Recruiter past charity Aspire gets funding for ‘Funky Furniture’

Oxford-based social enterprise Aspire Oxfordshire, Recruiter’s charity of choice for 2012-13, received a significant boost last Thursday (16 May), winning funding from the general public for its furniture upcycling project ‘Funky Furniture’.
Wed, 22 May 2013

The employability hopes of citizens of Oxford with an irregular employment background received a boost last week (16 May), as social enterprise Aspire Oxfordshire, the 2012-13 Recruiter charity of choice, won funding from the public for its ‘Funky Furniture’ upcycling project.

Aspire works with people with an irregular employment background, giving them practical work experience and the opportunity to build skills. In 2011, 62% of ‘trainees’ had a recent criminal history and 75% had a history of substance misuse. Of these, 94% did not re-offend, while 87% of those with previous substance misuse maintained their recovery.

Attendees of The Funding Network’s Oxford Gives event gave the project £5,600. The money will be used to buy workbenches, tools and equipment for the project, which sees trainees salvage, renovate and sell used furniture.

At the Dragons Den-style event, Aspire chief executive officer Rick Mower said: “We know we save the public purse a ton of money each year” – a conservative estimate being £1m.

FINANCIALS: Empresaria reveals fall in profits, but Offshore Services delivers growth

Empresaria’s Offshore Services operations proved to be the shining light in the company’s fortunes in 2023, according to the global specialist staffing group’s annual results.

Financials 27 March 2024

Gi Group trains mental health first aiders to support staff wellbeing

HR and specialist recruiter Gi Group plans to train around 100 mental health first aiders (MHFAs) across the business.

27 March 2024

Recommendations for better integration to support refugees into work

The current integration of refugees system is “broken, expensive, inefficient and damaging” for both refugees and the UK, according to the chair of the Commission on the Integration of Refugees.

Legislation 26 March 2024

HMRC employment tool CEST not updated in five years

The underlying decision engine of HM Revenue & Customs’ Check Employment Status for Tax (CEST) tool has not been updated in five years.

26 March 2024
Top