Working in the print room: Steven working on the laminator

Burwell Community Print Centre Ltd is a busy printing and print finishing centre. It was established 13 years ago, and we are a well-used and respected community resource.

How to contact or visit us >

It is a registered charity, a company limited by guarantee, and a Social Training Enterprise - defined by Social Firms UK as a "business that trades for a social purpose".

Working in the print room: Ben entering a customer's details into the job book

We work alongside people with learning disabilities, including some people who also have physical and/or sensory impairment. Twenty-four people are registered with us, aged 19 to 62, and attend one or two days each week.

Find out more about training and work experience >

We have a dynamic staff team of eight, mostly part-time, which includes four support workers, a finance administrator, a design and layout person and her assistant, and a manager.

We have an active and involved Board of Trustees that meet with us regularly as a full committee and also work in our sub-groups.

For more information about some of our activities, and to get a flavour of what life at the Print Centre is like, take a look at our latest newsletter.

To promote independence and increase self-esteem for adults with learning disabilities in a stimulating working environment, while providing quality community printing and related services.

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Mark and Ashley in the training room doing their project work

To provide a base for vocational training and work experience within a sheltered working environment, providing a service that recognises individuals' needs and aspirations

Find out more about training and work experience >

To promote self-advocacy within the organisation where all can be fully and actively involved in every aspect of its operation

To run a quality community print service

Find out more about our printing services >

To raise awareness within the local community of the potential of people with learning disabilities

To assist and enable individuals to access employment services

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The Printers

Twenty-four people attend Burwell Community Print for community-based work experience and training and usually come for one or two days each week. Printers get involved in all aspects of running the Print Centre, including working at reception, printing, print finishing, customer service, stock control, office duties and doing some DIY jobs to keep the Print Centre in good repair.

Printers hold their own meetings, and have two representatives who attend the quarterly Management Committee Meetings with trustees and staff. Also, to keep up to date with local and national issues and campaigns, they elect a member to represent them at the Speaking Up Parliament.

Knocking up magazine pages into neat stacks ready for the collator

A few comments from our printers:

"I like working on the Risograph and collator"
- Geoff
"My favourite job is folding and putting stuff in boxes"
- Steven
"I want to learn how to use the till"
- Mark
"I like doing Project work and using the computers"
- Anna
"I like coming here and learning. Teamwork is important"
- Mark
"I like helping people"
- Margaret

Burwell Community Print Board of Trustees

David Martin	Chair
Valerie Leake	Vice Chair
Tony Estall	Treasurer
David Martin	Director
Valerie Leake	Director
Hazel Williams
Martin Ley

Staff team

Jim Wilcox	Support Worker
Vikki Turner	Support Worker
Jane Sulch	Support Worker
Chris O'Neill	Support Worker
Vaughan Allanson	Design and Layout
Jonathan Rogers	Design and Layout Assistant
Baerbel Lodge	Finance Administrator
Sue Anderson	Manager

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As a Social Training Enterprise we work to attract a diverse range of funding. We set targets each year within our budget for income generated by our printing business, grants from local authorities, training fees, fund-raising and donations.

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As well as organisations that help to fund Burwell Community Print, the Print Centre is supported by many others that help us to meet our varied objectives. These include:

Cambridge Council for Voluntary Service
Cambridgeshire Acre
Cambridgeshire Business Link
Connexions
East Cambridgeshire Council for Voluntary Service
Enterprise Fenland
Job Centre Plus
Papworth Trust
Phoenix Employ
Social Training Enterprise People

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We receive referrals from Cambridgeshire Social Services, parents and other carers, Cambridge Regional College, other Social Training Enterprises, and people can also self-refer.

Find out more about training and work experience >

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Funders

Todd, one of our volunteers, and Peter preparing the paper stacks for the collator

Learning Disability Partnership, Cambridgeshire County Council: www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk
Cambridge Regional College: www.camre.ac.uk
East Cambs District Council: www.eastcambs.gov.uk