3. What is a Social Care charity doing
setting up a catering company ?
4. Origins of Social Firm Idea
• Came from service users who wanted proper
training & employment opportunities
• Helps our vision become reality
• Helping promote training & employment
opportunities part of the strategic
development plan
• Exciting, interesting and innovative
5. Initial Observations
• There is a demand for Caribbean food
in our local area – Brixton
• Potential for contracts with local
authorities, health trusts for ‘welfare’
meals
• We have a good track record of
providing these services on small scale
• Because of multicultural nature of area
– people have adventurous palates !
6. What is a Social Firm ?
• Financially viable and sustainable
businesses..
• that trade in the market to fulfil social
aims,
– Such as employment creation or the
provision of quality local services.
7. Characteristics of a Social Firm ?
• are Enterprise orientated
• have Social Aims
• have Social Ownership
8. Feasibility Study
• Feasibility Study - In profit by year 2,
Turnover of £250k in year 2 rising to £400k by
year 3
• Providing training and employment for
– Manager/Chief Cook
– Cook
– 3 Catering Assistants
– Driver
– 4 Trainees
9. What have we achieved so far ?
• Selected as pilot project for Social Enterprise London
• Attracted £110k in funding
• Run a series of 3 service user ‘taster sessions’
• Employed 2 service users at public events
• Raised profile of our Social enterprise nationally
through Farming Today programme on Radio 4
• Working towards our first contract supplying 120
Caribbean meals to local Mental Health Trust – target
October 2004
