Latest News 2008
Ben Bradshaw MP visits Pluss
Friday 21st November 2008
Pluss were pleased to welcome Ben Bradshaw, MP for Exeter and Minister for Health and Minister for the South West.
Mr Bradshaw met staff at Pluss' Exeter enterprises, and presented Martin Davies, Managing Director with our newly awarded Social Enterprise Mark.
Open Day invitation
Wednesday 5th November 2008
Pluss invites you to attend the Pluss Dragon Products in Plymouth are holding their Christmas open day on Wednesday 5th November, 10:30am to 6pm. This is an opportunity to meet the staff and service users, see the excellent work that goes on, and of course buy from the great range of handmade products. Visit us at Scott Business Park, Beacon Park Road, Plymouth, PL2 2PQ.
Pluss respond to consultation 'No one written off'
Wednesday 22nd October 2008
Pluss has sent its reponse to the Department for Work and Pensions Green Paper consultation 'No one written off: reforming welfare to reward responsibility', detailing our views on the welfare reform proposals.
Click to to view the full response (PDF)
Pluss attend Business South West Show
Thursday 16th and Friday 17th October 2008
Pluss were pleased to exhibit at this years Business South West Show, promoting our supported employment enterprises, including digital printing, engraving and wooden signs, embroidery.
Pluss attend BASE Conference
Wednesday 10th and Thursday 11th September 2008
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Pluss attended the annual conference of the British Association for Supported Employment (BASE) in Newcastle, and were please to hold a workshop on the delivery of Community Equipment Services through Social Enterprise.
Geoffrey Cox MP visits Pluss
Wednesday 30th July 2008
Geoffrey Cox, MP for Torridge and West Devon came to meet with Pluss staff and to see first hand the successes in supporting disabled people into work.
Mark Harper - Shadow Minister for Disabled People visits Pluss
Thursday 17th July 2008
Pluss were very pleased to welcome the shadow minister for disabled people, Mark Harper MP, to Pluss to talk to the staff and clients and see first hand the benefits that employment brings. During his tour, Mr Harper visited three sites in Plymouth. Mr Harper commented "The extra time that companies like Pluss spend investing in training people, identifying their skills and matching them to jobs works well. Employers are more likely to get the right people and very often this means that they will stay in a job longer, be committed and motivated".
Pluss attend Exeter Respect Festival
Saturday 12th July 2008
Pluss were pleased to take part in the Exeter Respect Festival this year, promoting equality and diversity. The weather held off well for the outdoor exhibition and many visitors were tempted to try out the equipment that was taken along.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions visits Pluss
Friday 11th July 2008
James Purnell, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions was welcomed to Pluss, where he was given a tour of some of our social enterprise businesses and work preparation units. Staff and clients talked with the Secretary of State, who saw first hand how Pluss is supporting disabled people into work. Mr Purnell said "I was please to see how local organisations ... are working to help people move back into work and improve their lives and those of their families".
Open Day at Pluss Dragon Products and Pluss WorkAble
Thurdsay 3rd July 2008
Pluss Dragon Products and Pluss WorkAble in Plymouth are holding their summer open day on Thursday 3rd July, 10am to 6pm. This is an opportunity to meet the staff and service users, see the excellent work that goes on, and of course buy from the great range of handmade products. Visit us at Scott Business Park, Beacon Park Road, Plymouth, PL2 2PQ.
Pluss exhibition at Welfare to Work UK Convention
Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th June 2008
Pluss attended and exhibited at the annual Welfare to Work UK Convention. This was a great opportunity to network with other providers and hear the latest developments and innovative ideas to get disadvantaged people back into work.
Click here to see more details of the Convention
Pluss launch new catalogues
June 2008
Pluss has launched two brand new product catalogues.
Comfort Zone has been specially created for our customers in the NHS & Primary Care Trusts.
Security Zone launches our complete range of products for the Police and Security services.
Pluss attend 'What Disability'
Friday 6th and Saturday 7th June 2008
Pluss attended the 'What Disability' Show at Exeter's Westpoint. The two day event aimed to encourage independent living and communication between individuals and industry professionals. Pluss also set up a n outdoor test track, allowing visitors to test ride some of the scooters on show.
Pluss sign up to Local Employment Partnership agreement
May 2008
Pluss have just signed up to Jobcentre Plus' new Local Employment Partnership agreement. This new scheme is designed to encourage people away from dependency on welfare benefits and into work.
By signing up, Pluss as an employer, is committing to a varieyty of things including work trials, pre-employment training, guaranteed interviews and flexible working - all designed to reduce barriers for people who have difficulty in finding work.
Pluss have also offered to work with Jobcentre Plus to help other employers fulfil their pledges.
Pluss in Bristol
Thursday 1st May 2008
Pluss are pleased to announce that we have extended our Workstep provision into Bristol. Pluss has negotiated a contract with RBLI (Royal British Legion Industries) to transfer the existing Workstep provision (initally through subcontract arrangements) to Pluss from 1st May. Pluss welcome the new staff and clientsand look forward to working closely together.
Pluss attend Jobs and Skills Festival
Thursday 1st May 2008
Pluss attended the Devonport Jobs and Skills Festival, held by DRC Partnership, promoting employment, training, advice and guidance to people in Plymouth. This was a great opportunity to meet people in the heart of the community, and work alongside organisations such as Jobcentre Plus and local colleges.
Nick Harvey MP visits Pluss at Barnstaple
Friday 11th April 2008
We were very pleased to welcome Nick Harvey, MP for North Devon, to our services in Barnstaple. a great opportunity to meet staff and see how Pluss helps disabled people into work.
Read the press release (PDF)
Adrian Sanders MP visits Pluss at Torbay
Friday 4th April 2008
We were very pleased to welcome Adrian Sanders, MP for Torbay, to our manufacturing and employment training sites in Paignton, we he was able to see first hand how Pluss helps hundreds of disabled people in Torbay into work.
Read the press release (PDF)
Pluss sign Skills Pledge at House of Commons
Tuesday 18th March 2008
Martin Davies, Managing Director of Pluss attended the event held by ERSA (Employment Related Services Association). As a member of ERSA, Pluss took part in a mass sign up of the Skills Pledge at the House of Commons. The event was attended by Stephen Timms, Minister of State for Employment and Welfare Reform.
The Skills Pledge, launched in June 2007 by the Prime Minister Gordon Brown, is a voluntary commitment from an employer to commit to support all their employees to develop basic literacy and numeracy skills and work towards a full level 2 qualification equivalent to five GCSEs A* to C. ERSA believes that staying, and advancing, in work is as important as finding work and that the Skills Pledge is key to achieving this.
Pluss respond to Government consultation on specialist disability employment services
Friday 7th March 2008
Pluss has sent its reponse to the Department for Work and Pensions consultation 'Helping people achieve their full potential: Improving Specialist Disbility Employment Services', detailing our views on the proposals to improve future provision for disability employment services.
Click here to view the full response (PDF)
Department for Transport and the Third Sector event
Friday 29th February 2008
Pluss attended the event looking at the Highways Agency procurement process, and how they are keen to work with the third sector. The event was to understand existing barriers and how to remove them.
Pluss meet with Anne McGuire, Minister for disabled people
Wednesday 27th February 2008
Martin Daves, Managing Director of Pluss, and Vice Chair of BASE (British Association for Supported Employment) met with Anne McGuire to discuss the implications of 'Improving Disability Employment Services' consultation and the new Department for Work and Pensions commissioning strategy. These discussions included: the implications of the DWP commissioning strategy and how it affects Specialist Disability Employment provision; the need to improve and modernise 'supported business provision' and the safeguards needed; referral routes onto the proposed new Specialist Disability Employment programme to ensure that they reach the individuals furthest from the labour market.
Pluss chair consultation event
Thursday 21st February 2008
Martin Davies, Managing Director of Pluss chaired a consultation event at Loughborough University for Trade Unions and management of supported businesses on the Governments proposals for Improving Specialist Disability employment services. The event included a live web link to Westminster that allowed the Minister Anne McGuire to participate in a question and answer session.
Pluss recieve Star Social Firm Award
Tuesday 5th February 2008
Pluss is among five outstanding organisations in the UK to be officially awarded a special status for the quality of their business and the employment they provide for severely disadvantaged people. Pluss received the new Star Social Firm award for creating rewarding jobs within a market-led business for people who would otherwise have substantial problems finding employment.
Read the press release (PDF)
Why Zaid is a model employee
Friday 11th January 2008
Modelling Pluss' products is all in a day's work for Zaid Hoosein.
Along with three other colleagues, Zaid, 41, who is profoundly deaf and communicates by lip reading and sign language, stars in the new advertising and promotion campaign for Pluss Personalised Corporate and Leisure Wear. The advertisements are appearing in the Herald Express and other local newspapers this month. The photographs of staff also feature on leaflets and exhibition stands.
Read the press release (PDF)