Archive for December, 2013
Highland Blindcraft
Jenny McBain visits a social firm with a long history and finds herself becoming a customer.// After a quick lie down to put a mattress to the test in the Highland Blindcraft showroom, I was soon happily completing a purchase in anticipation of comfortable nights to come. This is the way the very best social […]
Wild Things
Getting troubled youngsters into the great outdoors can do wonders for their behaviour, finds Jenny McBain. // The environmental factors negatively impacting on teenagers are well documented. But what happens when those who may be young and disaffected are transplanted from concrete surroundings and constant digital hook-up to a wild setting? Jennie Martin is founder […]
Back2Life (William Wilberforce Trust)
Helping trafficked women re-enter society is one way of tackling sexual exploitation, discovers Danielle Aumord. // “When I first came out (of the brothel) it was scary. I thought I was skum. My body hurt and I just cried all the time. I didn’t know the rules in this world. Everything was new to me,” […]
New Bridge Foundation
Befriending people in prison can improve their chances of reentering society successfully, discovers Figen Gunes. // “Prison has a poor record for reducing re-offending. The re-offending rate is 46 per cent for adults in general. As for young people, 58 % of those released from prison in the first quarter of 2008 were reconvicted within a […]
Bristol Together
Danielle Aumord uncovers a rare example of partnering bringing success to a training programme for ex-offenders. // ‘Two heads are better than one’ is a common saying but in the competitive world of charities and social enterprises it’s rare to see a collective of organisations working together for common good. A sad paradox maybe, but […]
Bootstrap
How Bootstrap is providing affordable space for other enterprises. // While Dalston in east London has seen a huge investment and regeneration programme in recent years it has made it difficult for social enterprises and creatives to find affordable space to rent. Fortunately long-running social enterprise Bootstrap is set-up to do just that. Founded in […]
Bounce Back
A decorating enterprise is giving ex-offenders a fresh lick of paint, discovers Ebony Ali. // Bounce back is a painting and decorating charity and social enterprise that helps ex-offenders get back on their feet having completed their sentence. The charity was set up in 2010 by Francesca Findlater as a means of giving back to […]
Bikeworks
Martin Kitara visits a 360-degree-spinning wheel of cycle goodness at a London social enterprise. // Bikeworks started trading in 2007 after being registered as a company in 2006. The founding partners Jim Blakemore and Zoe Portlock developed Bikeworks because they saw strong potential for the cycling to make a positive difference to the lives of […]
CoolTan Arts, Life After Richard
After the shocking death of volunteer Richard Muzira, Figen Gunes talks to founder Michelle Baharier about his impact and the role of volunteers in general.// In the middle of a new art exhibition called Hope sits a tribute book to CoolTan Arts volunteer Richard Muzira, who died aged 61 in a bike accident in […]
Crisis Skylight Cafe
Danielle Aumord dives into the training cafe at Crisis Skylight. // The London-based Crisis Skylight Cafe is perched on Commercial Street in the financial heart of the city. As you peer through the windows it looks cosy, and in stark contrast to many of the local eateries this is a cafe with a mission. “The café was […]
