go to full article »
New look charity register (25/11/08)
The Charity Commission has launched a new look register providing details of activities, trustees, and key financial information. Go to full article »
Gordon Brown launches help for small businesses (25/11/08)
Gordon Brown has unveilled a tougher new code governing lending to small businesses, in the latest government effort to encourage banks to keep credit flowing. Go to full article »
Social Entrepreneur Awards (25/11/08)
Bank of Scotland £6m Social Entrepreneur Awards for organisations. Go to full article »
Can you supply to London 2012? (25/11/08)
As part of 'Winning with 2012' Social Enterprise London would like to build a list of social enterprises who can supply to London 2012. Go to full article »
Plunkett Foundation to launch a new film and website (17/11/08)
To celebrate Social Enterprise Day on 20th November, The Plunkett Foundation will launch a new film which demonstrate the impact of social enterprises on the rural communities in which it is based. Go to full article »
Charity Commission Legal Update - more on FSCS compensation etc (07/11/08)
The Charity Commission has issued guidance on the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) and on the Icelandic situation. Go to full article »
DEFRA announces new Third Sector Strategy (07/11/08)
The Department for Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) have announced a new third sector strategy, including a new DEFRA social enterprise partnership with the Social Enterprise Coalition, Co-ops UK, the DTA, the Plunkett Foundation and RISE. Go to full article »
New film explains the concept of Social Firms to celebrate Social Enterprise Day (03/11/08)
A three minute film called "Social Firms: successful businesses, empowering employment" has been created to explain what a Social Firm is to anyone unfamiliar with the concept. Go to full article »
Waste Oil Recycling in Prison Project (27/10/08)
The Waste Oil Recycling in Prisons Project has recently been launched at HMP Ford, Arundel, West Sussex. Go to full article »
Favours - new campaign from youth volunteering charity (14/10/08)
Youth volunteering charity V has launched a new campaign which aims to transform young people's perceptions of volunteering Go to full article »
New Minister for the Third Sector and Shadow Minister for charities (14/10/08)
Kevin Brennan, MP for Cardiff West, has been appointed as the new Minister for the Third Sector Go to full article »
Factsheets on VAT and fundraising (22/09/08)
The Charity VAT Team at Saffery Champness accountants has published factsheets on VAT and fundraising activities. Go to full article »
Former Cafedirect boss takes over at the Fifteen Foundation (22/09/08)
Penny Newman OBE, who headed Fairtrade hot drinks company Cafedirect, has taken over as CEO of Jamie Oliver's chef training academy the Fifteen Foundation. Go to full article »
Business Link No-Nonsense Guides revised to assist to social enterprises (29/08/08)
Business Link advice to help business understand financing options has been made more relevant and accessible to social enterprises. The No-Nonsense Guides are easy to use guides for small businesses and people who are considering setting businesses up. Go to full article »
Business Link Enterprise Gateway Service (29/08/08)
Service encouraging people to think about working for themselves, and which then supports them when they decide to. Go to full article »
Soclal Enterprise Loan Fund rebranded (19/08/08)
The Local Investment Fund has rebranded and changed its name to the Social Enterprise Loan Fund. Go to full article »
Social Enterprises employ more than a million (28/07/08)
Almost 1.3 million people, or 3.4% of the working population, are employed in social enterprise. Go to full article »
More low cost accounting functionality for charities (28/07/08)
CODA 2go is a new 'software as a service' accounting facility for charities. Go to full article »
Savings in VAT when renovating charity property (28/07/08)
A decision by a London tax tribunal means that a VAT saving scheme is available to charities when renovating property. Go to full article »
Selling Sustainability (25/07/08)
How harnessing commercial-style advertising and marketing techniques could make an impact on changing the behaviour of individuals. Go to full article »
Centre for Excellence and Outcomes in Children and Young People's Services (25/07/08)
Beverley Hughes, Minister for Children, Young People and Families, has launched this Centre, which will gather and analyse national, regional and local knowledge about what works in tackling issues such as improving the wellbeing of looked after and disab Go to full article »
National Association of Black Supplementary Schools (NABSS) (25/07/08)
NABSS is a not-for-profit community organisation which offers resources, services, advice and information for black families, schools and communities. Go to full article »
Third Sector Research Centre (25/07/08)
It has been announced by The Office of the Third Sector that the University of Birmingham will lead the new Third Sector Research Centre which is dedicated to analysing the impact of the sector's activities. Go to full article »
Social Return on Investment (25/04/08)
Organisations that have carried out evaluations using the Social Return on Investment approach to contact the Office of the Third Sector Go to full article »
New research into social enterprise networks published (11/04/08)
New report published by The Office of the Third Sector looking into social enterprise networks in England. Go to full article »
Third Sector Leadership Centre (18/03/08)
National Occupational Standards based assessment tool for third sector leaders Go to full article »
Launch of SEE Companies (18/03/08)
Launch of SEE Companies accreditation scheme Go to full article »
More support for Social Enterprises (18/03/08)
Social Enterprise Unit in the Department of Communities and Local Government created Go to full article »