Monthly Archives: March 2010

Tories hint at tax breaks for social investment

In the run-up to the election there have been lots of promises from political parties about what they will do to improve the lot of social enterprises. This week Nick Hurd, shadow charities minister, suggested the Conservatives were thinking of using tax breaks to boost the social investment market. If this is the case, it… Read more »

Smith, Hurd and Willott were given an easy ride at the volunteering hustings

At university we had hustings to help students decide which of their peers they should elect to represent them on their college’s governing body.  They were heated events. We crammed a hundred or so people into a small room, gave the candidates a good grilling and scrutinised every word they said, throwing back difficult questions… Read more »

Cooperatives are enjoying a moment

Once charities were seen as the magic bullet for public service reform. But now their place seems to have been usurped by another part of the third sector: cooperatives.   Last month, Shadow Chancellor George Osborne promised to free public sector staff to form employee-led “John Lewis” style co-operatives and sell their services back to… Read more »

Parkinson’s UK’s online woes show charities are still struggling with social media

Charities are still floundering with social media. A robust debate that broke out last month on the Parkinson’s UK website forums among its feisty and outspoken members proves the point. Many of them are expressing dissatisfaction about the charity in more than 230 posts on its public-facing website, and it’s clearly causing embarrassment because chief… Read more »