Case Studies

Councillor Graham Newman, portfolio holder for Adult and Community Services, said: “This is a win-win for everyone in Suffolk. By developing these enterprises as much more commercial businesses we are giving people with disabilities more fulfilling, more skilled paid employment and fitting some of them for mainstream jobs. We are helping to boost the local economy with niche or in-demand products and services, and we are saving the council-tax payers money. I urge all local business people and buyers in all organisations to look closely at what we can offer, and talk to us about developing new services.”

Whitehouse Enterprises in Ipswich is perhaps the leading commercial enterprise within Suffolk County Council, employing 67 people with disabilities, a high proportion of the total of people with disabilities working for the council. All road signs in Suffolk are now made there, with some signs on roads in Norfolk and Essex too. A large packaging contract for raisins at a supermarket is underway, and the “Created 4 you” catering service is just launched, specialising in buffets for all occasions.
www.whitehouseenterprises.org.uk.

Re-cycling of all sorts of waste products is big business, and several work and training projects run by Suffolk County Council re-cycle and sell everything from cans, to ink cartridges to cardboard to furniture. The Suffolk Scrap Store boasts they can recycle just about anything, and will point you in the direction of local recycling centres.
http://www.suffolkscrapstore.co.uk/

Suffolk County Council and our local partners are working to turn “sheltered workshops” which are almost entirely funded by the council, into “social enterprises” which employ people with learning disabilities and make substantial income from commercial contracts. The emphasis is also changing from having people working long-term, to train and prepare them to work in paid jobs at other companies and organisations. Whitehouse Enterprises found work in other companies for seven people in 2005, some of them supported in their new jobs.