Member updates

Exceptional Individuals is a social enterprise supporting neurodivergent people, including those with ADHD, autism, dyslexia and dyspraxia, into and within work. The organisation was founded 10 years ago by Matt Boyd, drawing on his own lived experience of unemployment and navigating work as a neurodivergent person. What began with the simple aim of supporting just one other person facing similar barriers has grown into a national organisation delivering impact at scale. Today, Exceptional Individuals is a neurodivergent-led organisation, with around 90% of its team identifying as neurodivergent. This lived experience sits at the heart of its work, shaping services that are practical, trusted and rooted in real-world understanding. Over the past year alone, more than 2 million people accessed the Exceptional Individuals website, reflecting growing demand for clear, accessible information about neurodiversity and employment. Around 5,000 people each day use the organisation’s online tools and resources to better understand neurodivergent traits and characteristics, often representing a first step towards self-understanding, workplace support or career progression. Exceptional Individuals supports individuals directly through workplace needs assessments, coaching and in-work support, helping neurodivergent people stay in employment, progress in their careers and avoid unnecessary job loss. This work not only improves individual outcomes, but also reduces the wider social and economic costs associated with exclusion from work. Alongside individual support, the organisation works extensively with corporate employers, delivering neurodiversity training, consultancy and practical guidance. This includes supporting line managers, HR teams and senior leaders to better understand neurodivergent talent, implement reasonable adjustments and embed inclusive practice across recruitment, retention and progression. By working with employers, Exceptional Individuals helps create environments where neurodivergent people can thrive rather than simply cope. As demand for neurodiversity support continues to grow, Exceptional Individuals is also expanding its work to train front-line staff in other charities and social enterprises, building sector-wide capacity and improving support for neurodivergent people across services. From its beginnings supporting a single individual, Exceptional Individuals has now supported thousands of neurodivergent people and worked with organisations across the UK, demonstrating the social and economic value of inclusive employment. Useful links To book a Workplace Needs Assessment or access in-work support: exceptionalindividuals.com/candidates/workplace-needs-assessments/ To explore neurodiversity resources and quizzes, including support for individuals and those wondering if they may have neurodivergent traits: exceptionalindividuals.com/candidates/neurodiversity-resources/neurodiversity-quizzes/ To find out more about Exceptional Individuals and access further resources: exceptionalindividuals.com/

With growing scrutiny of AI in public services, social enterprise Beam has partnered with Nesta to gather public feedback on how its AI tool, Magic Notes, is being used in social care. Launched in 2023, Magic Notes uses AI to transcribe and summarise meeting notes for social workers and other frontline professionals. It was initially developed to support Beam’s own caseworkers who were struggling with administrative workload. Today, it is used by 65,000 practitioners across over 200 organisations, including local authorities, central government, health, social care and employability services.  The public consultation on Magic Notes was carried out through Nesta’s AI Social Readiness Advisory Label between September and October 2025. It involved 137 UK adults, including social care service users, who were asked to weigh the benefits and risks of using Magic Notes during 18 small-group deliberation sessions.  The findings showed strong public backing for Magic Notes, with 83% of participants feeling positive about social workers using the tool and 86% believing it would benefit social care as a whole. In particular, they valued the tool’s ability to free up social worker time, improve the quality of case notes, support job satisfaction and wellbeing, and enable better interactions with service users.  While participants supported the use of AI to reduce paperwork, they were clear that decisions about care must remain with people, not technology. Risks raised included accuracy, data privacy and over-reliance on technology, alongside a strong expectation that social workers review and approve all AI-generated summaries. However, after learning more about the tool and its safeguards, 74% said its benefits outweighed the risks. The consultation also highlighted deep dissatisfaction with the current social care system. Only 13% of participants said they were satisfied with how social care works today, reinforcing the scale of the challenge facing social care and the need for change. Kathy Peach, Director of the Centre for Collective Intelligence (CCI) at Nesta said:  “The government's AI Adoption plan is bound to fail unless there's public support for AI in public services. Our AI Social Readiness Advisory offers a way to build public confidence and trust, helping people to overcome initial concerns they may have about a tool. This is especially important in public service areas like social care that have a lot to gain from AI, but low public support for the use of AI might be stalling deployment.” Rachel Astall, Chief Customer Officer at Beam, said: “Responsible use of AI is central to how we build and deliver technology at Beam. We were encouraged to see that 86% of the public,  including people who access social care, felt that Magic Notes would benefit social care as a whole. The process surfaced thoughtful, practical suggestions for further improving the use of AI tools, and gave us a clear sense of what earns public confidence. We think it’s important that the public are consulted on how AI is used in public service delivery and we hope more organisations will take similar steps.” magicnotes.ai beam.org About the AI Social Readiness Advisory Label The Advisory Label is a structured public deliberation process that measures public confidence and trust in AI tools being used in the UK public sector. It involves an immersive, educational, and collaborative experience for citizens who weigh the benefits and risks of specific technologies to determine conditions for their trustworthy deployment.

Dr Birgit Kehrer, founder of award-winning ChangeKitchen CIC based in Balsall Heath, Birmingham, has been recognised as one of the UK’s 100 most inspiring female entrepreneurs. Birgit, who founded her business in 2010, will be featured alongside leading female founders from across the country as part of Small Business Britain’s f:Entrepreneur #IAlso100 campaign, which celebrates the multi-achievements of women running businesses in the UK. The campaign celebrates 100 exceptional women across the UK who are driving innovation, growth, and positive impact in their communities, while running successful businesses. Birgit is being profiled for her achievements as a leading social entrepreneur committed to tackling food injustice one climate-friendly meal at a time, and providing volunteering, training and work experience opportunities to those marginalised from recognised, more mainstream, employment routes into the hospitality sector. On being featured in this year’s #IAlso100 lineup, Birgit said: “I am genuinely humbled, and delighted, to be named in this prestigious national list of female entrepreneurs. Looking at those who feature in the 2026 list, there are many female leaders who are incredible role models and whom I find equally inspiring.” “Being recognised through awards such as this f:Entrepreneur 100 is so much more than just a ‘nice badge’ – it helps give people, particularly women, a voice and an aspiration to achieve more. I’m privileged to have collaborated with, and supported, some wonderful people through ChangeKitchen CIC and our work as a professional, sustainable catering service and Kindness Café specialising in plant-based menus.” Launched in 2017 by Small Business Britain, the f:Entrepreneur campaign aims to raise greater awareness of the impact of incredible female business owners across the country, and help provide inspiration and role models to the wider small business community.  “It is brilliant to feature Birgit in this year’s #IAlso100 campaign. All of the female entrepreneurs in this year’s line-up are inspirational and remarkable role models,” said Michelle Ovens CBE, CEO and Founder of Small Business Britain. “Their creativity, leadership, and community impact show exactly why supporting female founders is so important, not only for the UK’s economic growth but for the positive difference they make to wider society.” The #IAlso100 campaign offers a host of events, training, and networking opportunities to boost skills, capability, and confidence.  Female entrepreneurship continues to make a powerful economic impact, with estimates suggesting up to £250 billion could be added to the UK economy if women started and scaled new businesses at the same rate as men.1 To view the full list of the 100 female business owners featured in this year’s f:Entrepreneur #IAlso100 campaign, visit https://f-entrepreneur.com/ialso-100-2026/. About ChangeKitchen CIC A pioneer of climate-friendly, socially-driven catering ChangeKitchen CIC is widely recognised as the Midlands’ only fully climate-friendly catering social enterprise, delivering high-end corporate, private and third-sector catering while creating deep, measurable social impact. Over the past fifteen years, ChangeKitchen CIC has become a quiet powerhouse in Birmingham’s social economy, using food as a bridge into opportunity, dignity and community. Their work includes: 95,000 free meals cooked and distributed since March 2020, with 200 to 400 meals still provided weekly. Nearly 10,000 bespoke emergency food parcels delivered to people in crisis. 20 to 50 supported work placements offered every year to people furthest from the labour market. Growth from 2.5 staff to 12, many of whom joined following supported placements. Employment of survivors of modern slavery through partnership with the Jericho Foundation’s Equiano Programme. 50 to 100 tonnes of surplus food saved from landfill annually. A fully climate-friendly kitchen powered by low-carbon energy, composting, recycling and zero-waste principles. changekitchen.co.uk

During International Homelessness Week, social enterprise Connection Crew brought together over 70 leaders from social enterprises, homelessness charities, event partners and impact-driven organisations to celebrate 20 years of delivering employment pathways for people affected by homelessness. Since 2005, Connection Crew has: Provided work to 499 people affected by homelessness Delivered almost 300,000 hours of living wage work for people affected by homelessness Built long-term partnerships across the events, charity and social enterprise sectors Demonstrated that commercial purchasing decisions - such as booking crew - can be powerful tools for social change Connection Crew released its 20 Year Impact Report at the event which featured three speakers: Lord John Bird, Founder of The Big Issue Praised employment-led interventions as essential to breaking cycles of disadvantage. “Connection Crew is one of those rare organisations that doesn’t just give people a handout but a hand up.” Camilla Marcus-Dew, Head of Ventures, Connection Crew Founder of Amplify Goods and previously founder of SoapCo and Beco, Camilla challenged the sector to seize the opportunity presented by the events industry’s huge procurement power. “The power is in procurement choices, staffing an event with people that live up the road, working with SMEs, putting money in the hands of diverse businesses, and yes - getting purchase orders for the greatest events of 2026 into the inboxes of social enterprises like ours.” Warren Rogers, Director, Connection Crew Reflected on the collective potential of the UK’s over 100,000 social enterprises. “One choice. One action. One shift in how we turn up. When those small changes multiply across a sector, they become transformation.” Guests included representatives from St Mungo’s, Beam, Social Enterprise UK, Big Issue, Design Council, Deborah Hale MBE and a network of events companies whose bookings have generated Connection Crew’s impact. Photography enclosed here: 20th Anniversary Press Images, impact data and interviews with the speakers are available on request. About Connection Crew Connection Crew is a social enterprise working to fight homelessness through employment and living wage work by providing skilled crew to the events sector. Its model creates paid jobs, training and next steps for people rebuilding their lives after homelessness. connectioncrew.co.uk

Profits reinvested into refugee training and employment through Changing Journeys programme. Award-winning social enterprise NEMI Teas has unveiled TRAMPOLINE Teas, a new range of Fairtrade and Rainforest-Alliance certified blends created for schools, offices, hotels and caterers who want quality, value and social impact — all in the same cup. Designed for high-volume foodservice, TRAMPOLINE Teas delivers consistent, great-tasting blends at competitive prices, while reinvesting profits into refugee training and employment through the Changing Journeys programme run at TRAMPOLINE Cafes across London. Participants gain confidence, hospitality skills and real work experience to help them take their next step into meaningful employment “TRAMPOLINE Teas is our answer to a clear market need for accessible, ethical tea in high-volume hospitality,” said Pranav Chopra, Founder of NEMI Teas. “Operators no longer need to choose between value, quality and social impact.” “This range proves that everyday doesn’t mean average,” added David Ryan, Growth Director. “TRAMPOLINE Teas brings taste, consistency and purpose together — a small switch that helps businesses create big impact through everyday choices.” The Line-Up: Familiar Favourites A feel-good family of eight blends — crafted for every mood, moment and menu: English Breakfast Earl Grey Green Tea Peppermint Tea Lemongrass & Ginger Decaf English Breakfast Red Berry Chamomile Available in enveloped tea bags (250s) and bulk catering packs (1100s). Certified, sustainable and built for volume TRAMPOLINE Teas is designed specifically for high-volume hospitality environments, offering operational simplicity alongside strong ethical credentials: Registered social enterprise Fairtrade and Rainforest Alliance certified teas Industrially compostable teabags & envelopes Blended and packed in a UK facility powered by renewable energy Following successful pilots with leading UK caterers earlier this year, the range received strong feedback on taste, consistency and ease of service. TRAMPOLINE Teas is now available to order across the UK. For more information or to request samples, visit trampolineteas.com or email bounce@trampolineteas.com. People-Powered Impact Every box purchased supports refugee training and employment opportunities through TRAMPOLINE Cafes located in Angel and at the Royal College of Nursing. Each brew helps someone bounce forward into work. Every sip supports a new start. About NEMI Teas NEMI Teas is a King’s Award-winning, certified social enterprise based in London. We craft high-quality, Organic and Fairtrade teas while supporting refugees into meaningful work.Our profits are reinvested into our TRAMPOLINE Cafes, which provide structured hospitality training and living-wage work experience for refugees through the Changing Journeys programme. Impact Snapshot In the 12 months to 31 October 2025 12 individuals supported through training and employment pathways 3,500+ hours of paid work experience delivered Partnerships with leading hospitality organisations, including The Hotel School, ThomasFranks, and Houston & Hawkes

On Thursday 20 November leading social enterprise business GLL hosted an event in Woolwich, South East London to celebrate Social Enterprise Day 2025. Entitled ‘How to Start and Grow a Resilient Business’ a highlight of the day was an expert panel discussion, with panellists drawn from the Social Enterprise sector including: Peter Bundey, GLL CEO, Peter Holbrook, Social Enterprise UK CEO, Sophi Tranchell, Founder Divine Chocolate, Cemal Ezel Co-CEO Change Please and Timi Jibogu, Founder Endz Group.  The panellists shared their knowledge and insights on issues such as how to set up a social business, how to build resilience in uncertain times and how to grow impact and reach while staying true to a founding purpose and community roots. Sophi Tranchell, Founder Divine Chocolate offered three pieces of advice for people looking to start their own social enterprise: Articulate your mission so that everyone knows what you’re doing and what you’re not doing.  Pick your partners carefully – they need to share your mission and your successes and decide where your money goes before you’ve got it. The free event was aimed at small businesses, start-ups, entrepreneurs and sector representatives, with attendees able to meet with GLL’s procurement team and take part in a networking lunch. GLL also took the opportunity to launch its new Social Enterprise Accelerator Programme. The Programme has been established as a resource to support the growth of social enterprises and not-for-profit organisations across the UK. It brings together GLL’s support for social businesses, comprising procurement partnerships, start-up support and service delivery, under one clear banner. Underpinning the Programme is an online Accelerator Hub where, in addition to information on how to partner with GLL as a business supplier or service partner, there is practical advice and inspiring small business case-studies, along with tools, resources and signposting. Commenting on the event, Peter Bundey GLL CEO said: “As one of the UK’s largest and most successful Social Enterprise businesses we have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with the sector and are committed helping small and growing social businesses succeed.  “Our panellists shared some fascinating insights and learnings, which I’m sure will be of huge benefit to the small firms and entrepreneurs who joined our event today.  While our new online Accelerator Programme hub, provides an essential resource for anyone wishing to establish a social business.” Peter Holbrook, CEO of Social Enterprise UK concluded: "Social businesses are often the ideal partners for public service delivery given their social purpose, staff ownership and accountability.  Unlike companies with shareholders to pay, social enterprises exist to reinvest surpluses in local communities.” For more information on GLL’s new Accelerator Programme visit: https://www.gll.org/services-and-impact/business-support

Community Dental Services CIC (CDS) is proud to announce the launch of its new green mobile dental unit, designed to deliver essential dental care across communities while dramatically reducing environmental impact.  The state-of-the-art mobile clinic is powered primarily by biofuel - a more sustainable alternative to traditional diesel - ensuring lower emissions on the road. Once on site, the unit operates entirely on solar and battery power, providing a quiet, zero-emission environment for both patients and the dental team. A diesel generator is included only as a backup for extended operations in remote areas, ensuring service continuity without compromising CDS’s commitment to sustainability.  Glen Taylor, Chief Operating Officer for CDS’s East regions said “We are delighted to now have the first of our two brand new green mobiles ready and on the road, delivering dental care more sustainably than ever before. Running off biofuel, with the addition of solar panels reduces our carbon emissions and operational noise. With the introduction of our eco-conscious mobile units, CDS continues to demonstrate our leadership in both community wellbeing and environmental responsibility.”  Nicola Blake, Strategic Mobiles Lead said “Our fleet of eight mobile dental units provide a positive dental experience for many people who have not been able to access this in the past and being on wheels, we are able to get into the heart of those communities who experience barriers to care. Having worked on our new green mobile, the solar energy created by the roof panels has created a much quieter environment on board.”   The mobile dental clinic vehicle, which includes custom body build and internal fit-out has been designed and produced by Torton Bodies Ltd. James Andrews, Torton's Managing Director said "This is a first of its kind for us. Whilst we produce many mobile dentals clinics, this will be our first which predominantly runs on lithium batteries, using solar and generator as a means of back up. To our knowledge there isn't another one like this in the UK and it's been a fantastic project to work with CDS on.”   CDS’s fully equipped mobile dental units deliver exceptional dental care at different locations, including additional needs settings, mental health secure units, child secure units and treating people who are homeless. 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 and Nottinghamshire.  - Together we will enable our communities to enjoy a better quality of life -  communitydentalservices.co.uk 

September 2025 was a landmark month for Stitch, with the team delivering some of their biggest and most diverse projects - adding up to its biggest month to date. Every milestone contributes to Stitch’s mission: helping to combat homelessness, create second chances, and cut waste in the events industry. Highlights from the month included: World Design Congress at the Barbican – welcoming over 1,300 people in person and 2,800 online, the event was described as “all in all just brilliant.” UK Inclusive Sourcing Summit at the Guildhall – the first of its kind, this event championed diverse businesses entering corporate supply chains. Johnson & Johnson exhibitions – three striking stands across both Innovative Medicine and MedTech. CBRE Supplier Partner Event 2025 – supported by Stitch’s production team, providing expert media services. This record month marks a significant boost in impact. Full data will be shared in Stitch’s upcoming report. For now, the team is focused on building on 2024’s strong results, when 92% of materials were reused across productions and over 1,700 hours of Living Wage+ work were created for people affected by homelessness. To see more of Stitch’s work and join the community, follow them on LinkedIn – and if you’d like to discuss future projects, the team would love to hear from you. Stitch provides event production with social and environmental impact built-in -  Stitch is part of Connection Crew CIC, a social enterprise delivering stellar crewing services and creating living wage work for people affected by homelessness for nearly 20 years.  stichlive.co.uk