If you are running, or thinking of setting up a social enterprise scheme, you need to know about ROSE. Rural Opportunities for Social Enterprise or ROSE, is reaching out to all social enterprises or ‘not for profit’ businesses with a social purpose, that operate across Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes.
Maybe you are already running a sports club which needs some commercial input and direction? Perhaps you are setting up a village shop which will be run by local volunteers, or the community crèche needs to find new premises. Maybe there’s the potential for something much bigger – they did it in Cornwall, with the famous Eden Project!
Research shows that there are at least 55,000 social enterprises in the UK with a combined turnover of £27 billion per year, which contributes £8.4 billion per year to the UK economy. Social enterprises promote positive social and environmental change within local communities and are a buoyant market sector.
Business Link, Buckinghamshire Community Action and the Bucks and Milton Keynes Social Enterprise Network (BMKSEN) have teamed up to form an innovative partnership, and are currently offering one to one advice to anyone who is currently running a social enterprise or wishes to set one up in the rural areas of Milton Keynes and Buckinghamshire.
ROSE will work with a variety of specialist organisations operating locally who can offer their various expertise in collaboration with each other, to provide the best possible advice and support for social enterprise. Specialists include Business Link, VIRSA, external private consultants, and the BMKSEN network itself. As Heather Dean, from Business Link Solutions explains: “The funding proposed allows for 26 pre-start or existing social enterprises to be given support. The support available to these enterprises will come from either VIRSA for rural retail social enterprises, or from existing Social Enterprise Advisers.”
“It is anticipated that each of the beneficiary enterprises will be able to have as a minimum an initial visit followed by a half day of intensive support, followed by up to two follow-up support phone calls. Additional advice after the programme has finished can be provided by Business Link in the normal way.”
“This is a fantastic opportunity for you to access advice and support from trained specialists in the field. The support available, is free” concluded Heather.
The Business Support package is available until March 2008. Subject to availability.
To find out more call the project manager, Bridgett Wythe on 01908 566438 or email bridget@wyeford.org.uk