Cooperatives NorthWest

Design Fund for Growth – up to £20,000 available

The Design Fund for Growth has been established by the Design Council to support the use of design for economic growth. The aim is to create or strengthen programmes run by intermediary organisations that improve understanding between design, business and technology and leave behind lasting legacies.

Each successful partner organisation will receive up to £20,000 in funding to plan, promote and run their proposed activity and also to build on its success thereafter. Projects must take place between October 2011 and March 2012. The deadline for organisations to apply is 5pm on Friday 2 September. Visit our website for more details.

CNW offers free business support for North West co-operatives

We are delighted to announce that free business consultancy is available between August 2011 and the end of March 2012. We are offering two days of free, direct, tailored consultancy available to five co-ops. To check eligibility or for more information visit our website. You can also contact our project manager Barbara Davidson on 0170 681 2699 or barbara@cooperatives-nw.coop

Right to Run Event

9-5pm, 8 September, Blackburne House, Blackburne Place, Off Hope Street, Liverpool L8 7PE
‘The Right to Run’ is a one day event designed to provide practical support to public sector employees looking to create social enterprises and mutuals through spinning out existing services. The government has committed to giving public service employees the right to take over and run their services as social enterprise and mutual spin-outs.

Each delegate will come away with the following:

** A detailed route map for the journey involved in becoming a social enterprise

** Guidance and advice on how to overcome some of the challenges you will face

** The opportunity to learn from organisations that have already gone through the process of becoming a social enterprise

** The opportunity to meet and work with people facing similar challenges

** Sessions tailored to each organisation’s level of knowledge on social enterprise

** Connections to the people who can support you going forward

Visit the Social Enterprise UK website for more details and bookings.

Leading procurement event for health sector

13 September, Manchester Conference Centre
Delegate places are going very fast at this years Procurement in the NHS conference and exhibition. Now in its third successful year 'Procurement in the NHS' has established itself as the leading procurement event for the health sector in the UK.

As there are major ongoing changes taking place within the health procurement sector, will you or any of your colleagues be available to attend the conference as delegates this year? Register today to avoid disappointment, visit our website for more details.

Three job opportunities available with multicultural support centre

Sahir House is the multicultural support and information centre for people living with and affected by HIV on Merseyside. Sahir House has successfully secured a grant from The Big Lottery Fund and is now recruiting for the following three posts: two Outreach Support Workers and one Research and Monitoring Administrator. Application deadline is 5pm Friday 19 August. Visit the Sahir House website for more information.

Job & investment opportunity with design agency

Brava Design is an award-winning, innovative design agency and social enterprise based in Liverpool’s Georgian Quarter. Brava offers this invitation as an opportunity to talk to entrepreneurial investors to open negotiations and to explore options around the transfer of the business on a profit/risk sharing basis. Application deadline is Monday 22 August. Visit our website for more details.

Workshops for developing & growing social enterprises

Wednesday 21 September, 9:30am – 12:30pm
Basic bid writing: this workshop is aimed at established social enterprises who need a little bit of extra support to develop their bid writing skills.

Tuesday 27 September, 9:15am – 12:30pm
This workshop is a step by step approach to developing appropriate procedures which will make your social enterprise stronger and ready to apply for funding and tender for contracts.

Blue Orchid, 4th floor, Arthur House, Chorlton St, Manchester M13FH
Contact Isabel Farcuhar at Singulier: 07533 605 706 or action@singulier.co.uk

CNW Networking Event, Trade Show, and 'Green Energy Initiatives' Seminar

12 noon – 4pm, 25 October, Kuumba Imani, Millennium Centre, 4 Princes Road, Liverpool L8 1TH
This event is primarily designed to encourage supply chains and trading activity between co-operatives and social enterprises in the North West. Delegates will have the opportunity to meet potential customers and suppliers in an informal networking environment. Individual tables will be available for exhibiting products and services or promotional materials and small pop-up stands can be accommodated if required.

The afternoon seminar, presented by Sustainable Change Co-operative will help businesses and others better understand what sustainability means for them, and turn words into meaningful, practical action.

Lunch and refreshments are including in the booking price; discounted rates for members and early bookings, free places are available as well. Visit our website for full programme and booking details.

Liverpool-region recycling social enterprise wins national award

Elixir Group has picked up the prize for Materials Recycler of the Year at the National Recycling Awards, held at the London Hilton. The best recycling and waste management achievements in the UK were recognised at this year’s prestigious awards. Elixir Group works with housing associations and suppliers on recycling old window frames and doors to make new products and cut down on rubbish sent to landfill. It also provides employment opportunities for people from disadvantaged areas and background, such as people recovering from drug addiction, ex-offenders and the long-term unemployed. Read more in the Liverpool Daily Post.

Social enterprises create more jobs, especially in poor communities

Research has uncovered a ‘start-up explosion’ in Britain’s most deprived communities, as a flurry of new businesses with a social or environmental mission have started trading, particularly in Britain's poorest communities. According to new research by Social Enterprise UK, three times as many social enterprises operate in the poorest areas compared with mainstream small businesses.

The research claims that social enterprises have more diversity in their leadership teams, create more jobs relative to turnover than mainstream businesses, and 82% reinvest their profits in their local community. Read more on this story.

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Co-operatives North West is funded by trading income, the Co-operative Enterprise Hub, Social Enterprise North West and your donations. If you wish to know more about how to donate, please contact mick@cooperatives-nw.coop