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Loaf — a new social enterprise in Brum

October 30, 2009
by Alun Severn
3 Comments
Loaf is a new social enterprise in Birmingham — and appropriately enough is the brainchild of…Tom Baker (no, you couldn’t make it up), NHS dietician, cook, baker, advocate of real food, artisan produce, local produce etc. As well as knowing how to build and fire a traditio
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Crisis pioneers SROI-based ‘share offer’ in new Skylight Centres — a model for others pursuing philanthropic investment?

October 22, 2009
by Alun Severn
0 Comment
Crisis, the homelessness charity, is currently promoting accredited education, training and employment centres called Crisis Skylight Services. The charity already has Skylight Centres in London and Newcastle and is planning a new Skylight development in Birmingham, where it has alrea
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Social enterprise slot machines?

October 14, 2009
by Alun Severn
1 Comment
There’s a fascinating and thought-provoking article in today’s Guardian Society about a social business that has turned to gaming and bars to offer jobs to the hard to employ in great Yarmouth. Hospitality and Grow is a partnership venture between Towering Leisure —
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Live from the Social Enterprise World Forum — Day 3

October 09, 2009
by Alun Severn
2 Comments
Another excellent day! I am never sure about study tours – over the years I seem to have visited many social enterprises which are in reality projects and bear little resemblance to anything enterprising! Top of my list of things to do was to visit the Bonsai Social Firm – famous beca
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Live from the Social Enterprise World Forum — Day 2

October 08, 2009
by Alun Severn
1 Comment
Let me tell you a joke I heard today: How many social entrepreneurs does it take to change a light bulb? 15: 2 for feasibility; 5 board members; 3 bid/tender writing; 3 delivering services; 2 to evaluate. I thought this was quite funny! The themes for today were ‘pathways to success’
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Live from the Social Enterprise World Forum — Day 1

October 07, 2009
by Alun Severn
0 Comment
Well what can I say – what an amazing day! The key themes to start the conference were ‘new markets, employment and sustainability’ three absolutely key issues for the growth of the sector. The first session kicked off with a well known TV presenter interviewing a panel collected from
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Live from the Social Enterprise World Forum — Melbourne 2009

October 07, 2009
by Alun Severn
0 Comment
I’m writing from the Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) 2009 in Melbourne right after the opening ceremony on Tuesday 6th October. I arrived late Monday evening (5th Oct) having travelled for about 24 hours via Heathrow and Bangkok. I was very lucky to meet Gerry Higgins (CEO
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Lessons from ‘the end of journalism’

October 06, 2009
by Alun Severn
0 Comment
The following may seem an awful long way off-topic, but I don’t think it is. The adaptation, evolution and sometimes the demise of business models is central to social enterprise and indeed to all kinds of enterprise. I have been following a fascinating discussion on the Digital
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