Member updates

Multi-sport facility to transform social sports provision with basketball, netball, futsal, volleyball, pickleball, badminton and more to boost community health and wellbeing Leyton's Score Centre was officially opened on Thursday 28 November in a ribbon cutting ceremony celebrated with the local community. On a tour of the facilities, Waltham Forest CEO Linzi Roberts Egan, Council Leader Grace Williams, Cllr Ahsan Khan Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration, Cllr Kizzy Gardiner Cabinet Member for Children and Young People and GLL CEO Peter Bundey were joined by James Lidgate, Managing Director for Taylor Wimpey London and VIP athlete Ex-Saracens Rugy Player Sonia 'Sonic' Green at the borough's most significant leisure opening in years.  The Score Centre's large capacity means it will have a 'transformative effect' on social sports in the borough - allowing many more clubs and teams to have fun, socialise, get active or compete in tournaments. Located next to Leyton Orient Football Club at 2, Coronation Square E10 5UN,  Waltham Forest Council's investment in the Score Centre provides a brand new sports facility, with courts that the local community can book up to 7 days in advance. Containing five basketball / netball / volleyball / handball  / futsal courts (which can be reconfigured as 20 badminton courts or in multiple permutations to provide for exhibition and tournament events for different sports), The Score Centre is one of the largest new sports halls in the country and will operate at a player capacity of 100, a spectator capacity of 500 and will create additional local employment and sporting opportunity. There are also two studios for Pilates, Yoga, Zumba and more - plus two community rooms available for hire, alongside associated offices.  Better - the trading name of not-for-profit charitable social enterprise GLL - is managing the facility - alongside 7 other borough centres, in partnership with Waltham Forest Council.  Speaking at Thursday's event, GLL's CEO Peter Bundey said:  "As a charitable social enterprise and staff-owned co-op, our mission is to enhance community health and wellbeing through making facilities and programmes accessible for all.  "This aligns strongly with Waltham Forest Council's public health agenda and its wish to see residents improve their health and reduce health inequalities across generations and cultures. "Waltham Forest has a deserved reputation for producing household name athletes who have honed their winning talents in the borough's great public leisure facilities. "So we are delighted to have added the fantastic new Score Centre to our portfolio of centres we manage and operate across London and can't wait to see which future sports stars call it 'home'." Cllr Ahsan Khan, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Housing and Regeneration said: "It’s been an absolute pleasure to be here today and celebrate the opening of The New Score Centre with our partners and the local community. ‘’It’s a facility that defines a clear example of what top quality sports centres look like, one that allows us to serve our residents by giving them the opportunity to access good fitness facilities, breaking down health inequalities in the borough. ‘’The energy and excitement here today reminds us just how important spaces like this are, not just for physical fitness but also for fostering connections, building confidence and strengthening our community. ‘’I have no doubt that it will inspire many of us to lead healthier, and more active lives.’’ Sports governing bodies that are partnering in the initiative include England Handball, London Pulse (Netball), London Galaxy (Futsal) Essex Netball, Leyton Orient Trust, Metro Blind (Disability Football). The Score Centre is part of Taylor Wimpey's Coronation Square Development - a vibrant public space and new destination for Leyton Town Centre and a hub for creativity, leisure, sports and culture. Laurent Plopeanu, Project Director for Taylor Wimpey London, said: "We are delighted that the new Score Centre is open to the public and being used by a wide range of local residents. "We have worked collaboratively with the London Borough of Waltham Forest to deliver this state-of-the-art new facility for Leyton. Featuring fitness studios, community rooms, offices, and an incredible five basketball courts that can also accommodate 20 badminton courts, this space is truly versatile."Our aim is for the new Score Centre to act as a hub for the community that allows people to meet, get active and take part in a wide range of sports that they may otherwise not have been able to." Dignitaries also visited the 120 capacity Nappy Gang nursery co-located at the site and toured the facilities to speak to staff and meet the little ones - who helped cut the ribbon on their new facility. The Score Centre boasts an Active Reality zone.  A gym and cafe concession will be added to the facility from early 2025 - completing the destination offer.  https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/london/waltham-forest/score-leisure-centre

This holiday season, discover a gift that embodies luxury, social purpose, and sustainability with Amplify Goods' new Solidarity Gentle Exfoliating Bar Soap. Crafted for conscious consumers who want to make a meaningful impact with each purchase, the Solidarity Bar Soap is designed to nurture individually and collectively. The Solidarity Bar Soap isn’t just a washroom essential; it’s a gift that gives people and packaging a second chance. Each bar is carefully packaged at our base within Crisis’ warehouse, creating living wage paid work experience for people facing diverse barriers to work, including those experiencing homelessness. Our bar packaging also opens up to create a bookmark, by tearing along the inbuilt perforation. Each case of 175 soaps provides two hours of vital work experience, empowering individuals with the skills and confidence to (re)enter the workforce. When bought in bulk, the packaging process uses repurposed materials like newspaper offcuts and reused cardboard boxes to keep waste at an absolute minimum, embodying our commitment to reducing carbon and creating circular-enabled products. The Solidarity Bar Soap brings a premium feel to your routine with a blend of natural ingredients: 96%+ Naturally Derived Ingredients: Carefully selected to provide a nourishing and gentle cleanse, suitable for all skin types. 100% Vegan & Cruelty-Free: Certified by The Vegan Society, ensuring zero animal testing. Upcycled Olive Stone Granules: Offering a gentle exfoliation, this eco-friendly feature repurposes olive stones to reduce waste. Infused with 100% Essential Oils: Natural fragrances with orange and herbal notes. Plastic-Free Packaging: Our packaging is as mindful as our ingredients, designed to reduce environmental impact without compromising on quality. Each individual soap box can be repurposed into a bookmark, giving it a second chance of life. Amplify Goods Co-Founder Camilla Marcus-Dew, says: “Soap without compromise, I‘m so proud to launch this! Long ago, I used to have products in 1000 supermarkets doing good, and it’s exciting to bring something back to market that we know, at scale will do SUCH great things – let's make sure more products put people and planet first, and where better to buy this year that Crisis, ensuring all profit are used for good.” With an RRP of £3.75 per bar and also available in bulk orders, the Solidarity Bar Soap makes a meaningful and affordable addition to holiday hampers, stocking fillers, or corporate gifting. It’s a beautiful, socially impactful way to spread the spirit of giving this holiday season. For more information, contact us at hello@amplifygoods.org Shop Solidarity Bar Soaps on the Crisis store: https://shopfromcrisis.org.uk/products/solidarity-soap

Community Dental Services CIC (CDS) has staged three days of action to address the crisis in children’s dental care – specifically to address the “Covid Generation” of children who have never seen a dentist, or whose continuity of dental care has been severely impacted by Covid.  Working with commissioners, CDS identified where care would have most impact e.g. looked after children; and saw over 200 children across specific CDS clinics in Bedfordshire, Norfolk and the Colchester area of Essex.  The CDS team made up of hygienists; therapists; as well as senior clinical staff in management roles who donned their uniforms to provide care; and students with CDS on training placements, worked additional hours to provide the “screen and intervene” initiative.  Children received a check-up, on the spot presentative treatments and, if required, were then referred for treatment in general dental practice with any children CDS recognised as needing their specialist care being triaged into their own services.  The day, supported with materials/consumables and toothbrushing packs by the Henry Schein Dental Group’s “Give Kids A Smile” programme also saw the CDS oral health teams in attendance to share valuable prevention advice to raise families’ awareness of how to care for their children’s oral health longer term.  Glen Taylor, CDS Chief Operating Officer said: “We are very aware that there is a whole “Covid Generation” of children who have never had the opportunity to see a dentist. This means children are not being routinely seen to address dental problems at an early stage and they are not being acclimatised to the dental environment from a young age, leading to greater levels of anxiety. Many of these children are being referred for treatment in our community dental services with high dental need and severe anxiety often requiring treatment under sedation or in hospital with general anaesthetic. Families are also often not getting preventative oral health information. This initiative has enabled us to see a large number of children in a short space of time and we are pleased to have partnered with the Henry Schein Cares Foundation and our colleagues in general practice at Colosseum Dental to deliver an effective screen and intervene initiative.”   About CDS  Community Dental Services CIC (CDS) is a 100% employee-owned social enterprise providing community dental services to the NHS and oral health improvement programmes throughout Bedfordshire, Derbyshire, Essex, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk & Waveney, Nottinghamshire and Oxfordshire.   - Together we will enable our communities to enjoy a better quality of life -  communitydentalservices.co.uk 

To mark Social Enterprise Day (Thursday 21 November) LNER announced a new partnership which will bring life-changing biscuits to the London King’s Cross First Class Lounge. The special snacks have been handcrafted by talented bakers at Half the Story, a social enterprise formed by two charities working together to provide employment and help tackle homelessness. Grace Enterprises and Green Pastures set up Half the Story to offer meaningful job opportunities to people who have experienced barriers to work, such as homelessness and addiction. By providing a Real Living Wage, stable hours and mentoring support, employees can take control of their future and start to move forward in their lives. Thanks to the new relationship with LNER, eight new part-time roles have been created to produce the tasty provisions for the King’s Cross First Class Lounge. Speaking about the impact of Half the Story, Baker Anthony said: “Half the Story has changed my life. I’d experienced homelessness and addiction problems and found holding down a job difficult. But Half the Story has not only given me a job, they’ve provided real and useful support which has enabled me to break away from addiction and live independently. They’ve set me free, and I can’t thank them enough.” Richard Judge, Head of Customer Experience at LNER, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to offer Half the Story biscuits to our customers. Not only are they delicious, but every bite also makes a real difference to someone's life. We're really excited to be working with Half the Story, helping to offer positive employment opportunities." About Half the Story Half the Story is a joint venture between two charities: Grace Enterprises and Green Pastures. Working together they have started Half the Story to multiply their impact and make an even greater difference in the lives of those people they’re called to help. Half the Story is a social enterprise employing people facing major barriers to work, including homelessness. The whole team is paid the Real Living Wage, and everyone is offered holistic support and mentoring. About LNER  LNER is on a mission to transform rail travel. Our new modern Azuma fleet of trains continue more than a hundred years of LNER tradition - setting new, higher standards in comfort, reliability and customer experience. LNER calls at more than 50 stations along almost a thousand miles on the East Coast route, including major towns and cities between London, the East Midlands, Yorkshire, the North East of England and Scotland.   

Makerspaces in Liverpool that bring creativity to communities and provide hubs for budding artisans and entrepreneurs to flourish in business has become the first beneficiary of a brand new social investment fund ringfenced for the Liverpool City Region. Livv Housing Group, a social-impact focussed housing association based in Knowsley, has launched Livv and Flourish, a significant social investment fund with £4.25 million of support in the form of blended finance available for social enterprise and charities across the Liverpool City Region over the next three years. The fund’s first social investment of £175,000 is set to ‘make’ a meaningful difference to a purpose-driven social enterprise that works across the region. Make, a Community Interest Company set up in 2012, unites and enriches communities through creativity, art and culture at its makerspaces that create places for makers and artisans to turn their passions into prosperity. Making social impact that matters Make CIC applied to the Livv and Flourish fund to support the development of their new premises in Birkenhead, helping to ensure the overall sustainability of the organisation and enabling its network of makers hubs to increase social impact. The social investment from Livv includes a blend of finance, a loan of £150,000 and a grant of £25k, funding that’s helping to make a difference to Make’s residents in turn, creating opportunities to support their livelihoods. That’s residents like Agnieszka, Paul and Cathy’s creative and entrepreneurial endeavours, real life stories, with chapters marking opportunity, collaboration and growth, working out of Make’s Huyton Village location. Budding entrepreneur Agnieszka Holubik opened Once Upon a Plant in May this year, the perfect place for her business to be located in to be part of her local community - and a home for opportunity and ambition to grow with her plant merchant and lifestyle brand business start-up. Sweet entrepreneur Paul Doyle had the idea for his business in the pandemic, starting out in his spare room at home. His vegan-friendly personalised gummy and jelly sweet pouch business has grown from spare room start-up to market scale-up with his venture The Tuck Shop UK. Animator and illustrator Cath Garvey saw the perfect ‘blank canvas’ for her creative business at Make - at the same time as being a place to enjoy working alongside other artisans, being inspired by them and enjoying a true collaboration culture. Liam Kelly, Make CIC’s CEO, said: "This investment from Livv will help to support Make CIC with its work across the Liverpool City Region. Social lending, like Livv and Flourish, is a critical part of making impact work happen in communities. Traditional finance options are often not available to organisations like Make CIC, despite the significant societal impact they generate. So thank you to all those in Livv who have put together this fund to ensure that Make, and organisations like ours, can continue to grow the impact our communities desperately deserve." Tony Cahill, Executive Director at Livv Housing Group, said: “Make’s hubs are places that nurture life-changing social impact, spaces where opportunity meets ambition and true collaboration. They’re spaces for ideas to incubate, for business start-ups to literally start up, to grow and to flourish into established business enterprises that support livelihoods. It’s in recognition of this genuine spirit of social impact that the first investment from our new fund has been made to Make.” Livv Housing Group’s social investment heritage Livv Housing Group’s new Livv and Flourish fund is offering a blend of grant and unsecured loan finance of up to £200,000 per application, with tailored support offered to recipients throughout the process from its team. It is ringfenced social investment for Knowsley and the Liverpool City Region, with the fund open for three years. Socially-driven organisations keen on receiving investment through Livv and Flourish can visit www.livvinvestment.com to find out more and express an interest. Livv and Flourish is part-funded by Access – The Foundation for Social Investment, which works to make sure that charities and social enterprises can access the finance they need to sustain or grow their impact. Access provides patient and flexible investment through blended finance and boosts the resilience of charities and social enterprises through enterprise development. It is supported by funds from the Dormant Assets Scheme, which redirects money from forgotten accounts to good causes, and is distributed via Access. Seb Elsworth, Chief Executive of Access – The Foundation for Social Investment, said: “The Dormant Assets Scheme puts forgotten money to better use, rather than letting it gather dust in inactive accounts. It’s fantastic to see how the scheme is making a real difference in the Liverpool City Region – creating jobs and boosting the local economy by helping social enterprises like Make CIC and the entrepreneurs they support. By combining grants with loans into a blended package, social investors like Livv can offer the kind of small scale, patient and flexible finance that charities and social enterprises need.” Livv and Flourish is the latest in Livv’s social investment fund portfolio, with over £5.2 million of support in loans and grants generating £222 million of wellbeing value in the last eight years. Organisations who received funding previously have used the finance to support thousands of people into employment. Hundreds of jobs were created or sustained, and over 50 new apprenticeships were introduced. Over 29,000 people were supported with training and developed new skills, while 28,000 more were supported with their physical and mental health. About Livv Housing Group Livv Housing Group is a housing business and more. We provide around 13,000 homes across Liverpool City Region and the North West, plus apprenticeships, training, health and local projects to build flourishing communities. We’re positive, respectful partners who take the lead, do what we say and help others to unlock their potential. About Make CIC Make CIC is a social enterprise, founded in 2012 by Kirsten Little and Liam Kelly. It supports its residents to turn their passion into prosperity by providing studio space for people who might otherwise be working at home, composed of artists, makers, creatives and small businesses. It runs a programme of workshops, public classes and courses, exhibitions and support, across sites in Birkenhead, Liverpool’s North Docks and Knowsley’s Huyton Village, which are collectively home to over 147 residents.

Bloom is returning to Liverpool in 2025, ready to bring together leaders, doers and strategists from the creative and digital sectors. This one-day, future-focused event is designed as a hub for innovation, collaboration, and strategic development, where attendees can immerse themselves in a wealth of ideas and practical insights, forge new connections, and leave with inspiration to take part in real, progressive action. Last May, Bloom made its debut in Liverpool. The event featured: 20 influential speakers sharing their expertise. 15 support organisations offering guidance. 30 exhibitors showcasing their latest innovations. The day was packed with panel discussions, engaging talks, and one-on-one advice sessions, all geared towards ensuring digital and creative businesses are equipped for the future. Attendees not only benefited from expert insights but also enjoyed great food, live music, and ample opportunities to connect and grow their networks. In 2025, Bloom 2025 is thinking bigger. The event will have a focus on the theme of collaboration and will explore how we can make alliances and work together for the greater success of the creative and digital sectors.  Bloom 2025 will bring together businesses across‘ the north’ to connect and explore how those working in the creative and digital industries contribute to and drive the creative economy.  Following on from the success of Bloom 2024, there will be topics on how business leaders can future-proof their businesses and adapt to challenges, advice on how to cultivate the next generation of skilled professionals and the purpose of place; exploring the evolving nature of our cities and how creativity contributes to these shifts.  All of these topics will be weaved by the leading theme of Bloom 2025; collaboration. Bloom is an event for: Creatives, digital leaders, doers, and strategists looking to not only stay ahead of the curve, but help guide where the sectors are going.  Team members seeking expertise to future-proof their businesses. Networkers and collaborators ready to engage, connect, and build lasting partnerships. Bloom expands on your toolkit to ensure your business has the support it needs at every stage—whether launching, scaling, or building resilience. Bloom is a space to learn, share, and act, fostering a collaborative environment where ideas are planted, nurtured, and set to grow.  Mark your calendars and buy your tickets now on Eventbrite before the early bird discount comes to an end: https://Bloom2025.eventbrite.co.uk. /bluːm/ to grow or develop successfully

On Tuesday, 15 October 2024, Tarem Services, a social enterprise dedicated to tackling in-work poverty and food insecurity, joined forces with leading UK construction company Wates Group to bring essential food support to families in Kilburn Square through their Mobile Foodbank initiative. Tarem Services has partnered with Wates as a member of their supply chain, employed by the group to provide cleaning services and labour supply in Brent and on several other of their London contracts. Wates are currently delivering a wide range of planned works at Kilburn Square on behalf of Brent Council. A total of 100 food bags were distributed, each containing enough food to feed at least two people, benefiting approximately 200 individuals. This distribution directly addresses immediate community needs and demonstrates the commitment of both Tarem Services and Wates to supporting local communities. This collaboration forms part of Tarem Services' broader mission to provide support where it is needed most. Managing Director Titus Komolafe expressed his gratitude for the partnership and the positive impact achieved: “At Tarem Services, tackling in-work poverty starts with addressing fundamental needs like food security. Our partnership with Wates reflects what can be achieved when businesses are driven by shared social values. Together, we are making a real difference in the lives of families here in Kilburn Square.” James Gregg, Regional Managing Director for Wates, said: “Improving the lives of residents and creating thriving communities is at the core of our business. Partnering with social enterprises like Tarem to deliver initiatives like this allows us to support the local community in becoming stronger and more resilient. " Building Stronger Communities This initiative demonstrates how corporate and social enterprise partnerships can drive positive change and foster resilient communities. By collaborating with organisations like Wates, Tarem Services not only delivers high-quality services but also creates social value that uplifts the community. To learn more about Tarem Services’ Mobile Foodbank and discover how you can support our community initiatives, visit: taremservices.com/foodbank About Tarem Services Tarem Services Limited is a social enterprise focused on tackling in-work poverty and food insecurity, especially among cleaners in the UK. Founded in 1999 with the support of a Prince’s Trust grant, Tarem Services has built a reputation for responsible business practices. The company provides office and school cleaning, construction labour supply, pest control, and waste management services, all while remaining committed to social responsibility and environmental sustainability. About Wates Group Established in 1897, we are the UK’s leading family-owned development, building and property maintenance company. In 2022 we employed over 4,000 people and generated profits of £33.7m from a turnover of £1.89bn, working with a wide range of public and private sector customers and partners. Now in our fourth generation of family ownership, we’re committed to the long-term sustainability of the built environment and to making our industry more inclusive and representative of the communities we work in. We are one of The Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality and an Investors in People Gold accredited company. We are driven by our shared purpose of working together to inspire better ways of creating the places, communities, and businesses of tomorrow. wates.co.uk

Beth Vecchione, founder of the social enterprise Care to Dance, is running an ultramarathon just over 6 months after a car accident left her with a broken back to raise money for the care-experienced young people the organisation supports. Young people’s mental health is at an all-time low, exclusions at an all-time high and services unable to keep up with demand. For the 15th year in a row, the number of children in care has continued to rise; in March 2023, there were over 80,000 children in the system. Most of these children and young people will have experienced instability and trauma, and will be living with the effects of this, and finding creative ways to support them is crucially needed. So, to raise money for Care to Dance and the young people it supports, Beth set herself the challenge of not just recovering, but running an ultramarathon before the end of the year. Care to Dance uses dance to support care-experience young people - to help them feel a sense of belonging and freedom, but also to process what they’ve been through. By building inclusive communities where young people feel safe, are among people they trust and can express themselves freely, it aims to provide the stability and consistency they likely missed growing up and help them develop relationships built on trust so they have people to turn to. Beth, CEO and founder of Care to Dance, says “Breaking my back really brought home for me how hard it must to be to go through dark times alone without anyone to turn to or support networks to rely on. This is often the case for care-experienced young people. I’ve seen the transformational impact the Care to Dance community has for them, the improved mental well-being, motivation and self-belief. I want to show all our young people just how much is possible if you put your mind to it, what you can overcome with mental strength and determination, and people backing you. I want to support as many young people across the country as possible, especially at a time when so many young people are struggling.” Lucy, a young person who attends Care to Dance, says “Life was a struggle until I came to Care to Dance. I started to express myself and trust the staff. Learning new skills and being part of a team made me a brighter person. Care to Dance supported me at my worst, and inspired me to be my best. It made me a better human.” You can find out more about Care to Dance on their website, and support Beth’s fundraising efforts via her Just Giving page. Beth can be contacted directly at beth@caretodance.co.uk.