BUSINESS BIO

Where is the enterprise based? Ludlow, Shropshire

Key business markets: Reuse, recycling, employment, training

Annual turnover: £440,000

% of turnover which is trading income (as opposed to grants): 70%

Number of employees: 17 soon rising to 20

www.furniturescheme.co.uk

ambassadors

Jean Jarvis

Jean Jarvis
  • South Shropshire Furniture Scheme

  • CEO

  • Shropshire

Jean Jarvis is one of several ambassadors who have grabbed hold of their benevolent streak and made a jump from a managerial job in the private sector into social enterprise

"In the early 90s I noticed a position available on a project to develop a local CVS (Community and Voluntary Service)," says Social Enterprise Ambassador Jean Jarvis. "It really appealed to me."

She soon found herself helping to set up an organisation called the South Shropshire Furniture Scheme (SSFS), which began as a charity with a £1,500 grant. Now, Jean is chief executive of a social enterprise turning over more than £400,000, thanks to a range of initiatives to put the organisation on a sustainable footing.

SSFS collects unwanted furniture and household items and refurbishes them for vulnerable people on low incomes, under contract to public and private sector organisations.

SSFS provides a range of services and training through its different social enterprise activities, including furniture restoration, computer refurbishment, craft workshop, cafe, a number of retail outlets.

They offer extensive training and volunteering opportunities in a range of skills - including food hygiene, communication skills, customer service, teamwork, computer recycling, crafts, woodwork, warehousing, and health and safety - to help vulnerable people develop their confidence and skills.

One such person is young father John Jones. John, 21, and his partner were living with his parents after their baby was born, when they were offered unfurnished accommodation.

"The housing people mentioned SSFS," says John. "I couldn’t believe something like that existed. They sorted us out with everything – sofa, fridge, wardrobe, bedside table. Then I heard about the computer recycling course, so I took that.

"I'm now working almost full time at SSFS doing all sorts of jobs. I had a bit of trouble in my old town, which knocked my confidence, but now I’ve really found my feet."

Since 1994 more than 22,000 people have donated household items, and around 3,500 families and individuals have received help from the furniture scheme.

South Shropshire Furniture Scheme has been brilliant in distributing furniture to households in need

Thousands of people – especially those leaving care, coming out of prison or leaving a violent relationship – are helped by SSFS each year.

Income is raised in numerous ways – through SSFS’s bookshop, cafe, warehouse (which is open to the public), and selling high quality, imaginatively rejuvenated items at the organisation’s Renaissance Centre and through their ‘R’ Shop in Church Stretton.

Although grants helped the enterprise get going, its good work is increasingly financed by contracts.

These include agreements with West Mercia Probation Trust and waste management company Veolia Environmental Services (VES). Veolia operates the area’s bulky waste collection service for Shropshire Waste Partnership, and subcontracted to SSFS in 2008.

"Veolia took us on half way through a three-month pilot because we were so good at what we did" says Jean.

The organisation also holds a three-year service level agreement with South Shropshire District Council. The council has seen that the service delivered by SSFS meets multiple objectives and this has led to other areas of work.

In summer 2007, for example, Shropshire was hit by severe flooding. Bill Jones, director of community and environment, invited Jean onto a crisis management panel.

SSFS became a design and delivery partner in managing the flood response, and helped many families at a time of considerable difficulty.

Jones says: "Many people had lost all their furniture and fittings. The council was able to provide small grants but that could not cover the cost of refitting the entire lower floor of a home. South Shropshire Furniture Scheme has been brilliant in distributing furniture to households in need."

On a personal level, Jean is keen to influence thinking and policy in social enterprise and gives advice through bodies such as Social Enterprise West Midlands. Recently, the team has been celebrating a Big Lottery award of £441,000, through which SSFS will act as a showcase social enterprise leading a project to help local charities and groups working with disadvantaged people to become more financially robust.

Quick Facts

  • With £441,000 Big Lottery funding awarded in June 2009, SSFS aims to help 1,600 Shropshire charities and groups working with disadvantaged people learn from the social enterprise model to become sustainable in the next three years.
  • Since 1994 more than 22,000 people have donated household items, and around 3,500 families and individuals have received help from the furniture scheme.
  • In 2008, SSFS supported 420 families and individuals with its services.

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