114 blog articles for ‘Enterprise Day’

Calling all social enterprises - Social Enterprise Day 2022 is on Thursday 17 November. The day is a great platform to help raise awareness and understanding of social enterprise and make some noise about your social enterprise and the way your business is making a difference.At SEUK we’ve been working on three different ways that you can get involved this year. Social media This Social Enterprise Day we want to celebrate the work of the wonderful social enterprise community. We’re asking you to take to social media to tell everyone about what you or your social enterprise does. You could also post about some of the people from your team who make it happen. Please tag with #SocialEnterpriseDaye.g.  Here at Acme products we are celebrating #SocialEnterpriseDay and we are proud to say that we’ve been making amazing social enterprise products that make a real difference for the last ten years. Let’s introduce you to some of our lovely team:[Insert image of one of the team]This is [name] and their job is to look after our wonderful customers! Media We have sent SEUK members a template press release to send to local newspapers, radio or TV stations to help raise the profile of the work they are doing and any activities planned for Social Enterprise Day. If you are an SEUK member and have not yet received the template release, please do contact our press office – pressoffice@socialenterprise.org.uk   To find out more about joining membership click here.We’ve created a press release template that you can adapt and send to your local newspaper, radio or TV station telling them about your business and any activity you have planned for Social Enterprise Day. You can find your local media’s contact details on their websites. Campaign with us You can make your voice heard as part of our Dormant Assets campaign – (find out more about what we’re campaigning on here). We are asking social enterprises to contact their local MP ahead of Social Enterprise Day to call on them to support investing dormant assets in social enterprises and community businesses. Find out more about the campaign and take action here.

The 17th of November marks Global Social Enterprise Day – a day to recognise and celebrate organisations who are implementing the social enterprise business model to address problems such as the unemployment crises faced by refugee communities or the ongoing homelessness crisis across the UK.Together, TRAMPOLINE, Breaking Barriers and TERN are hosting an event to bring their networks together to celebrate their trainees, clients and social entrepreneurs they support. Throughout the evening we will be hearing from budding entrepreneurs, and the volunteers and business leaders who support their ambitions. The event will be taking place on 17th November at the TRAMPOLINE cafe in London - 27 Camden Passage N1 8EA from 17:30 onwards BOOK YOUR FREE PLACE HERE

Today (21 November) we mark Social Enterprise Day - a time to raise awareness and understanding of our global movement - with new research that shows the impact of business putting people and planet first. Unlike traditional businesses, social enterprises reinvest profits in vital missions, from bringing communities together and creating employment opportunities to tackling environmental issues and stimulating local economies. New analysis on our Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre provides regional breakdowns of our sector across the country - overall painting a vibrant picture of the many and varied social enterprises from Cornwall to Cumbria, driving positive change despite complex economic challenges. We’re proud to shine a spotlight on the great work of our movement. Read the new research

Today’s Budget marked a decisive shift to higher levels of public investment - welcome after more than a decade of austerity. This is particularly on capital spend, but social spending investment is also vital. So how can this additional spending can deliver a fairer, more sustainable and inclusive economy? Resource spending in health and social care is crucial. There have been numerous occasions in recent years when social enterprises delivering core NHS community services have been (and are still) unfairly excluded from government policies, programmes and funding. If the new government is serious about its manifesto commitments to prevention and community services, then it must recognise the essential role social enterprises already play in their delivery across the country every day. Many social enterprises will be concerned with some of today’s announcements. The rise in employer National Insurance Contributions (NICs) will particularly impact social enterprises that create jobs, often for those furthest from the labour market. While Employment Allowance has been increased, which will reduce pressures on smaller businesses, this still raises questions over whether this is the fairest way to distribute the increased tax burden. Social enterprises that provide vital public services may be particularly impacted by the Budget. The minimum wage will rise alongside NICs. While social enterprises are committed to paying a living wage and offering better working conditions, those reliant on public sector funding may struggle with these additional costs if they do not receive a fair funding settlement from the public sector bodies they work with. However, there are clear signs this is a Budget that recognises aspects of the contribution of social enterprises and other mission-led business models. Pledges to reform the taxation of Employee Ownership Trusts and deliver a strategy for growing the co-operative economy demonstrate that there will be more support for diverse, mission-led business models going forward. Social Enterprise UK will continue to work with members and partners to ensure the Government understands the needs and aspirations of social enterprise. We do need investment - but we also need businesses that create high-quality employment, invest in their communities, and offer innovative ownership models that share wealth. We hope that the Chancellor will use her additional spending power to create the conditions in which social enterprises, as businesses committed to more than just profit, can thrive.

In this blog Charlie Walker, Managing Director at Cleand for Good, looks into the Government's plan to scrap 'waiting days' and the need to transform sick pay. The Government have announced their new employment rights bill, something they promised within their manifesto. Within the raft of measures, ‘waiting days’ associated with Statutory Sick Pay will be removed. No idea what I am talking about? Nor did I, before joining Clean for Good. It probably means, like me, you have never had to worry about sick pay in your job. Grab a cuppa and let’s dive into the detail on all things Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). It’s more interesting than you might think! SSP is the minimum pay that employers have to pay staff when they fall ill. Currently it is £116.75 per week, or £23.35 per day, (so just over £3 per hour). You are only entitled to SSP if you earn a certain amount per week, more than £123 AND if you have been ill for more than 3 consecutive days. So, for the first 3 days you are off ill you get paid nothing. And it’s these 3 days that are known as ‘waiting days’. Still with me? Many (perhaps all?) of us will never have come into contact with ‘waiting days’. We have worked for good employers who have decided to run their own ‘Occupational Sick Pay’ scheme. These schemes go above and beyond SSP, often considerably so, and will pay staff (rightly) for every day they are off sick and most of the time at full pay. This is a wonderful benefit. In over 20 years of working, I have never had to worry about being off sick. So, what’s the issue? Well, picture a multi-storey building in the heart of London, every floor filled with different companies, lawyers, charity workers, insurers, bankers, engineers and more. One of the lawyers catches a bug and his lovely HR team tell him to go home, rest up and only come back when he is fully recovered. The lawyer agrees and after 2 days of bed, Netflix, and chicken soup he comes back to work, rested and recovered. Unfortunately, though, the bug has spread, and it takes down other members of the office and also Carol, the cleaner, who came to clean the building that evening. Carol is on SSP and is confronted with the reality of these ‘waiting days’. Does she stay at home and get paid nothing for 2 days or turn up to work ill. Terrible choice made worse by the fact that Carol earns less than the real living wage. Two days off genuinely puts at risk her ability to pay her mortgage, her bills and more. It’s not really a choice, she goes to work. As we take this further and begin to imagine Carol having to go to hospital and being forced off for a week earning just £46.70, what then? Lots of us, I suspect, would begin to struggle with our bills and payments that month. And maybe you could scramble through for a month, but after 10 years of the same thing? It’s like a repetitive kick to the face and it’s the horrible reality for Carol and thousands of cleaners, security guards, and others in low paid professions across the UK So, we will of course welcome the scrapping ‘waiting days’, whilst at the same time not pretending that getting by on £23.35 SSP per day, is anywhere near adequate. At Clean for Good we are one of the very few cleaning companies (and to date I have not come across any in London including some of the real biggies in the market) who run our own occupational sick pay scheme. From day 1 if cleaners are off sick, at Clean for Good, they are paid in full. One of the joys in the last couple of years was taking on a team of new cleaners from another cleaning company (this happens at the point that you take over a cleaning contract) and seeing one of our new cleaners, eyes bulging as we explained to her that CFG has its own sick pay scheme. She stopped me mid-sentence and exclaimed…What, you will pay me if I am sick? To which I replied Yes, we will! She had been a cleaner in London for over 15 years surviving on SSP. If you’re not sure what your employer pays you when you go off ill, you will find the policy lurking somewhere in the depths of your staff handbook. Do go and check it out, and if you are part of an organisation that has its own sick pay scheme go and encourage your HR team and tell them they are all wonderful today! Find out more? The centre for progressive change is running a national campaign on sick pay. If you want to find out more on the whole area of sick pay. Check the campaign out here.

Sign up for this webinar from Turning Point with the Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt as well as others looking into the challenges facing the health and social care sector Health and care social enterprise Turning Point is hosting a series of webinars looking at some of the challenges facing the health and social care sector as part of a programme of activities to mark its 60th year.  The series will feature leading thinkers including Professor Sir Michael Marmot, former Labour Health Secretary Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt and broadcaster and academic Tom Shakespeare. For more information on the series and secure your free place at one or more of the webinars register here The webinar series in full: Can (and should) charities and social enterprises play a bigger role in the delivery of public services?  With the Rt Hon Patricia Hewitt and Social Enterprise UK chief executive Peter Holbrook. Monday 14 October, 1.30-2.30pm The future of social care With writer, broadcaster and disability campaigner Tom Shakespeare CBE. Friday 18 October , 9-10am Synthetic opioids – how does the drug and alcohol treatment sector need to work differently to respond to the changing drug supply?  With harm reduction and local intelligence systems expert Michael Linnell and Turning Point Safer Lives Lead, Deb Hussey. Friday 18 October 4-5pm How can we shift the dial on health inequalities?  With Professor Sir Michael Marmot and Coventry and Warwickshire Grapevine chief executive, Clare Wightman. Tuesday 22 October 9-10am Mental health services - imagining a better future With co-production specialist and campaigner Isaac Samuels and Peter Devlin, Director of Adult Services at Essex County Council and ADASS Mental Health Policy Lead. Thursday 24 October 3-4pm Unblocking the system – how can we move more people with a learning disability out of long stay hospital? With Professor Robin Miller from the University of Birmingham.Friday 25th October 9-10am How can we reduce alcohol harm?  With Dr Richard Piper, Chief Executive of Alcohol Change UK.Wednesday 6th November 10-11am. For more information on the series and to secure your free place register here: https://www.turning-point.co.uk/news-and-insight-detail/health-and-care-futures-webinar-series

A play inspired by group of doctors working for City Health Care Partnership’s Macmillan service about what it’s like to live with (and beyond) cancer has now been turned into a film called KPOW! (Know the Power Of Words), to show everyone who has contact with cancer patients how powerful their words can be. Dr Kate Thomas, one of the doctors who commissioned the original play, explained how it came about. “It started with a conversation between Dr Hannah Coysh and Allyson Kent, who is living with cancer. They met at 5K Your Way, a Parkrun initiative for people impacted by a cancer diagnosis. “Allyson talked about her diagnosis and experience and what she’d learned. Hannah thought, ‘That sounds like a play!’ and the idea was born.” With funding from CHCP, Hannah, Kate and Dr Marie Cohen commissioned playwright Libby Pearson to write a play to be performed at a Macmillan conference in June 2023. It was extremely well received and Allyson felt that it needed to go further and be seen by more people, so the next step to was to make a film. The film was funded by Humber and North Yorkshire Cancer Alliance and Macmillan Cancer Support and premiered at Hull Truck Theatre on Monday 8 July. Everyone involved in the project is eager to share the message of KPOW! with as many people as possible, including doctors, nurses, paramedics, social workers, care workers and admin teams to spread its impact and influence and change the experience of people living with cancer for the better. You can watch the film on YouTube here About City Health Care Partnership CIC City Health Care Partnership CIC is an independent ‘for better profit’ and co-owned Community Interest Company responsible for providing local health and care services. Registered in England No: 06273905 We provide over 50 diverse services in community settings, including Palliative Care, District Nursing, TB Clinics, Sexual Health, Dentistry, Public Health, GP Practices, Urgent Treatment Centres, Community Rehabilitation, Eating Disorders, Domiciliary Care and Psychological Wellbeing to name but a few and employ around 2,000 people All profits from all our growing ventures are reinvested into services, colleagues and the communities in which we work. Our recent Social Return on Investment audit showed a return of £55.85 for every £1 spent on community funded activities. For more information on the services offered by CHCP CIC please see www.chcpcic.org.uk. Follow us on X www.twitter.com/CHCPHull. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com.

Billions of people will vote in national elections this year – in 97 countries around the world from the US to France, India, Brazil and beyond. There’s a lot happening. For some of us, these election campaigns are overlapping with the cricket 2020 world cup, then the Euros, which in turn run into Wimbledon, and the Tour de France, which will lead into the Olympics. For others, maybe House of the Dragon is competing with Glastonbury and Co-operative Fortnight, or whatever else you’ve got going on. It seems to be a busy, overlapping, even overwhelming and certainly confusing time. Anyway, congratulations to our new Labour government in forming a historic majority in Parliament. What does this mean for social enterprise? What have Labour said about us?  Well, there are some exciting signs, as well as some rather messy, fuzzy and confusing messages. Excitingly, the Labour manifesto makes a clear commitment to “support diverse business models” as well as aiming to double the size of the UK’s co-operative and mutuals sector. This is fantastic news. Any advocate for social enterprise - co-operative or otherwise - should celebrate this explicit commitment to alternative ownership models from the UK government, for the first time in a long time. At Social Enterprise UK, we are pleased and proud to have worked with our friends at Co-operatives UK and the Co-op Party in pushing both the tighter focus on co-ops and the broader agenda around business diversity. Meanwhile, Labour grandees are talking up the idea of an Office for the Impact Economy[1]. Labour mayors are - not just talking about – but also supporting the social economy in Bristol and London, business for good in West Yorkshire, and the VCSE sector in Greater Manchester. Our partners in the Future Economy Alliance have come together under the banner of mission-led businesses (which echoes Labour’s talk of mission-led government) while others have decided they like the term purpose driven business. There’s a lot going on. These terms can be confusing. Of course they overlap. Many of our members are social enterprises and co-operatives and mutuals, driven by purpose and focused on a mission. Ultimately, even while we may pine for greater convergence and consistency in language, the good news is that we now have the government’s manifesto, as well as powerful regional and national politicians, focused on our movement, seeing social enterprise and family as part of the solution. We must await what this means in practice for helping social enterprises grow and thrive. Will these promises help smooth the flow of funding and finance, improve procurement and public services, level the playing field and the business landscape, and bolster the capacity of entrepreneurs and teams working in social enterprises? As the leading national voice for social enterprise, we will of course work to help turn the government’s policy promises into practical and useful support for our members and beyond. The new government has set out various other policies in its manifesto. Many of our members will be pleased to see the commitment to more care delivered locally, to spotting problems earlier and shifting resources to community services. Others will have questions about using public funds to de-risk private investment, with concerns about socialising risk and privatising reward. Some will want to deepen commitment to addressing the climate emergency. A lot would like a little less talk of UK PLC and a more imaginative conception of UK CIC. Some of us are impatient for deeper, more structural transformation across our economy, democracy, and country. Today’s change of government is just the start. By Dan Gregory - Director at Social Enterprise UK [1] https://www.cityam.com/labour-must-partner-with-businesses-in-the-impact-economy/ https://www.probonoeconomics.com/what-would-an-office-for-the-impact-economy-mean-for-charities

Nickel Support, a Community Interest Company from Sutton, which works with adults with learning disabilities and/or autism, was celebrated as best ‘Heart of Gold’ business at this year’s Small Awards for their work within their community with their trainees, and for the social impact they are having beyond their community, through their retail project Interestingly Different. Interestingly Different is a gift and homeware shop and online retailer selling products from 33 social enterprises all of whom support adults with learning disabilities or people facing other life challenges. Nickel Support won the award which recognises the small businesses that contribute a bit extra to their local community. Working with other small businesses, local charities, schools, local councils or their local residents they have achieved great things. Owners Nick Walsh and Elena Nicola, who founded Nickel Support in 2012, were awarded at a sparkling celebration event in central London, hosted by presenter, writer, actor and comedian, Sue Perkins. Nick and Elena set up Nickel Support after they had become disillusioned by the learning disability sector as a whole. They felt that people with learning disabilities were being short changed by some of the more traditional services and that they deserved more. They set up Nickel Support with the goal of helping people with learning disabilities to lead purposeful and fulfilled lives. They focus on three  main areas: relationships, health and employment throughout all of the sessions and enterprises which they run. Since 2012 the company has gone from strength to strength and now works with over 120 trainees across two hubs - one in Cheam and one in Carshalton. In January 2023 they set up a retail branch of Nickel Support called Interestingly Different, with the goal of providing a platform for the trainees to sell the products made in the enterprise sessions, including upcycled furniture, a popular range of jams and chutneys and jesmonite homeware pieces. The other main goal was to provide training and paid employment opportunities through the Interestingly Different shop. Not satisfied with just supporting the Nickel Support trainees, Nick and Elena took it one step further, and decided to use Interestingly Different to support other social enterprises working with marginalised groups, which in turn offers shoppers a place where they can shop in a conscious and purposeful way. Interestingly Different now has five trainees in paid employment and are hoping to increase that number in the near future. Elena Nicola said, “We are absolutely delighted and honoured to have received this award. We are so grateful to have been recognised for the hard work that we are doing both within the learning disability world, but also further afield in our work with other social enterprises. We hope to continue to break down the barriers for our trainees and to see real and meaningful change in the perception of what people with learning disabilities are able to achieve.” In its eighth year, The Small Awards is a nationwide search for the smallest and greatest firms in the UK, across all sectors. It is organised annually by Small Business Britain, which champions, inspires and accelerates the nation’s 5.5 million small firms. Ninety small businesses were shortlisted across 11 Small Award categories, from ‘digital stars’, to ‘high street heroes’ and mission-driven businesses with a ‘heart of gold’. Nickel Support won the award alongside 10 other winning small firms from across the UK. “Congratulations to Nickel Support, who impressed our team and judges with their story of drive and innovation, and dedication to their community,” said Michelle Ovens CBE, Founder of Small Business Britain and the Small Awards. “We are delighted to have celebrated with them at such a beautiful event that shines a much-needed light on so many extraordinary entrepreneurs, like Nick and Elena, and their fabulous businesses.”  Minister for Small Business Kevin Hollinrake MP, who attended The Small Awards and presented the Small Business of the Year Award said: “The Small Awards are a reminder of the innovation and tenacity that makes the UK’s small businesses the best in the world. I congratulate this year’s winners on their well-deserved awards and wish them every success for the future.”  The Small Awards are judged by a panel of leading enterprise experts. Guests at the event were treated to a dazzling display of entertainment by Europe’s largest gay male choir, the London Gay Men’s Chorus, along with fine food and drink by independent caterers. To find out more about the winners visit https://thesmallawards.uk/index.aspx#theAwards. About Nickel Support and Interestingly Different Nickel Support is a pioneering, award winning, not-for-profit community interest company set up in 2012, which works with over 120 adults with learning disabilities and/or autism. Nickel Support is based in Sutton and now works across their two branches in Carshalton and Cheam. Nickel Support was a finalist in the 2022 National SME Business Awards as well as in the 2022 Social Enterprise Awards; and was shortlisted for the 2023 Small Awards. Nickel Support was one of Natwest’s Pioneers Post Top 100 Social Enterprises in 2023. Interestingly Different is part of their parent organisation Nickel Support. Interestingly Different sources and sells a wide range of products from over 33 other UK based social enterprises, all of whom are working with adults with disabilities or facing life challenges. Interestingly Different is open Monday - Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and their website, not only sells their full product range, but also offers a fantastic insight to the work that they do. They also work with corporate clients providing monthly subscriptions of office supplies such as tea and coffee, alongside making gift hampers for staff and clients .  Each and every purchase helps towards the greater goal of an inclusive society where adults with disabilities are able to meet their potential and live a purposeful and fulfilled life. Interestingly Different was one of the Small Biz Saturday’s top 100 small businesses in the UK in 2023, and has since also been named as one of Theo Paphitis’s Small Business Sunday Winners.

Earlier this month, the Social Enterprise UK team was at The Workplace Event 2024 at Birmingham NEC and together with our partners Waste to Wonder Worldwide and Nineteen Group we were proud to launch the first ever Social Enterprise Village at an event of this scale. With 25 leading social enterprises exhibiting and over 5000 delegates attending across the three days, there were plenty of opportunities for the social enterprises to showcase their products and services and the social and environmental impact they have. From recycling services to tea, and from tackling period poverty to air quality, the event showcased the strength and diversity of the sector. In addition to giving the social enterprises a platform, it was great to see the number of organisations looking, often for the first time, to work more with our sector. More and more businesses are engaging with social enterprises to support their social value and environmental, social and governance (ESG) objectives, highlighting the value of collaboration as the business community works towards creating a fairer and more sustainable society. We would like to thank all the social enterprises who participated in the event, as well as our partners, Waste to Wonder and Nineteen Group. We will continue to work together to drive the growth of the social enterprise movement and we look forward to the return of the Social Enterprise Village at The Workplace Event 2025.To find out more about the event, watch the video below produced by social enterprise, Inside Job Productions: https://vimeo.com/946139860 This is what some of our members who were exhibiting had to say about the event: Planet First Energy CIC "Planet First Energy CIC had an exceptional experience at the Workplace Event hosted at the NEC Birmingham within the innovative Social Enterprise village, facilitated by Social Enterprise UK and Waste to Wonder. Our Managing Director, Steve Silverwood, delivered an insightful session spotlighting our social enterprise's mission, services, and our commitment to tackling fuel poverty, drawing significant interest from attendees. Furthermore, we had the privilege to network with key personnel from Social Enterprise UK and forge valuable connections with fellow social enterprises, gaining insights into their impactful initiatives and exploring collaborative opportunities. The event served as a great platform to showcase our endeavours, exchange ideas, and strengthen our collective efforts towards creating positive social change. We look forward to attending next year." Nuneaton Signs "We were very impressed by the Social Enterprise Village at the Workplace Show, it was great to network with other Social Enterprises and discover how they interact with the FM and workplace market. The chance to meet some of the Corporate Challenge partners was welcomed, we hope to continue our business development in this sector with them and look forward to following up. The pre event promotion was exceptionally good with the organised approach to Social Media posts being particularly valuable, we had a significant amount of interest, with many existing customers getting in touch." Belu "We enjoyed attending, especially meeting and chatting to our fellow social enterprises at the Workplace Event. It’s a relatively small world and great to meet likeminded folks who are using business as a mean for good! Social Enterprise UK is a fantastic organisation and are helping build a community with a rapidly growing influence in the UK economy"

The UK’s leading leisure and cultural charitable staff-owned trust, which runs services under the Better brand, is due to start an exciting new 10 year partnership with Newham Council that promises to increase physical activity levels and improve the customer experience for residents in one of London’s fastest growing boroughs.  Newham Council is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of residents, as outlined in the local authority’s ‘Building a Fairer Newham’ objectives, to make the borough healthier and to support people to age well. This is particularly in relation to improving life expectancy; increasing satisfaction with services and reducing loneliness and isolation. Maximising the use of our leisure assets and green spaces provides a huge opportunity to impact on the wider determinants of health.  Not-for-profit GLL will use its wealth of experience and socially purposed business model to enhance the leisure service – investing in grassroots sports, facilities and accessible activities to improve life in the borough - for existing and new customers. Councillor Neil Wilson, Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care said: “Our new partner GLL shares our ambition to achieve sustainable results in addressing health inequities through increasing activity levels and improving the overall well-being of our residents. “This change will benefit all of us. It aligns with our corporate priorities; 50 Steps to a Healthier Newham (2024-2027), the Well Newham approach and more generally, our values of putting people at the heart of everything we do. “I look forward to seeing what the future brings but there is no doubt, the health and wellbeing of all residents will, as always, be a central focus.” Peter Bundey, CEO of GLL said: "We are very much looking forward to bringing Newham's customers and colleagues back into the GLL family and sharing the benefits of our socially purposed business model through this return to a long-term partnership with Newham Council - a dynamic and forward-thinking borough. "In addition to helping local residents get more active and offering staff great training and development, we will be extending opportunities to talented local athletes through our annual GLL Sport Foundation Awards - now in their 16th year." “We look forward to working with the staff of activeNewham who have operated these community facilities for the last 10 years.” Beyond the centres, the contract will also support residents to be active in community settings, including green spaces, as part of the Active Communities programme – as well as supporting the 50 Steps to a Healthier Newham strategy. Leisure service users will initially notice 'GLL' and ‘Better’ branding appearing in centres and an enhancement to the look and feel going forward to enhance the customer experience. Bookings will be available seven days in advance on the Better_uk app.  Further details of the transfer are being communicated with customers and staff in the forthcoming days. For more information, visit: activeNewham : Leisure Transfer www.better.org.uk  https://www.gllsportfoundation.org

Jeremy Hunt described his Autumn Statement as “the biggest business tax cut in modern British history” by making permanent a tax break that allows businesses to offset investment in machinery, IT and equipment against corporation tax. Although some businesses will welcome this news, it doesn’t help their employees or customers in the spiralling cost of living crisis – and the research and development incentives it promotes have repeatedly failed to deliver the investment and growth our economy needs. The UK has more than 100,000 social enterprises, with missions to support people and planet embedded in their operations. Taxes can be used to encourage this way of working in the wider business world, but corporation tax breaks announced today reflect a system focused on extracting profit above all else. Our chief executive Peter Holbrook CBE said: “It’s disappointing to see the Autumn Statement using tax cuts to reward those who already have wealth and power, instead of creating shared prosperity across our society. Tax should be a policy lever to encourage better business and drive growth for good – not growth at all costs, lining shareholders’ pockets while workers and customers are struggling. ‘Business as usual’ isn’t working anymore, and with a General Election approaching, our next Government must recognise the need for change.”

New research published on Social Enterprise Day (16 November) shows that UK social enterprises created £1.2bn in profit over the last year, and re-invested £1bn to drive progress on their vital social and environmental missions* Social Enterprise Day is a global day recognising the huge contribution our sector makes to communities, the economy and the environment. Our latest research shows the power of social enterprise, not only socially and environmentally but economically, making a significant profit and then using this to benefit people and planet. In contrast, 2022 saw FTSE 100 companies hand out over £80bn in dividends against an expected net profit of £170bn, and spend a record amount buying back their own shares to increase their value.** Social enterprises show us a fundamentally different way of doing business – one where profits are used to support vulnerable communities and protect the natural world, not just handed out to shareholders while social inequalities deepen and the climate crisis grows. Commenting on the findings, our CEO Peter Holbrook said: “Social enterprise can all too often be overlooked in British business, but this new research demonstrates the immense impact of our innovative and resilient sector – not only boosting our hard-hit national economy, but supporting wider society and protecting the environment. “We face huge and complex challenges, but social enterprise can offer solutions. Business can and must work in a way that actively benefits people and planet, sharing profit and power to drive real progress on the most pressing issues of our time. With a general election approaching, I urge all our political party leaders to consider social enterprise as the future of business.” Social Enterprise Day is a chance to raise awareness of the brilliant work happening in our sector  and encourage support for our growing movement. Check out #SocialEnterpriseDay on social media to get involved and be inspired! * These figures are part of the State of Social Enterprise report, produced by Social Enterprise UK every other year, which provides the most comprehensive and representative analysis of national sector performance. The full report is in production and will be published on 6 December 2023. **www.ajbell.co.uk/sites/default/files/AJBYI_Q1-2022_Dividend_dashboard.pdf

After prolonged campaigning with and for our members, today the Government has announced the ‘Covid backlog bonus’ in the NHS pay deal will also include social enterprise healthcare providers. Social enterprises form a vital part of the NHS family, delivering over £1bn of services and employing tens of thousands of staff – but were not paid the bonus given to NHS staff earlier this year, despite working under the same pressures and the same contracts. Since early 2023, we’ve worked closely with social enterprises affected by this injustice to push for their inclusion in the pay deal: lobbying Government, partnering with healthcare bodies and trade unions, speaking to media, gathering petition signatures and even taking legal action. Following this campaign, the Government has decided to make funding available to social enterprise staff. The health minister said: “This will ensure hardworking healthcare staff and the organisations they work for are not financially disadvantaged as a result of the NHS pay deal, and means they will receive their backlog bonus for their efforts during the pandemic.” Our chief executive Peter Holbrook CBE commented: “We’re pleased to see the Government acknowledge the critical role of social enterprises in the NHS family, with tens of thousands of staff delivering vital care across the country and services reinvesting profits to help local communities. We have campaigned tirelessly for our members to get the recognition and reward they deserve, and will continue to hold the Department accountable for delivering on the Minister’s promise that crucial healthcare staff won’t be financially disadvantaged by working in social enterprises.” A failure to fund the bonus would have undervalued the hard work of staff and risked the long-term sustainability of the social enterprises themselves, leaving services and patients vulnerable. While this is a fantastic campaigning win, we’ll keep fighting to ensure the importance of social enterprise in the NHS is recognised and supported.   We would like to thank all our healthcare members for their concerted efforts in driving this change, and everyone who joined the movement in support of social enterprises, lending their voices to the collective call for justice. You can read more in this piece on BBC News.

Northern Ireland’s most impactful ​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌social enterprises were celebrated at the 2023 NI Social Enterprise Awards, in partnership with AtkinsRéalis held on Friday 27th October. Winners were announced at the prestigious black tie event in Belfast’s Crowne Plaza, hosted by local radio presenter and Social Enterprise sector ambassador Cate Conway. It was an evening of celebration for the nearly 600 individuals who attended from the private, public, and social enterprise sector. The annual awards recognise talented individuals, teams and organisations for their unique contribution and significant impact to society in Northern Ireland. Over the last 11 years, the awards have promoted the incredible work and achievements of social enterprise businesses, highlighting the active role they play in changing communities, building more inclusive places to live, and making a positive impact on our environment, all while making a profit through their respective business. Radius Housing picked up the top accolade of the night, winning ‘Social Enterprise of the Year’ for their exceptional social impact and ongoing work with local schools and communities. Reflecting on the awards ceremony, Colin Jess, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise Northern Ireland, said: “This year we received the highest level of entries, and our judges were impressed by the quality of the entries. Applications reflected the incredible resilience, entrepreneurial spirit, passion, and dedication of those working in the sector. It was clear to see the unwavering commitment to impact the lives of those hardest to reach, change communities and create social change. “These awards not only celebrate talent and innovation but also brings together everyone in one room who work at the heart of the social enterprise movement. It is truly inspirational to witness the impact that these Social Enterprise winners and finalists have made to society and the local Northern Ireland economy. “Well done to all our winners, keep up the great work. I would also like to thank our sponsors for their support in making the awards possible.” Winners of 2023 Social Enterprise NI Awards: Best New Start Up Winner: Active Youth NI Community Wealth Building Award Joint Winner: Derry Credit Union Joint Winner: The Workspace Group Rural Social Enterprise Award Winner: Clanrye Group Credit Union Award - 10-25m Turnover Winner: Ardboe Credit Union Credit Union Award - Over 25m Turnover Winner: Derry Credit Union Co-Operative Award Winner: Belfast Cleaning Cooperative Best Use of Social Media Winner: High Rise Highly Commended: Harp and Crown Credit Union Limited Consumer Facing Award (via public vote) · Winner: Naturally North Coast & Glens Social Impact Award Winner: Via Wings Highly Commended: Habitat for Humanity Northern Ireland Young Person of the Year Winner: Claire Mooney, Moneydarragh Community Hub Ltd Highly Commended: Robert Campbell, Aspire Media CIC Emerging Leader of the Year Winner: Gareth Little, Harry's Place CIC Highly Commended: Rachel McIlgorm, Storybox NI CIC Leader of the Year Winner: Janet Schofield, Compass Advocacy Network (CAN) Council of the Year Winner: Belfast City Council Best Cross Sector Collaboration of the Year Winner: CTS Projects Ltd, Womenstec & Bolster Community Outstanding Voluntary Team Winner: Carrick Greengrocers Outstanding Staff Team Winner: Bolster Community Highly Commended: Compass Advocacy Network (CAN) & Oasis Caring in Action Outstanding Joint Volunteer & Staff Team Winner: Harry's Place CIC Highly Commended: Centred Soul CIC Social Enterprise of the Year Winner: Radius Housing Individual category sponsors included AtkinsRéalis, Ulster Bank, Rapid Agency, NI Housing Executive, Department for the Economy, H&J Martin, Evolv IT, Social Enterprise Academy, VIable Corporate Services, Lockton, AtkinsRéalis, Hays, NI Support Service, Department for Communities, Firmus Energy, Irish League of Credit Unions, Lockton, Edwards & Co, ProAptivity, Community Finance Ireland and the Construction Employers Federation. On winning their awards Radius Housing, Via Wings and Janet Schofield have also been automatically shortlisted for their respective categories at the UK Social Enterprise Awards taking place in London on the evening of 30 November.

The annual Social Enterprise Awards Scotland saw nine social enterprises and social entrepreneurs from across the country presented as the best of the best at an Awards Reception at the Scottish Parliament on Thursday 26th October. The Awards recognise the unique economic and social contribution made by the sector across Scotland. The top prize, Social Enterprise of the Year 2023, was awarded to the Isle of Skye Ferry, a social enterprise from the Scottish islands. The Isle of Skye Ferry Community Interest Company owns and operates the last manually operated turntable ferry in existence, from Glenelg on the mainland to Kylerhea on the Isle of Skye, across an ancient drover’s route from the Hebrides. All profits are reinvested into preserving the historic vessel, ensuring the sustainability of the ferry service, and supporting other local community groups and events. Chris Martin, CEO, Social Enterprise Scotland said: “From tackling the climate emergency to reducing homelessness, social enterprises are taking on some of the biggest challenges we face, using trade to change lives and protect the planet.” “The quality, variety, and mix of social enterprises who applied for this year’s Awards were of a high standard making it a very difficult judging process.  Thank you to all the previous winners and sponsors who methodically looked at every application.  We were delighted by the volume of applications which were almost back to pre-pandemic levels, showing that social enterprises are weathering the storms of Covid and a Cost-of-Living Crisis to deliver impact in their local communities.”  The winners were: Social Enterprise of the Year Award  Supported by Gold Sponsor Keegan and Pennykid This award is for a social enterprise that has demonstrated a clear vision, excellence in impact, customer service, and management, plus that little something extra in terms of creativity and innovation. Isle of Skye Ferry Community Interest Company  A social enterprise which owns and operates the last manually operated turntable ferry in existence, from Glenelg on the mainland to Kylerhea on the Isle of Skye, across an ancient drover’s route from the Hebrides. All profits are reinvested into preserving the historic vessel, ensuring the sustainability of the ferry service, and supporting other local community groups and events. One to Watch Award   Supported by Bold Studio Àban  A social enterprise which provides innovative and adventurous learning experiences in schools and communities in Inverness. They help get the community out on positive adventures right on their doorstep meaning every penny raised goes to support their local charitable work. Environmental Social Enterprise Award  Supported by Circular Communities Scotland The Social Enterprise Environmental Award is for a social enterprise that is making strides towards creating a better world for people and the planet with their social and environmental sustainability credentials and has demonstrated a clear, evidenced environmental impact. Merry-go-round A one stop shop and the first choice for families in Glasgow shopping second-hand. In 2022-2023 they rehomed 19 tonnes of goods, supporting 16,502 families to make sustainable choices. The shop is also a thriving and nurturing community hub for families to meet, learn, exchange ideas, and be supported. Last year 3,400 people attended 560 events. They run wellbeing and support events as well as discussion groups, a sling library (promoting rental over new), nappucino’s (communicating benefits of reusable nappies), and more. They are partnered with 175 agencies in Glasgow to provide an average of 100 free packs of essential items per month to those facing hardships. Building Diversity, Inclusion, Equity, & Justice Award Supported by Social Investment Scotland  This new award recognises that social justice is fundamental to the social enterprise movement. This category considers those social enterprises that are addressing issues around diversity, inclusion, and equity. Resilience Learning Partnership An Education and Training provider with a dual purpose, they support the health, social care, education, housing & criminal justice sectors in Trauma Informed Practice. They inform learning and development through their work, ensuring that lived experience is considered in service design and public policy decision making areas in an authentic and meaningful way. As a lived experience led organisation, they influence positive changes across Scotland enabling services to better engage and support people with lived experience. Health and Social Care Award Supported by Gold sponsor The ALLIANCE: The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland This award recognises organisations that deliver excellent support to their users and customers around a health and social care mission, including physical and mental health as well as wellbeing. Macaulay College CIC  Located on Macaulay Farm just outside Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. Macaulay College provides people with additional social and educational requirements with a programme of activities that encourages them to have meaningful and fulfilling working and social lives. Macaulay College helps people to reach their potential by supporting them at the earliest possible stage.  The students mostly come through Social Work/Education department referrals.  Education strategies are developed with students to achieve their full potential and reach person specific targets that aim to enrich their working and social life. They support people with a range of additional support needs including Autism, Down’s syndrome, and mental health issues. Tech for Good  Supported by  Breeze Digital (a Community Enterprise Group social enterprise) This new award recognises a social enterprise that is using technology to achieve its social impact. This could be through developing a new product or service or enhancing their service delivery. Red Chair Highland Ltd  A social enterprise which focuses on digital inclusion services across the Highlands. They aim to improve Digital Inclusion, and overall wellbeing and reduce isolation for vulnerable individuals including older adults, those on benefits, those recently released from prison, those suffering from substance misuse, refugees, and those experiencing homelessness. By distributing devices and offering support, they hope to improve people’s online access and strengthen their abilities. Their work is proudly underpinned by a sustainable ethos, contributing to the circular economy by utilising refurbished devices. Market Builder Award Supported by Social Enterprise Academy This Award is for a social enterprise, public sector body, or private sector organisation that has demonstrably made efforts to create opportunities for social enterprises to grow their revenues and impact by tapping into supply chains and larger networks purchasing power. Circular Communities Scotland Reuse Consortium  The Consortium offers local authorities, housing associations, and other public sector organisations easy access to a range of quality assured reuse furniture and white goods from local social enterprises, removing the need to go through a tendering process. Reuse Consortium members are circular charities and social enterprises that save quality furniture from landfill and create a more circular economy in Scotland. They provide social and environmental benefits through their work and make a difference in their local communities. By buying from the Reuse Consortium, customers support a fairer, more circular, and sustainable Scotland. The Consortium’s vision is for reuse to be at the heart of procurement decisions across Scotland. Social Enterprise Champion This Award celebrates an individual working in a social enterprise who goes above and beyond to make a difference, support the mission of the organisation and deliver impact. Lisa Gemmell, Community and Relationship Mentor, Be-inn Unity CIC Lisa joined Be-inn Unity as an employee in June 2022 to grow a new initiative with a new partner, Labert High School, as a Community and Relationship Mentor. Lisa works with several groups of children and young people from the most deprived and challenging backgrounds. Lisa has embodied the values of the organisation of curiosity, authenticity, respect, and empathy, meeting young people she works with consistently with these values, at their developmental stages and offering complete safety in a relationship. Lisa quickly identified that the young people need more than just one relationship in the school community and quickly established other meaningful connections in their community, building a wider network that also offered the young people a deeper sense of purpose, connection, and belonging. Lisa has now created a space within the school for young people and staff to connect called The Bothy. A social space for teachers and pupils to learn about and support their mental health. Social Enterprise Volunteer Champion Supported by Volunteer Scotland This new Award celebrates an individual volunteering in a social enterprise who goes above and beyond to make a difference, support the mission of the organisation and deliver impact. Janie Conlon, Tartan Volunteer, Grassmarket Community Project Janie is an incredible young woman who works so hard at Grassmarket Community Project (GCP), becoming an inspiration to their staff, members, and volunteers, through her drive and commitment to build what is now their successful, profit-making Tartan Social Enterprise. Working with their Members and other volunteers, many of whom are vulnerable adults who have no previous experience of sewing, she teaches, encourages, and supports them to craft the range of quality items that are now in demand through their shop, online, Visit Scotland and Edinburgh Castle. If it were not for Janie being so committed to the project, the Grassmarket Community Project would not have been able to open the Tartan Shop and Workshop which, after 10 months is now a profitable social enterprise. More information can be found at www.socialenterprise.scot/awards Isle of Skye Ferry CIC, Àban, Circular Communities Scotland Resuse Consortium, Merry-go-round and Resilience Learning Partnership, and Red Chair Highland Ltd  have now been added to the shortlist for their respective categories at the UK Social Enterprise Awards which will take place in London on the evening of 30 November.

The Diversity Forum have set up bi-monthly online meetings that are open to representatives from social enterprises with an interest in equality, diversity and inclusion. This is a great chance to meet with peers to work through challenges, share updates and better collaborate across the sector along with an aim to encouraging more disruptive debate around EDI in the social investment landscape. The agenda will be centred around: Introductions and named challenges / areas of focus Quick update from the Diversity Forum / sector-wide EDI activities Breakout rooms for discussions on areas of interest identified in introductions Feedback/summaries from group discussions and next steps Any upcoming events The next event will take place from 10-11 am on Thursday 16 November. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR PLACE

Social enterprises, by their very nature, have social change embedded into their mission statement. This presents a clear opportunity to address issues of racial, cultural and professional inequality through the lens of business.  We spoke to Black women inspiring change through their purpose-led approach, highlighting this Black History Month’s apt theme “saluting our sisters”.  Soul Purpose 360 Soul Purpose 360 is a Black women's empowerment social enterprise, tackling patterns of discrimination by offering personal and community development services to members and clients including housing associations, local authorities and health agencies. Founder and Director Palma Black said: “Soul Purpose 360 is a democratically run, Black women-led social business blending community and personal development. “Our raison d' être is to help Black women to build confidence, and support them to contribute to community life.  Being the most oppressed group in society, the social enterprise legal form gives us freedom and flexibility to determine what is right for us.” Find out more about Soul Purpose 360’s work Equality 4 Black Nurses This nurse-led social enterprise’s aim is to bring about positive change by lobbying employers and government to reduce and eradicate racial discrimination in the healthcare sector. Founder and CEO Neomi Bennett said: “Being a Black social enterprise is a commitment to positive change, social justice, and a belief in the power of collective action. “It means harnessing the power of business and activism to advance economic, social, and racial justice within the healthcare industry. We are committed to empowering Black nurses, eliminating systemic barriers and promoting equitable healthcare.” Find out more about Equality 4 Black Nurses’ work Earth Sea Love Earth Sea Love provides opportunities in nature for People of Colour in north-east England. It also offers anti-racism training and education to individuals, groups and organisations within the natural environment, where difficult and challenging conversations can happen with more ease and real growth and understanding develops. Director Dr Sheree Mack said: “We have worked with National Parks, Wildlife Trusts, the National Trust and Forestry England, bringing initiative, creative projects to the North-East countryside. We are proud to say that these trailblazing programmes have been Black-led. “Within the environmental, conservationist, outdoors sector - which is predominantly white - being a Black-led social enterprise means we can enter these spaces and be legitimately recognised as not just ‘taking up space’ but leading the way in making sure that the British countryside is welcoming to all.”  Find out more about Earth Sea Love’s work

Competition lies at the heart of our economic system, purportedly driving businesses to innovate, allowing the best to flourish. Social enterprises on the other hand like to do things differently, and in the Midlands five businesses have taken a new and exciting approach to collaborate in order to win new business and increase their social impact. What’s more they are all working within a sector that is not particularly well known for its ethical practices – the cleaning industry. Argonaut Community Enterprises, Jericho Cleaning, Radiant Cleaners and Upbeat Clean are all social enterprise cleaning companies dedicated to creating job opportunities for marginalised groups. Whilst each have specific social missions (Argonaut trains and employs deaf people, Upbeat works with refugee mums and Jericho and Radiant both support anyone facing major barriers to work) they are all dedicated to using cleaning as a means to help people into secure employment, earn a good wage and increase their confidence. Each business operates in a different area of the Midlands, with a bit of crossover around Birmingham, and for a while they all worked in isolation. This started to change following a meeting between Amie Grice, Business Development at Argonaut, and Nigel Lawrence, Senior Social Enterprise Manager at Jericho, where they realised the similarities in their work and that they were talking to the same people regarding future work opportunities. Following this meeting Argonaut and Jericho decided to collaborate more, attending the same events and even pitching each other’s services – Argonaut in North Birmingham and Jericho in the South. According to Amie,through catching up and chatting at events “we saw the opportunity of working together would expand our coverage and strengthen our businesses. Opening doors that were previously closed to small Social Enterprises.” At the same time Nigel was in contact with Matt Parfitt, founder of Radiant Cleaners and both of them were also helping out Upbeat Clean, the newest of the businesses involved. Working together to find opportunities and increase impact All four organisations met at Jericho’s offices on 6 February 2023 and decided to support each other through finding potential opportunities and sharing learning, information and resources – this could be identifying new work or sharing information on what’s working and what’s not. Sharing learning has been one of the key benefits of collaborating, as Michael Gladwell, Head of Enterprise at Upbeat Clean put it: “It's been so helpful for Upbeat Clean to be part of this group and learn with these really experienced social enterprise cleaning businesses. Everyone has been so open to share what they have learned and developed over the years so that we can all maximise our social impact!” All four businesses agree that operating as a social enterprise has been a key part in fostering their collaborative approach, Nigel Lawrence stating that: “Social enterprises are united by their 'why'. We've got so much in common - we're about seeing problems in society solved. So, sharing ideas and best practice - to have more impact together - makes sense.” Where opportunities arise all four social enterprises are looking to put together joint proposals to allow them to work on bigger contracts, increasing the social value and impact of the services provided. Recently the group have submitted a proposal to a client to deliver cleaning services in a standard, uniform manner across the whole of the Midlands region. Watch this space Argonaut, Jericho, Radiant Cleaners and Upbeat Communities are showing that collaboration can work better than competition and, what’s more, another Midlands based cleaning social enterprise – Rising Stars Property Solutions has recently joined the four original businesses. Not only is working together helping each business to find new opportunities and raise each other’s profiles it has also got the potential to really help those marginalised groups which each social enterprise supports. As Matt Parfitt puts it: “Individually each of our companies is too small for some contracts. We are demonstrating to large companies that we have heard them, we are collaborating and we are offering them what they want and need. We solve a cleaning and social value problem for them – working together creates the social value they want, delivers the excellent cleaning they need and changes the lives of people across the Midlands. So if you need cleaning anywhere in the Midlands get in touch!’ It’s still early days for this new collaboration and all five involved have exciting plans for the future. Watch this space.

We believe that profits must also benefit people and planet – and research published today shows the majority of the UK public agrees – so we’ve joined forces with dozens of partners in the Future Economy Alliance to campaign for change. We know that business with a purpose beyond profit can help tackle some of the biggest challenges facing our country and our economy, from deep social inequalities and struggling public services to the cost of living crisis and the climate emergency. The Future Economy Alliance unites activists, entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders who can drive real solutions to these issues. Research we published today* shows the UK public wants business to deliver more. Only 1 in 3 people said business has a positive impact on the national economy, and just a quarter think it’s positive for wider society, while many feel it has no effect at all or is actively negative. The findings also highlight widespread support for purpose-driven business models, with just 2% saying profit should always come first, and most people (60%) calling for businesses to give social or environmental concerns equal or higher priority to profits. Commenting on the findings, our CEO Peter Holbrook said: “These findings make it very clear that people are no longer happy with ‘business as usual’; there is real appetite to challenge the status quo and build an economy where our entire society profits. “Business can and must work in a way that actively benefits people and planet, sharing profit and power to drive real change. The UK’s pioneering minority of purpose-driven businesses that we represent in the Future Economy Alliance need to become the norm.” With a General Election approaching, the Future Economy Alliance stands ready to guide our next Government in the bold policy reforms needed to build a new business plan for Britain – one in which business helps to build a stronger, fairer, greener economy. This growing partnership brings together social enterprises, co-operatives, mutuals, employee-owned businesses, social investors, community-led organisations, fundraisers and third sector experts united in the vision of an economy where our entire society profits. Our Chair, cross-bench peer and social entrepreneur Lord Victor Adebowale, commented: “With the UK economy facing significant challenges, our country needs a bold and ambitious vision: a new business plan for Britain. Sadly, this is not forthcoming at present, so the Future Economy Alliance has been established to drive the business of change. “Our partnership of cross-sector business experts will assemble the best examples from across the UK of what’s working well but also how and where business can do better. We can transform the UK economy, enhance our nation’s prospects, and restore a sense of hope and pride – within public services, within communities and within us all.” The Alliance will form the core of our campaigning in the run up to the General Election and beyond. We will work to lobby parliamentary candidates, propose detailed policy solutions and highlight the best examples of purpose-driven businesses driving positive impact across the UK. We want social enterprise solutions to be at the heart of the policy agenda for the next Government and show that successful business goes beyond profit. We’re stronger together and it’s vital that your voices are heard, so there will be plenty of ways to get involved as the campaign progresses. Go to www.futureeconomyalliance.co.uk and follow @FutureEconomyUK on X. * All figures are from a survey by YouGov Plc, commissioned by Social Enterprise UK, carried out online between 2nd - 3rd September 2023 with a total sample size of 2,036 adults. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). Data tables available on request.

A new social enterprise developed by Social Enterprise UK, Telos, aims to help global corporations drive positive impact through core business activity.   Telos will combine the pioneering Buy Social Europe procurement programme with advocacy and advisory work to help maximise the social, economic and environmental impact of corporate supply chains internationally.  Building on the success of our Buy Social Corporate Challenge in the UK and a two-year international pilot, Buy Social Europe aims to see €5 billion of procurement spend going to social economy businesses across the Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region by 2030. This will involve engaging at least 50 global companies to bring social economy businesses into their supply chains.   AstraZeneca, CBRE, Johnson & Johnson, SAP, Siemens and Zurich Insurance Group are already signed up to work with Telos on the Buy Social Europe initiative. The Telos team has also supported government bodies to embed social, economic and environmental metrics across more than €20bn of tenders.  Charlie Wigglesworth, managing director of Telos and deputy chief executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: “With social enterprises increasingly operating in a global economy, sharing our expertise more widely is vital to support the growth of the worldwide movement. We’re committed to working in partnership with social economy organisations across EMEA to ensure this opportunity is realised.  “Global corporations must ensure their core business creates value, not just for the economy but also the society and environment they’re working in, which we can now help them deliver through Telos and Buy Social Europe. Supply chains represent a significant opportunity for big businesses to work with social economy enterprises and unlock greater value through everyday procurement spending.”  Social Enterprise UK’s chief executive Peter Holbrook CBE added: “Telos realises the SEUK board’s long-term ambition to help drive the success of the social enterprise movement globally. The work of Telos will be extremely complementary to SEUK’s core mission of creating an environment in which social enterprise can thrive – not just in the UK, but around the world.”  Telos invites forward-thinking companies to join the Buy Social Europe initiative and unlock the potential for positive social and environmental impact within their supply chains.  Visit telosglobal.org to find out more. 

Plymouth’s socially beneficial businesses are gearing up for an inspiring 14th Annual Social Enterprise Festival, organised by Plymouth Social Enterprise Network (PSEN). This year's festival carries special significance as it marks a decade since Plymouth was designated as an official Social Enterprise Place by Social Enterprise UK. The festival, scheduled to take place from the 8th to the 17th of November 2023, promises an exciting lineup of events that celebrate the incredible contributions of social enterprises in driving positive change within Plymouth . Our festival opening event will be held on Wednesday 8th November, from 3pm to 9.30pm on University of Plymouth campus. Between our festival exhibition and opening party the conference section of the event will feature inspiring guest speakers from across the UK’s Places movement. We are thrilled to be bringing Clive Hirst to the city. He is the visionary founder of the Social Enterprise Places movement and will speak alongside SEUK representatives Peter Holbrook CBE CEO & Sarah Crawley-Beaumont OBE Places Champion, and thought leader Joyte Brown from Black Voices Cornwall. The local picture will come from PSEN’s newest Board member Cllr Pat Patel, founder of The Tamar View Community Centre which has been a key part of the social enterprise story in Plymouth over the past decade; as well as all of our exhibiting members and attendees. This will be followed by two days of Social Enterprise Safaris in and around Plymouth. Our themes are Thursday 9th - Empowering Communities and Friday 10th - Community Collaborators. This offers you an opportunity to meet the people who made it happen and see the projects they have created, in action. Lunch and accessible transport are provided. To book your place at the launch event, please follow THIS LINK to our Eventbrite page. To book your place on the Safaris, please contact our Network Coordinator & Activator Amerie Rose - amerie@plymsocent.org.uk

A new Social Enterprise Barometer report published today (18 August) shows cautious recovery across the sector last quarter, with small but positive shifts despite national economic challenges. The July 2023 survey of 142 social enterprises found continued resilience and cautious recovery, although many are still uncertain about their futures. While the research suggests that inflation and economic uncertainty aren’t causing acute risk of closure for social enterprises, there are ongoing signs of strain across the sector. More than a third of social enterprises surveyed this summer expect to grow staff and turnover in the next three to six months, with similar numbers anticipating a profit or surplus in this period. The positive trend of rising staff numbers from recent surveys continues, but some note challenges in recruitment and retention. Regional disparities in outlook have narrowed since last quarter, although growth expectations do vary across the country, suggesting persistent inequalities. Cashflow positions have improved but reserve positions have weakened, which could become a concern in future if they begin to diminish. As the national economy enters a period of stagnation, with inflation consistently above Bank of England targets and interest at the highest levels in over a decade, it’s critical that social enterprise voices are heard so that appropriate interventions can be made if the economic outlook deteriorates. Our Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre publishes quarterly Barometer reports as a snapshot of sector conditions and expectations, exploring how specific economic and political developments are affecting social enterprise performance. We use this research to influence policymakers in the best interests of the sector, to drive relevant investment and to promote social enterprise more broadly, as well as to inform our product and service delivery so that we can better support our members. Click here to read the full report

We’ve been running our Buy Social Corporate Challenge since 2016, supporting big companies across business sectors to bring social enterprises into their supply chains. Our latest annual report shows the Challenge had the most successful year ever, as our 30 corporate partners spent £99 million with social enterprise suppliers. In total, more than £350million has been spent with social enterprises in the seven years of the programme. The premise of the Challenge is simple: working with corporates to use their core business spend to create positive social and environmental impact. And that impact speaks for itself; supplying Challenge partners has enabled social enterprises to reinvest nearly £32m in their missions. Around 3,400 social enterprise jobs have been created thanks to contracts won through the Challenge, with 860 social enterprises supplying Challenge partners last year alone. The number of social enterprises involved in the Challenge rose 43 per cent in the last year, showing the rising interest in social procurement.   Peter Holbrook CBE, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: “The world of procurement is changing. Companies big and small need to consider how they impact people and planet, and make sure they actively work in a way that benefits communities and helps tackle environmental concerns. With nearly £100 million spent on businesses doing just that in the last year, this evidence shows the global cross-sector appetite for unlocking social value in everyday organisational spend is incredibly strong.” Click here to read the Buy Social Corporate Challenge Year 7 Impact Report The Buy Social Corporate Challenge partners are Amey, AstraZeneca, AXA, Barclays, CBRE, Co-op, Compass/Foodbuy, Deloitte, Equans, John Sisk & Son Ltd, Johnson & Johnson, KPMG, Landmarc Support Services, Lendlease, Linklaters, LV=, Mitie, Motorola Solutions, Nationwide, Nestle, NFU Mutual, PwC, Robertson Group, SAP, Siemens, Sodexo, The Crown Estate, Wates Group, Willmott Dixon, and Zurich Insurance Group. Social Procurement Connect We aren’t currently recruiting partners for the Corporate Challenge, but our Social Procurement Connect service can support organisations of any size and sector to bring social enterprises into their supply chains. Find out more about Social Procurement Connect and get involved here.

Ten years ago, the small parish of Alston Moor in Cumbria became the UK’s first ever Social Enterprise Place, formally recognising it as an area where mission-led business is thriving. Since 2013, Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) has been recognising these hotspots of social enterprise activity by awarding them with the Social Enterprise Place badge. There are now more than 30 Social Enterprise Places across the UK, ranging from towns and cities to entire counties and regions, but it all started in Alston Moor.   Social enterprises are at the heart of Alston Moor, operating across the economy – from community owned and run snow ploughs and gritters to craft fairs, a pre-school nursery, a gym, specialist wholefood retailing, and a village shop with a post office. The area's three main tourist attractions, a narrow gauge railway, a motor museum and even the visitor centre for the local Roman Fort are all social enterprises. A social enterprise, Cybermoor, was even instrumental in improving internet connectivity in the town, working to provide residents with computers and internet access. The latest evaluation of social enterprises in Alston Moor showed that they have supported create 50 jobs, worked with 200 volunteers and have a combined turnover of £1.5 million. Following Alston Moor’s example, Cumbria itself was declared a Social Enterprise County in 2018, recognising the contribution of social enterprises to the entire region. To commemorate ten years of Alston Moor gaining Social Enterprise Place status, two special events took place last week, bringing together social enterprises and supporters from across Cumbria and beyond. On Thursday 13 July, a day-long event was held at the Rheged arts centre to celebrate a decade of the community-driven businesses that have put Alston Moor on the social enterprise map. Guests heard from three inspiring social enterprises all of which operate in Alston Moor – Cybermoor, Charge my Street and Cumbria Health on Call. Charge my Street install and operate community electric vehicle charge points to ensure every home in the town is within five minutes from a charging point, making it easier to operate electrical vehicles. Cumbria Health and Call are a social enterprise addressing the difficulty in accessing health services in rural areas with their in and out of hours services helping residents get the primary healthcare they need. These businesses were joined on a panel discussion by Cllr Virginia Taylor from Westmorland and Furness Council, Martin Allman Social Enterprise Manager at Cumberland Council and Clive Hirst from Social Enterprise Solutions who originally came up with the idea of the Social Enterprise Places programme in 2013. The discussion was chaired by Rob Randell the lead on the Cumbria Social Enterprise Partnership and also featured contributions from Peter Holbrook and Liz Minns from SEUK. The next day, guests took part in a Social Enterprise Safari around Alston Moor, which showcased the diversity of the town’s social enterprises. SEUK’s Chief Executive, Peter Holbrook said: “It was great to return to Alston Moor, ten years since it gained Social Enterprise Place status, to see how the town’s social enterprises have grown and developed. “Alston Moor shows how a town can use social enterprise to not only take on the challenges faced by many rural areas, such as isolation and digital connectivity - but also how social enterprises can bring a community together, creating shared spaces and a sense of pride. “Congratulations to Alston Moor, a true social enterprise trailblazer!” To find out more about the Social Enterprise Places programme click here. The events at Alston Moor are part of a series of events which will celebrate the ten year anniversary of the programme with other events being listed here.

The newly published Roadmap is the latest update from Social Value 2032, an innovative programme led by Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) in partnership with Jacobs, PwC, Shaw Trust, Siemens and SUEZ recycling and recovery. As the programme has ambitious goals to make social value cover all public sector procurement and influence spending in the largest private companies, the new Roadmap outlines the next steps needed on that journey. The programme was set up last year to mark the tenth anniversary of the Public Services (Social Value) Act, which places a legal obligation on public bodies to consider how the services they commission and procure might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the areas they operate in. While the Act has helped transform the UK’s procurement landscape - already changing ways of working across public, private and third sectors - its potential is not always understood and its implementation is inconsistent. From creating a consistent legal and regulatory framework with common measuring standards, to strengthening supply chains and changing workplace cultures, the Social Value 2032 Roadmap details short and long-term proposals to transform the system so that organisations’ everyday spending can actively benefit wider society. Peter Holbrook CBE, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: “Our new Roadmap is ambitious, but we have no time to waste if we want to level up the country, achieve Net Zero, create a stronger and fairer society, and improve the health and wellbeing of millions of people. “Hundreds of billions of pounds of social value can potentially be generated over coming years – bringing tangible improvements to all our lives, the communities we live in and the planet we depend on. None of this can be achieved in isolation, but we have a growing movement of individuals and organisations who believe in social value, and working together we have a strong platform to drive real change over the next decade.” The Roadmap was launched at Programme partner PwC’s central London offices today (Tuesday 27 June) with a breakfast briefing that brought together social value leaders from across the private, public and third sectors. As well as a panel discussion by Programme partners, delegates heard from the Cabinet Office’s Deputy Director of Commercial Policy, Andy Williams. Discussing the UK Government’s commitment to social value and the changes needed to drive further progress, he commented: "I welcome the Roadmap – I think it’s a fantastic document for us to look at what we can do in future and how we can work together." Read the Roadmap at www.socialenterprise.org.uk/seuk-report/the-social-value-roadmap.

On Wednesday 24 May Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) brought colleagues, partners, peers and collaborators from across the sector together with politicians and policymakers in the House of Lords to discuss how British business can deliver better for our economy and society. With a general election approaching, now is the time to push for progress and make the case for a different way of doing business - one that centres the incredible work being caried out by the tens of thousands of social enterprises, cooperatives, community companies and other purpose-led businesses which are delivering for Britain. Opening the event, SEUK’s chair Lord Victor Adebowale explained: “We are significant, and yet we don’t have the voice that we should have for the major contributions we make to the current economy and all we could do in the future.” He set the scene for the challenges facing the UK economy, as widening inequality and the climate crisis transcend political divisions, making a rallying cry for all parties to address the fundamental structures of how we do business in order to address these burning issues. He issued an invitation and a challenge to raise the profile of the transformative impact of social enterprises and other mission-led businesses, which renowned economist Kate Raworth then argued must be at the heart of political and economic discussions. Changing business structures ‘Doughnut Economics’ author Kate Raworth proposes a radically different way of approaching the economy, moving from a system based on endless growth to one that meets the needs of all people within the means of the living planet. She said: “The aim is to create a safe and just space in which humanity can thrive, and to get there requires a fundamental rewiring of the economy and the way in which businesses themselves are structured.” In conversation with Victor, Kate posed the question of how businesses should be owned and designed in order to serve the needs of people and planet – and, in many ways, the answer to this could be found in the organisations represented in the room. Social enterprises, co-operatives and other purpose-driven business models offer the proof of concept needed for a new economy. Presenting the ongoing crisis of inequality and climate breakdown as an opportunity to show people the possibility of a different future, Kate urged: “Let’s make this visible, seed it and spread it and help people see: this is a not just viable but a crucial way of redesigning our economy in service of the future.” Kate was joined by her Doughnut Economics Action Lab (DEAL) colleague Erinch Sahan, whose work looks at challenging the deep design of business. He outlined how traditional models of ownership, governance and profit distribution place businesses in a straitjacket, with everything reliant on financial returns and maximising shareholder value – while social enterprise offers more diverse structures and innovative ways of working. He concluded that: “Social enterprise is the experimentation ground for those ideas that will hopefully take root in wider business and the future of the world economy.” Join the campaign This event kicks off a new campaign to shape the future of the British economy, bringing together champions of change from across business sectors and political spectrums, to elevate the profile of our growing movement through until the next election and beyond. As we get closer to 2023’s general election, we will ramp up activity to ensure that politicians, policy-makers and other key decision makers hear the voices of organisations that offer real solutions to build a fairer and more equitable country. Join our campaign and help us transform the potential of British business. More information can be found here >> https://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/business-plan-for-britain/ Thank you to all the organisations, MPs and Peers who attended this event and especially to our campaign partners:

A multi-award winning social enterprise aiming to eradicate period poverty is celebrating after donating 30 million products to vulnerable people. The team at Musselburgh-based Hey Girls reached the major milestone this month after just five years of trading. The multi-award-winning social enterprise operates on a “buy one, donate one” model – meaning a box of period products is donated to community partners like foodbanks, homeless shelters and women’s refuges for everyone purchased. Celia Hodson founded the business with her daughters Kate and Bec after the family personally experienced the hardships of period poverty. Speaking after reaching the milestone, she said the business will not slow down while people continue to endure similar experiences. She said: “All of us are absolutely thrilled to reach such a major milestone. “In five years we have helped reshape the attitude towards periods in the UK and played our role in breaking the taboo. “But our work is far from over. The cost of living crisis has seen more people fall into period poverty and they need our help. “We are incredibly thankful to all our valued customers and supporters for helping us reach 30 million donations – but we won’t be celebrating for long. Now is the time for action.” One in 10 people in the UK are affected by period poverty, a situation that has worsened with the economic crisis. Customers typically include businesses looking to improve period dignity in the workplace, as well as local councils, universities and schools. Their purchases are matched with a donation to Hey Girls’ network of more than 250 community partners – a number continuing to grow. Away from selling products, the Hey Girls team also work hard to put pressure on governments and local authorities to bring forward positive change. Celia added: “So much has changed since we first started – and the passing of the Period Products Act in Scotland is proof that a fairer world is possible. “That historic day is one that will stay with us forever, but now is the time for the rest of the country to follow suit and achieve period equality once and for all.” Visit Hey Girls page on the Social Enterprise Directory

Responding to the Spring Budget, Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: Today, the Government has shown a more nuanced view on how fiscal policy can encourage investment and shape better business behaviours, that goes beyond corporate tax cuts. However, many social enterprises continue to work in a difficult economic environment. SEUK will continue to lobby Government for more support to deal with inflation and to be the voice for social enterprises which have an important role to play in building a stronger national economy.

Three social enterprise start-ups are celebrating the successful completion of the DIF Allia Accelerator Challenge at a demo day, which concluded with a share out of a £30,000 prize fund. For the last six months, the ventures have worked with teams from DIF Capital Partners, who have given bespoke mentoring and coaching to help them develop and grow their businesses. At the recent demo day, each start-up had a chance to pitch their venture to an audience from DIF Capital Partners and Allia, explaining how they felt they’d progressed their business over the course of the challenge, and what they hope the future holds for them. The winning venture, Paige Braille, which focuses on making multiline braille display more affordable to the blind, was delighted to accept the top prize of £15,000 - and plan to use the funds to bring their working prototype into market launch. The two runners up, InCommon Foundation, a social enterprise connecting young people with their older neighbours in London via community programmes and Lylo Product, which focuses on developing a portable washing machine that uses waste shower water to promote water efficiency, were awarded £7,500 each. The three ventures were: Paige: the world’s first low-cost, multi-line braille display. Existing braille displays are limited to a single line of text. This makes them unsuited to subjects which require context or a spatial layout, such as STEM, music, tables, and graphs. They are also incredibly expensive, costing between £500 and £9,000. By lowering the cost per braille character, Paige has been designed to tackle both of these problems and transform braille literacy and education worldwide. Lylo Products: promoting water efficiency by finding innovative ways to reuse water. Lylo’s product collects water when you shower, and then reuses it for laundry washing, using less water, as well as saving 90% of the energy typically used to heat it than an average washing machine. InCommon Foundation: a social enterprise that brings generations together, through delivering intergenerational programmes, mainly working with schools and retirement homes in 3 ways: primary school Connect programmes, social action programmes and resources. Jason Loo who was one of the DIF mentors, was very positive about the experience of taking part. He commented: “The Accelerator Challenge is an amazing way for me to volunteer my time effectively by applying my relevant skillsets in helping ventures make a difference in people’s lives. I see tangible impact in what we do and have continued to be inspired by the passion, drive and commitment of venture founders. We have learnt from them as much as they have learnt from us. I am proud to be part of yet another successful accelerator programme.” Andrew Brisbin, Director of Ventures at Allia said: “Really grateful to the team at DIF for building up three social impact businesses with their skills and knowledge. We need great examples like the DIF team to show others that there are meaningful ways that professionals can engage with impact businesses to accelerate significant positive change. Every action taken with intentionality can contribute to a positive ripple effect in society.” Gregory Hargraves from winning venture, Paige, added: “Paige has greatly benefited from being part of the DIF Accelerator Challenge, and winning this prize brings us one step closer to our goal of reducing the barriers to braille worldwide. The funding received is a huge boost on top of the support we have received from the DIF team. We strongly believe that braille is essential for literacy, and we are dedicated to making it accessible at an affordable price to people around the world. Throughout the Accelerator, the DIF team has dedicated their time and expertise to support our mission. With the funding, we can complete the CE marking process for our first product, Paige Connect, and continue to work closely with braille readers. We would also like to acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding work of Lylo Products Limited and InCommon." This was the second Accelerator Challenge that Allia worked with DIF on. It has also recently concluded an Accelerator Challenge with BRAN Investments, which offered mentoring and coaching to eight impact start-ups, with an investment of up to £100,000 available for successful ventures after the pitch day. If you have interest in getting involved in an Accelerator Challenge, please email our venture support team on hello@allia.org.uk and find out more.

To mark this year’s International Women’s Day, we asked some of our members, whose work focuses on achieving gender equality and empowerment, questions regarding their views on intersectionality.  Our social enterprises saw intersectionality as necessary for their services to represent the complex experience of the community they serve. They highlighted the need to listen and learn from diverse experiences, to be inclusive and respectful. What is intersectionality? Intersectionality is a useful framework for understanding the many kinds of discriminations individuals contend with. Its starting premise is that everyone is made up of multiple and layered identities, which includes gender, race, class, ethnicity, nationality, sexuality, religion, socio-economic backgrounds, and migration status. For example, A working-class bisexual woman may encounter discrimination based on her socio-economic status and sexual identity.  As advocates of gender equality, we have a responsibility to consider everything and anything that subject women to prejudice and marginalisation. The truth, however, is that operationalising intersectionality is complex. We tend to focus on identity dimensions we are most comfortable with. However, if our advocacy represents only the experiences of some women, we will fail to achieve equality for all women.  Intersectionality entails we identify the needs and consequently think about what resources we need to tackle the multiple discriminations faced by all women.  Few organisations have access to all the resources they need to operationalise intersectionality, but this is where collaborations with other organisations and individuals, to expand the base of resources, can help.  Here's what some of our members had to say about this important topic. Soul Purpose 360 CIC Interview with Palma Black - Founder & Director Soul Purpose 360 CIC Soul Purpose 360 CIC is a coaching, mentoring, training, and networking social enterprise for Black women in the community development sector. Their aim is to motivate, inspire and imbue confidence in women, to enable them to contribute positively to their communities. How important should intersectionality be to advocates of gender equality? For any individual or organisation advocating for gender equality, intersectionality must form the foundation, if it is to truly include and reflect Black women. Historically, the white-led feminist movement have failed in this regard.  For example, intersectionality is essential for understanding the unique challenges that Black women face, as well as for developing effective strategies for fighting for our rights. This is because Black women experience oppression and discrimination on multiple levels due to multifaceted aspects of our identity and an intersectional approach would recognise the complexity of this. Black women experience gender-based violence, institutionalised racism, and economic inequality, among other forms of oppression. Intersectional feminism allows us to recognise this. How can we be inclusive of everyone and respect all parts of a person's identity?  One of the most important things we can do to ensure inclusivity and respect for all parts of a person's identity is to practice active listening. That means really taking the time to listen to someone and try to understand their experiences and perspectives without judgment. Black women are not a homogenous group. We should also be open to having conversations about differences in gender, race, and other identities, and be willing to learn from and support each other. Additionally, we should strive to create an environment where everyone feels comfortable and accepted, regardless of their identity. What are the challenges that can sometimes be faced when using an intersectional approach? Some challenges that can be presented include feeling overwhelmed by the multitude of intersecting identities and experiences that need to be taken into consideration. Another challenge can be navigating conflicting perspectives in a way that is respectful and inclusive of all identities and experiences. Some may struggle with the idea of recognising the privilege that exists within the various intersecting identities, as it can be a difficult concept to grapple with. Ultimately, it is important to be aware of these challenges to better equip oneself with the tools necessary to use an intersectional approach in a meaningful and productive way. soulpurpose360.co.uk You be You Interview with Bilkis Miah - CEO & Founder of You be You You be You provides lessons, workshops and activities for school and parents, with the aim of breaking down gender-based stereotypes, with the aim to shift the perceptions of schools, families and children, to open possibilities for the next generation.  How important should intersectionality be to advocates of gender equality? We believe intersectionality is important. We’re layered humans with multifaceted aspects of our identity and intersectionality ensures we’re encompassing the whole person. How can we be inclusive of everyone and respect all parts of a person's identity? We can listen actively to people’s stories and learn from these lived experiences. What are the challenges that can sometimes be faced when using an intersectional approach? A challenge includes the complexity of trying to tackle multiple layers of discrimination. To what extent does an intersectional approach inform your organisational strategy? You are welcome to explain your experience. Intersectionality is at the core of our organisational strategy.  We must think about our communities and all the levels of prejudice they may face, in order to fully serve them. youbeyou.co.uk Butterfly Books Interview with Kerrine Bryan - Founder and Author of Butterfly Books Butterfly Books are a Social Enterprise that create children’s educational books. Their books are career-focused, aimed to inspire and educate children of the career options available to them, to reduce gender bias in job roles. Some of their books include ‘My Mummy is a Footballer’ and ‘My Daddy is a Nurse.’ How important should intersectionality be for advocates of gender equality? Intersectionality is very important as achieving equality, inclusion and diversity is complex. However, it can be difficult to address all problems with limited resources. For example, our children’s books focus on gender equality, and we try our best to address intersectionality through our illustrations as best we can. However, we believe that collaboration is an important way to consider intersectionality, through partnerships with organisations that have a focus in other areas. How can we be inclusive of everyone and respect all parts of a person's identity?  Through expanding our knowledge of other people’s cultures and genders. This can be through attending events, or reading literature that you wouldn’t normally. Additionally, understanding the community you serve is key. What are the challenges that can sometimes be faced when using an intersectional approach? One of the challenges is losing the impact you intended to create, by trying to spreadresources across too many areas. To what extent does an intersectional approach inform your organisational strategy? You are welcome to explain your experience. As a Black-owned business we are aware of the challenges faced regarding race. Although this is not the focus of our business, intersectionality affects us as business owners. Therefore, we are conscious of this when writing and illustrating our children’s books, with the aim of ensuring we represent the community we serve. butterflybooks.co.uk By Sabrina Doshi, supported by Dr Lilian Miles - Reader in Sustainability and Social Enterprise, Westminster Business School, University of Westminster

In these troubled times, it is welcome that the expanded Dormant Asset Scheme will provide £880 million to essential causes, including through social investment and a Community Wealth Fund. The results of the Dormant Assets consultation were announced today. Funds will continue to be used for youth, financial inclusion and social investment wholesalers. There will also be a new Community Wealth Fund which will give long-term financial support (whether directly or indirectly) for the provision of local amenities or other social infrastructure. This is an important milestone because of the impact this will have on communities through the work of social enterprises, trading charities and other community-based businesses. The consultation recognises the importance of extending affordable, patient, flexible capital and highlights findings of the Adebowale Commission on Social Investment which recommended that social investment must reach more minority-led organisations and disadvantaged communities. Existing Dormant Assets continue, including a £31 million fund which will enable community and social enterprises to install energy saving technology in their buildings and help them meet the growing need for their services as a result of cost-of-living pressures. We look forward to more details on how this funding will be allocated. It is imperative that it is distributed fairly and used to support communities and places in need. Our CEO Peter Holbrook said: “This is an important and positive development. Dormant Assets offer huge potential support for social enterprises and the communities they serve. We are pleased to see that the Adebowale Commission has influenced improvements for social investment. We look forward to supporting how the Community Wealth Fund is shaped, as we know the vital work that social enterprises do at a hyper-local level and the importance of place-based infrastructure. These are extremely challenging economic circumstances. We hope the Spring Budget next week will provide further hope and support to drive social enterprise solutions.”

Come along to our monthly networking event and meet other social entrepreneurs and sustainability professionals based in London and beyond! The aim of our event is for you to engage in conversations and build connections with other social entrepreneurs and sustainability/impact-driven professionals in order to spark ideas and maybe even walk away with a business partner or connections to potential clients. Please note there is only a limited amount of seats reserved at our cafe so please reserve your tickets early to ensure access to our event. The next few events will be taking place on: Thursday 16 February Thursday 23 March Thursday 27 April Thursday 25 May CLICK HERE TO REGISTER YOUR PLACE About Trampoline Founded by the team behind NEMI Teas, we share the same objective – to help London’s refugee community integrate, train and become independent citizens. Built on the values of looking forward, being compassionate, and believing in better we’re committed to using our business as a genuine force for good. Building and maintaining relationships that transform lives.

On this page you’ll find resources designed to support social enterprises and charities - otherwise known as voluntary community and social enterprises (VCSEs) - compete alongside other organisations for public sector contracts as well as the latest news from the ongoing VCSE Contract Readiness Programme. Upcoming events on the Contract Readiness Programme The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) funds the VCSE Contract Readiness programme. DCMS has worked with a consortium led by School for Social Entrepreneurs partnering with Social Enterprise UK and Voice4Change England to design and deliver a programme that will enable VCSEs to compete alongside other organisations for public sector contracts.  Find out more about the programme here Further support from government on applying for contracts VCSEs – A guide to working with government – The VCSE Crown Representative, Claire Dove CBE commissioned this  guide from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (which holds responsibility for the VCSE sector in government) and Cabinet Office. It sets out  how social enterprises and charities can best work with government. It goes through the best ways for VCSEs to approach working with public sector commissioners from steps such as registering to becoming an approved supplier to how to best engage early with commissioners. It contains top tips for tendering and details what public sector buyers are looking for. Transforming Public Procurement – The Procurement Act is now law and will introduce significant changes to the way public sector organisations buy goods and services. The Act will help open up public procurement to a broader supplier base, including VCSE organisations, with the new regime due to go live in Autumn 2024. This collection on the Government website runs through the key things you need to know about the Act and how it will change the procurement landscape. It includes a link to the official Cabinet Office learning and development offer, which contains a range of support resources for your organisation. Transforming Public Procurement Knowledge Drops - The Knowledge Drops are a key part of the Government’s learning and development offer and are designed to provide a high-level overview of the changes to the procurement regulations. They take the form of short video presentations and there’s specific guidance for VCSE suppliers. You can find out more about how the Procurement Act will help VCSEs in this short video: Small and Medium Business Hub – The majority of social enterprises are small and medium size businesses (SMEs) and the Government has a commitment to support these organisations through procurement. As part of this, it has created the Small and Medium Business Hub to bring together guidance and resources. It contains information on where to look when applying for contracts, information on prompt payment, case studies, and action plans created by individual government departments on how they look to work with SMEs.  Finding Opportunities Contracts Finder – This is government’s single online portal on which contracts valued above £10,000 in central government and above £25,000 in the rest of the non-devolved public sector are listed. It’s free to use to find opportunities. You don’t have to register, but if you do, you can set up an account to have new opportunities that suit your organisation emailed to you regularly. Join Frameworks – Framework Agreements are ‘umbrella’ arrangements allowing multiple suppliers to be listed as potentially being able to work on a specific contract. They are agreed by a lead buyer with one or more suppliers. Once part of a Framework Agreement the lead buyer and other pre-advertised organisations can purchase goods and services from your organisation. More information is in the VCSE guide listed above. Government Dynamic Purchasing System – signing to the Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) is similar to an electronic Framework Agreement but one which allows new suppliers to join at any time. They however have their own set of requirements. More information can be found in the VCSE guide listed above. Getting contract ready A key part of being able to win public sector contracts is to make sure your organisation is contract ready. Here are a few resources to help apply from support courses and webinars to publications. SSE Programmes The School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) run a series of programmes and courses to support social enterprises grow and develop. These include: Social Business Modelling and Scaling – This workshop covers a broad range of integrated topics that are instrumental in creating and expanding a successful social business model. Winning Grants from Trusts and Foundations – This course will equip organisations with the tools needed to secure more funding from trusts and foundations, showing you how to identify valuable funder prospects, develop a more compelling case for support, write more impactful applications and build strong long-term relationships with funders Unlocking Social Investment - Social investment can offer impact-driven organisations valuable investment to help achieve their aims but many don’t know what it is, where to find it or how it works. In this workshop, you will get all the essential information and gain insights from expert speakers to help you take your next steps with social investment and unlock this potentially game-changing funding source. Measuring Social Impact – This three-day course is full of the information you need to measure your impact successfully. Measuring Social Value - An introduction to measuring and valuing the changes your work makes on individuals and the knock-on effects of this on their lives. This is how commissioners are looking for you to demonstrate the value of your work when applying for contracts. Bid Writing Support Lime Green Consulting – Lime Green Consulting are a fundraising and strategy consultancy for UK charities and social enterprises. They offer bid-writing support and review applications. They also run training programmes in partnership with organisations like the School for Social Entrepreneurs. Key things to have in place to apply for a bid When applying for a public sector contract, VCSEs need to ensure that they have a few things in place before applying. These include: insurance policy modern slavery policy cybersecurity certificates Access to funding Access to appropriate funding is vitally important for VCSEs to grow and develop. Here are some places to go to find advice and finance from repayable social investment to grant funding. Find a Grant - Find a grant is a pilot service that allows organisations to both search for government grants and find out if they are eligable for support.  Access - The Foundation for Social Investment - Access’s mission is to make sure that social enterprises and charities can access the finance they need to sustain or grow their impact. As a social investment wholesaler, Access funds a series programmes designed to help social enterprises and charities - from blended finance (grants and loans) to investment readiness programmes.  The National Lottery Community Fund – The National Lottery raises money for good causes, supporting charities, community groups and social enterprises access grant funding. In 2021/22 it awarded over £579 million to these organisations. Current live funds can be found here. Good Finance – The Good Finance website is designed to help social enterprises and charities navigate the world of social investment. It contains resources to help you find out if repayable finance is for you, a fund mapper, case studies and a pre-investment support page for organisations that are not yet investment ready. Funders Online – A database of over 8,000 sources of grant funding. Organisations need to pay a subscription to access the resources. UnLtd – UnLtd is the foundation for social entrepreneurs. They run a series of awards offering funding for smaller social enterprises and also provide social investment (repayable finance) through the Growth Impact Fund. Get your organisation noticed With social value being a mandated part of central government contracts and all public sector bodies having to consider social value in commissioning as well as an increased focus on ESG amongst corporates – organisations from across the public and private sector are looking for VCSEs they can partner with. Here’s some ways on getting your organisation noticed. Social Enterprise Directory – All Social Enterprise UK members are featured on SEUK’s Social Enterprise Directory which is used by organisations looking to find social enterprise suppliers. If you are a social enterprise and not a member of SEUK you can find out more about membership here.

According to Social Enterprise UK cuts to energy support for business will not deliver savings and could cost taxpayers more. If the proposed changes go through as many as 10,000 social enterprises could face closure putting as many as 160,000 jobs at risk and costing the UK billions in lost output and tax revenue. Peter Holbrook, CEO of Social Enterprise UK commented: “British businesses that should be at the heart of our economic recovery face the threat of closure should the Government prematurely cut back its energy support package for business. In the social enterprise sector, even the existing package has proven inadequate, with at least 3,900 social enterprises set to close, and over 10,000 more at risk of closure. This could put as many as 160,000 jobs at risk and could potentially cost the UK billions in lost output and tax revenue. The long-term costs to the economy would likely outweigh any savings made today from cutting energy support. If the Government goes through with further reductions in support, then the collapse of more social enterprises will become inevitable. Communities across the country will be deprived of businesses that are committed to investing in tackling social challenges and fostering inclusive growth. Supporting social enterprise today is not a cost, but an investment, one that will pay dividends when viable businesses survive these hard times and are able to drive the future recovery.”

WRS Insurance Brokers are thrilled to join Social Enterprise UK. WRS are a team of experienced and committed social enterprise insurance professionals. We take pride in only sourcing our products from insurers who we believe are financially sound and ethical. WRS’s experienced social enterprise insurance team are passionate about the sector. We understand the challenges social enterprises face as we are a Certified Social Enterprise ourselves. For more than four decades, we’ve been supporting a wide range of charities and other third sector organisations with their insurance needs, so are well placed to help advise you on the best insurance for social enterprises like yours. No matter how big or small your social enterprise is or what your day-to-day activities involve, it’s almost certain we’ve helped an enterprise like yours find the insurance they need. Get a no obligation review of your social insurance by contacting Francesca Kirkham today. Get in touch here

Social Enterprise UK has today launched the Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre – which aims to be a world-class source of evidence and insights on social enterprise. For more than a decade, our data and evidence has been the foundation of much of the research on social enterprise in the UK. Information collected by us on social enterprise activity drives understanding, awareness and progress. It informs public policy, from the creation of Better Society Capital (formerly Big Society Capital) and Access – The Foundation for Social Investment, to the Social Value Act and the development of public service mutuals, as well as the recent Adebowale Commission on Social Investment. The new Knowledge Centre brings together evidence compiled by us with wider sources of data, to make the UK’s most comprehensive source of information about social enterprise. It houses qualitative and quantitative information and will produce evidence for a range of audiences exploring key thematic areas of interest for social enterprises and their support ecosystem. Working in partnership with social investors, foundations, government, support organisations, academia and social enterprises, the Knowledge Centre will produce a wide range of reports and insight to promote understanding and inform positive change. Click here to visit the knowledge centre The Knowledge Centre is the home of our State of Social Enterprise Reports – our flagship piece of research looking in depth at the UK social enterprise community. Published every two years the report highlights key trends in the social enterprise sector. It also houses our quarterly Barometer reports which give a snapshot of social enterprise performance as well as how specific economic and political developments are affecting social enterprises. The Social Enterprise Knowledge Centre is supported by Access – The Foundation for Social Investment. Social Investment Business and Better Society Capital.

31 October 2022 Homeshare services across the UK are raising awareness this week of how they can support their local community by safely matching older people living alone with those seeking affordable accommodation. The news comes as the true scale of loneliness for all ages in the UK is becoming understood.1.4 million older people in the UK are often lonely[1].Many people in mid and later life are also finding themselves without affordable housing options due to the increasing cost of living. Homeshare, works by matching people together for mutual support; a person who has a spare room and is looking for company and a bit of practical support, shares their home with someone looking for affordable accommodation. Both people benefit from the companionship and having a friendly face at home. The householder typically receives 10 hours per week of practical support provided by the homesharer such as shopping, cooking, cleaning, gardening or even enjoying social activities together, but no personal care is involved. Younger people are being priced out of the villages, towns, and cities they want to live in, for work or study. Latest figures again show that the average age at which people can leave home even to rent is rising along with the proportion of income spent on housing. Across the UK, local Homeshare providers offer more people the opportunity to live sociably and affordably whatever their age, with the right support structures in place to make it safe and enjoyable. They are supported by Homeshare UK – the UK network for local Homeshare providers. This week is Homeshare Aware week, where organisations across the UK are calling on older people and their relatives to get in touch and not face another quiet winter if they’d prefer some company at home. As the darker nights draw in, more people feel safe and secure having the reassurance of an overnight presence and someone to share a meal with. Catherine Ambrose, Homeshare UK Service Manager from Homeshare UK said, “Whilst practical support in the home is beneficial for older people in our area, we find that the majority of our Homeshare matches say that having companionship and a safe place to live is the top benefit for them. Just hearing the key in the lock as the night draws in, as someone comes in from work, is reassuring. “Family and friends of an older relative feel much more at ease knowing their loved one has someone in the home with them, who has their best interests at heart. Younger people also benefit from the companionship and learn new skills from someone of a different generation.” Homeshare matches are facilitated, supported and closely monitored by their local Homeshare provider. As members of Homeshare UK, they draw on established national good practice guidance and a quality assurance framework from Homeshare UK to ensure safety and quality, including face-to-face and ongoing support. A daughter of a householder with Homeshare Living said, “Homesharing has made such a difference to my mum’s life. She is much happier as she is not alone in the evenings, and she has someone else to chat to, share meals with and care about. It has also given me immense peace of mind that someone is there in case anything happens. Mum is well in to her 90’s now and I feel sure that things would have been very different, and she would probably not have been able to stay in her home these last few years if she hadn’t had a sharer.” Deborah Fox, Head of Homeshare UK, who are organising the campaign says, “We know that winter is a time when we naturally see even fewer people during the shorter days, more than a million older people say they go over a month without speaking to a friend, neighbour, or family member. With the cost of living constantly on the rise, we’re experiencing more unsettling times, however having someone at home to provide companionship, reassurance and support has a positive impact on the well-being of those in Homeshare arrangements. “This year during Homeshare Aware Week we’re asking older people and their relatives to get in touch with one of the 20 Homeshare organisations across the UK, who offer wonderful opportunities for older and younger people to connect and help each other out – whether it’s practical, offering a spare room, or companionship. We all need real life company more than ever in our society today. “It's a safe and enjoyable way to relieve the pressure of living alone and bring peace of mind to everyone involved.” To find out more about Homeshare and enquire with your local provider please visit https://homeshareuk.org/ If you are interested in setting up a Homeshare UK social franchise visit https://homeshareuk.org/franchise-opportunities/ About Homeshare UK Homeshare UK is part of Shared Lives Plus, the membership charity for a kinder, stronger society built on sharing our lives and our homes. We build communities where everyone lives a full life, regardless of the support they need. Homeshare UK is a vibrant network of likeminded individuals who are passionate about delivering Homeshare in a safe and effective way. We also help anyone who wants to start a Homeshare service with bespoke advice, training and consultancy. We are members of Homeshare International, and proactively work with Homeshare providers across the world. In 2021 Homeshare UK secured a 1.2 million pound grant to support the scale up of Homeshare across the UK. This money will be used to incubate two large scale programmes across the north of England and a franchise model that will be suitable for delivery in smaller towns and rural locations. Find out more at www.homeshareuk.org [1] https://www.ageuk.org.uk/our-impact/policy-research/loneliness-research-and-resources/

17 October 2022 Responding to today’s announcements from Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: Social Enterprise UK welcomes the Chancellor's commitment to targeting energy support for business and encouraging energy efficiency, as social enterprises are more likely than other SMEs to have been investing in energy efficiency since before the energy crisis began. We call on the Chancellor to consider investing more in the social enterprise sector to help accelerate this work and contribute to an enterprise-led recovery.  Social enterprises are under pressure from increased energy costs now and will need support as long as the energy crisis continues, which is unlikely to stop in April.

Buying from social enterprises has never been more important. Whether you are visiting a café and want to find one that is giving jobs to people with learning difficulties, like Lily’s Social Kitchen, or buying a new fence from a company giving skills to ex-offenders, like Trinity Fencing, or buying some amazing gifts from a company giving high street space to local makers, like Made in Ashford, this conference will explore how we can all support each other. It will also look at how we engage the public and other businesses to buy from social enterprises. Social Enterprise Kent will also be launching their new Buy Local, Buy Social directory – a FREE directory to promote social enterprises in the region Speakers include: Damian Green, MP for AshfordClaudia Sykes OBE, Social Enterprise KentAndrew O’Brien, Social Enterprise UKTudor Price, Kent Invicta Chamber of CommerceJosephine McCartney, Kent Community Foundation And more! Details: Friday 18th November 9.30am registration, tea and coffee ready for 10am startClose at 4pm Spaces are limited, so we are requesting only 2 people per organisation attend. BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE

As we wrote earlier in the summer, HM Government is running a consultation on how the English portion of reclaimed dormant assets should be spent (dormant assets being a financial product, such as a bank account, which has not been used for many years, and which the provider has been unable to reunite with its owner despite efforts aligned with industry best practice)The last round of dormant assets helped to create Big Society Capital and laid the platform for the social investment market. It created the Access Foundation. It created Fair For All Finance and the Youth Endowment Fund. These are all significant investments and interventions. Dormant assets matter.The consultation lasts until 9th October (this Sunday) and as promised, Social Enterprise UK has put together a template which you can download and send to the consultation – saving you time whilst making sure your voice is heard What do you need to do in five easy steps Download the template response. Insert the name of your social enterprise (Q2), the sector you work in (Q6) and the geography that your social enterprise operates across (Q8). Check that you are happy with the template response and add in any additional points you would like to make. Email dormantassetsconsultation@almaeconomics.com with a copy of the template and cc our Director of External Affairs - andrew.obrien@socialenterprise.org.uk so we can track response rates. If you are super-keen, you can also tweet @DCMS to tell them you have taken part in the consultation and you want dormant assets to help grow the social enterprise sector. Something like: I’ve taken part in the Dormant Assets Consultation 2022 because I want @DCMS to use dormant assets to invest in #socialenterprise through social investment and Community Wealth Funds. Once you have hit send you’ve done your bit to help the sector! What we are calling for We have two simple asks. One is for more money for social investment to address the issues raised by the Adebowale Commission on Social Investment.The Commission found that whilst social investment had helped some social enterprises, it had not fulfilled its potential due to a lack of flexible capital which could be deployed to provide “enterprise-centric” finance. It also found geographical and racial inequalities in the distribution of social investment.The Commission made several recommendations to address these challenges including the creation of a £50m black-led social investment fund to tackle inequalities faced by black-led social enterprises, putting more investment into place-led infrastructure and creating a “Frontiers Fund” to provide capital to give flexible finance into social enterprises.We need dormant assets to resolve these issues, to reform the market and get social enterprises the access to finance they need. Our second ask is to support the development of Community Wealth Funds. These funds would distribute locally administered pots of money which would be used to provide patient funding for social infrastructure – the community spaces and social enterprises that we depend upon and bring us together. This proposal is being championed by the Community Wealth Fund Alliance which includes Social Enterprise UK. We need to invest in our communities and dormant assets can provide some of the resources to do that.Both of these can be funded through dormant assets and they compliment each other. Don't miss your chance to have your say Unfortunately, just reading this email and nodding along won’t be taken into consideration by DCMS.The only way to have your say is to fill in their survey or download our template response and email it in (which will be quicker, I promise!).At a time when social enterprises need help to grow and sustain themselves, you can do your bit to help our sector get access to £738m of dormant assets.Don’t miss your chance to influence the decision By Andrew O'Brien - Director of External Affairs at Social Enterprise UK

26 September 2022 A group of 30 large companies have spent over £250 million with social enterprises by bringing them into their supply chains through Social Enterprise UK’s Buy Social Corporate Challenge. Launched in 2016, the Buy Social Corporate Challenge was set up to encourage corporates to use their everyday procurement spend to create positive social and environmental impact. Starting with seven founding partners the programme has grown to include 30 large businesses ranging from pharmaceuticals to finance who have collectively spent £255 million with social enterprises in the last six years with the overall goal being to get to £1 billion spend by 2026. This quarter of a million spend with social enterprises is one of the key findings in the Year 6 Impact Report of the Challenge which is published today (26 September). The report also shows that the money spent by corporates through the programme has helped create 2,700 jobs and has helped social enterprises increase their impact and access new markets. Through trading with Buy Social Corporate Challenge partners social enterprise suppliers have been able to reinvest approximately £26.5 million into the social or environmental missions. One of the 1,030 social enterprises who have supplied Buy Social Corporate Challenge Partners in the last six years is NEMI Teas – a social enterprise set up to help create jobs for refugees. Pranav Chopra, the founder of NEMI Teas had this to say about their work with corporates through the Buy Social Corporate Challenge: “We are currently working with seven partners on the Challenge and are in consultation with two more. Hopefully we’ll be in a third of their partners’ supply chains shortly! It’s because of the Challenge that I’ve been able to directly reach out to other corporates. The Buy Social Corporate Challenge has been remarkable for businesses which have a social enterprise model and the capacity to deliver.” The report argues that not only does buying from social enterprises make a positive social impact, but that it doesn’t have to cost more: 90% of corporate partners in the challenge reported that social enterprises were cost neutral or even cheaper when compared with other suppliers, while 95% said that social enterprises delivered comparable or higher quality. Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK, said: “Following higher scrutiny by investors, stakeholders, staff and consumers, mainstream UK businesses are increasingly considering their social and environmental impact when they set strategy and make decisions. “SEUK welcomes this shift and we believe social enterprise has an important role to play in supporting the wider business community to embrace social value and consider the social and environmental impact of their work. “There is a group of businesses that are leading the way in leveraging their procurement in service of their purpose. The Buy Social Corporate Challenge (BSCC) partners are demonstrating effectively how their purchasing decisions can help them play their part in achieving a fairer and more sustainable economy. “What this sixth annual BSCC report reveals is that the Challenge is on track to deliver its ambitious £1 billion target, thanks to the commitment and vision of our corporate partners and the ability of social enterprises to deliver high-quality products and services.” The corporate partners on the programme are Amey, AstraZeneca, Barclays, CBRE, Co-op, Compass/Foodbuy, Deloitte, EQUANS, GSK, John Sisk & Son Ltd, Johnson & Johnson, KPMG, Landmarc Support Services, Lendlease, Linklaters, LV=, Mitie, Motorola Solutions, Nationwide, Nestle, NFU Mutual, PwC, Robertson Group, SAP, Siemens, Sodexo, The Crown Estate, Wates Group, Willmott Dixon and Zurich. You can read the full Year 6 Impact Report here

21 Septemeber 2022 Commenting on the energy bill relief scheme announced today, Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK said: This vital intervention from Government will give social enterprises some of the help that they need this winter. The cap will help our sector to protect jobs and investment in local communities, ensuring that they can continue to deliver their social and environmental missions. We now need the energy companies to deliver this discount quickly. Any delay could harm the cashflow of social enterprises and create needless distress. “However, this crisis is not going to go away. Businesses need more certainty to plan and to secure investment for growth, which is why it’s crucial that the Government swiftly clarifies what will happen beyond March next year. Until the energy crisis is resolved, the cap must be kept.

8 September 2022 Responding to the Prime Minister’s announcement on energy costs this afternoon, Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK said: Today businesses needed to hear from the Prime Minister that the government has a plan to help them stave off calamity this winter and beyond. We have heard only some of the plan for winter, but social enterprises need more detail. It is crucial that businesses are given clarity quickly. We also need to avoid needless cliff-edges. This energy crisis is predicted to last at least a year, not six months, as the government has recognised for households. We must avoid a situation where businesses close or jobs are lost because we have not put in place a long-term plan. The Prime Minister is right to be looking at how the UK can shore itself up against energy crises in future. Two-thirds of social enterprises have or plan to have tackling the climate crisis as one of their legally binding objectives. It’s clear more businesses need to adopt similar commitments to reduce dependency on fossil fuels. We also need to invest in community energy, where social enterprises are working with local people to develop renewables that can reduce carbon emissions and help reduce the cost of energy over the long term.

Social Enterprise UK is working in partnership with the University of Westminster on a programme of work focused on social enterprises and gender empowerment. Many social enterprises are working to tackle gender inequality – creating jobs, opening up opportunities and tackling entrenched social attitudes. This programme aims to work with social enterprises to help them embed gender empowerment into their work and day-to-day operations. Since November 2021 an expert team of academics from the university have been running a series of practical workshops with participating social enterprises to help them develop strategies to empower the women they employ or support. Early workshops took place online but have now moved to in person events, the latest of which looked at how the Theory of Change and Social Relations Approach can be used to develop gender empowerment strategies. Academics taking part in the programme are Dr Lilian Miles, Dr Maria Granados, Dr Vincent Rich and Dr Anastasia Alexeeva Why should I get involved and who can take part? The workshops are open to any Social Enterprise UK member interested in doing their part to create a gender equal world. Participating social enterprises do not need to have a primary social purpose of tackling gender inequality. The programme is a great way to provide your social enterprise with the organisational tools necessary to put in place systems which empower the women you work with and support, taking academic theory and putting it into practice. Workshops so have have looked in depth at areas such as creating a theory of change, design thinking and impact measurement. If you’re interested in taking part, please contact our membership team at membership@socialenterprise.org.uk Gender Empowerment Guide for Social Enterprises in the UK As part of this series of work the University of Westminster produced a Gender Empowerment Guide for use by social enterprises to empower the women they employ. Co-produced with social enterprises, the guide showcases best practice, potential challenges and how to address them, and provides clear indicators to measure the effectiveness and impact of gender empowerment practices. Click here to read the guide 

26 July 2022 Social Enterprise UK celebrated its 20th anniversary at a special event held at the House of Lords terrace in the Palace of Westminster last Monday, on one of the hottest days of the year. It was a chance to look back and celebrate what SEUK and its members have achieved together over the last two decades and an opportunity to look forward to the future. Since being formed as the Social Enterprise Coalition, 20 years ago, SEUK has been a strong voice and champion for social enterprise in the UK, raising awareness of social enterprise and lobbying for change. SEUK was instrumental in the passing of the Social Value Act, the establishment of the Community Interest Community as a legal structure; and making social investment more accessible to social enterprises through the creation of Big Society Capital and, more recently, the Access Foundation. Over the years our ‘Buy Social’ work has grown from a campaign encouraging social enterprises to buy from each other - to one which is helping shape the supply chains of some of the UK’s biggest businesses through the Buy Social Corporate Challenge – an initiative which now has 30 corporate partners, and which has directed millions of pounds worth of spend towards social enterprises. SEUK's public-facing Buy Social campaigns have raised awareness of social enterprise and spread the word about buying from social enterprises to consumers.  As well as marking some of SEUK’s achievements over the last 20 years SEUK’s two former chairs, Baroness Glenys Thornton and Claire Dove CBE, shared their reflections of their time at the organisation and how it, and social enterprise, has grown and developed. Our current chair, Lord Victor Adebowale CBE set out the critical role social enterprise needs to play in the future of the economy and how SEUK, as the champion for the social enterprise movement, needs to ensure that those who either do not know what a social enterprise is or who do not care understand the that the social enterprise movement is a real catalyst for positive change. Lord Adebowale commented: “We’ve got to make them understand that if they’re interested in the future of the country, in fact the future of the planet, it’s social enterprise that they need to be interested in. They’re looking for solutions and we’re it” The need for social enterprises to be part of the climate change solution was apparent to everyone gathered in the room, as the outside temperature hit just under 40 degrees. As well as hearing from our Chair, former Chairs and Chief Executive SEUK members present voted on a resolution that enables SEUK to continue to invest in political activity. This resolution was passed unanimously by a quorate number of SEUK members. This will help us continue to champion and push for policy change that benefits social enterprise and position social enterprises as a fundamental part of an inclusive and sustainable economy. We know that the extreme temperatures made it impossible for many people to attend but we would like to thank everyone who was able to join us in Westminster and celebrate the last 20 years. We’d also like to extend our thanks to all our members, partners and supporters who have been instrumental in supporting our work over the years. Social Enterprise UK is nothing without its members and none of our achievements would have been possible without you. We look forward to working with you as we move forward and continue to make the case as to why social enterprise represents business at its best.

6 June 2022 Charity Bank, the loans and savings bank for positive social change, today announced it will pilot a voluntary four-day work week as part of a six-month global programme coordinated by flexible working experts, 4 Day Week Global The four-day work week pilot starts today, and Charity Bank is the first UK bank to reduce its work week from a standard 35 hours to 28 hours for the same pay and benefits.  Charity Bank will continue to offer its specialist customer service and support five days a week, whilst giving all employees the option to move to a four-day work week.  Rather than rewarding presenteeism, the four-day week pilot focuses on productivity, outputs, and results.  The approach Charity Bank will be piloting is the “100:80:100” model – which means employees will receive 100 percent of their pay while working 80 percent of their contracted hours, in exchange for a commitment to maintain at least 100 percent productivity.  Adopting a four-day work week is a business improvement strategy centered on working smarter rather than longer with significant investment in the well-being of the most important asset to any business – people.  Charity Bank’s decision to join the pilot and take the lead in redesigning the nature of work is rooted in its socially conscious mission. Charity Bank’s CEO Ed Siegel said: “As an ethical bank we are constantly looking at ways to deliver increased societal impact through our values-driven approach – that’s what makes the four-day working week such a good fit for us.” “We have long been a champion of flexible working, but the pandemic really moved the goalposts in this regard.  We’ve all seen the benefits, and the experience has led us to reassess what good looks like.  For Charity Bank the move to a four-day workweek seems a natural next step.” “With a meaningful redesign of the way we work, we expect to improve efficiency without affecting productivity whilst enhancing the physical and mental health of our colleagues. In essence, a happier and healthier workforce is more productive and delivers superior customer service which enables us to do more for the charities and social enterprises we exist to serve. “By valuing productivity over time spent, we aim to bridge the gap often felt between full-time and part-time staff, removing any possible barriers to promotion and progression. We anticipate that the shorter working week will also help us attract a more diverse workforce and encourage people who would previously have been unable to commit to the standard five-day working week to join us. As well as benefitting colleagues, the shorter work week will help us to reduce our carbon footprint through a reduction in the frequency of commuting and by eliminating unnecessary meetings and travel. “The 20th-century concept of a five-day working week is no longer the best fit for 21st-century business. We firmly believe that a four-day week with no change to salary or benefits will create a happier workforce and will have an equally positive impact on business productivity, customer experience and our social mission. “We are proud to be the first UK bank to reduce its work week from a standard 35 hours to 28 hours for the same pay and benefits. As one of our Board members put it, we believe ‘this trial will put Charity Bank on the right side of history.’” charitybank.org

23 March 2022 Peter Holbrook CBE, Chief Executive, Social Enterprise UK said: “There is some good news in the Spring Statement today for social enterprises, with increases in Employment Allowance which will help social enterprises to continue to successfully create meaningful jobs, and the Chancellor’s VAT-cut on energy saving materials which will help strengthen the growing green social enterprise sector.” “The Chancellor set out the need for more investment in people, ideas and capital – exactly what the UK’s social enterprises are so effective at delivering. But instead of recognising the need to reform the private sector, he is cutting tax and hoping that business will do the right thing. All the evidence shows that it is not a lack of generous tax support which is holding our economy back, it is the short-termism of business and finance.” “SEUK will engage closely with HM Government on its proposals to reform our tax system to help businesses grow and we will champion social enterprises. But tax cuts are not a substitute for a plan to reform the economy. This is the case that social enterprises will keep making in the months ahead.” 

We are delighted to launch our Social Impact Report for 2022-23 to coincide with Global Social Enterprise Day. Our video report provides a snapshot of our people, partners, and numbers, showcasing how we embed social impact in everything we do, building a kinder, fairer way to do business. Fundamentally Starts with you (SWY) is a Property Service company, with 85% of our income from commercial contracts in property clearance, caretaking, handypersons, and building safety inspection services. But those services are not “an end in themselves” they are the means to support what drives us, our Social Purpose “to create opportunity and empower people to make positive change”. Through commercial trading, we have been able to build a business that champions good employment, fair pay, and responsible business practice, supporting nearly 50 employees, over half in entry-level roles. We are a Real Living Wage and Living Hours employer, and a member of the GM Good Employment Charter. We build good practice into our business model to ensure that our people and customers have access to opportunities and are empowered to make positive change. We create opportunities for people to get into or return to work through our employability support services which have helped 77customers in to work in 2022-23, and direct employment, with 34% of the team recruited from being out of work. We work hard to invest in our team and to provide opportunities for personal growth and progression within the business. As well as building impact into our working practices we invest 100% of our profits in our social purpose, either in gift aid to charity, re-invested in the business, or to support services in the community including money, digital, employment, and energy advice. In 2022-23 the team supported over 1500 customers and delivered financial gains of £633,000, contributing to a total since 2017 of over £2 million saved for local people. We are passionate about growing our business so we can create more opportunities, empower more people, and make even more positive change! If you would like to learn more about SWY, what we can deliver, work for us, or how we make a difference you can contact us on any of our website pages.   startswithyou.org.uk

For a decade now, the much-anticipated annual event showcasing the social enterprise sector has been Birmingham focused. This year sees it evolve to being the West Midlands Social Economy Drive - a celebration of all things social economy across the seven West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) localities with support from both Power to Change and WMCA. Starting Monday 13th November 2023, Social Economy Drive is a week-long programme of Meet the Buyer, workshops, networking, conferences, roundtables and expert knowledge-exchange collaborations. It brings together key stakeholders, Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise organisations (VCSE), commissioners, public and private sector, and entrepreneurs who are passionate about ‘growing the regional social economy’. Strategic Lead for Social Economy Growth at West Midlands Combined Authority, Charles Rapson, says: “Community-owned, social and environmental purpose-led businesses, charities, cooperatives, social enterprises and other not-for-profit organisations are important players in ensuring growth is beyond economic and thereby includes all members of our communities. These organisations support disadvantaged people and the West Midlands Combined Authority is committed to inclusive growth.” Chief Executive of infrastructure organisation, iSE CIC, Zel Mason, says: " Through the diverse and vibrant programme for Social Economy Drive 2023, businesses and the community will be able to connect with like-minded individuals, explore the latest trends in social impact, and spark new ideas for a better, more sustainable future." iSE CIC has brought together Regional Partners from all seven WMCA localities to extend the reach and social economy impact of Social Economy Drive 2023. These include Coventry & Warwickshire CDA, Provision House (Dudley), Sandwell Council of Voluntary Organisations, Warwickshire & Solihull Community and Voluntary Action, One Walsall and Access 2 Business (Wolverhampton). A flagship event will be hosted on Thursday 16th November 2023, international Social Enterprise Day, by the Department for Transport, and organised by BSSEC CIC. This will be in the form of a VCSE ‘Meet The Buyer’ procurement event to strengthen local supply chains, increase localised social impact and support the growth of the regional social economy by engaging with a greater number of trading community and social businesses. The Department of Transport alone spends £24 billion a year in their supply chain, and will be joined by HS2 Ltd, Network Rail, National Highways and includes influential speakers: Claire Dove CBE, VCSE Crown Representative, says: "I'm delighted to attend the Department of Transport's first Meet the Buyer event. Engaging with and promoting supply chain opportunities to charities and social enterprises is a key to achieving the ambitions I've set out in my role of Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Crown Representative, to ensure there is increased recognition of the great work they do whilst tapping into the additional social benefits that can be achieved by engaging them in government supply chains." Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Our region’s social economy is a relatively unknown but thriving sector made up of a diverse range of enterprises that collectively make a remarkable contribution to society. We’re home to around 11,000 social economy organisations directly impacting on over a quarter of a million people - as employees, volunteers or as beneficiaries. They contribute £3.5 billion a year to our region’s economy. “The Social Economy Drive is just one of several actions that the WMCA is happy to work with Power to Change to support - raising awareness of this important part of the economy. “Chiming with the themes of National Social Enterprise Day, we should see opportunities emerge for social enterprise to contribute to the supply chain - one of the best ways to support the social economy. I look forward to seeing the social economy continue to go from strength to strength in the months and years ahead.” Natalie White, Portfolio Manager at Power to Change as the key supporter for Social Economy Drive 2023, says: “From saving local shops and creating leisure facilities to providing training opportunities for local people and helping to build affordable housing, across the West Midlands community businesses are making places better. This year Power to Change are thrilled to be supporting the Social Economy Drive, a brilliant opportunity to connect with community businesses, celebrate their work, and envision how growing this sector can unlock positive change in communities across the region.” CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FULL PROGRAMME AND SIGN UP TO EVENTS

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

Over two weekends this November, Winter Open Studios returns to Cockpit for a festive celebration ofcreativity and making (21–24 November and 29 November–1 December). At this unique shopping event, you’ll discover the work of leading craftspeople and up-and-coming makers, all created in their studios at Cockpit in Bloomsbury and Deptford, with price points to suit every budget. Cockpit, an award-winning social enterprise and the last remaining specialist craft studios in London, has launched the careers of some of the biggest names in contemporary craft. Their studios are currently home to over 175 talented artist-makers working in more than 20 craft disciplines, from fine jewellery to ceramics to woodworking, fashion and textiles, antiques restoration and more. Open Studios is a unique opportunity to go behind the scenes and have face-to-face conversations with makers to learn the stories behind each original piece and discover how these remarkable objects are made. This is your chance to shop direct from exceptional craftspeople and invest in unique pieces, with all of your holiday gifting supporting makers and independent businesses. Discover an extraordinary world of creativity, made at Cockpit. Highlights for winter include: Discover exceptional objects and ‘Open Studios exclusive’ work from the UK’s leading makers and be the first to meet the stars of the future Enjoy a truly unique shopping experience and purchase one-of-a-kind gifts directly from leadingartist-makers and Cockpit alumni (view our Gifting Press Release for details) Uncover a hidden cultural gem where up-and-coming makers work alongside established leadersin their field Explore Cockpit’s stylish new development in Deptford, which includes a brand-new café, publicart installation and London’s only Craft Garden Tickets start from £5, with discounts are available for advance bookings, concessions and local residents. All ticket sales support Cockpit’s work as a registered charity. Cockpit Bloomsbury – 21–24 November 2024 Opening Hours: Thursday 21 November, 12-8 pm – VIP & Press Preview (Drinks reception from 5 pm) Friday 22 November–Sunday 24 November, 12-6 pm – General admission Cockpit Deptford – 29 November–1 December Opening Hours: Friday 29 November, 12-4 pm – VIP & Press Preview Friday 29 November, 4-8 pm – General admission Saturday 30 November–Sunday 1 December, 12-6 pm – General admission Tickets: Open Access Pass (multiple entries including VIP Preview) – limited quantities available:o Bloomsbury pass (4 days): £30o Deptford pass (3 days): £25o Bloomsbury & Deptford pass (all days): £35 General admission: £10 advance (£12 on the door) Concessions (Seniors 65+, students, unwaged, disabled (carer ticket is free)): £8 advance (£10on the door) Children (16 and under): FREE Local Residents – Camden (Bloomsbury) and Lewisham (Deptford) (on the door only): Half pricewith proof of address (£6) Friday late in Deptford: £5 advance (£6 on the door) About Cockpit Cockpit is a centre of excellence in contemporary craft and one of the top 100 UK social enterprises on the NatWest Pioneers Post SE100 Index for over a decade. For more than 30 years, Cockpit has nurtured and supported craftspeople at the fragile, early stages of their careers. The UK’s only incubator for craft businesses, Cockpit is home to a community of over 170 independent creative businesses – metalsmiths, jewellers, weavers, woodturners and ceramicists – at two London locations. Thanks to funded studio space and in-house business coaching, Cockpit makers thrive, with many going on to become international leaders in their fields. Bridging the gap between talent and opportunity, Cockpit’s education and careers programmes open pathways into creative employment for young Londoners from all backgrounds. Cockpit received the Prove It: Social Impact Award at the 2023 UK Social Enterprise Awards. cockpitstudios.org @cockpitstudios

Social enterprise The Fair Tax Foundation has launched a community share offer on social investment platform Ethex looking to raise £450,000 to expand its operations and bring five times as many businesses into its progressive movement. Across the globe, 35% of multinational profits (£1trn) are artificially shifted to tax havens each year, robbing the public purse of funding for vital public services such as transport and healthcare. The UK suffers from a corporate tax shortfall of £12.5bn each year because of this multinational profit-shifting. Some 10 years ago the Fair Tax Foundation saw there was another way to do business. Since then, it has enjoyed a decade of steady income growth and seven consecutive years of surplus. With the Fair Tax Mark, the gold standard responsible tax accreditation, the Fair Tax Foundation is central to a movement of progressive businesses that are proud to pay their taxes and celebrate the enormous contribution this makes to public services. Some 250 distinct trading businesses are Fair Tax Mark accredited, including FTSE-listed companies such as SSE and Marshalls, and household names such as Lush, the Coop and Timpson. Collectively, Fair Tax businesses employ over 275,000 people and contribute more than £1.7bn in corporation tax annually. Co-operatives and social enterprises were early pioneers of the Fair Tax Mark, with Midcounties, Scotmid, Energy4All, Suma and the Co-op being amongst the first businesses to become certified. These have since followed by other well-known co-operatives and social enterprises such as Arup, Jerba Campervans and Lendology In order to increase its impact on creating a fairer society, the Fair Tax Foundation will use the new investment to: - Create a new sales and business development team, broaden its product offering, expand its back-office and recruit and train new technical staff - Increase its income from c.£500,000 to c.£2mn per year - Quintuple its corporate engagement in the UK and overseas, leading to hundreds more Fair Tax Mark accredited companies Fair Tax Foundation Chief Executive Paul Monaghan said: “This share offer is a rare opportunity to buy community shares in, and become a member of, the Fair Tax Foundation – with subscribers becoming shareholders in the Society alongside existing members. We believe the more businesses that stand up for responsible tax conduct, the more likely legislators are to create better laws, and the more likely regulators are to implement those laws robustly. Since our inception a decade ago, much has been achieved in reversing the global race to the bottom on corporation tax. But there is still so much more that needs to be achieved, both in the UK and across the globe. By supporting us to scale up our business, investors will help expand our influence, bolster public coffers and help steer the economy in a more enlightened direction at this critical moment in history.” Ethex CEO Lisa Ashford said: “We are very excited to offer our community of investors the opportunity to support this share offer. We see it as a great chance to use your money to help create a more just and equitable world where corporations pay their fair share of tax and everyone in society can reap the benefits." The offer opens on 2nd September for a period of three months - targeting an initial annual return of 6%, and UK base rate plus 1% thereafter. There is a minimum investment threshold of £200, and a maximum of £60,000 for individuals and £100,000 for organisations. As with all investments of this nature, capital is at risk and returns are not guaranteed. Investors can participate in the offer via the Ethex investing platform at https://www.ethex.org.uk/invest/fairtax Notes to editors: Fair Tax Foundation was established as a not-for-profit social enterprise in 2014, and is registered with the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority as a Community Benefit Society. It’s rules incorporate a statutory “asset lock” to ensure that any retained surpluses are used solely for the promotion of good corporate tax conduct. Ethex aims to help everyday people make ethical investments that fund extraordinary organisations.” It is a not-for-profit with a mission to ‘make money do good’, and has spent the past ten years creating a vibrant marketplace for positive investment. Community shares are withdrawable shares that cannot be sold, traded or transferred between members, unlike shares in a typical company. Members are entitled to one vote, regardless of how many shares they hold. Members can be paid interest on their shares, and can withdraw their shareholding (along with any interest accrued) by selling shares back to the Society, subject to the board’s approval. Any money invested is fully at risk and is not protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

Tarem Services is proud to announce the successful launch of its Mobile Foodbank initiative, which took place on Tuesday, 1st October 2024, at Selhurst Children’s Centre, Croydon. This initiative is a significant part of Tarem Services’ broader mission to tackle in-work poverty and food insecurity by providing essential supplies to vulnerable families and individuals experiencing financial hardship. Despite heavy rain, 103 of the 150 essential food bags were collected on the day, and the remaining bags have since been collected by those unable to attend. Each bag contains enough food to feed at least 2 people, meaning 300 individuals will ultimately benefit from this initiative. The event was supported by 12 volunteers from Zurich UK, CBRE and Tarem Services, who worked tirelessly to prepare the food bags and engage with the families in attendance. The launch event was highlighted by the attendance of Deputy Mayor, Councillor Lynne Hale, who showed her support for Tarem Services' continued efforts to address food insecurity and poverty within the local community. “We are deeply grateful to CBRE and Zurich UK for their financial support and volunteering efforts, as well as to our own team at Tarem Services for making this initiative possible,” said Titus Komolafe, Managing Director of Tarem Services. “Our mission goes beyond just providing food; it’s about tackling in-work poverty, addressing food insecurity, and empowering families to build more secure futures.” The Mobile Foodbank initiative is one of the many ways Tarem Services drives social change. As a social enterprise, Tarem Services is dedicated to reducing the pressures faced by low-wage workers and their families. Through partnerships, volunteer support, and sustainable initiatives, Tarem Services is committed to providing immediate relief while advocating for long-term solutions. Next Stop: Stay Tuned The Mobile Foodbank will continue its journey to reach other communities in need, with the next distribution event already in the planning stages. As Tarem Services expands its reach, more families and individuals will receive the support they need during these challenging times. Stay tuned for details on the next stop as we continue to offer hope and practical aid to those most in need. For more information on the Mobile Foodbank and how you can get involved, visit: www.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. Media Contact:Email: community@taremservices.com Image Caption:Volunteers from Tarem Services, Zurich UK, and CBRE with Deputy Mayor, Councillor Lynne Hale, during the Mobile Foodbank launch at Selhurst Children’s Centre, Croydon.

ChangeKitchen CIC is a social enterprise based in Balsall Heath that is passionate about food justice in our city, and has launched a September crowdfunding campaign to create positive change in the local community. Their Crowdfunding UK campaign focuses on increasing the health and wellbeing of people and families in the local community, reducing food poverty, and enabling job creation for those experiencing worklessness. Match funding from both Aviva and Access – The Foundation for Social Investment, means that for the first £150 of each donation ChangeKitchen CIC can claim match funding of x5 until 29th September 2024. Meaning £25 becomes £125, and £150 becomes a huge £750! Why is this needed? Communities are still struggling with the cost of living and food poverty, especially among families. Balsall Heath is a deeply rooted, multi-cultural neighbourhood that is also one of the most deprived in the country. ChangeKitchen CIC are proudly located in the heart of the Balsall Heath community. In the last year, ChangeKitchen CIC has seen the need for free community meals rise from 200 per week to currently over 500 per week. With this Crowdfunding campaign they are being ambitious and aiming to raise £50,000 to ensure the nutritional health and wellbeing of individuals and families during this continued cost of living crisis. What ChangeKitchenCIC will do ChangeKitchen CIC can provide a free community meal for £1 – so every £1 donated can make a real difference to a real human who is experiencing real hunger right now. ChangeKitchen CIC are using this crowdfunding campaign to raise awareness of Birmingham food insecurity, help change the financial ability of families to feed themselves nutritiously, and create added social impact: Produce and distribute more free community meals to people experiencing food poverty. Provide healthy eating training within the local Balsall Heath community supporting meal planning and promoting good household budgeting. Create and seek out more work experience and employment opportunities (for those who are struggling to find work in catering and hospitality). ChangeKitchen CIC will do this by developing their ready meal offer and creating more sales, therefore creating more income, meaning more profits will be re-invested into the ChangeKitchen CIC social enterprise aims. In the first week, over £25,000 has been raised and is already making a real difference. Local people have been donating already and businesses can book catered events through the Cooking Up Change for Birmingham Crowdfunder UK campaign page. Birgit Kehrer, founder of ChangeKitchen CIC, says, “On behalf of the whole ChangeKitchen CIC team, we are so incredibly grateful for the support and kindness of our network and the community. It’s a firm belief within our social enterprise that no one should be going hungry in this day and age. Many parents give up their own meals to ensure their children have something to eat. There is a taboo, a real sense of shame, around people not being able to afford a basic human need such as nutritious food. We, at ChangeKitchen CIC, are committed to changing that, so we’re #CookingUpChange and asking people and businesses to get behind our crowdfunding campaign and donate to make a difference this September.” The crowdfunding campaign runs until 29th September 2024. Read the ChangeKitchen UK crowdfunding journey here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/changekitchen About ChangeKitchen CIC A social enterprise based in Balsall Heath providing catering and hospitality services with profits invested in reducing food poverty, reducing food injustice, reducing food waste, and improving skills, life opportunities and healthy eating by providing volunteering, training and community meals for vulnerable people in the local community. www.changekitchen.co.uk/ _ _ _ About Crowdfunder UK At Crowdfunder, we're on a mission to spread positivity across the globe. United for good, our team is dedicated to turning innovative community ideas into meaningful realities, going beyond the confines of traditional fundraising. We're a unique force in crowdfunding, driven by a desire to think creatively and address societal challenges through community-driven change and engagement. www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ _ _ _ About Cooking Up Change for Birmingham We're Crowdfunding to ensure the wellbeing of our communities during this cost of living crisis. This new initiative allows us to use our experience as a social enterprise event caterer to share our delicious and nutritious recipes with everyone! www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/changekitchen/

NHS messages prompting gym-goers to look out for potential signs of cancer will appear in the changing rooms of hundreds of Better leisure centres this summer. Stickers reminding people to check themselves regularly are set to feature on mirrors in more than 240 leisure centres run by Better, the UK's largest leisure charitable social enterprise. The eye-catching stickers will feature the message ‘Check you out’ and ‘Know what’s normal for you’ before reminding people that if something in their body doesn’t feel right, to contact their GP practice. The scheme is the latest push by the NHS to find cancers at an earlier stage, with Better joining several other partners, such as supermarkets and washroom hygiene specialists, to highlight cancer messages to the public in relevant everyday situations. The new initiative comes as a survey of more than 2,000 people by Better found that only 55% of respondents check their bodies for physical changes regularly (at least once a month), and one in ten (12%) don’t check at all. Professor Peter Johnson, National Clinical Director for Cancer at NHS England, said: “Finding cancer early is key to successful treatment and survival, and this means that we need people who have new symptoms to come forward as soon as they spot them. This is why it’s vital that people are aware of their bodies, take notice of any change from what is normal for them, and get it checked out immediately. “The partnership with Better helps us to reach more people and remind them to check themselves at a time and a place that works for them. It’s a simple thing that anyone can do, but it really can save your life.” Joe Rham, Customer and Communities Director for GLL, the not-for-profit charitable social enterprise that runs Better leisure centres, said: “Our aim is to improve health and wellbeing in local communities and we’re delighted to be partnering with NHS England in this vital campaign. “The survey we conducted clearly indicates a need to raise awareness of potential signs of cancer and the mirror stickers will hopefully act as a timely reminder to our customers to check themselves regularly.” NHS staff are working hard to see and treat more people with cancer than ever before, with over 50,000 patients starting cancer treatment in June – more than nine in ten within one month – and over a quarter of a million people referred for urgent cancer checks. The NHS also met the 28-day faster diagnosis standard for the second month in a row in June with more than three quarters of patients (76.3%) – almost 200,000 people – receiving the all-clear or a definitive diagnosis within four weeks.   Lending her support to the scheme, Demi Jones, ex-Love Island reality TV stars, said: “I was just 22 years old when I received my thyroid cancer diagnosis after I found a lump on my neck. I contacted my GP practice straight away to get it checked out and I was quickly referred for further testing that led to treatment by the incredible NHS team in Portsmouth. I’m now living life cancer free and would urge anyone who notices an unusual change not to delay and speak to their GP as they are there to help. It really could save their life, as it did mine.” The survey by Better also found that 59% of respondents are aware of the symptoms of breast cancer – the highest awareness across the UK’s most common cancers. That is followed by skin (50%) and bowel (47%). Worryingly, one in five (20%) said they are not aware of any potential cancer signs - particularly among the younger age groups. 33% of those aged 18-34 said they were not aware of any symptoms, compared to 16% of those aged 35 or over. Of those surveyed, 68% of females and 56% of males said they would recognise a lump or swelling in a part of their body as a possible early sign of cancer and would seek medical advice. Rhiannon Morgan, 34-year old regional health manager for Better in London and Surrey, was diagnosed with breast cancer after finding a lump during a hiking holiday in Canada in 2019. She said: “When I found the lump, I was alarmed but I had no other symptoms and felt perfectly well so I wondered if it was just where my rucksack had rubbed against the skin.”  “Eight weeks later, test results showed that the lump was cancerous, so I needed chemotherapy and underwent a mastectomy during lockdown. Now I’m living cancer free and I would advise other people to know what’s normal for your own body and get yourself checked if something doesn’t seem right.” David Bateson, 49 from Ampthill, Bedfordshire, was diagnosed with melanoma after going to his GP about a bleeding spot on his scalp. He’d noticed the spot wasn’t healing and his wife, a nurse, encouraged him to get it checked. After being referred to a specialist for a biopsy, David was told it was cancerous and within months had surgery to remove it. Despite the cancer returning the following year, immunotherapy has meant that he is now cancer free. David said: “I am living proof that early diagnosis is so important. Although I never dreamt that this spot on my head would end up being skin cancer, it turned out to be one of the most aggressive types. I dread to think what would have happened if I’d not gone to my doctor when I did. “I think these stickers are a great idea. I play football at my local leisure centre, and – when you’re in the changing room or showering – it’s the perfect place to think about changes in your body, so it’s the ideal setting to remind people to be aware.” About Better Better is the consumer facing brand for GLL.  Established in 1993, GLL is the largest UK-based charitable social enterprise delivering leisure, health and community services.  Operating under the Better brand, it manages 250 public sport and leisure centres, 113 libraries and 10 children’s centres in partnership with 50 local councils, public agencies and sporting organisations. www.better.org.uk

TV presenter and former model Gail Porter, who fought back from crippling bankruptcy and homelessness, speaks out on behalf of the 6 million Brits [1] living without an essential item like a washing machine or table to eat from. Gail Porter, Patron of the Fair Credit Charity which set up ethical lender and social enterprise, Fair for You says: “Six million people are living without household essentials right now, and many of those won’t have access to charity support or local council grants - nor do many want to use them. A helping hand from an ethical, not for profit lender like Fair for You can help them make their house a home. The alternative is living in deep deprivation, which I have experienced, or being burned by high-cost credit, or the exploitative tactics of illegal lenders.” New data released today [2] shows that around 9 million adults in Britain now have less than £250 in savings - making the upfront purchase of an essential appliance impossible (Fair4All Finance). The campaign aims to get more Brits to spread the cost of essential purchases with ethical lenders like Fair for You, who will only lend what people can afford, and provide customers with control over repayments.  Gail Porter is also calling out banks for turning their backs on customers - even those who can afford to repay - because they don’t want to go to the trouble of making small loans. [3] She also feels that more retailers should be looking at their credit partners and considering whether they are offering options that are fair to hard-pressed consumers, saying: “The cost-of-living crisis has hit people hard, and I know that many people would be in serious hot water if they had to find a way to buy a new washing machine, fridge or other key appliance. I remember the horror of not being able to get a new washer when my young daughter was going to school - it wasn’t just the practical side of ensuring she wasn’t wearing dirty clothes, it was also the stress and the guilt I experienced, which put a huge pressure on my already dented self-esteem and mental health. “After what I went through, I know how hopeless things can feel when bills are piling up, but also how much of a boost it can give you - practically and mentally - when you find a helping hand. Fair for You and its retail partners are ensuring that there is a decent option out there for Brits who have nowhere to turn if they need to buy a new appliance or furniture - and we really want more companies to follow in their footsteps. We need to direct people away from illegal lenders who want to profit from misery.” Gail, a household TV and celebrity name in the 1990s, developed alopecia in 2005. The loss of her hair led to all her work drying up and coinciding with other personal issues, she went through the trauma of financial collapse and mental health issues. She has always been open about her well-documented difficulties during this period, and has become patron of the Fair Credit Charity to direct people to fair financial options. The Fair Credit Charity set up the ethical lender and social enterprise Fair for You in 2015.  Fair for You enables people who aren’t being well served by banks and other mainstream lenders to buy household items including beds, washing machines, fridges and furniture with fair and flexible repayments. A range of leading retailers partner with Fair for You including Hotpoint, Argos and Iceland. Simon Dukes, chief executive of Fair for You, says: “The latest data from Fair4All Finance shows that 20.3m people are in financially vulnerable circumstances.(4) Around half of them are not able to save each month. This means there are millions of people with no financial safety net, who may feel they have no option in a moment of financial stress but to turn to high cost credit or illegal lenders. “We’re proud of the support we do provide, and we are supporting more and more customers all the time. Gail Porter is destigmatising the issue of financial exclusion by being so honest talking about her experiences of appliance poverty and just how distressing and hopeless it can feel without the right support.” Ian Moverley, Communication Director, Hotpoint says:"We don't believe anyone should worry about being able to put their kids in clean clothes or keep their food fresh. That's why we've been a proud partner of Fair for You since it first launched. Providing an affordable way for people to buy our household appliances means we can help alleviate the financial burden so many families are under. We're delighted that Gail is encouraging more brands to join us in offering similar ethical solutions that will make such a huge difference to so many lives." Claire Donovan, head of policy, research and campaigns at the End Furniture Poverty charity comments:“Our research highlights that there are at least six million people in the UK in furniture poverty, meaning they lack access to at least one vital household item, including appliances - and that at least one million are in what we call ‘deep furniture poverty’, meaning that there are three or more vital items they don’t have. The routes out of furniture poverty are becoming increasingly harder to navigate, so we welcome all sources of support.” References https://endfurniturepoverty.org/research-campaigns/understanding-furniture-poverty/ Fair4All Finance latest segmentation of people in financially vulnerable circumstances reveals that of the 20.3 million in financially vulnerable circumstances, 44% of these (8.93m adults) have no savings at all or less than £250 in savings. According to a Fair4All Finance report, only one major bank in Great Britain offers loans under £1,000. https://fair4allfinance.org.uk/nearly-half-of-uk-adults-now-living-in-financially-vulnerable-circumstances Photo credit: Getty Images/Fair for You About Fair for You  Founded in 2015, Fair for You is an ethical lender and social enterprise, with a mission of helping financially-excluded families to buy essential household items, avoid hardship, and build their financial resilience.  A registered community interest company (CIC) and owned by the Fair Credit Charity, Fair for You is backed by leading social investors. With more than 20m Britons struggling to access mainstream credit, and more than 10m having less than £100 in savings, there are families for whom an unexpected bill, or a fridge or washing machine breaking, spells disaster. Rather than go without fresh food or clean clothes, or having to go to the sort of predatory, for-profit, high-cost lenders which don’t have their welfare in mind, Fair for You is here to support them.  Fair for You has a 4.8 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, as well as a string of industry award wins. Since 2015, it has lent to more than 100,000 customers, and regular independent impact reports demonstrate far-reaching social benefits including better physical and mental health; improved education and wellbeing of children; and making it easier for adults to seek work or remain in employment.  Fair for You runs affordability checks on all customers and uses open banking technology to enable it to lend better and collect better from those who may get rejected for loans elsewhere, due to poor credit ratings or thin credit files. Our growing range of retail partners - including Iceland, Argos, Dunelm, Whirlpool and Chemist Direct - are helping customers who may not have had access to their products without credit from Fair for You. The best-selling items through Fair for You include freezers, washing machines and children’s beds, with the average loan standing at £350. Fair for You is backed by Social Investment Scotland, Barrow Cadbury Trust, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, The Tudor Trust, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Carnegie Trust, FSE, The Robertson Trust, Ignite and Fair4All Finance.

Charitable Social Enterprise Leisure and Cultural Services provider GLL has committed to become Carbon Neutral by 2050 with an ambition to achieve this earlier in response to feedback from customers and staff, and partners. Following the launch of GLL’s new Sustainability Strategy that sets out the leisure trust’s longer-term ambitions and targeted actions between 2023 to 2027,  staff training on business sustainably was made a priority for the in-house management development programme during 2023/2024. 'Respecting the Planet' is one of GLL’s 6 Core Values underpinning its 5 Year Corporate Plan. Now, following a review of skills gaps with managers at the UK’s largest operator of public pools (and plant rooms), GLL has designed the ‘Managing Your Business Sustainably’ module. The practical training was designed and piloted by GLL’s in-house experts Chris Hebblewhite (Director of Standards and Compliance) and who has previously advised on  pool operations for both London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics, Jeremy Gould (National Sustainability Manager) and Lee Franklin (National Facilities Manager). In recognition of the importance of this topic, The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA) will now endorse 10 CIMSPA points to those that complete this module from September 2024. Comprising of online learning, a practical workshop and classroom work, the one-day module covers all aspects of efficient pool plant operation and housekeeping. General Managers and Partnership Managers stand to benefit most from the training as GLL underpins and strengthens is commitment to sustainability throughout its business which employs 11,000 people and creates in excess of £440m in social value each year. 50 Managers have been trained across three pilots at Rivermead Leisure Centre in Reading, Britannia Leisure Centre in Hackney and The Sands Leisure Centre in Carlisle. Chris Hebblewhite, Director of Standards and Compliance, GLL said: “Sustainability is embedded in GLL’s DNA. We must do all we can to reduce carbon emissions and energy consumption for the benefit of the communities we serve. “Training our people to both ‘talk the talk’ and ‘walk the walk’ is hugely important to us. We are determined to make a real difference and we can already see the results coming through in real terms in our Carbon emissions. “So I’m delighted that 100% of learners felt their knowledge of sustainability issues has improved as a result of this highly practical training intervention.” GLL aims for all General Managers to attend this training over the next 12 months. Clare Dunn, Associate Director of Business Engagement at CIMSPA said: "It's fantastic to see that GLL has pledged to become carbon neutral, with a powerful declaration of their commitment through their CPD module. Sustainability is such a vital topic - becoming more sustainably aware is everyone's responsibility and it’s one that as a sector we need to be leading on. It's great that GLL are instilling this knowledge into their workforce in order to benefit their current communities and future generations." For further information on sustainability training or other modules that form part of the management development programme, please contact  LearningandDevelopment@gll.org

A group of gardeners with learning disabilities are celebrating after showing off their pioneering garden to tens of thousands of people at the world’s largest flower show. The gardeners from Furzey Gardens in Minstead brought their garden ‘Reflective waters of inclusivity’ to RHS Hampton Court Flower show last week after receiving huge support from the public. After issuing a call for support in March, the gardening team received over £10,000 through donations and a raffle, with the Royal Horticultural Society contributing £1,000. The funds allowed the team to construct their garden and travel from Hampshire to RHS Hampton Court Garden Festival each day in the week before the show to build the garden. Many of the gardeners have spent a lifetime struggling against discrimination and lacking in the opportunities that many other people enjoy. The garden allowed them to demonstrate the horticultural skills they have built over many years working at Furzey Gardens, a social enterprise run by local charity Minstead Trust. The gardens have been supporting people with learning disabilities for nearly 40 years, where they maintain the gardens and raise plants for sale in the nursery. The funds raised have assisted with significant materials, transport and support staff costs required to undertake this ambitious garden build. Plant growing and buying costs was also supported by these donations. The show garden aimed to help change perceptions in society towards people with learning disabilities. Many still feel socially left out and face stigma and discrimination in their everyday lives (Scior & Werner, 2015). Gardening can play a role in giving people purpose in their life and a chance to show what they can achieve. The garden was inspired by a small waterfall area next to Furzey’s popular lake area and features plants for which the woodland garden is renowned for such as an acer Palmatum hosta’s and salvia’s. Local artist Shaun Stevens created an artist’s impression of the garden, which is named ‘Reflective waters of inclusivity’. Special personal touches from the Minstead Trust community were added, including pebbles made from reclaimed clay dug out from beneath a fallen oak tree on Minstead Trusts’ grounds. These pebbles were not just decorative; they carried the initials of the people supported by Minstead Trust, as well as staff and volunteers. Additionally, bringing character to the garden were two fairy doors, some felt butterflies and frogs made by people with learning disabilities. Supported gardener Simon said ‘I told people about the plants. I love a garden, I think the garden is pretty.’ Supported gardener Rhianne said ‘I enjoyed telling everyone about the garden and the plants from Furzey. Seeing what people think of it and telling people what we do and what we like doing. I think that the garden is beautiful.’ John Davies, Minstead Trust senior instructor, said: ‘This was a really exciting challenge the guys took on, a chance for them to show what they can do if given opportunities that are usually not available to them. ‘Many of them have been through really hard times in their lives and they have loved standing at the show and feeling really proud of what they have achieved. I hope people will continue to support us so that we can change some minds around what people with learning disabilities can do if given a chance.’ Find out more about the garden at minsteadtrust.org.uk/hampton About Furzey Gardens Furzey Gardens is an informal woodland garden near Lyndhurst, which is open to the public. It is a social enterprise of Minstead Trust, providing training and work experience in aninspirational setting where people with learning disabilities can learn new skills in horticulture and hospitality. About Minstead Trust Minstead Trust, established in 1986, is a charitable organisation whose aims are to support people with learning disabilities to achieve greater independence, lead fulfilled lives and live as full citizens in society.Minstead Trust currently supports over 320 people in in Hampshire , Portsmouth and Dorset. We offer people the opportunity to develop skills for work, skills for life and improve their health and wellbeing. Work-based skills: training in practical skills in a range of work settings, including the expectations of a workplace such as time management, health and safety and customer service. Health and well-being: physical and creative activities to promote health and leisure skills. Life skills: practical training in the skills of everyday living, both in the home and out in the community. Training and support is provided through day opportunities, support for people living in their own tenancies or our residential care home, respite short breaks and community pay-as-you-go groups.

Celia Hodson, the visionary founder of Hey Girls CIC and the PickupMyPeriod App, has been awarded an Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her remarkable contributions to promoting period dignity and raising awareness of free period products in Scotland. This prestigious honour was announced as part of the King’s Birthday Honours List in June 2024, recognising Celia’s tireless dedication to social enterprise and charitable initiatives. Celia Hodson has been a pioneering force in the movement for period dignity. Hey Girls CIC, established under her leadership, has become a beacon for tackling period poverty and promoting menstrual health education. The organisation’s innovative “buy one, donate one” model has ensured that for every product sold, another is donated to someone in need, positively impacting countless lives across the UK. Additionally, Hodson’s brainchild, the My Period App, has revolutionised access to free period products. The app helps users locate nearby sources of free menstrual products, thus removing barriers for those who struggle to afford these essential items. Celia’s achievements extend beyond her entrepreneurial ventures. She was named the National Great British Entrepreneur of the Year and has received numerous leadership awards for her relentless commitment to social justice and community well-being. Her work has not only addressed an often-overlooked issue but has also inspired a broader conversation about period dignity and gender equality in the workplace. Upon receiving news of her OBE, Celia Hodson expressed her heartfelt gratitude: "I am deeply honoured and humbled to receive this recognition. This award is a testament to the incredible support and collaboration from my team at Hey Girls, our Community Partners and our customers, and the users and advocates of the My Period app. Together, we are making strides toward a world where period poverty is a thing of the past, and menstrual health is a fundamental right for all." The OBE is a fitting acknowledgment of Celia’s unwavering dedication and innovative approach to promoting period dignity and raising awareness of free period products. Her work continues to pave the way for future generations, ensuring that period products are accessible to everyone, and sparking vital conversations about menstrual equity. For media inquiries, please contact: Harriet Brooks, Marketing Manager harriet@heygirls.co.uk About Hey Girls CIC Hey Girls CIC is a Scottish social enterprise dedicated to eliminating period poverty in the UK. Through their unique “buy one, donate one” model, Hey Girls provided 40 million sustainable period products and menstrual health education to those in need. About My Period App My Period is Charity with a groundbreaking app designed to help users locate free period products in their vicinity. The PickupMyPeriod app aims to ensure that everyone has access to essential menstrual products across the UK, regardless of their financial situation.

Smile Together is thrilled to have won Practice of the Year in the prestigious national Probe Dental Awards 2024 and see Natalie Peary crowned Dental Therapist of the Year. The winners and finalists were announced in a live-streamed presentation at midday on Thursday 23 May in a broadcast hosted by BBC weather presenter and meteorologist Sarah Keith-Lucas. Head of Marketing and Communications at Smile Together, Tracy Wilson, who compiled and submitted the awards entries, said: “We’d gathered around a screen in a dental surgery at Truro Health Park to hear the outcome of the awards, with cake at the ready whether we were successful or not. When Sarah announced that we’d won Practice of the Year we were all somewhat stunned as this is such a coveted national award to win. Then when she announced Natalie as Therapist of the Year, the excitement in that room was wonderful – never has chocolate cake tasted so good!   We’re so proud of the whole Smile Together team for the difference they make every day to our patients and across our communities. This awards recognition is so justly deserved”. Smile Together is an employee-owned dental social enterprise and certified B Corporation with a mission of tackling oral health inequality for healthier happier communities. Its dedicated Outreach Team (which was also shortlisted in the awards) frequently takes a mobile dental unit into the heart of local communities to make even more of a difference to those who need us most. As Outreach Dental Therapist, Natalie makes a difference within the traditional surgery environment, providing treatment to paediatric patients and special care adults who have been referred into the service, and out in the community. Enthusiastic and passionate about prevention, education and reaching out to those patients who need care most, she is central to creating and developing outreach projects to improve dental access for vulnerable groups, families and individuals, helping Smile Together build partnerships to enhance patient care and pathways. Tracy continues: “The genuine pride in Natalie being crowned Therapist of the Year has been so lovely to see. She has such an inherent ability and desire to make people smile so not only do our patients love visiting her but everyone at Smile Together enjoys working with and alongside Natalie. She’s always so willing to go that extra mile, from supporting our clinical recruitment endeavours to featuring in promotional films and media interviews. We can’t think of anyone more deserving of this award”.  As winners of The Probe Dental Awards 2024, Natalie and three other colleagues will now join judges and sponsors at The Ivy in London on Friday 5th July 2024 to celebrate our victory in style and be presented with trophies and certificates in person from The Probe team. Smile Together is no stranger to The Probe Dental Awards, having been shortlisted in three categories in 2022 for Practice of the Year, Young Dentist of the Year and Dental Nurse of the Year, with Sarah Andrews highly commended in a strong and competitive field. Katie Rowe was crowned Dental Nurse of the Year in 2021 and their Smiles at Sea project won the 2019 Award for ‘Best Outreach or Charity Initiative’.  About Smile Together Dental CIC One of the South West’s largest NHS referral and emergency dental care providers also delivering NHS care and competitively priced private dentistry. A certified B Corporation and award-winning Employee-Owned Community Interest Company reinvesting profits back into patient facilities, our community and environment – over £7m to date! Our oral health campaign sees us engaging with children and adults in areas of high decay across Cornish communities and we visit harboursides with our Smiles at Sea mobile unit, bringing dental treatment to coastal communities. Our teams frequently reach further into their communities, partnering with local charities and doing what they can to tackle oral health inequality and improve oral health outcomes. Our investment into accessible patient facilities is transforming dentistry provision in the county for patients who need us most. We’re a committed and friendly values-based team that puts our people, our patients, our community and increasingly our planet first. smiletogether.co.uk

This month marks a significant milestone for Tarem Services Limited as we celebrate 25 years of pioneering efforts as a social enterprise. Founded in 1999 with crucial initial support from The Prince's Trust, we have dedicated ourselves to tackling in-work poverty and promoting sustainable practices. Through our high quality cleaning and labour services, we lead in driving social value, demonstrating the power of integrating business excellence with profound social responsibility. Celebratory Highlights: A Commitment to Social and Environmental Progress The anniversary celebrations will spotlight Tarem Services' unwavering commitment to employee welfare and its influential role in enhancing community and environmental sustainability. Key events include: Youth Empowerment Initiative: The 'Empowering Young People Through Enterprise' event, scheduled for Tuesday, 14 May, in collaboration with The Prince’s Trust and the Young Lewisham Project, aims to spark an entrepreneurial spirit in young individuals and steer them towards sustainable futures. We are honoured to have the support of the Mayor of Lewisham, Brenda Dacres. Volunteer Initiatives: Employees from Tarem Services and CBRE will actively volunteer at local food banks - Burnt Oak Foodbank (9th May), White City Community Food Hub (13th May), and Community Food Enterprise (16th May). These efforts focus on combating food insecurity and strengthening community support, underscoring our commitment to these vital causes. Looking Ahead: A Commitment to Growth and Empowerment Titus Komolafe, Managing Director of Tarem Services, stated, "This milestone isn’t just a celebration of our past achievements; it is a reaffirmation of our commitment to future growth and empowerment. We remain driven by the founding principles established with the invaluable support we’ve received from The Prince’s Trust, Social Enterprise UK, our clients, and other organisations we’ve worked with. This has empowered us to remain dedicated to fostering an environment where our employees thrive and driving social impact where our community flourishes.” A Supporting Voice from The Prince’s Trust: Kevin Sutton, Head of Service Delivery for London at The Prince's Trust, said, “At The Prince’s Trust, we work with young people from disadvantaged communities by supporting them in building the confidence and skills to live, learn and earn. The success of Tarem Services Limited is evidence that when young people receive support in the early days of starting a business, there will be a benefit to both the wider community and future economy for decades to come.” To find out more about Tarem Services Limited, visit www.taremservices.com   About Tarem Services Tarem Services Limited is a pioneering social enterprise with a critical mission to tackle in-work poverty, particularly among cleaners in the UK. Established in 1999, with the support of a Prince’s Trust grant, the company has evolved into a beacon of ethical business practices, offering a range of professional services, including cleaning, construction labour, pest control, and waste management. Our business model uniquely integrates high-quality service delivery with a strong commitment to social responsibility and environmental sustainability.

By Anita Woods, Dental Nurse Community Dental Services CIC (CDS) is an employee-owned social enterprise and a referral only dental service, providing special and paediatric dental care and oral health improvement across much of the East of England and the East Midlands. CDS brings dental care to people who cannot easily be treated in general dental practice; its patients typically have learning disabilities, mental health issues or severe anxiety.  CDS has been piloting a treatment programme for people with Severe Multiple Disadvantage (SMD) and/or homelessness. The pilot is a partnership between CDS and the East Midlands Primary Care Team, working on behalf of five Integrated Care Boards in the Midlands. The CDS Mobile Dental Clinic has been visiting locations in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire that offer established services for people who are homeless. Patients are supported to attend appointments in an environment they are familiar with for check-ups and follow-up treatment. Here, we catch up with Anita Woods, a Dental Nurse of 46 years, who works for CDS in Leicestershire and is involved with the pilot. “I began working in a dental practice when I was 16. I attended college part time to do my dental nurse qualification, which I completed aged 19, passing the NEBDN examination and became a Registered Dental Nurse. I started work in the Maxillofacial unit at the Leicester Royal infirmary and then in 2002, I began working for the community dental services in Leicester and since joining CDS have undertaken my inhalation sedation training. I always wanted to work in a health setting and was drawn to the community dental service as it was an area of dentistry I had not worked in before and I felt that working with its patient group would be very rewarding. I also knew it would offer me the variety of working in different areas of dentistry and the opportunity to improve my skills. I enjoy working with my team members in CDS Leicestershire. We have so many lovely, highly skilled, hardworking employees, who I enjoy learning from every day. The care we give to our patients makes me proud and I like the excellent training that CDS prioritises, as well as the many extended support services they offer employees. Because we provide such a wide variety of services, every day can be different. From assisting the clinicians in the surgery to visiting schools as part of the epidemiology survey team and working on the mobile unit out and about in the community. I was excited when I received an email about this project and that the mobile unit was going to be doing some sessions in Leicester city and Leicestershire supporting people who are homeless. It was a service that I had not worked in before and was very interested, so I put my name forward to nurse on the mobile unit. Once successful, we all had a thorough induction on the mobile unit to make sure we were familiar with the clinic environment. People experiencing homelessness face many barriers to accessing oral health care and experience higher levels of dental carries and periodontal disease than the general population. Poor oral health is linked to a decreased quality of life among these patients, and people who are homeless can often feel ashamed and embarrassed to attend a dental practice full of people, fearing that they will be judged as well as facing difficulty finding and registering with a dentist without a fixed address. I wanted to be a part of CDS’s pilot, designed specifically around the needs of this patient group, with the mobile dental clinic attending places they are already familiar with and trust. We have not used a mobile clinic to treat people who are homeless in Leicestershire before, and I think it is a very worthwhile and much needed service that enables people, who have  difficulty in accessing mainstream dental surgeries for a variety of reasons, the opportunity to receive the dental care they need to progress with their lives. The dental nurse on the mobile unit plays a vital role. The nurse and dentist work as a team to deliver treatment to people who have no other way of accessing a dentist. The unit is very well equipped, and we are able to provide most dental treatments. The biggest difference between working in clinic and on the mobile unit, is that we are working in a much smaller confined space! The dental nurse and dentist must be able to multitask as there are just the two of us on the session, so, as the nurse, I do all the admin and decontamination of instruments as well as assisting chairside and even mopping the floor at the end of the day! We are welcoming to all patients that attend the sessions. We are kind and caring and put them at ease. We offer a translation service if they need it. We also give them the opportunity to ask questions about the treatment that we are providing. At the end of the appointment, we ensure that clear after care instructions are given and we provide them with emergency out of hours contact numbers and oral health advice. I find it extremely rewarding, especially as the patients are so appreciative of the dental treatment they are receiving. Some of the challenges I face whilst working on the homeless dental unit are language and literacy barriers and extreme behaviour. We are required to obtain a full medical history and because English is not the first language for a lot of patients that we see, we use LanguageLine on most of our sessions. The overall process can be time consuming, meaning we can then run late. Many of the patients we see are not able to read or write and they are usually unaccompanied. We overcome this by asking them the questions and filling out the medical history form for them. Very occasionally patients could be intoxicated due to alcohol or drug use and their behaviour can be erratic and even aggressive. However, the skills I have developed through my many years of dental nursing with a variety of people in different settings – including good communication skills; calmness in pressured situations; kindness and empathy; adaptability; positive attitude and a good sense of humour (!) come into play, and the patient care we provide remains excellent and no different from our clinic setting. I very much enjoy working with the Leicestershire mobile unit team. It is a small team that consists of the driver, Anna the dentist, Tracy who is also a dental nurse and me. We all bring a wide range of experience to the service. Although we have only been working together for a short time, we work and communicate well as a team to provide positive outcomes for all the patients that attend. I have been proud to be part of the mobile unit team working on this project as we are providing a much-needed, vital and worthwhile service here in Leicestershire and I hope it will continue a long time into the future.” So far, the mobile clinic has seen over 145 patients at twice weekly sessions which are also an opportunity to signpost to other services, such as smoking cessation and drug and alcohol support. The mobile clinic is equipped to provide a full range of dental treatment. Feedback from patients has been overwhelmingly positive: “I think this service is invaluable to me. I have not been to a dentist for several years. My teeth are a state from years of drug abuse and being beaten up while living rough on the streets. The dentist was very kind and put me at ease while looking at my teeth and guided me through the process/appointments. This is the beginning of the new me. Thank you so much.”  “I cannot thank the dentist enough for the support they have shown me. The dentist was non-judgemental towards me, as I was living in a tent in Derbyshire for over two years. To be honest, my teeth were the last thing on my mind, but looking back, my teeth are one of the first things other people see. I know that I would have never gone to a dentist surgery as I am far too embarrassed.” The one-year pilot is set to continue until June 2024.

As a partner in the Future Economy Alliance, we were proud to host a roundtable with West Yorkshire’s Metro Mayor Tracy Brabin, bringing together social enterprises and other mission-led organisations for a discussion of how combined authorities can support them to fix regional economies. With ‘local power’ being a key pillar of our Future Economy Alliance campaigning, the event was an opportunity to show the importance of mission-led organisations to grow local economies and address the big challenges facing communities. Discussion centred on how West Yorkshire can become a beacon for mission-led organisations - which are vital to creating jobs and opportunities, delivering public services and creating safer communities. With valued community assets such as shops and pubs under threat, the role of mission-led organisations in saving these institutions was also discussed, as well as their role in spearheading schemes to protect the environment though running programmes such as recycling schemes. Some of the challenges discussed included the need to get mission-led organisations a seat at the table on key local bodies and to support them to access procurement opportunities. One solution offered was to create a local or regional version of Social Enterprise UK’s Buy Social Corporate Challenge, where big businesses commit to bringing social enterprises into their supply chains, using their everyday spend to create positive social and environmental impact. There was also a call for more long-term support for the sector including making sure mission-led organisations can access suitable finance. Tracy Brabin was keen to find out more ways she could help the growth and development of mission-led organisations and asked for further details on what concrete steps she and the combined authority could take to support the sector. It is great to see the West Yorkshire Mayor, as well regional mayors in Greater Manchester and the West of England Combined Authority, leading the way in recognising the power and potential of mission-led organisations. We now need others to follow suit nationally. We would like to thank everyone who joined the roundtable, especially social enterprise, Shine, who kindly hosted the event. To find out more about the Future Economy Alliance and our Business Plan for Britain visit >> https://www.futureeconomyalliance.co.uk/

Global collaboration will help unlock millions of hours for women and girls to improve quality of life, saving time for learning and income-generating activities. 15 April 2024 The Washing Machine Project, a grassroots organization that provides off-grid manual washing machines to people in low-income and displaced communities, announced today it is collaborating with the Whirlpool Foundation to deliver 10,000 manual washing machines to communities and households across the world over the next five years. The work is expected to impact an estimated 150,000 people and address a significant barrier to their advancement and quality of life. Recognized by The Washing Machine Project and the Whirlpool Foundation as the ‘Global Washing Divide,’ this collaboration will focus on the estimated 60% of the world’s population–or 5 billion people–that rely on washingclothes by hand. This new collaboration with Whirlpool Foundation will expand the reach of the innovative Divya manual washing machine and alleviate the burden of hand washing clothes for communities across India, Latin America, Mexico and Africa. The new partnership will enable The Washing Machine Project team to install over 10,000 Divya manual machines in 6 countries, impacting 150,000 people. In its first five years, the collaboration will help unlock approximately 17 million hours for women and girls to improve quality of life and halve overall water usage, bringing efficient and sustainable washing solutions where they are needed most. According to the World Health Organization, 70% of households worldwide depend on women and girls for water collection and laundry, which is amplified by the estimate that up to 20 hours each week are spent hand washing clothes in underserved communities globally. The collaboration will help save time and create opportunities for learning, income-generating activities and more time with family. “We are honoured to partner with the Whirlpool Foundation, whose legacy as a pioneer in home appliance innovation is only superseded by their passion to foster community development and improve life at home for people around the world," said Navjot Sawhney, founder and CEO of The Washing Machine Project. “This collaboration is a testament to what can be achieved when compassion meets technology. Together we are set to revolutionize laundry practices globally, paving the way for a more equitable and prosperous future for hundreds of thousands of people.” Divya Washing Machine Impact At the initiative's core is the Divya Washing Machine, the world's first flat-packable manual washing machine that allows users to wash their clothes without electricity or a connected water source. Its simple design reduces the prolonged physical effort usually required to hand wash clothes, replacing it instead with a simple manual machine that can be used frequently and safely, saving the user up to 76% of the time compared to hand washing clothes. As a portable unit built with commercial-grade components and stainless-steel construction, the machine is easier to fix remotely and has the potential to be recycled at the end of its life. Divya, the machine's namesake, is named after Navjot Sawhney's former neighbour, whom he became close friends with during a work assignment in India engineering cook stoves. He was struck by how much time Divya would spend doing back-breaking chores, including hand-washing clothes for hours each week. At that time, he promised to return to Divya with a manual washing machine and help makeher life a little easier. In March 2024, in a joint trip with the Whirlpool Foundation, he did just that. “We greatly admire the mission and work of The Washing Machine Project and see an opportunity to help impact more lives collectively than either of us could individually," said Pam Klyn, Whirlpool Corporation executive vice president, corporate relations and sustainability. "Driven by shared passion and purpose, Whirlpool Corporation employees are lending their time and talents to help make this long-term vision a reality, recognizing that this initiative goes beyond washing clothes. It is about reclaiming time and improving lives for these individuals who will now spend much less time doing laundry, which opens the door to new opportunities.” In the first five years of its collaboration with Whirlpool Foundation, distribution is planned for underserved populations in rural and urban areas in India, Mexico, Brazil, the Republic of Congo, Kenya, and Uganda. Implementation will be tailored to meet the partnering regions' specific cultural, economic, and environmental conditions, ensuring the solution is effective and relevant in local contexts. Since The Washing Machine Project was founded in 2019, the organization has conducted ethnographic research in 13 countries and interviewed more than 3,000 families in India, Uganda, Jamaica, Nepal and the Philippines to gain insight into their clothes-washing tendencies. In addition to completing successful pilot studies, The Washing Machine Project has distributed Divya washing machines to families and communities in India, Iraq, Lebanon, the United States, Mexico, and Uganda. In 2024 The Washing Machine Project plans to scale across numerous countries, partnering with organizations like the Whirlpool Corporation and international development and humanitarian organizations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Save The Children, Oxfam, Care International, and Plan International. About The Washing Machine Project Founded by Nav Sawney, The Washing Machine Project is a grassroots social enterprise based in the U.K. aiming to alleviate the burden of hand washing clothes and empower women by providing remote, low-income and displaced communities with an accessible, off-grid washing solution. The Divya Washing Machine - a manual, off-the-grid washer-dryer helps save up to 50% of water and 75% of the time compared to hand washing clothes. About Whirlpool Foundation Since 1952, the Whirlpool Foundation has been making real, positive differences in local communities where Whirlpool Corporation families live and work. Whirlpool Foundation shares our vision that communities and displaced people everywhere should have access to sustainable washing solutions; improving lives by reducing the physical impact and reclaiming the amount of time it takes to simply wash clothes. thewashingmachineproject.org

Unity Trust Bank, which supports organisations to deliver positive social impact around the UK, has reported a record level of lending in its annual results for 2023. Exceeding £1 billion for the first time in its 40-year history, almost half of Unity’s financing last year (45.3%) went into areas of high deprivation.  Overall lending increased by 21% to £1.01 billion (2022: £836.6m) while after-tax earnings rose to £48.9m (2022: £22.8m), resulting in a strong CET1 capital ratio of 19.7% (2022: 18.3%). Colin Fyfe, CEO at Unity Trust Bank, said: “Surpassing £1 billion in lending for the first time is testament to the principles that Unity was founded on 40 years ago – that a bank can deliver social purpose as well as sustainable commercial returns. “Our 2023 objectives were achieved against a backdrop of turbulent economic conditions, and supporting our customers continues to be at the core of our strategy. “The higher bank rate environment, alongside balance sheet growth, increased financial returns for Unity in 2023 and enabled us to continue to advance our purpose and our investment in customer services.” By only using customer deposits to lend to organisations that deliver quantifiable impact in local communities, Unity’s funding in 2023 helped to support 1,458 care home spaces; 572 day care and education spaces and 7,143 jobs. It also provided affordable homes for 1,225 households and 452 properties benefited from retrofitting activities. Unity continued to strengthen its support to customers in 2023, introducing a new digital banking platform and establishing sector specific customer hubs. Committed to developing the way it measures and manages its own contributions to people and planet, the bank joined the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) and released its first financed emissions reporting; strengthening its commitment to understanding its role in supporting customers facing the impacts of climate change. Unity also maintains its carbon neutral status for its own emissions through continued engagement with the Housing Association Charitable Trust’s (HACT’s) award-winning Retrofit Credits programme. Colin added: “Unity’s vision is to become the market leader in ethical banking in the UK and we will continue to help improve the lives of local communities into the next 40 years through responsible financing.” In 2023, employee-led Unity & Me initiatives continued to make Unity a great place to work and support positive outcomes for customers and communities. Unity increased its discretionary donations fivefold from 2022, supporting 26 organisations to deliver positive outcomes for the most vulnerable in society. It also maintained its partnership with the Prince’s Trust and volunteered with 123 young people throughout the year and increased its overall staff volunteering days by 2.5% compared to 2022. About Unity Trust Bank Unity Trust Bank is an award-winning, independent, commercial bank that uses banking to improve the lives of UK communities. Living by its principles of banking with integrity, Unity’s purpose is to help create a better society, not simply maximise profits. Now in its 40th year, it has supported like-minded organisations that share its values and address social, economic and environmental needs. With offices in Birmingham, Manchester and London, Unity offers a range of banking services, including current accounts, savings accounts and loans. Unity is a Real Living Wage Trailblazer and Disability Confident employer, holder of the Investors in People Gold standard and a member of the Global Alliance for Banking with Values, and its memberships ensure it’s engaged with best practices in the UK and globally as a bank with a social conscience. Visit www.unity.co.uk for more information. You can also follow Unity Trust Bank on Twitter and Facebook, or go to its LinkedIn page.

The award-winning service for adults with disabilities, Nickel Support, and their unique retail project, Interestingly Different, have started a brand new, revolutionary and bespoke retail training programme in order to address the shocking situation around employment opportunities and support for adults with learning disabilities and Autism.  Meet Charlie. Charlie is an amazing young woman with not only a smile for everyone she meets, but she also has a huge amount of potential, with a strong drive to work and have a purpose. However, Charlie also has a learning disability - which means that her ambition and goals are often met by hurdles and challenges. When Charlie started attending Nickel Support 9 years ago she struggled with confidence in communicating, and lacked support to achieve her potential. Throughout her time at Nickel Support, Charlie has grown in confidence and in her self belief, and has proven just how much adults with learning disabilities can achieve when they are given the chance to shine. She is now one of the trainees who is in paid employment at Interestingly Different, which forms the retail branch of Nickel Support.  Interestingly Different re-launched in 2023 opening their beautiful shop in Carshalton and introducing their online shop. They are a gift and homeware store with a difference - selling an incredible selection of high quality gifts, homewares, gift boxes and corporate gifting options from more than 30 social enterprises. However, Interestingly Different’s core goal is to provide training and employment opportunities for their trainees, all of whom have faced the same hurdles and barriers as Charlie, and to enable them to lead a purposeful and fulfilled life.  Since the re-launch, the team realised more needed to be done to provide training and employment opportunities - especially as government initiatives such as the Access to Work scheme, have lengthy, climbing waiting lists. Hence they set about creating an adaptable training programme to ensure that trainees gain necessary skills for employment. The programme was created in-house, and incorporates a variety of visual, written and audio materials in order to break down the barriers seen in mainstream training. It is delivered on a one-to-one basis, by trained Support Workers who not only understand learning disabilities, but who get to know each trainee, meaning they can tailor the training to their individual needs.  The training course has been set up with a true sense of urgency, as the employment situation for adults with learning disabilities and autism is shocking. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions recently comissioned The Buckland Review, in order to identify the barriers to autistic people securing and fulfilling employment. Published in February 2024, the report found that  “despite their wish to work, the latest official statistics show that only around 3 in 10 working age autistic disabled people are in employment.” And worse yet, we know from other sources that only 5.1% of adults with all types of learning disabilities in England are in paid work.  The Buckland Review found what Nick Walsh and Elena Nicola, co-founders of Nickel Support have long known - there is a wide range of potential barriers to work for autistic people [the same applies to people with any learning disability]. Even after finding work, maintaining long-term employment remains a challenge. Many do not receive the necessary support or adjustments to enable them to fulfil their role in the face of inaccessible sensory and social environments.  The current reality is sad and shocking, but Nickel Support and Interestingly Different are proud to see a positive impact even in the early stages of this project. When asked how she feels about the new training programme, Charlie commented, “The training I’ve already had has given me the self belief and confidence to work. I used to find it hard talking to customers, but now I feel confident to do that.  I am excited to start the new training programme because I think it is going to help me and the other trainees to learn new valuable skills”. There are currently five Interestingly Different trainees in paid employment, a number they intend to increase as they roll out the training programme.  Seeing Interestingly Different trainees embark upon their training is truly a wonderful thing - you can really sense that this is a place where they are valued, and are being equipped with vital skills for the workplace. Elena Nicola, says, “Seeing the trainees being given the opportunity to expand their knowledge, gain skills and move on to potential employment is so exciting, especially when all the evidence, and our first hand experience, shows that this is not something that is currently happening regularly in society. Sadly our story should not be news, but currently what we are doing really isn’t the norm. We eagerly look forward to the day when it is, and will not stop working to achieve that.”  Interestingly Different sources and sells a wide range of products from over 33 other UK based social enterprises, all of whom are working with adults with disabilities or facing life challenges.  Interestingly Different is open Monday - Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and their  website, https://interestinglydifferent.co.uk/ not only sells their full product range, but also offers a fantastic insight to the work that they do. They also work with corporate clients providing monthly subscriptions of office supplies such as tea and coffee, alongside making gift hampers for staff and clients. Each and every purchase helps towards the greater goal of an inclusive society where adults with disabilities are able to meet their potential and live a purposeful and fulfilled life. Interestingly Different was one of the Small Biz Saturday’s top 100 small businesses in the UK in 2023, and has since also been named as one of Theo Paphitis’s Small Business Sunday Winners. 

Today we brought together cross-sector experts at our Social Value Leaders’ Summit in Manchester, to discuss how this purpose-led approach to procurement and commissioning can be embedded across the public sector and influence spend in the UK’s largest companies. The keynote speech from Manchester City Council leader Bev Craig looked to the future of social value, with insight on the city’s plans for this tool to benefit the local community. Attendees also heard how social value is being used in large infrastructure projects such as London’s new giant Tideway sewer system, and helping drive positive impact for organisations from Liverpool Football Club to National Highways. It was made abundantly clear throughout the day that, when used effectively, social value can be transformative. It can create thousands of employment and training opportunities, unlock billions of investment in new low carbon products, and generate millions for reinvestment in vital infrastructure to benefit people and planet. However, while this agenda has made significant progress since the passing of the Social Value Act over a decade ago, our discussions through the day and the new research we presented also show there is still much more work to do before the full potential of this pioneering approach is truly realised. Launched at the Summit, ‘the state of social value in public sector spending’ showed that while local authority engagement has increased since we last ran this research exercise in 2016, many still never even apply social value. With council budgets squeezed and services at breaking point, a social value approach to ensure commissioning and procurement benefits local communities is needed more than ever – but unfortunately a lack of clarity and consistency across the country means this opportunity is often missed. CLICK HERE TO READ THE REPORT With a General Election on the horizon, Summit attendees discussed not only what changes are needed over the next decade but specifically in the next Parliament to better support our growing movement. If we are to achieve the goals on our Social Value 2032 Roadmap, it’s vital that we continue pushing for better and more complete implementation of the Act.  The Social Value Leaders’ Summit forms part of our ongoing Social Value 2032 programme. This ambitious work delivered in partnership with PwC and Jacobs looks to put social value at the heart of commissioning and procurement, maximising the positive impact of every pound spent. If you’d like to get involved, please email jennifer.exon@socialenterprise.org.uk

As part of our work in the Future Economy Alliance, today we brought together cross-party politicians and cross-sector business leaders in Parliament to discuss our new Business Plan for Britain, which sets out how the government can work in partnership with mission-led organisations to address huge social and environmental challenges. This newly published report sets out the national policy changes that can empower mission-led business to create a stronger, fairer, greener economy. From reforming the way we do business to putting power in the hands of local communities, and transforming public services to creating a people-powered green transition, the Plan presents a host of policy recommendations that can fix our broken economy. Read the report here An estimated four million of us work in social enterprise and other mission-led organisations; we’re living proof that business can be a force for good, and we need those in power to unleash our full potential. In an election year, we’re calling on our next government to recognise the importance of working for a purpose beyond profit and make our mission-led approach the national norm. Our chief executive Peter Holbrook CBE said: “Social Enterprise UK research provides a hefty evidence base for the impact of business with a purpose beyond profit – and in the face of so many complex challenges, we need this mission-led approach more than ever. The next government must seize the opportunity to unlock the potential for better business and fix our economy with bold reform that will deliver for generations to come.” It was heartening to see influential people taking an interest in our sector at the House of Lords event today – including cross-party MPs, national journalists and economic think-tanks – but publishing this report is just the start. We’re determined to make this a priority for the General Election and beyond. This month we’re also crowdfunding to create a stunt that will cut through the political noise with our bold message of change and hope. To build an economy that really works for our society, we need support from across that society. Will you help us? Support the campaign Please get involved with our campaign – donate if you can, use the toolkit to share it, and join the mailing list to find out about events or actions in future.

Our latest report reveals that the UK suffers from a business monoculture - an economy dominated by firms that primarily exist to maximise profits, which encourages a short-term focus that can be damaging economically as well as socially and environmentally. We reviewed evidence from the five largest economies in Europe and found that the UK is an outlier, with lower levels of investment and employment in the social economy. Social enterprises and cooperatives deliver 14% of GDP in the Netherlands, 12% in Germany and 10% in France, but our social economy is only worth around 3%.  The research shows that growing the social economy in Spain's Basque Country and the Emilia Romagna region of Italy has increased GDP per capita and reduced inequalities. Overall, the data suggests that investment in people and capital tends to increase productivity, which in turn improves wages and living conditions. This means our European peers with bigger social economies enjoy higher wages and greater representation at work, while the UK struggles with weaker economic performance and lower working standards. We can and must change this. Our calculations show that growing the UK social economy, from the current 3% of GDP to be more in line with neighbouring countries at 12%, could: boost UK investment by £14bn (around 1% of GDP per annum)  raise average wages by up to £2,640 per worker  secure the Living Wage for 400,000 more workers   enable 75,000 more employers to train their staff  give 4.2m workers a real say in how their employers operate  improve work quality by widening access to initiatives like 4-day weeks and flexible working  have significant spill-over effects longer-term on the wider national economy, such as boosting productivity and living standards.  Social Enterprise UK produced this report with support from the Alex Ferry Foundation.

TCES National Online School – whose pupils have special educational needs, with many at risk of becoming ‘ghost children’ through missing out on school entirely - has been named as the first online special school to be accredited under the Department for Education’s new Online Education Accreditation Scheme (OEAS).  The clampdown scheme was launched in response to growing concern about the quality and safety of an unregulated and rapidly growing online education sector. In a blog post explaining the scheme, National Director of Education, Christopher Russell, has identified the risks as: ‘Anyone - qualified or not – could cobble together an unsafe platform, plan a few lessons, and start to charge fees to unsuspecting parents. That’s bad for children, bad for their parents, and it's also unfair for the good online providers that are proud of their work and welcome independent oversight.’ A two-day inspection, during which inspectors spoke to children, parents and the Local Authorities who fund TCES National Online School places, concluded that the school had met all OEAS quality standards: ‘Led by the proprietor, leaders and staff are driven by a strong moral purpose to improve children’s academic and pastoral outcomes. They expertly intertwine education and therapy, working tirelessly to identify, reduce, and often, eliminate the barriers to learning children have faced.’  ‘In line with TCES’ other schools and services, TCES National Online School provides for pupils’ holistic development through a five-part curriculum: academic and vocational, enrichment, engagement, therapeutic and pupil leadership. The curriculum is designed to meet pupils’ educational, therapeutic and SEMH needs and is mapped against the targets in pupils’ EHC plans. When joining the provider, pupils are enrolled as full-time learners, with timetables specific to their needs. As they develop trust in their tutors and build in confidence, pupils access an increasing range of learning opportunities.’ Welcoming the first-of-its-kind quality mark, TCES Founder and CEO Thomas Keaney says:   ‘Being the first online special school to achieve the Department for Education’s quality mark is a huge achievement for my team. It proves that we’re doing what we set out to; provide a first-class, well-rounded education for children with special needs, anxiety and other challenges that make it impossible for them to attend school in person.   ‘Just as importantly the quality mark provides vital reassurance for families and Local Authorities. Now they can look for an online provider with the OEAS quality mark and know that we meet the standards demanded by the Department for Education.’ 10-year-old Daniel has a diagnosis of autism and ADHD and has been studying with TCES National Online School since May 2023. Prior to joining TCES, Daniel’s attendance at his mainstream primary school had fallen to around 50% and getting him into school had become increasingly difficult for his mum Louise, who says:  ‘I used to dread waking up in the morning to get Daniel into school. Sometimes I couldn’t get him there until midday or 1pm.  I felt like I was failing as a mum because he was suffering so much. I want him to have an education, but not at the expense of his mental health. Daniel could certainly have become one of the so-called ‘ghost children’ without TCES National Online School. His school said they couldn’t meet his needs, I would have had to take him out and maybe try home-schooling, but I don’t have any training in that area. Everything could have become very, very difficult for us both. Since he’s been with TCES, I’ve seen Daniel thrive and be independent. He’s excited rather than stressed. He’s calmer, happier, he knows he’s in a safe environment and doesn’t feel threatened.’ TCES CEO Thomas Keaney continues: ‘Most TCES National Online School pupils have Education Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) owing to their medical diagnoses, special needs, or mental health challenges. Often, they are victims of a broken system which has seen them permanently excluded with no other school that will take them, or waiting years for a special school place in a sector where chronic underinvestment means that need far outstrips supply.  For these families, online school is not a lifestyle choice, a nice to have, it’s quite simply the only way that their complex and vulnerable children can access the education they are entitled to. With more than 36% of children with EHCPs persistently absent, and more than 3,000 reportedly waiting for a special school place, it’s high time we stopped thinking of attendance in a physical school as the only solution. Today is a first for the online education sector, and I hope it sends a clear message that online special education – be it interim or permanent – is a viable option for the future. Regulating the sector must be just the start of the journey for the Department for Education. Next it must consult, invest, and plan for the expansion of state-funded online special schools, rather than allow a two-tier online school system to open up where only those parents who can afford it get the specialist education their children deserve.’ About TCES TCES National Online School has been providing a full online curriculum and school experience to pupils since 2020. It is part of the family-owned, social enterprise group, The Complete Education Solution (TCES). TCES was set up in 1999 by founder and CEO Thomas Keaney whose authentic commitment to inclusion means that no child has ever been permanently excluded in the Group’s 24-year history, and there are no fixed term exclusions either.  Increasingly, pupils referred to TCES National Online School have been out of school for long periods, and at substantial risk of becoming ‘ghost children’ and/or being drawn into criminal and other forms of exploitation owing to a chronic lack of support for them and their families. Working to the same therapeutic education principles used in TCES bricks and mortar schools (rated Good with Outstanding features by Ofsted) TCES National Online School aims to prepare pupils to ‘step down’ into physical mainstream or special schools wherever possible. Pupils attend TCES National Online School for a minimum of six weeks, with the average placement lasting 28 weeks. However, pupils also attend for longer periods where appropriate. The OEAS inspection report confirms that ‘no pupils leaving the provider [TCES National Online School] become NEET’ (not in education, employment or training).

On New Year’s Day, the social enterprise community woke up to the news that Nobel Laureate, Professor Muhammad Yunus was to be sentenced to six months in jail on charges of violating labour laws in his home country of Bangladesh. He is currently on bail pending an appeal. Professor Yunus is one of the true pioneers of the social enterprise movement crediting with lifting millions out of poverty through the innovative use of micro-finance, something which earned him the title of ‘banker to the poor’. The harassment and now sentencing of Professor Yunus has been condemned by fellow Nobel Laureates, global leaders and concerned citizens from around the world as being politically motivated. Amnesty International stated that the Bangladeshi Governments’ actions are “emblematic of the beleaguered state of human rights in Bangladesh, where the authorities have eroded freedoms and bulldozed critics into submission.” Not only is Professor Yunus an inspiration to social entrepreneurs around the world he is also a real friend of Social Enterprise UK, having spoken with and met some of our members at a reception in Parliament and also taken part in our online Social Enterprise Futures conference in 2021. Our Chief Executive, Peter Holbrook believes that not only is the persecution of Professor Yunus politically motivated but also point towards the real dangers faced by those who dare challenge the status quo, telling Pioneers Post that “if you really get close to achieving your mission [of] positively changing the world in a structural and systemic way, then existing sources of power will come after you.” Show your support and solidarity We’re encouraging our members to show that they stand in solidarity with Professor Yunus through sharing a picture of them holding a sign stating ‘I Stand with Yunus’ and then posting this on social media using #IStandWithYunus. Whilst work proceeds behind the scenes to fight for the overturning of this unjust sentence, showing that Professor Yunus is supported and appreciated by the movement he did so much to inspire will keep his case on the radar and hopefully help keep his spirits up. His team at the Yunus Centre are encouraging everyone to get involved and are in direct contact with him passing on messages of support. Please do show your support by taking this simple online campaign action.   You can also still add your name to this open letter signed by 188 global leaders created when the Bangladeshi Government’s harassment of Professor Yunus became apparent. Signatories include over 100 Nobel laureates, Barack Obama, and former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. To add you name email protectmdyunus@gmail.com.

Charitable social enterprise GLL has signed a new 2-year contract with Bedford Borough Council for the management and operation of leisure facilities and programmes across the borough. The new partnership means customers and staff will transfer to GLL from Thursday 1 February 2024 with services provided under the ‘Better’ brand. Peter Bundey, CEO of GLL said: "We are delighted to be a new partner with Bedford Borough Council. We are looking forward to working together to enhance leisure services and provide health and wellbeing opportunities for Borough residents. "As a charitable social enterprise and the largest operator in the leisure sector, we will bring our experience and expertise to increase services on offer. We look forward to sharing plans and developments with users and local communities." Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, Councillor Sarah Gallagher, said: “We look forward to working with GLL on the provision of leisure services in Bedford Borough. Our aim is for our leisure centres to serve as more than just places for exercise; they should also be vibrant hubs that promote well-being and create shared experiences for everyone. “During the course of this contract we will be working with residents and local sports clubs to develop a modernisation and investment strategy that reflects the future vision for leisure provision in the borough.”

The UK’s foremost charitable leisure & library social enterprise GLL marked its first 30 years with a special celebration at The House of Commons (2 November) attended by an array of industry, sporting and library leaders alongside politicians and Members of the House of Lords. The staff-owned co-operative, which runs over 350 public facilities including swimming pools,  libraries, sports centres and children’s centres under the ‘Better’ brand, welcomed keynote speakers The Rt Hon Lady Glenys Thornton, former GB track and field championSally Gunnell OBE and CILIP Library Champion and broadcaster Bobby Seagull. Each added their support to GLL’s remarkable three decade journey from a small ‘spin out’ in Greenwich to the largest national provider of public libraries and leisure centres in the UK and providers of the UK’s largest independent athlete support programme – operating from Bromley to Belfast, and from Cumbria to Cardiff. GLL sees itself very much at the heart of community health and wellbeing and works to tackle inequality and protect and modernise essential public services. By prioritising expanding accessible public leisure and cultural facilities, GLL (which returns all surpluses to improving local communities) has devised a model that is self-sustaining and truly for public good. The event also saw GLL present its ambitious 5 Year Corporate Plan ‘Creating our Future’ that will deliver £2bn in social value, get 1m more people more active across 5 years, reduce energy use and see a ground-breaking launch of the GLL Literary Foundation. GLL CEO Peter Bundey said: “GLL is a unique organisation, a staff-owned co-op that shows social enterprises can succeed at national scale. “Over 30 years we have expanded our public service offer, bringing measurable benefit to local communities - while keeping facilities open in challenging circumstances. “As the largest player in our sector we have responsibilities to lead the way and our next 30 years will see us do just that, working closely with our partners and clients to improve the mental and physical wellbeing of the nation. “I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been part of our journey.” In addition to celebrating 30 years, the event also marked 15 years of the GLL Sport Foundation (the largest independent athlete support programme in the UK) and 10 years of running public libraries; GLL operates facilities in Bromley, Dudley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Lincolnshire and has some of the highest borrowing rates in the UK. Long time GLL advocate The Rt Hon Lady Glenys Thornton said: “GLL is a beacon for value –led leisure services and a great supporter of athletics and libraries too.  Happy 30th Birthday GLL.” CILIP Library Champion and broadcaster Bobby Seagull called for more support for libraries: “Libraries are knowledge and the central lynchpin of communities. “We are a nation of readers and we need physical libraries in our communities.” Commenting on her Patronage of the GLL Sport Foundation, former GB track and field championSally Gunnell OBE said: “GLL’s impact has been undeniable - supporting dreams and aspirations, eliminating barriers and acting as a catalyst to release athlete potential. I commend the GSF for its commitment to the future and helping even more people reach greater heights in the world of sport.” GB and Northern Ireland Pentathlon Olympic Gold Medallist Lady Mary Peters DBE also joined the event.  GLL works closely with many sports bodies – including the Mary Peters Trust, SportsAid and Switch The Play Foundation – to widen and deepen athlete support through its GLL Sport Foundation. www.gll.org www.better.org.uk www.gllsportfoundation.org

Together with the Directory of Social Change, Benefact Group will be hosting a new webinar: 'A Practical Introduction to Social Impact Measurement' on Tuesday 14th November between 10:30am-12:00pm.  We all know that your enterprise does amazing work, day in and day out. However, when it comes to demonstrating the impact of all your excellent work to funders and stakeholders, many organisations struggle, which in turn can negatively impact fundraising efforts.  Join Robert Foster, DSC Associate and Director/Consultant at Red Ochre for this introductory session on social impact measurement. As one of the UK’s leading Social Enterprise experts, Robert will share some simple and practical steps to begin or improve your impact reporting journey.    Simply register online and details will be sent directly to you via email.  About WRS As experienced Social Enterprise Insurance brokers, WRS can help you find the right insurance for your organisation. Get in touch with our team to discuss your organisation’s needs and request a quote. For more information call the team on 01206 760780.  WRS is proudly part of the Benefact Group. 

Project provides free business support to Hackney business owners with coaching, events & cost saving advice Allia is leading a new 18-month project, Hackney Impact, a dynamic partnership committed to fostering growth and prosperity within Hackney’s vibrant business community. Working with Hackney Co-operative Developments, East End Trades Guild, Social Founders and Better Futures, the programme is funded by the UK Government through the Shared Prosperity Fund, Hackney Council and Hackney Business Network. The group of organisations and experts are uniting to provide a range of free business support to entrepreneurs in the Hackney borough, from early-stage start-ups to more established local businesses and charities. In addition to business support, the project aims to engage and embed collaboration and build community within the Hackney borough. The project kicked off today on Monday 23 October at a business breakfast networking event in Hackney for people to learn more about the project, meet the partner organisations and find out what support is on offer. A diverse group of founders, entrepreneurs and business owners from across a wide range of industries – such as café owners, artists, architects and massage therapists – gathered to learn about the project and how it aims to help the local business community.  Paul Wight, Allia’s Programme Manager for Hackney Impact said: “It was poignant to hear that many business owners are still feeling the impact of the Covid pandemic and were open about other challenges, such as the cost crisis and energy bills, that they are facing. The morning highlighted that there is a huge appetite for this type of support, and we are keen to provide that helping hand to help them on their journey.”Over the duration of the Hackney Impact project, over 220 businesses will receive: 1-1 coaching from Allia’s expert business coaches who provide personalised guidance, helping the business owners navigate challenges, set goals, and achieve their aims. Tailored business support courses that teach essential business knowledge and skills to succeed in today's competitive markets. Affordable workspace and local events where founders can come together to network, learn and collaborate. Free Energy Audit assessments and Net Zero business advice to help a business reduce their costs and lower their carbon footprint. Net Zero Grant Opportunity to make a business premises more energy efficient (applicants must meet eligibility criteria). Mentorship opportunities where experts will give bespoke insights and industry know-how to steer a business towards success. Allia has been active in the business community in Hackney for over six years, providing a range of support to help entrepreneurs and small local businesses get their ideas off the ground, and help them thrive and grow. It ran online Business Resilience programmes over the Covid pandemic to help those local businesses that had lost their customer bases and revenue streams by supporting them to pivot and diversify, so that they could survive. More recently it has been working with Hackney Council on its Green Business Programme to help local businesses adapt their ways of working to a more environmentally focused operation. Andrew Brisbin, Director of Ventures at Allia, said: “We’re excited to be part of an incredible group of partners who are building solutions for local entrepreneurs across every stage of their business journey. It’s amazing to bring together such a diverse set of skills, backgrounds, and passions to help strengthen the community we love." Cllr Guy Nicholson, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Delivery, Inclusive Economy and Regeneration said: “The Council has proven that when it is provided with funding and is empowered to design and deliver local business support programmes, it delivers positive social, environmental and financial outcomes for the businesses themselves and the wider community. The focus for this 18-month programme, which is expected to run to 31st March 2025, is on helping businesses transition to Net Zero, enhancing their social impact, and strengthening Hackney’s local ecosystem of business support.” Douglas Racionzer from Hackney Co-operative Developments said: “Hackney Cooperative Developments is delighted to collaborate in bringing to maturity our inclusive local economy.  This ecosystem has the potential to catalyse our common thoughts. Join us and let's flourish together.” Henrietta Cyrille from East End Trades Guild added: "I am no longer alone. The East End Trades Guild unites small businesses like mine, fostering a thriving ecosystem of self-starters who inspire and uplift each other towards prosperity. It is a place where generosity fuels knowledge and growth, where we connect, find support, and celebrate the essence and spirit of our endeavours. Hackney Impact steps up this support to a grander scale with its innovative ecosystem bringing real transformation for Hackney's micro-enterprise community." Caroline Diehl MBE at Social Founders said: “We are excited to support Hackney-based founders to grow both their impact and their financial sustainability - that challenging ‘double bottom line’, and to connect them with the wider ecosystem across this dynamic, innovative and vibrant borough. We want to support founders at all stages of their founder journey, and celebrate their achievements, stories and courage.” Jane Mossman at Better Futures said: “Better Futures is really excited to be working with Hackney's local businesses to identify ways to reduce their energy bills, reduce their carbon footprints and build resilience so they can thrive and be a force for good." 

This week (18 October) we hosted our first Social Procurement Meet-up, bringing together hundreds of people from our Recommended Social Enterprise Supplier network and our Corporate Buyer network. After a welcome from our CEO Peter Holbrook, we heard the inspiring story behind our event venue, Good Company. Cemal Ezel explained how his Change Please coffee company has aligned with fellow social enterprise Toast Ale brewery to serve life-changing drinks by day and planet-saving drinks by night, working together to end homelessness and reduce food waste. CBRE’s ESG Director Amy Brogan spoke about the importance of social value and social procurement – across society generally as well as in her company specifically, which won our ‘Buy Social’ Market Builder Award last year for their impressive work building social enterprises into supply chains. Amy shared valuable insight and advice for buying organisations looking to ramp up their engagement with social enterprise suppliers. We also heard the social enterprise perspective on procurement partnerships from Jane Hatton, CEO of Evenbreak, who really brought to life what it means when big businesses work with our sector. Jane said: “When you buy with social enterprises, it’s not a transaction, it’s a transformation.” Following these powerful speeches, guests enjoyed a ‘speed networking’ session that enabled them to make hundreds of new contacts and explore professional connections. To help everyone connect with people suited to their business needs, we set up dedicated zones for common workstreams, covering everything from catering and facilities management to marketing and HR. Reflecting on the day, our CEO Peter Holbrook said: “It’s clear from the energy in the room today that procurement is changing – and in choosing the kind of business you want to work with, you can help create the kind of world you want to live in. With events like this and our social procurement services, we’re growing a life-changing and planet-saving movement, as companies big and small join forces to actively tackle the most pressing social and environmental issues of our time.” To find out more, go to www.socialenterprise.org.uk/get-involved/social-procurement.

Unwritten social rules of corporate office culture and recruitment practices can present real barriers for neurodiverse people, both in finding employment and then thriving at work. Only 29% of autistic adults in the UK have paying jobs, compared with 80% of working-age people without a disability [i], despite research showing the vast majority want to work [ii]. The seemingly successful minority who do find work still face challenges, often struggling to be themselves in the workplace and not receiving the support they need. auticon is a social enterprise on a mission to change this and build a more inclusive world, by addressing inequalities in employment for neurodivergent adults and showcasing the strengths of neurodiversity in society. It was initially founded in Berlin in 2011 by Dirk Müller Remus, a father wanting better employment opportunities for his autistic son. The business model was simple: employing autistic adults as IT consultants, tapping into the STEM skills often associated with neurodiversity to help organisations in need of tech support. Following investment from Germany’s first social investment fund, the business grew to have six German offices, with large clients such as BMW and Allianz. Global expansion followed, with auticon UK opening in 2016. The company operates in 14 countries with two main workstreams: IT consulting (in data science, analytics, engineering, cyber-security and quality assurance) and offering EDI services on neuroinclusion. Creating jobs and changing lives auticon employs adults on the autism spectrum as technology consultants, supported by job coaches and project managers, who are matched with client organisations to suit their individual skills. Its innovation lab, auticon Labs, is where neurodivergent teams-members collaborate with clients and investors to develop technology solutions to the challenges of neurodivergent people in the workplace and in their day-to-day lives. Globally, auticon currently employs more than 450 autistic consultants on full-time contracts with big businesses including PwC, NatWest, Deloitte and Zurich among their many UK clients. 67% of auticon consultants had been unemployed for more than a year, despite 85% having a professional qualification or degree, and the impact of supportive employment has been transformative [iii]. 92% of consultants feel supported at work, 87% say their quality of life has improved since joining the organisation, and 91% believe they’re valued for who they are. auticon consultants Chris Lever said: “Before I joined auticon, I had been unemployed for 15 months, and was being treated for depression for the third time. auticon took me in and I’ve been working consistently for 3.5 years now. That is the power of a social enterprise.” Transforming business culture As well as directly supporting autistic people to build successful IT careers, auticon works with other employers to shift perceptions of neurodiversity in the world of work. auticon’s Neuroinclusion Services help organisations to become confident neuroinclusive employers through consultancy, training and support. 85% of clients report a greater understanding of neurodiversity as a result of working with auticon, and the same percentage say their team feels more confident working with autistic people. Furthermore, the skills and insights of auticon consultants are having a real positive impact on clients’ work; 93% reported that consultants made valuable professional contributions to projects, with increased accuracy and efficiency as well as more innovative approaches cited as benefits of their alternative perspectives. Gareth Crabtree, Head of Data Design Enablement at auticon client PwC UK, said: “Throughout my time working with auticon consultants, they have consistently demonstrated a range of technical skills that have allowed them to produce innovative and high quality work. Having autistic people on my team has led me to having a much better understanding of neurodiversity, helping to make me a more well-rounded leader. The support that auticon’s job coaches provide is highly valued, and it is very clear that the needs of their consultants are very much at the centre of everything that they do.” Shifting perceptions auticon works closely with customers, local communities and other partners to raise awareness across society of the benefits that autistic people can offer employers as well as the barriers they face. So far auticon has delivered more than 235 awareness events and trained 66 organisations. Last year, they also launched a podcast series, featuring leading voices on autism from around the world. auticon places neurodivergent people at the heart of its workforce. All consultants are on the autism spectrum and 78% of the workforce are neurodivergent, making it a majority autistic business. Its success shows how a social enterprise can transform the lives of people facing real barriers in the workplace, not only empowering individuals but changing the way they’re viewed by big businesses and wider society. In 2022, auticon’s incredible impact was formally recognised when it was named UK Social Enterprise of the Year at the UK Social Enterprise Awards, and since then the company has gone from strength to strength. This summer, auticon joined forces with a Norwegian social enterprise called Unicus that runs a similar model, making it the largest autistic-majority company in the world.   You can find out more about auticon's impact in their latest impact report auticon.com/uk [i] ONS statistics on outcomes for disabled people in the UK [ii] See the Autism Employment Gap Report from the National Autistic Society [iii] auticon Impact Report 2022

Fair for You is pleased to announce that it will receive investment of up to £2m from Fair4All Finance, to enable further growth for the Iceland Food Club, our pioneering partnership with Iceland Foods. The ethical microcredit scheme gives financially-excluded households access to loans of £25-£100 to spend at Iceland, helping them to spread the cost of food and essential items during the school holidays. Iceland Food Club launched nationally in August 2022, following an extensive regional pilot which demonstrated significant social impact for the scheme. Since the national launch, more than 23,000 families and an estimated 44,000-plus children have benefitted from the scheme. This is on top of thousands of customers joining during the scheme's extensive regional pilot. The additional investment will support further growth, and recognises the scheme's significant positive social impact to date. Richard Walker OBE, Executive Chairman of Iceland Foods, said: "We have seen the remarkable impact that the Iceland Food Club has had in supporting struggling customers through the cost-of-living crisis. Setting up the Food Club alongside Fair for You has been one of the most transformational decisions we have made as a business, and we know it has been a lifeline for so many families who now have a workable solution for affording essential goods." Simon Dukes, CEO, Fair For You, said: "Around a quarter of households in the UK have less than £100 in savings which makes holiday periods very stressful. Fair for You is delighted to make life easier for tens of thousands of Iceland customers who can’t always afford a big grocery shop but who can afford a small interest-free loan, which is paid back within weeks, to help them and their children through the holidays. The additional investment from Fair4All Finance will enable us to reach even more people who will truly benefit from the Food Club." Sacha Romanovitch OBE, CEO of Fair4All Finance, said:  "We've been impressed with the strong social impact and positive customer outcomes of Iceland's Food Club, and the vital support that access to low value, zero percent interest credit provides to customers in the most financially vulnerable circumstances. "We're pleased to be investing up to a further £2m in Fair for You to help grow this scheme and help more people manage through the school holidays and navigate the cost of living crisis." The scheme has been a winner at the prestigious Global Good Awards for two consecutive years. In March this year it was cited as an important option for families at risk of needing to use food banks, in a report by a group of MPs, supported by The Trussell Trust.

Interestingly Different in Carshalton has been selected as one of the nation’s 100 most impressive small businesses by the Small Business Saturday UK campaign, as it kicks off its second decade in the UK.  Interestingly Different, the innovative and unique retailer selling stunning products made by or supporting adults with learning disabilities or facing other life challenges, launched in January 2023. The shop and online outlet sell a wide range of stunning products, and provide employment opportunities for adults with disabilities as a way of tackling the statistic that only 5% of adults with learning disabilities in the UK are currently in paid employment.  Following a nationwide search it has been chosen as part of this year’s SmallBiz100 line-up, which showcases a line-up of 100 of the most inspiring independent businesses from across the nation.  Karen Stewart, Communications Assistant for Interestingly Different talks about how the team felt about having been selected as one of the Small Biz 100: “Having only launched in January this year, we are absolutely delighted to have already been selected as one of the top small businesses in the country. Naturally we are extremely proud that the quality of our business and products has been appreciated; but to be recognised in this way, as a social enterprise trying to smash stereotypes and create change for adults with learning disabilities, is what brings us the greatest pride of all.” Small Business Saturday will return on 2 December 2023, with a mission to support and celebrate the UK’s 5.5 million small businesses. With small firms facing huge challenges due to the cost-of-living crisis, the campaign is more vital than ever as it moves into its second decade in the UK. Interestingly Different was profiled by the campaign on September 5th as part of the 100-day countdown to Small Business Saturday UK. “It’s fantastic to celebrate Interestingly Different as part of this year’s campaign” said Michelle Ovens CBE, Director of Small Business Saturday UK. “The impressive small businesses featured in this year’s SmallBiz100 sum up the phenomenal contribution that small firms make to our economy and local communities.” Small Business Saturday is a grassroots, non-commercial campaign, which celebrates small business success and encourages consumers to 'shop local' and to support businesses in their communities. Interestingly Different really does provide a fantastic opportunity for residents of Carshalton and Greater London to shop locally, whilst also selling all of their products online. Interestingly Different also offer a gift hamper service for individual and corporate clients, which creates a fantastic option for big companies to support small businesses whilst ensuring their gifting is socially and ethically responsible. The campaign was originally founded by American Express in the U.S. in 2010, and the brand remains the principal supporter of the campaign in the UK.  On Small Business Saturday customers across the UK go out and support all types of small businesses, from independent boutiques and eateries to small service and b2b based businesses like wholesalers and digital marketers. Many small businesses take an active role in promoting the day by hosting events and offering promotions. Interestingly Different will be hosting a Christmas Shopping event on Small Business Saturday as part of their celebration of this incredible achievement. Make sure to follow them on Instagram for more details closer to the day. Over the time the campaign has run in the UK it has engaged millions of people each year and seen over billions of pounds spent with small businesses across the UK on Small Business Saturday. Small Business Saturday attracts huge attention on the day itself, with an impact that lasts all year. Last year the campaign trended at number one in the UK on social media platform X (formally Twitter), with the Prime Minister and the Mayor of London among those publicly supporting the campaign. Over 90% of local councils also supported the campaign. To get involved in Small Business Saturday UK visit smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com. To learn more about Interestingly Different and to do some impactful shopping visit interestinglydifferent.co.uk . Be sure to sign up to their newsletter for a 10% discount code for your first order.

Charity Bank, the loans and savings bank for social good, is inviting trustees, directors, CEOs and managers of charities, social enterprises and community organisations to attend a series of free regional events in September and October. Held in collaboration with local and national sector partners, the events will explore the critical role of sustainable finance in driving positive change and fostering thriving communities. The half-day events will be taking place in Liverpool, London, Wolverhampton, and Southampton, with an additional virtual event to ensure that content is accessible to all. Speakers will include national and regional experts including Locality, Community First, Crowe Accountants, Brabners Solicitors, SIB Network, Charity Intelligence, and others. Together they will discuss how sustainable finance can enable charities and social enterprises to unlock their potential, the state of the sector, local challenges, and explore innovative solutions. The events will also offer an opportunity for charities, social enterprises, and community organisations to connect with like-minded individuals, finance experts, and expand their networks. Each event will be hosted from 9:30am – 12:30pm at the following locations: Liverpool (The Bluecoat, L1 3BX): Thursday 28th September London (Museum of Brands, W11 1QT): Tuesday 3rd October Southampton (Ordnance Survey, SO16 OAS): Thursday 5th October Wolverhampton (ASAN, WV2 1EL): Tuesday 10th October Virtual event (Via Zoom): Tuesday 17th October To find out more and register visit charitybank.org/NavigatingChange About Charity Bank Charity Bank is the loans and savings bank for charities, social enterprises and people who want to make the world a better place. It uses its savers’ money to provide much needed loans to UK organisations working to drive positive social change – bringing benefits for people, communities and the environment. Since 2002, Charity Bank has made more than 1,200 loans totalling over £450m to housing, education, social care, community and other social purpose organisations. Charity Bank is owned by social purpose organisations and aims to use its expertise, commitment and flexible approach to lending, to help charities and social enterprises get the support and funding they need. charitybank.org

The transaction is an offensive to unite two innovative social enterprises and global players in the IT industry; the deal unifies more than 465 autistic employees to become the largest autistic-majority company in the world. auticon and Unicus have entered into an agreement under which the two companies will unite. The deal was brokered by Ferd, an Oslo-based family-owned investment company and shareholder in both companies. The historic deal establishes a global model for an autistic-majority social enterprise and ESG company, addressing the inequalities in employment for neurodivergent adults.   By joining forces, auticon and Unicus increase potential for creating value for customers, employees, and society – in existing and new markets. The combination marks an important next step for our business and social mission. Our customers will get access to a broader range of IT, software and management services and a larger team with a global footprint, while our employees can continue to grow in the same supported work environment.   Under the terms of the deal:  The two combined companies will become the “largest autistic-majority company in the world,” with 81% (465) of its 575 employees on the autism spectrum.  Ferd, an investor in both companies, will become the lead impact investor in the combined company.  The two businesses come together under the umbrella of auticon GmbH as future joint holding company of the auticon and the Unicus shareholders. Lars Johansson-Kjellerød, CEO of the Unicus group will be joining auticon CFO Markus Weber and Group CEO Kurt Schöffer in the management board of auticon GmbH.  The unified company will operate in 14 countries, including Norway, Sweden, Finland, Netherlands, Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom, North America, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Switzerland, and France.  The company expects to achieve 50M EUR revenue and 600+ employees by the end of 2023. Investors include Ferd, Autism Impact Fund, Ananda Impact Ventures, KOIS, Felix Porsche, Sir Richard Branson, Ferst Capital Partners, and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.  A crisis of unemployment among autistic adults  It is estimated that less than 29% of autistic adults are in any form of meaningful employment (Office for National Statistics, UK, 2022). Many autistic adults possess cognitive strengths that make them particularly well-suited for careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Despite this, they are faced with barriers such as an exclusionary recruitment process, poor autism awareness, and employers feeling unprepared to offer support.  With 15 years of experience and a solid track record, a global footprint of 14 countries, proprietary data, and technology platforms, the combined company will provide high-value IT services to clients, including data science, software development, cybersecurity, AI, and quality assurance and testing. Additionally, actionable neurodiversity training and advisory services will become available in Nordic markets.  On a mission to improve the lives of autistic adults  auticon and Unicus are improving the lives of autistic adults through employment. According to internal polling, both companies report significant quality of life improvements for employees, including increased self-esteem, quality of life, income, confidence, and improved well-being. To learn more, view the latest impact reports for Unicus and auticon.   auticon Group CEO Kurt Schöffer commented: “Imagine a company where the majority are autistic. Most could never conceive of such a thing, yet we come to work every day. This merger unites two high-profile IT consulting companies behind a unifying purpose – neurodiversity.”  auticon CFO Markus Weber commented: “This deal makes auticon even more interesting for the financial market. Under the guidance of Ferd, now our largest shareholder, auticon has unlimited possibilities and guidance for further growth.”  Unicus Founder and CEO Lars Johansson-Kjellerød commented: "By our marriage, we create the world's largest autistic-majority corporation. With the focus on neurodiversity, we will continue to create unique results for our customers and an increased quality of life for our employees. The joint companies have the same DNA and vision to create a more inclusive world, and when we combine Unicus and auticon's long experience, that is, in my opinion, the best prerequisites to successfully foster change and innovation and to create the leading Social company focusing on neurodiversity. I am looking forward to the journey ahead!" Ferd owner and Chair, Johan H. Andresen commented: "The combination of auticon and Unicus represents a major milestone for social impact investing. When Ferd started investing in social entrepreneurs in 2007 we had a vision that it would be possible to build and scale these organizations with their innovative solutions and that they could deliver both great social impact and strong financial performance.    Our journey with Unicus started in 2009, with a small grant to fund a pilot project, followed by an investment in auticon in 2018. Now we are witnessing the emergence of a multinational social entrepreneur, one of the very first of its kind. We are very excited and proud to support the new group in its ambitious plans going forward."  About auticon  auticon is an award-winning social innovation company. As an autistic-majority company, we're a resource for talent. We integrate our technology consultants into client organizations, performing as software developers, data analysts, QA engineers, and more. Clients experience our outstanding autistic professionals first-hand, opening minds and achieving diversity goals.  Our model improves the economic and social conditions of the autistic community with quality careers, unlocking opportunity, and empowering client organisations through actionable neurodiversity training and advisory services. Here, our employees build lifelong careers in technology, discovering personal autonomy and improved self-esteem.  Investors include Ferd, Autism Impact Fund, Ananda Impact Ventures, KOIS, Felix Porsche, Sir Richard Branson, Ferst Capital Partners and Esmée Fairbairn Foundation. For more information, visit www.auticon.com. About Unicus  Unicus was founded in 2008 by Lars Johansson-Kjellerød, with the vision of a better and more inclusive world for people with autism built on the individual`s strengths. Unicus is an IT company specialized in services within Datascience, Software development, RPA and Software testing and today operates in Norway, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands and newly started in Poland, with many of the largest Nordic companies on their customer list. For more information, see www.unicus.com  About Ferd  Ferd is a Norwegian family-owned investment company owned by the fifth and sixth generations of the Andresen family. The investment company is called Ferd (‘journey’) because, in the true sense of the word, it represents ‘travel without an end’. The Ferd vision – to create enduring value and leave clear footprints – articulates a firm commitment to creating value that is not just financial. Ferd is an active, long-term investor in social innovative enterprises that generate measurable social impact using a sustainable business model. Ferd is the majority shareholder in Unicus, and has been a supporter of the company since inception in 2009. For more information, see www.ferd.no/en/ 

This month the Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) team attended Construction News magazine’s CN Meetup event at JW Marriot Grosvenor House in London. The event brought together professionals from across the construction industry to discuss key issues and trends affecting the sector. We were there to show the benefits of working with social enterprise suppliers and how businesses can unlock social value in their everyday spending. Our business relationship executive Francesca Maines spoke at a roundtable about embedding social value and sustainability in procurement processes, supporting the construction sector to engage more with social enterprises. We were also joined by SEUK members including Tarem Services and Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Company. SEUK has a strong track record of working with big businesses in the construction sector. Our work has helped embed social procurement, where buying organisations actively choose to work with social enterprise suppliers, into their practices. Our flagship Buy Social Corporate Challenge has seen more than £255 million spent by 30 corporate partners with social enterprises, and our new Social Procurement Connect service helps to bring social enterprises into cross-sector supply chains. We were also instrumental in passing the Social Value Act in 2012, which has helped transform the procurement and commissioning landscape – placing an obligation on public bodies to consider how the services they procure might improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of the areas they operate in. The Act is also increasingly changing how the private sector operates, especially for businesses that work on public sector contracts. Commenting on the event and the benefits of working with social enterprises, Francesca said: “Working with social enterprise suppliers allows businesses to use their everyday procurement spend to create positive social and environmental impact. It’s using money that would be spent anyway to transform lives and protect the planet. We have seen construction companies use their procurement function to create jobs for marginalised groups, increase supplier diversity and embed sustainable practices into their work. What’s more, social enterprises deliver on quality while being competitive on price. It was great to meet an engaged audience of construction professionals, have meaningful conversations around social value and spread the word about social enterprise.” Other speakers at the table discussion included Syreeta Bayne from Muse, Heather Bryant from Galliford Try, Robbie Blackhurst from Procure Partnerships Framework and Liz Lee from Advance Social Value To find out more about bringing social enterprises into your supply chains visit our Social Procurement Page.

Social Enterprise UK member Fair for You is a winner in the prestigious Global Good Awards for the second consecutive year. Fair for You was recognised in the Community Partnerships category for its pioneering Iceland Food Club scheme, which it operates for retailer Iceland Foods. The zero-interest loans scheme, which enables families to stock up ahead of school holidays, has been used by more than 26,000 households, meaning an estimated 50,000-plus children have been able to avoid going hungry. Evidence has shown that the scheme has helped parents to get control of their finances, reduce stress and anxiety, and avoid having to use dangerous illegal lenders. In 2022, Fair for You was awarded the 'One to Watch' prize in the Community Partnership category, not long after the scheme was rolled out nationally. In 2023, it took a step up and secured a Bronze award in what was again a highly-competitive category. Simon Dukes, CEO of Fair for You, said:  "The Iceland Food Club, our ground-breaking partnership with Iceland Foods, has helped remove the threat of food poverty from an estimated 50,000 children. "In turn it has helped their parents to get their finances under control, and avoid having to turn to dangerous illegal lenders. "Being recognised alongside other fantastic schemes by these prestigious awards is further validation of the power of affordable credit, and the impact retailers can have through such partnerships." Earlier this year, the Iceland Food Club was highlighted as an important measure by the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Ending the Need for Food Banks, supported by the Trussell Trust, in its report ‘Cash or food? Exploring effective responses to destitution’. The report highlighted the social impact of the Iceland Food Club, and the role of affordable credit schemes such as this in helping to “prevent people needing to turn to loan sharks or high-interest loan companies, which could make a bad situation turn worse”. Fair for You was created in 2015. It is owned by a charity, and reinvests all surpluses into its social mission of supporting financially-excluded households to buy essential items, avoid hardship and improve their financial resilience. It is backed by a range of leading charities and social investors, including Big Issue Invest, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Social Investment Scotland and the government-supported Fair4All Finance.

As the UK celebrates National Refugee Week (19-25 June), the Ideas Into Action partnership supporting entrepreneurial refugees will showcase ventures from 13 new social business leaders on Thursday 22 June in London’s Museum of the Home. Ideas Into Action is a partnership between Result Community Interest Company (CIC), Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) and The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN) that supports refugees to develop their own social businesses or non-profit organisations. Participants are assisted with bespoke social business support and fundraising for their new social venture, while benefitting from one-to-one coaching and group workshops that help build the confidence and communication skills needed to run a successful business. With each entrepreneur on the programme having lived experience of the social issue they are addressing, Ideas Into Action is creating a generation of social businesses led by leaders from the communities they serve. Since launching in 2021, Ideas Into Action has worked with 30 refugee social entrepreneurs – and is due to reach 60 by the end of next year, thanks to a national recruitment campaign. Last year saw ten entrepreneurial refugees graduate from the programme, and this year 13 more founders will present their social ventures to potential investors, supporters and partners at the Ideas Into Action Demo Day on 22 June. Yusuf Ciftci, founder of Experts by Experience Employment Initiative who completed the Ideas Into Action programme last year, said: “I've had an absolute boost in my confidence with the crowd-funder campaign I launched with the amazing help of Ideas into Action. Thanks to quality advice and business support, I was able to raise seed funding to kick-start my non-profit, which is now a 60-organisation-wide network working towards improving refugee employment.” Jane Cordell and Hormoz Ahmadzadeh, Directors at Result CIC, said: “National Refugee Week is the perfect time to celebrate these entrepreneurs who have been refugees, but of course our work does not stop this week and we look forward to supporting even more people with this nationwide specialist programme. They will gain not only greater confidence in their ideas for starting or developing their own organisations, but also practical tools and crowdfunding to get started. The members of each group will be encouraged to support each other and, after finishing the programme, pass on their ideas to the next group. In this way we expect brilliant new organisations to start up plus a stronger community between its leaders.” Elaine Crehan, Head of Membership at Social Enterprise UK, said: “We’re delighted to be part of this vital programme to support refugees building their own social enterprises. From creating job opportunities to breaking down stigma and prejudice, the social enterprise sector has long been a space where refugees can find a sense of community and belonging. It’s wonderful to see this programme helping refugees to set up social enterprises, using their own ideas and experiences to create thriving businesses that do great things for people and planet. It’s a pleasure to welcome all the participants into our network, where they can grow even stronger together.” Fred Kastner, Director of Social Innovation at TERN, said: “Ideas into Action is an opportunity for our community members to show how they use their passion, ingenuity and hard work to help communities in the UK and beyond. Their lived experience and deep community connections enable them to create solutions that fulfil the needs of members of society who are often overlooked and unheard. We have thoroughly enjoyed our partnership with Result CIC and SEUK to build a thriving community of Ideas into Action graduates/alumni who can partner up, amplify each other’s missions, and guide the next generation of refugee social entrepreneurs for years to come.” The Ideas Into Action partnership that brings Result CIC together with SEUK and TERN is made possible by support from The National Lottery Community Fund, which awarded vital funding of £180,000 to the programme in 2021. John Mothersole, Chair of England Committee at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “We are delighted to be supporting this scheme, helping to boost skills and employment prospects for refugees so they can lead fulfilled lives while settling into and contributing to life in the UK. It is thanks to National Lottery players that we are able to fund this impactful work that will result in improved opportunities for local economies and communities, enabling them to prosper and thrive.” Find out more at www.notion.so/tern/Ideas-Into-Action-2023. To attend the showcase event, register at www.ideas-into-action-demo-day-23.eventbrite.co.uk. If you’re interested in becoming a partner or funder on the project, email info@resultcic.com or call 07516 518194. ENDS About Ideas Into Action Ideas into Action is a partnership between Result CIC, The Entrepreneurial Refugee Network (TERN) and Social Enterprise UK (SEUK). The programme supports refugees to create and launch new social products and services for communities in the UK and beyond. Vital funding of £180,000 was awarded to the programme in 2021 by The National Lottery Community Fund. So far, the programme has worked with 23 refugee social entrepreneurs, and is due to reach 60 by the end of next year. Find out more at www.notion.so/tern/Ideas-Into-Action-2023.

Leading events crew supplier and flagship social enterprise Connection Crew CIC have launched a major advertising campaign. As a London Living Wage Employer, the company aims to help break the minimum wage ceiling, raise awareness, and recruit new crew as it prepares for further expansion following a 132 per cent revenue increase last year.  The campaign is being delivered by global advertising agency TBWA\London, through a digital billboard, and referral marketing campaign that involves Connection Crew’s existing staff identifying potential recruits. The campaign will be seen across dozens of sites throughout London.   The advertising campaign highlights opportunities to work in exciting jobs in crewing at major exhibitions, festivals, concerts, and other events, as well as construction, sport, television and film locations. To drive job applications, Connection Crew team members are being challenged to find ambitious gig economy workers including delivery drivers, baristas, security, bar and catering staff, and students, and present them with a card with links to a job application form.  "We’ve grown significantly in the last two years while maintaining our high standards and providing employment opportunities for those that need it most. Now we need to support another phase of expansion," says Warren Rogers, Connection Crew Director. "Part of the measurement of our success is that we demonstrate that social enterprises can be highly successful as commercial operators, competing against other major companies. Our aim is to continue breaking new ground both as a crewing company, and as a social enterprise."   The success of Connection Crew as a supplier of trained crew for major events such as the Coronation, London Marathon, Ideal Home Show, Clerkenwell Design Week, Glastonbury-BBC and Creamfields, is evidence of how a social enterprise can outcompete traditional business model rivals. It provided crew for more than 3,600 events in 2022. Long standing clients include  BAFTA, Underbelly, Media 10 and Wates Group. The organisation’s premium level service ethos and reliability has enabled it to establish a unique position as a crew provider within the events, television, film and construction industries, where reliable staff are needed for an array of manual handling and technical work.   "Imagine if every event in London and beyond helped to make a positive impact on people within their community, it would make a big difference to society." says Leasa Slater, Connection Crew Resources Manager.  "A huge strength of Connection Crew is the amount of impact we make socially, culturally, and environmentally." In parallel with its commercial success, Connection Crew has recently hit the significant milestone of providing more than 200,000 hours of employment to those that have experienced, or been at risk of, homelessness, or who traditionally face barriers to employment. Currently, 20 per cent of their crew have faced one or more of these barriers.  It’s employment opportunities and a supportive environment helps foster a strong work ethic, willingness to learn and a robust team dynamic. These attributes are reflected in the organisation’s award-winning reputation within the business sectors it operates in, and high repeat business rates.  A major part the organisation’s success, both commercially and socially, is its Academy, that provides a hands-on three-day employment preparation programme. Graduates are guaranteed an interview, and a 12-week mentoring scheme in which Academy graduates are provided with an experienced crew member as mentor, who is a trained volunteer for the role. For 18 years, Connection Crew has worked on some of the biggest and most prestigious events in London and the UK. Their ambition is to expand their reach and grow their impact on a national scale.

GLL – the UK’s largest provider of public leisure facilities – has taken an important next step towards powering its facilities with renewable energy with the announcement of its first ‘Green Gym’. Charlton Lido and Lifestyle Club in South East London boasts a 350 m2  gym with over 40 pieces of equipment, many of which are “Self-Powered” .  Since installing a brand new 38 kW solar array on the roof, the power generated now has sufficient capacity to operate the gym by renewable energy for the first time. The forward thinking charitable social enterprise – which missed out on Government energy support afforded to Cultural institutions like libraries and museums – has made the investment from its own capital reserves as part of its journey towards a carbon zero future.  The new panels at Charlton Gym will generate 35,000kWh of renewable power and save 7 tonnes of CO2 per annum. At the same time, the company has invested in a solar panel array at Middlegate House – its Royal Arsenal Riverside HQ – which is providing the power needs of its Customer Service Centre, again for the very first time. GLL’s solar installation for the Customer Service Centre also allows for surplus energy to be stored in batteries for rainy day use – a boon in Britain’s fickle climate. The investment comes on the back of a multi-year journey to make the business – which operates nearly 400 facilities across Belfast, Cardiff and England - more sustainable,  reducing waste, CO2 and energy consumption under its “Respecting the Planet” Corporate Value.  GLL is also working closely with its partners to invest in the environment for the future. Chris Hebblewhite, GLL’s National Director of Standards & Compliance said: “This is fantastic news for GLL, taking our sustainability journey towards zero carbon to the next level. “Our customers and staff will benefit too knowing that respecting the planet is an important part of the purposed business they have chosen to be a part of. “Our social enterprise is all about making a difference for communities and the climate crisis is already having an effect on them. Reducing our impact on the environment aligns us with the ambitious goals of our local authority partners and we are very pleased to expect to be able to make further announcements later this year. “GLL has already invested millions of pounds in green technologies over the last few years and these latest investments are another important part of our journey”

The award-winning service for adults with disabilities, Nickel Support, has launched their new shop “Interestingly Different”, which sources and sells a wide range of beautiful products all created, designed and/or packaged by adults with learning disabilities or facing life challenges. Interestingly Different, the gift and homewares store with a difference has re-opened after being transformed in a spectacular renovation. The shop in Carshalton, Sutton,  sells an incredible and varied selection of high quality gifts and homewares. The social enterprise has also relaunched its website, giving shoppers the choice of buying in person or online. All of the products being sold are made by social enterprises supporting marginalised groups across the country. However, as well as providing a unique place for shoppers who want to shop more consciously, Interestingly Different’s core goal is to provide training and employment opportunities for their 100 trainees who all have a learning disability and/or autism, and thus enabling them to lead a purposeful and fulfilled life. Just 4.8% of adults with learning disabilities are in paid employment. Nick Walsh and Elena Nicola set out to change this statistic over 10 years ago when they founded Nickel Support after they had become disillusioned by the learning disability sector as a whole. They felt that people with learning disabilities were being short changed by some of the more traditional services, and that they deserved so much more, including more opportunities for paid employment. Amongst their other strands of support, Nickel Support and Interestingly Different have helped address this lack of opportunities by launching various enterprises, including upcycling furniture and the development of a range of hugely popular jams and chutneys. Nick Walsh, Nickel Support’s Operations Director commented: “The enterprises have been fantastic for harnessing the skills and abilities of the trainees. However, as the enterprises grew it became obvious that there was scope for widening the areas in which trainees could gain skills, as well as to provide more opportunities for paid employment. We put our heads together, successfully secured funding, and set about refurbishing and expanding Interestingly Different.” After various months of hard work, the shop was transformed into the beautiful light and airy space it is now. On February 3rd, 2023, Elliot Coburn MP cut the ribbon alongside a group of trainees and declared the shop open for business. The launch of the physical shop was also an opportunity to announce the count-down to the online store, which went live a few weeks later. Interestingly Different now sources and sells a wide range of products from over 15 other UK based social enterprises, all of whom are working with adults with disabilities or facing life challenges. The shop offers a unique opportunity for the trainees to acquire the vast range of skills required for employment in the retail industry such as fulfilment, customer service, and till work to name a few. The shop also works with corporate clients to help with their gifting needs. Seeing Interestingly Different’s trainees working in the shop - be it behind the till and serving customers, or downstairs packaging up online orders - you can really sense that this is a place where they are valued, and are being equipped with vital skills for the workplace. One trainee commented, “The training has given me the self belief and confidence to work”. There are currently five Interestingly Different trainees in paid employment, a number they hope to increase in the near future as the shop gets busier. Interestingly Different is open Monday - Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and their  website, https://interestinglydifferent.co.uk/ is currently offering a 10% discount off your first order when you sign up to their newsletter. They also work with corporate clients in making gift hampers.  Each and every purchase helps towards the greater goal of an inclusive society where adults with disabilities are able to meet their potential and live a purposeful and fulfilled life. Interestingly Different is part of their parent organisation, Nickel Support. Nickel Support is a pioneering, award winning, not-for-profit community interest company set up in 2012, which works with over 100 adults with learning disabilities and/or autism. Nickel Support is based in Sutton and now work with over 100 adults with learning disabilities across their two branches in Carshalton and Cheam. Nickel Support was a finalist in the 2022 National SME Business Awards as well as in the 2022 Social Enterprise Awards; and has recently been shortlisted for the 2023 Small Awards. For further information or quotes regarding Nickel Support, please contact Nick Walsh, nick.walsh@nickel.org.uk , 020 8669 5567. For further information or quotes regarding Interestingly Different, please contact Ashley Walsh, ashley.walsh@nickel.org.uk , 020 8669 5567. For a press-pack of high resolution images please contact Ashley Walsh as per the above details. Interestingly Different has also written articles for a number of publications. If you would be interested in article provision, please contact hello@interestinglydifferent.co.uk. Interestingly Different & Nickel Support, 15 & 16 The Parade, Benyon Road, Carshalton, Surrey, SM5 3RL www.nickel.org.uk www.interestinglydifferent.co.uk

Allia, the impact focused social enterprise, has released a short film to share has released a short film to share how supported modular housing communities help people who have been previously homeless or are sleeping rough to rebuild their lives. It features Eamonn Kelly, a resident of one of Allia’s modular home communities in Cambridge talking about how: “Having my own front door, my own shower, my own wardrobe and TV… at one time I couldn’t think of it as a reality because I was on the streets. It’s given me a chance to go back to who I am”. The film, which is available on YouTube and on Allia’s Future Homes webpage, highlights the first two modular housing projects that Allia created in Cambridgeshire. Modular homes are custom built units that are specifically designed to be used on smaller or fixed life sites, keeping them affordable for both the residents and the homeless charities that that manage them. As a result of working on these housing communities, Allia Future Homes now has a specialist team with hands-on experience of siting and project managing modular homes - and can provide expert advice and resources to homeless organisations, faith groups with land, local authorities and partnerships who would like to develop their own. The film also features Reverend Danny Driver, Vicar of Christ the Redeemer Church in Cambridge, which leased the land for Allia’s first modular housing community in 2020. Working closely with Jimmy’s Cambridge, a well-respected homelessness charity which provides intensive personalised support on-site for the residents, the units were built by New Meaning Foundation, a local charitable social enterprise which trains young, disadvantaged and formerly homeless people in modern methods of construction.  Partnerships such as these are key to making these projects successful - and the film shares six steps required to create this kind of community in any location across the country - along with business plans, securing sites and planning, fundraising and managing integrated building contracts, using meanwhile or permanent sites, and on modest footprints making them a feasible addition to existing church, council or community land. Allia’s film is being released the same week that the University of Cambridge Centre for Housing and Planning Research (CCHPR) host an online event to share their latest research assessing the impact of these modular home communities, on Thursday 16th March at 2pm, focusing on those in Cambridge. People interested in attending can register at www.eventbrite.com/e/modular-homes-discussion-event-tickets-541183663907. Earlier research by CCHPR showed real benefits for the residents of such communities, stating: “The evidence suggests that providing modular homes in tandem with robust support services has the potential to improve outcomes for people experiencing homelessness” and that “Modular homes are a cost-effective and flexible stepping-stone that help rough sleepers in desperate situations transition into permanent homes and settled lives.” Allia Future Homes Manager Lewis Herbert said: “Our team are here to help potential modular communities every step of the way, including how to secure funding, like the national £200m Single Homelessness Accommodation Programme working with their local councils. We are sharing our experience and expertise of what works to give as many former rough sleepers access a quality home of their own. We want to help double the 20 similar communities being built across the country, essential extra provision if we are to fulfil the objective that UK Government has set of near zero rough sleeping by the end of 2024. Residents in new modular communities support each other, as well as re-establishing family connections, developing new skills and beginning the journey back to work.” Lewis was previously Leader of Cambridge City Council from 2014 to 2021, where he secured £70m for the building of over 500 new council homes and to fund three more modular housing communities for former rough sleepers and homeless people in Cambridge.

Launched as a partnership between Bath Spa University and 3SG, the Bath Social Impact Network brings together like-minded groups and individuals to improve and grow the social economy in B&NES. Created with social enterprises at the heart, along with B Corps, CICs, co-ops, and those interested in the work of these types of organisations, the Bath Social Impact Network will provide the support its members need to flourish through collaboration and idea generation. You can join their launch event in Bath on Thursday 23 February from 5pm-7pm. Find out more and sign up here.

We’re proud to officially publish our 2021/2022 Social and Environmental Impact Report! Every day we see the impact our teams have on behalf of their patients, one another and within their local communities, genuinely making a difference to those who need us most. We are therefore thrilled to publish our Social and Environmental Impact Report for 2021/2022 – another truly remarkable year for all of us at Smile Together. The national challenges facing dentistry are well documented and demand for our emergency, referral and private dental care across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly remains at an all-time high. We can’t thank our colleagues, commissioners and other partners enough for their commitment, resilience and support as we continue to navigate our way through the ever-changing dental landscape. This report demonstrates how we’ve continued to innovate our impact and patient care and respond positively to those changes. This is our sixth year as an employee-owned CIC and what an impact we have together through our breadth of patient care and health inclusion initiatives, with such exciting plans for the future. As our report shows, 2021/2022 was another successful year crowned with our achievement of B Corporation certification – independent verification that we meet the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency and legal accountability in balancing profit and purpose. We hope you enjoy reading our annual Social and Environmental Impact Report. Our thanks as always to Fuel Communications for their creative support and to St Austell Printing Company for ensuring we print in the most environmentally friendly way. Do let us know if you’d like to join us in tackling oral health inequality and improving oral health outcomes. We’d love to have a conversation! Click here to download your digital version of our Social and Environmental Impact Report 2021/2022 and happy reading!

The UK’s largest independent athlete support programme opens its annual Award programme for new applications today (20 December 2022). Talented athletes from across 65 areas across the UK are invited to apply for a range of support awards which include financial support, access to sport facilities, physiotherapy, lifestyle mentoring and mental health support. The GLL Sport Foundation celebrates its 15th year in 2023 and it is the UK’s largest independent athlete award programme which has so far contributed over £13m to help over 24,000 athletes on their sporting journey. The innovative scheme is provided by charitable social enterprise GLL and expects to award £1.2m worth of help in 2023 for successful applicants. Already a popular and essential support programme for athletes, the Foundation is expecting heightened athlete interest as the cost of living crisis hits and training costs, equipment purchases, strength & conditioning costs and travel costs continue to rise.   All successful applicants will be given access to the 250 sport and leisure facilities across the UK operated by GLL under its “Better” trading brand. Applications open from 20 December 2022 until 20th February 2023. The award application announcement for 2023 was made at Lee Valley VeloPark, following the commencement of GLL’s newest partnership with Lee Valley Regional Park Authority (LVRPA). This means that athletes based at LVRPA’s world class facilities are now able to join the GLL Sport Foundation, including Lee Valley VeloPark (which hosted the Commonwealth Games Track Cycling event in 2022), Lee Valley White Water Centre (hosting the ICF Canoe World Slalom Championships in 2023), Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre, Lee Valley Athletics Centre, Lee Valley Riding Centre, and the new £30m Lee Valley Ice Centre (opening in 2023). This is in addition to a number of other world class venues – the London Aquatics Centre and Copper Box Arena on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Manchester’s Aquatics Centre (reopens 2023) and National Cycling Centre. Over the past 15 years, GLL Sport Foundation supported athletes have excelled in major competitions and have gained 76 Olympic and Paralympic medals and 77 Commonwealth Games medals. Previous holders of GSF awards include Darryl Neita (athletics), Anna Hursey (table tennis), Charlotte Worthington (BMX), Alex Yee (triathlon), boxers Anthony Joshua, Aiden and Michaela Walsh, divers Tom Daley, Matty Lee and Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix, swimmers Tully Kearney, Susie Rodgers, Tom Dean and Ellie Simmons. It has always however been a core mission of the programme to support young emerging talent on their sporting journey, with the majority of athletes aged under the age of 21 and the largest cohort under 18 years old. Across the programme, 87% of athletes receive no other funding or athlete support, which underlines the importance of the scheme to both athletes and GLL’s social values. Speaking at the launch of the awards at Lee Valley VeloPark, Peter Bundey, GLL Sport Foundation Chair, paid tribute to the support of Foundation Patron Sally Gunnell and all partners involved in the programme including; SportsAid, Mary Peters Trust, SportsAid Wales, sponsors, medical and local authority partners and a new collaboration for 2023 with Switch The Play, who will provide wider mentoring and mental health support.  “Our awards work alongside a number of national talent pathways, provide a lifeline to individual athletes as well as helping local communities discover the opportunities and enrichment that comes through sport”.  Daryll Neita, who secured a bronze in the women’s 100m and a silver in the 4x4 100m relay at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games said:  “I am so thankful for the support I have received from GLL Sport Foundation. My first individual medal ever is extremely special and I would not be here if it wasn’t for the support I have received from the GLL ‘family’.” The successful impact of the Foundation is important to Patron Sally Gunnell OBE, who remains the only athlete to hold consecutive Olympic, World and Commonwealth titles.  She said:  “From my own experience starting out as a young athlete and progressing through my sport, I understand how important the recognition and support from organisations like the GLL Sport Foundation can be to a young athletes. It can make the difference in achieving sporting ambitions. “This is ever-more important today as we recover from a difficult and challenging two years, where dreams have been put on hold and sport had to stop. Athletes can now refocus having re-started competition and working towards those goals with the support of the GLL Sport Foundation.” Shaun Dawson, Chief Executive of Lee Valley Regional Park Authority said: “We’re delighted to support the GLL Sport Foundation Awards in 2023 – it’s an extension of the commitment we consistently make to communities across the region. “These are hard times for athletes so any extra financial or practical help is welcomed ahead of national and international competition. “Like the GLL Sport Foundation, our venues are truly inspiring, offering world class facilities for athletes and anyone who wants to take part in sports and physical activity for fun and health.” Applications are open until 20th February 2023 via the website portal – www.gllsportfoundation.org About GLL/Better Established in 1993, GLL is the largest UK-based charitable social enterprise delivering leisure, health and community services. Operating under the Better brand, we manage 258 public sport and leisure centres, 113 libraries and 10 children’s centres in partnership with 50 local councils, public agencies and sporting organisations. GLL has 850,000 members and welcomes 46 million customer visits per year. Co-founder and CEO of GLL, Mark Sesnan OBE, is stepping down from his role at the end of 2022. Mark has been a key figure in the social enterprise movement for over 30 years, and under his tenure GLL has grown to being one of the country’s largest and most successful social enterprises. Find out more about Mark’s involvement with GLL here. www.gll.org GSF athletes attending the GSF Awards launch event at Lee Valley VeloPark were: Will Kirk - triathlete Jonty Yin - taekwondo Kimberley Woods - canoe slalom Joe Clarke - canoe slalom Nikita Setchell - canoe slalom Prince Reid - para athletics Chris Reid - para athletics Gavin Rumgay - table tennis Amy Holder - discus Susanna Banjo - athletics Catherine Demont - swimming masters

November 2022 A must-visit London event for those curious to discover work by the worldʼs most exciting makers, Cockpitʼs Winter Open Studios return this year, revealing the extraordinary work made behind closed doors at Cockpit Bloomsbury from 25 to 27 and Cockpit Deptford from 2 to 4 December. United by their unrivalled skill and imagination, Cockpit makers span every kind of craft practice, from finely made functional homeware to exceptional one-of-a-kind art objects. With prices to suit all budgets and many one-off, new and exclusive pieces launching, there is no better place to buy handmade this Christmas. The Winter Open Studios offer a rare chance to purchase directly from the private workshops of more than 160 of the countryʼs best emerging makers and globally renowned craftspeople working in textiles, glass, weaving, jewellery, ceramics and much more. Works are created sustainably and hyper-locally, on site and by hand. While investing in storied pieces that are designed to last, visitors can experience the visceral nature of physical making up close. They can explore what it means, and how it feels, to make and own things with intrinsic meaning and exceptional quality. A number of makers will show new work at Cockpitʼs Winter Open Studios, including a group of timeless yet contemporary new jewellery designs by Zia Huang, whose imaginative breadth of work spans everything from abstract minimalism to organic geometric forms. Jeweller Hannah Bedford will show Rain, a new collection that has evolved from a series of observations of droplets in nature. Also debuting a new jewellery collection, Ciara Bowles will unveil Kaleidoscope, an exciting group of jewels that juxtapose and harmonise colour combinations using reclaimed gemstones. Shamanic spirit artist and jeweller Chloe Valorso, an MA graduate in Jewellery and Metal at the Royal Academy of Arts, will introduce a new collection of Spirit Amulets and new editions to her much-loved Smiley rings. Exclusively for Open Studios sculptor Lucille Lewin will launch a series of new pieces, including small porcelain works, brass boxes and petri dishes. As part of her ongoing research and development of glaze, ceramicist Tessa Eastman will reveal pieces glazed with metallic surfaces alongside five miniature versions of her popular Baby Cloud Bundle sculptures. Textile artist Ellen Mae Williams will show work created during her recent residency on the Greek island of Skopelos, seen in the UK for the first time at the Winter Open Studios, while weaver Eva Dennis launches new wall hangings crafted from vintage fabrics and recycled yarn as well as earrings and brooches. Those looking for a hands-on experience are invited to join print artist Paige Denham for a Christmas stocking screen printing workshop, alongside a number of other interactive opportunities at Cockpit Bloomsbury ad Cockpit Deptford. Annie Warburton, CEO, said: “As days grow shorter and nights darker, at this time of year we turn towards the light of human connection. Most of the year, a makerʼs studio is private space and rightly so, but Cockpit Open Studios is the moment that we open to welcome guests to connect with our makers and show the extraordinary work being made on site. In the dopamine rush of Black Friday deals, itʼs easy to be seduced into bargain buying. Craft offers something different, more soulful, more enriching, more nourishing. A visit to Cockpit is anything but ʻjust shoppingʼ. Itʼs a moment to take time, have conversations and to linger over choosing a gift made with heart, soul, care and imagination. A gift that will bring lasting pleasure. “ Public admission Cockpit Bloomsbury: 25-27 November, Cockpit Yard, Northington Street, London WC1N 2NP Cockpit Deptford: 2-4 December, 18-22 Creekside, London SE8 3DZ Opening times: Friday 2 ‒ 8pm, Saturday & Sunday 12 ‒ 5pm General admission tickets are £6, concessions are £4 Tickets for Cockpit Bloomsbury Winter Open Studios Tickets for Cockpit Deptford Winter Open Studios About Cockpit Cockpit is home to some of the most exciting makers in the world. Spanning every kind of craft, Cockpitʼs makers are united by their extraordinary skill and imagination. Our Mission A voice for making in all its forms, Cockpit stands for the transformative power of craft to shape a better world. Cockpit gives makers tools to build their businesses so they can focus on what they do best: making. From studio space to business advice, Cockpit is where careers in craft are made. At the heart of the craft community, Cockpit is an ardent champion of social justice. Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. Cockpit bridges that gap, opening pathways for new talent to succeed. Our Story Cockpitʼs name comes from our first studio site at Cockpit Yard, Bloomsbury. Originally an eighteenth-century cockfighting arena, the yard was taken over by a cabinet maker in 1745. It has been a site for craft and making ever since. Cockpit as we know it today began in 1986 when Camden Recycling created five starter units in Cockpit Yard for young, unemployed makers. In the early 2000s, Cockpit opened its second location in Deptford and launched its pioneering business support programme. From there, Cockpitʼs reputation grew to become the destination for makers starting up in practice. Highly sought-after, a place at Cockpit is a mark of quality. The organisation has launched the careers of some of the biggest names in contemporary craft. It is a place to discover the stars of the future. A registered charity and award-winning social enterprise, Cockpit is now home to 150 of the worldʼs finest makers. Cockpit is recognised as a UK top 100 social enterprise on the NatWest SE100 index 2021 and is proud to be a London Living Wage employer. Cockpitstudios.org | @cockpit_studios

On 31st October, 2021, COP26 launched, full of post-pandemic excitement and hope for collective action on the health of our planet. Yet, after 13 days of very little action and legal commitments by our global leaders, we knew we had to take our own action. On Friday 12th November 2021, COP26 ended and Amplify Goods was born.  With COP27 just around the corner, we’ve paused to reflect on the past year.  We’re proud that Amplify Goods has continued to challenge the status quo - growing a circular-enabled, net-positive, women led and mental health focused social enterprise that is part of the Just Transition. With political turmoil around us all, in the UK and globally, we know progress on climate goals has been modest at best.  Amplify Goods remains determined to make practical progress on the transition where so many seem frozen in the headlights. It’s been encouraging to see how many people are changing their behaviours to respond to the energy crisis and the climate emergency.  There seems to have been a shift by consumers too, with more asking big businesses to stand up and be transparent about their impact >> good and bad >> socially and environmentally. Almost every product we currently use needs redesigning for a Net Zero future, and we stay hopeful by celebrating the actions already made. So here’s to amplifying our top 5 bits of good news since COP26 ….and they are all big! BANKING -  Triodos Bank has been joined by 300 others in signing the UN Principles for Responsible Banking, a vital movement now representing nearly half of the world’s banks!  There is more to applaud: a recent commitment by  Lloyds Bank’s to shun fossil fuels and Axa’s recent commitment to invest $500m in ocean nature-based solutions aimed at improving resilience for 250m people in coastal areas around the world. ACT: Join Triodos GREENWASHING - Triumph for the Good Law Project, Friends of the Earth and ClientEarth lawyers as UK admits its net zero strategy is unlawful and has agreed to come up with another one.  Even the Harvard Business Review is warning of the negative impacts! If we’ve turned a greenwashing corner, its good news we will see less stuff like this from HSBC. ACT: Donate to Client Earth LAW - Over 200 organisations endorsed a position paper calling for inclusion of a crime of ‘ecocide’ in the revised EU Directive on protection of the environment through criminal law. Then the EU's environmental affairs (ENVI) committee voted to back the revision to include ‘ecocide’. Boom. We see the ‘Stop Ecocide’ movement as VITAL to turning a corner in the fight; if the definition is agreed, and it’s then legislated as a crime, businesses will really have to change to protect their financial existence! ACT: Join Stop Ecocide CORPORATES BUYING FROM SOCIAL ENTERPRISES - Just weeks after our launch, we found ourselves on a call with Lyreco. Within 3 months we’d met the team and within 9 months we were in their catalogue in front of 70,000 UK businesses - together, we’re working to raise the bar for sustainable buying in UK. We’ve sold millions of doses of soap already, but that’s just the beginning! Lyreco’s support programme is great for SE’s ACT: Apply to join next year’s Lyreco Supplier Support Programme, as they once again offer a helping hand to ambitious microbusinesses and social enterprises with their established supply chain and scale. Get in touch: wise.goodness@lyreco.com. ADAPTATION - As much as adaptation seems like a sad plan b, it's important too - PLAN A [change the system] + PLAN B [adapt], because the most financially vulnerable (primarily in the Global South), are at a huge risk and it’s our emissions in the Global North that have caused it. Two and a half billion people are now covered by adaptation plans with 53 (and counting) long term strategies submitted to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. ACT: Get involved in the Climate Justice Alliance So as COP27’s final day looms on Friday 18th November 2022, we’ll turn one, but the big hope is for more people to embrace the Just Transition: So, our call to action - Global leaders: get on with it. And to our fellow Social Entrepreneurs: look after your mental health and whenever you can, make sure your peers know that we’ve got each other’s backs! Ps. Happy Birthday Amplify Goods, celebrate a bit and then crack on; the hour is now. About Amplify Goods Amplify Goods is all about redefining products that work for our collective future. Amplify Goods is a unique B2B hygiene brand balancing function, carbon, plastic and social impact. Offering liquid washes, glass dispensing systems, compostable sponges and accessories via distributors, we partner with you to rinse-return-clean-reuse bulk containers using a circular business model validated by ReLondon. Amplify Goods is a net-positive and women-owned social enterprise, investing profits in the wellbeing of Quiet Changemakers working towards a Just Transition. amplifygoods.org

Keen observers of social media will have noticed that Social Enterprise UK attended the Conservative Party Conference this year, one that will live long in the memory for the news and content it generated. As with Labour, we were there to understand the future direction of policy and to raise awareness of the social enterprise sector. Social enterprise and levelling up Away from the headlines, there were some positive references to social enterprise and recognition of the value of the sector. On Sunday, the New Social Covenant Unit launched a new paper called “Social Capitalism” (covered in the Times and on Radio 4), authored by 12 Conservative MPs.   The paper made the case for investing in our social infrastructure, the local institutions that make up our communities, and treating it as seriously as our physical infrastructure (roads, railways, broadband). The paper made numerous references to social enterprises from the importance of social enterprises in maintaining this social infrastructure to social enterprises delivering public services in a way that listens and works with communities creating stronger bonds between people. This will require investment in the sector, reform to the way that we deliver public services and greater support for communities to develop social enterprise solutions. The paper was launched by the former Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove and Dehenna Davison, the new Minister for Levelling Up, who both endorsed the vision outlined in the paper. We will be taking this forward to see if warm words can be turned into strong action to support social enterprises and realise their potential to level up the country. There were also positive references to social enterprises at a number of different events, particularly those organised by the sector such as those from Social Investment Business and Big Society Capital. Overall, there was a sense at conference that “enterprise” was the way to help communities to level up – although without a clear sense of what government was doing to stimulate this enterprise. No plan for growth or public services The centre piece of the conference was “growth” and how the government was going to deliver growth. It is clear that accelerating the growth of GDP is going to be the central focus of the government. The problem is that there is simply no plan to deliver it beyond tax cuts. Social enterprise is one of the fastest growing forms of business in the country, yet the ideological view from No.10 is that the business of business must only be business. There is no recognition that alternative approaches putting social and environmental purpose first could drive faster growth and generate greater resilience through encouraging long term investment in people and places. The main positive of the Mini-Budget and its fall out is that the shallowness of the position on tax cuts has encouraged politicians and the media to think more broadly. If tax cuts won’t work, what will improve our economy? The fact that noted economist, Kate Raworth, was invited to speak on Radio 4 in the wake of the Prime Minister’s speech is a recognition in the media that we need a national conversation on what drives growth beyond tax cuts and deregulation. Social enterprises will need to fight to be heard but for the first time in a while, a genuine debate is emerging. The other concerning area is public services. Under the radar of conference, the government announced that departmental budgets would not see their funding increase by inflation. Effectively that is a cut of £18bn for government departments and these savings will be passed through the system, with public services and welfare budgets likely to come under severe strain. Schools and hospitals alone are estimated to have to find £11bn in “efficiency savings” to make up for rising prices. Given the state of public services after a decade of austerity and the impact of COVID, this feels untenable. Backbench Conservative MPs were clearly worried about the impact of further cuts to spending and once Ministers face the reality of these spending reductions, some form of rebellion feels likely. However, the embattled state of the government means that there is no guarantee that this policy will be changed. Social enterprises delivering public services should plan for a difficult two years ahead. A tale of two parties The overriding sense of this conference was a party divided. On the one hand, those that have a more holistic view of society and the economy are concerned that this government is heading in the wrong direction. On the other hand, those that want to see government get out of the way and cut taxes for business feel that they simply need to stay the course. Their plan will work, if it is given time. In the middle are a lot of MPs and activists who do not know what to think. Who will win out in this battle, it is hard to say. Either way, Social Enterprise UK will keep engaging with politicians on all sides to recognise the value and importance of social enterprise for our future. The fastest way to grow our economy and have high quality public services is to grow social enterprise. By Andrew O'Brien - Director of External Affairs at Social Enterprise UK

22 September 2022 Yesterday’s Energy Bill Relief Scheme is a vital intervention which will give our members some of the help they need over the winter months. The UK Government have published guidance on their website going into more detail about how the scheme works, information on how bills will be reduced and examples of how the scheme will be applied to different organisations.   Social enterprises do not need to take any action to access the scheme and support (in the form of a p/kWh discount) will automatically be applied to bills. The level of price reduction for each business will vary depending on their contract type and circumstances. You can read the full guidance from Government here  We will be following up with more information about what the scheme means for social enterprises shortly and will continue to work hard to urge Government to support social enterprises through the uncertainties the next few months bring.  

By Tom Cracknell - Co-Founder Origin Africa Problem 1: Historically, in manufacturing, the value-added activity has been prioritised to the Global North. Hence the wealth gap increases. This leaves individuals and communities in places like Kikambala, Kenya, with very little control over their own economic path. Problem 2: The textile industry has a responsibility to clean up its act. Enormous swathes of polyester and energy consuming materials are produced to satisfy an increasingly fickle market of consumption in the global north. All this production takes energy, resources and often denatures water and fertile land (let's not forget recycling clothing takes energy too). Fashion Revolution Kenya worked with the British Council in 2020 to investigate what materials really are the most efficacious and least environmentally damaging to produce apparel. They looked to establish the pros and cons of each fibre and where improvements still needed to be made. The fibres were nettle, flax, pineapple, banana, hemp, water hyacinth, sisal, cotton, silk and fish leather and wool. A lot of these do not produce suitable fabric for garments but it's worth having a look at this paper because the options are exciting! The latest evidence points to the use of cotton but not in its traditional sense of landscape changing vast production that harms environments and livelihoods. However, the Report does highlight, along with other cutting edge non biased research such as the Transformers Foundation's Cotton Myths Debunked, that a sustainable solution is to overcome the issue of water consumption (an oft-quoted criticism of cotton) by ensuring production is catalysed by rain water rather than mass hectares of irrigated land: 'A shift to mainly or solely using rain-fed cotton is a tangible solution when looking to create a more sustainable industry.' When looking to establish our own supply chain from the get-go, it took time. We had to make sure we were making the right choices. This included country of origin, textile of the garment, materials consumed, methods employed, dyes used, pesticide consumption, quality of garments, nature of factory and finally, conditions in which the garment workers worked. Let's come back to that in a moment. So, having done our research, we settled on rain-fed cotton, using an absolute minimum of pesticides along with natural water-based dyes that would not denature water, and we would go to establish the ethics of production ourselves as cottage industries in Kenya have yet been unable to establish the expensive 'Organic' certification, albeit in planning. Environmentally satisfied we were doing everything possible to tackle problem 2, back to Problem 1! We needed to find a way to ensure clothing was being produced in a way that was respectful and even beneficial to those working in the supply chain. This needed to include ensuring basic employment rights such as maternity leave, secure contracts and protection from unlawful loss of employment. It also meant looking at working conditions to make sure that harmful materials were not being used, that working hours were not exploitative and that the factory was at a temperature which was not detrimental to health. Finally we also needed to ensure that workers had the opportunity to progress and develop. According to a 2019 Oxfam Australia report, 9 out of 10 garment workers felt that their income is not sufficient or partially sufficient to meet their needs and, as a result, 87% of workers take loans from the local shop to fill their income expenditure gap. Fashion companies are forcing this to happen and consumers, all too often, don’t pay attention to the detail enough to see the harm caused in the production of their new garments. In the fiscal year 2021-22, Next Plc (the UK’s largest fast fashion brand) reported a profit of £823 million, up 140% from the previous year. With some years of experience under our belt, we have come to a certain conclusion in fashion: If an organisation is not talking about the good things they are doing, they aren’t doing them. Basically, as consumers, we should be asking the hard questions. So, in researching our new supply chain, when we approached factories and organisations who could not explain to us their employment methods, their conditions of working or whether their employees were paid above the living wage, it was obvious to us that the organisation does not align with the ethics of Origin. We simply did not work with them. However, after lengthy research and really at a point when we felt ethical production in Africa may well not be possible for Origin clothing, opportunities began to spring up that offered hope. We began to see this may be possible and may actually happen. Working with garment factory SOKO Kenya in Kikambala and farm-to-fabric business Tosheka Textiles in Wote (both female-led businesses that emphasise female opportunity every day) one can see the unquestionable opportunity generated by good employment. Women are paid above the living wage, given appropriate training for personal and entrepreneurial development and are respected to pursue their own path for establishing themselves and ensuring a bright future for their families. With such an empowering culture for women, we decided we had to work with them. When profits are generated from this clothing, we share the profits equally with each step of the production process. This means that garment workers and their communities directly benefit from a greater proportion of value-added activity in the production process of the garments they actually made, thus fighting the enormous inequalities that have historically come from large companies keeping the poor down by extracting low-cost goods and adding all that value in the Global North. It is proven that for every woman that is lifted above thefinancial poverty line, she brings 7 people with her. Now, why? Well, as Sven Beckert explains in 'The Empire of Cotton', it is curious that after millennia of equal development in the Global South and North, what academics refer to as the 'great divergence' occurred at a time when cotton's properties were being fully discovered and utilised to propel clothing into a massive world changing engine. The previously Southern industry of cotton was usurped by an increasingly Europe-centric business class and the seeds were ironically sown for this 'great divergence' to create a rich Global North at the cost of the Global South. Our supply chain methods directly combat this damaging skew. We believe fashion has a responsibility to reverse the deleterious effects it has had on the Global South. The opportunities generated within our ethical and responsible supply chain are the weapon we can use to pursue that change and, as long as brands stick to the principles that make a social enterprise (or truly ethical brand), we can fight that battle together for as long as Origin keeps trading originafrica.co.uk

Charity Bank, the loans and savings bank for charities and social enterprises, has signed up to the Diversity Forum Manifesto, reaffirming its commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI). Created by The Diversity Forum, a network with a mission to improve inclusion in the UK Social Investment sector, the Manifesto sets out 7 clear commitments that organisations are required to report on annually alongside 10 suggested initial implementing actions. The 7 EDI commitments ensure organisations are taking ownership of their EDI, creating meaningful collaborations, building an inclusive culture, being open and transparent, investing in equitable representation, engaging in sustainable inclusion, and advocating for marginalised voices. As part of their commitment, Charity Bank is joining the Diversity Champions Network which regularly meets to review best practice in the sector reviewing recruitment, training, and overall culture. The Champions network plays a crucial role in collecting data and sharing best practice relating to diversity and inclusion from across the social impact sector, helping to support the mission of the Diversity Forum. Charity Bank becomes the 12th organisation to sign the new Manifesto after its launch in January 2022. The Manifesto 2.0 was developed with the support of the Diversity Forum Steering Group and representatives from the Diversity Champions network. The Diversity Forum is funded by the Connect Fund, a joint fund supported by the barrow Cadbury Trust and Access – The Foundation for Social Investment. Other organisations that have signed up so far include; UnLtd, The Key Fund, Social Investment Business, Big Issue Invest, Access, Big Society Capital, Social Tech Trust, Social Investment Scotland, Co-operative and Community Finance, Architectural Heritage Fund, Resonance, Bristol and Bath Regional Capital and the School for Social Entrepreneurs. Ed Siegel, CEO of Charity Bank said “We’re proud to have signed the Diversity Forum Manifesto which reaffirms our commitment to improving Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion through our investing activities as well as our own day-to-day operations, employment practices and working culture. The 7 commitments outlined by the Manifesto will help challenge our whole organisation, empowering us to improve and work collaboratively towards a more inclusive future. We hope that more organisations will join us and the other Manifesto signatories in our efforts to rectify the longstanding disadvantage experienced by systemically excluded and underfunded groups.” Amir Rizwan, Chair of The Diversity Forum said “We are absolutely delighted that Charity Bank has signed the new Diversity Manifesto that we launched earlier this year and taking us to a total of 15 social investment signatories to date.” “The leadership shown by Charity Bank and its commitment to holding itself accountable to diversity, equality, and inclusion is much welcomed and we are looking forward to working with them over the coming months and years as they start their journey to become a more diverse and equitable organisation. Also, we hope that this signals to others in the sector that have not yet signed up to the new Diversity Manifesto to explore how they can join us on this journey.” About Charity Bank Charity Bank is the loans and savings bank for charities, social enterprises and people who want to make the world a better place. It uses its savers’ money to provide much needed loans to UK organisations working to drive positive social change – bringing benefits for people, communities, and the environment. Since 2002, Charity Bank has made more than 1,100 loans totalling over £400m to housing, education, social care, community, and other social purpose organisations. Charity Bank is owned by social purpose organisations and aims to use its expertise, commitment, and flexible approach to lending, to help charities and social enterprises get the support and funding they need. www.CharityBank.org About The Diversity Forum The Diversity Forum is a collective on a mission to drive inclusive social investment in the UK. We do this by commissioning research, sharing knowledge, and convening sector-wide groups to discuss equity, equality, diversity and inclusion in depth. The Diversity Forum is led by the Steering Group made up of representatives from across the social investment sector, including our Chair, Amir Rizwan. The Forum also has a Champions network of employees working within a number of social investment organisations who have a passion for EDI or are in an EDI related role, including EDI leads from organisations who have signed the Manifesto. The Champions network meets quarterly at present with the addition of one-off events and training as required or suggested by those within the network. In addition, the Diversity Forum holds monthly online events on topical EDI issues that are available on our YouTube channel here. We also have a monthly newsletter to promote diversity awareness and celebration days and recent updates within the sector. We commission research including our notable Inclusive Impact report on the diversity of UK social investment sector in 2018. Finally, the Diversity Forum are proud to be actively engaged in collaborating with EDI partners from across the sector, including EIIP, EquallyOurs and Addressing Imbalance.

Members of the public can now donate to Ukrainian refugees looking for stable jobs and homes in the UK, thanks to a new service from Tech for Good social enterprise start-up Beam.  Hundreds of Ukrainian refugees are set to benefit from Beam’s platform, which uses crowdfunding to remove financial obstacles to starting work or moving into a home. The news comes amid reports that 1,300 Ukrainian refugees face homelessness in the UK, just six months after the start of the war.  Through Beam, members of the public can now fund job training, childcare, laptops, smartphones, travel costs and rental deposits for Ukrainian refugees resettling in the UK. They can also send messages of encouragement through the platform, becoming part of their new support network in the UK.  100 per cent of donations fund the items refugees need to get a career or home. Beam also provides a dedicated caseworker and matches them with jobs at companies including Arriva, Bupa, Pret and Securitas, as well as stable housing through a network of ethical landlords.  Kateryna from Kyiv The first person to benefit is a 33-year-old single mother from the Kyiv region in Ukraine, who fled to the UK with her young son. Before arriving, Kateryna was working as an English teacher and had dreams of becoming an interpreter.  After escaping to the UK through Poland, she’s now living with a host family in Enfield, North London. With Beam’s support, she fundraised £1,683 from 63 strangers to pay for a diploma, travel costs and work clothes. She has since landed a job working in administration for a medical centre in central London. On her days off, she works part-time as an interpreter while also studying for her diploma. She said: “My purpose was to become independent, like I was before the war happened. I’m now an administrator at a medical centre. I’m really happy to have this opportunity to grow. Thank you from all my heart.” Alex Stephany, founder and CEO of Beam said: “Over the past six months, we’ve seen a huge desire from the British public to support refugees coming over from Ukraine. We’re now pooling that community spirit into Beam, where you can quickly donate and send encouraging messages to Ukrainian refugees resettling in the UK. We’re excited to bring Beam’s technology to hundreds of refugees and empower them to secure stable jobs and housing for the long-term.” Launched in 2017, Beam has already supported over 1,000 homeless people into jobs and homes. Now, with a growing number of Ukrainian refugees becoming homeless, the start-up is looking to make another huge positive impact by using tech to help refugees access jobs and homes.  About Beam Launched in 2017, Beam is a tech for good social enterprise creating equality of opportunity at scale. Working in partnership with registered charities and local authorities, Beam is helping hundreds of homeless people and refugees to gain work in sectors facing critical skills shortages, and move into stable housing. Beam has amassed a giving base of more than 25,000 supporters, who between them have donated over £3.4m to support 1000+ people into stable jobs and homes.  beam.org

On Purpose, an organisation that develops a new generation of leaders to drive transformational change, has now helped over 800 people transition to impact-driven careers. Founded in London in 2010, On Purpose works towards a world in which organisations put purpose before profit, thereby creating an economy that serves everyone, whilst regenerating the planet. To make this happen, the social enterprise believes a fundamental shift is required, led by people who transform the organisations in which they work. On Purpose helps develop these leaders and increases the capacity of all sectors to move to a regenerative future through its Associate Programme. Now run in London, Paris and Berlin, the one-year, full-time programme for high-potential mid-career talent, brings together two six-month purpose-driven and paid work placements in a wide range of organisations, alongside half day a week of training, fortnightly mentoring, and quarterly coaching. The impact the Associate Programme has had on participants as well as the organisations they work in during and after the programme, has been significant. After completing the programme, 95% of Associates said they were more confident leading change. Fellows have gone on to take roles in all parts of the system, including a former Geography Teacher now the CEO of Hubbub, a former Consultant now Managing Director of Divine Chocolate, and a former Marketer at Google, now Head of Europe for Terra.Do. Some Fellows also go on to start up organisations, such as Breadwinners, the award-winning social enterprise, which supports refugees and young people seeking asylum into employment through artisan baked goods. Furthermore, as of July 2022, On Purpose London has worked with more than 200 purpose-driven organisations in the UK alone and has built a community of over 1000 people. On Purpose Founder and CEO Tom Rippin said: “Ultimately, the economy will change when organisations change, and organisation change when people change. We are changing people one at a time. Wherever our On Purpose Fellows choose to continue their careers after the programme, they will continue learning, they will change the organisations they work in, and they will "infect" others with the ideas of a transformed future they carry within themselves.” Applications for the April 2023 cohort of the On Purpose Associate Programme are opening soon. Register your interest and be the first to know when applications open in September. onpurpose.org

10 August 2022 In this webinar we spoke to Peter Atherton, the Founder and CEO of Community Led Initiatives (CLI). CLI is an incredible social enterprise that is taking concepts of service co-production and lived experience and taking them to the next level. Peter spent most of his life in and out of the care system and prisons with problems around drugs and mental ill-health being a constant factor in his day-to-day life. We spoke to him about his story and how he used his own experience of recovery to set up a social enterprise which is transforming the lives of people who often see no way out of the situations they find themselves in. We spoke at length about CLI’s ground-breaking work, the barriers society creates and how we need to reframe conversations around criminality and addiction  Listen to the recording below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oewg57Rx_Y4

By Dietmar Harteveld - Chief Procurement Officer at Siemens UK Technology companies make a big difference to millions of people, because the products we develop - from security systems to trains, leveraging data sources at university campuses and even household appliances - directly impact on people’s everyday lives. Doing business in a sustainable way is crucial to us, and by creating more energy-efficient products and services, we can not only save our customers money, but enable them to reduce their carbon footprint, too. At Siemens UK we know that there is much more we can do to work towards our sustainability goals by working closely with partners across our supply chains; this is why we are proud to be supporting the Social Value 2032 programme. Our work on social value is being led by the Supply Chain Management team, and every member of the team is playing a pivotal role. In a company as large and multi-faceted as Siemens, we know that we can have massive impact if we put our efforts in the right places – that’s why in Supply Chain Management, we know we need to act now. As a function, we have the potential to make huge positive impact on society and the world around us, just by changing the way we work. At Siemens, we deployed the DEGREE framework (De-carbonization, Ethics, Governance, Resource efficiency, Equity and Employability) across the whole of the organisation back in 2021 as a way to approach sustainability. This umbrella framework gives the different parts of the business the freedom to apply principles of sustainability and social value in ways that are appropriate to their operations and location, while all working together towards a common framework. By partnering with Social Enterprise UK, Siemens has already introduced around 65 Social Enterprises into our supply chain and had a positive impact on over 2,000 lives in the UK and internationally. Working with such agile organisations has also brought about innovation, commercial savings (over 10%) and helped Siemens win new business, all while still delivering quality and price. It’s also proving highly motivating for our team: Tony Saleh, our Supply Chain Sustainability Lead, has been working in Procurement for 30 years but tells me this is the best job he’s ever had, and most members of the team are actively driving social value in each of their commodities. It has created an appetite to influence our European colleagues to onboard social enterprises. One of our targets is to help improve the lives of at least 14,000 people, the equivalent number to our Siemens UK workforce. We're excited at the world of possibilities available to do more with our purchasing spend, which totals £2billion across our UK businesses, and over 10,000 suppliers,.Engagement with social enterprises has not stopped at the door of Siemens; thanks to our influence, many of our strategic suppliers are now including social enterprises as part of their supply chain, too. After hearing about our engagement with Change Please, the coffee provider, our Tier 1 Facilities Management Provider, EMCOR, have also adopted Change Please to roll out across their client base. So, I think at Siemens UK, we’re providing a good example of what large companies can achieve in social value. We’re working to embed social enterprises across the supply chain and ensure that making decisions with sustainability in mind becomes business as usual. By building on and strengthening our supplier relationships, we are making a big impact on our employees, our company, and the world around us. You can find out more about the Social Value 2032 programme here

An impressive 145 past and present athletes supported by the UK’s largest independent athlete support programme will be competing at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham. The supported athletes taking part in a variety of different sports - including athletics, boxing, netball, para-athletics, swimming, para table tennis and triathlon. The GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) is the UK’s largest independent athlete support programme which is designed to give young talented athletes a range of funding, access to sports facilities and athlete support services. The GSF work in partnership with SportsAid, SportsAid Wales and the Mary Peters Trust in Northern Ireland as well as numerous sporting, medical and local authority partners. In 2022 over 1,500 talented athletes are being funded by the GSF, of which an 87% receive no other centralised or independent funding or assistance. The GSF support has provided a lifeline to the athletes and an inspiration to other young people in local communities particularly as sport training and competition emerges from the Covid pandemic.  They also provide a support network for a growing number of talented athletes heading to national and international competition. Greenwich athlete Darryl Neita, 25 is one of the supported athletes.  She said: "It’s fantastic to be supported by GSF for another year, as I have been backed by the Foundation for many years it is a great help in my journey - I would not be where I am today without the help of GSF. “It’s so special that GSF has been a part of my career all these years especially this year as there is a home championships.  It means the world to have the support". Paralympic athlete Simon Lawson, 40, of Allerdale, competes in the wheelchair marathon.  He said: “I’m really excited to compete in Birmingham for this year’s Commonwealth Games and try and improve on my last Commonwealth Games Bronze medal!  “It’s a great honour to represent our country - especially in a home Games!  A lot of work and preparation has gone into my training for this event, with a big special thanks to GSF for financial support and training facilities/gym memberships – it’s a huge help in my programme.” Peter Bundey, GSF Chair, paid tribute to the GSF athlete award holders heading to Birmingham: “We are proud to be supporting so many talented athletes that will be competing for their countries in the forthcoming Commonwealth Games. “They exemplify the very best of our communities and embody the spirit of our social enterprise philosophy and I wish them the very best of luck. “I want to thank our sponsors, partners and supporters for helping give these athletes a welcome boost and allowing them to continue the richly diverse sports they love and excel in.” Welsh GSF award recipient Calum Jarvis, 29, who trains in Bath competes in the men’s freestyle swimming.  He said: "Thank you for all your support going into the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham. It's an absolute privilege to be representing Wales a third time. Especially with it being a stone's throw from Wales. “GLL support will allow me to get the equipment and nutrition needed for me to perform at another level for the Commonwealth Games”. Anna Hursey who trains in Cardiff and competes in Table Tennis said: “I am thankful for support from The GLL Sport Foundation, it helps me to be able to train and compete internationally, which is needed for me to develop and compete at tournaments like The Commonwealth Games in Birmingham ". The GSF is the brain-child of GLL, the UK’s largest charitable social enterprise delivering sport, leisure, culture, health and community facilities. Charitable social enterprise GLL operates 260 sport and leisure facilities across the UK in partnership with 42 local authorities and sporting bodies. These venues span the UK with presence in Belfast, Cardiff, London, Manchester and large parts of England from Carlisle to Cornwall. GLL managed centres operate under the consumer brand ‘Better’, each one offers leisure, fitness and wellbeing – with gym, swim, classes, courts and pitches to enjoy, indoors and out – or family fun during summer staycations at lidos, trampoline parks and watersport centres. ENDS About GLL GLL manages 260 sports venues, leisure centres, gyms and pools under the ‘Better’ brandin partnershipwith nearly 50 local authorities and sports bodies.  GLL operates the world class venues in the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority – including the VeloPark in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park which is celebrating ‘10 Years On’ since the London 2012 Games. The Lee Valley VeloPark will also host track and para track cycling competitions as part of Birmingham 2022. gll.org About GSF In 2022, 1,523 talented young athletes from England, Wales and Northern Ireland will benefit from a cumulative £700,000 worth of memberships for sports venues and leisure centres, cash bursaries and other athlete services - thanks to leisure charitable social enterprise, GLL. Athletes are supported through the GLL Sport Foundation, (GSF) the largest independent athlete support programme in the UK, which in 2022 marks its 14th year of supporting both emerging and established national sporting talent. While GSF focuses mainly on supporting young and upcoming grassroots athletes in the local community, many have gone on to success in major competitions.  Award holders past and present include Tom Daley, Ellie Simmonds, Susie Rogers, Michael McKillop, Dina Asher-Smith and Charlotte Worthington. The athlete awards cover Olympic, Paralympic, Deaflympic, Special Olympic and Commonwealth sporting disciplines.     With a staggering 87% of award recipients receiving no other sport funding and 56% of recipients being aged under 21, the GLL Sport Foundation has highlighted a vital funding gap for young talented athletes and the need to tackle inequalities in sport; a significant number of award recipients have confirmed that this funding is essential to their journey and some could not continue without it. gllsportfoundation.org

By Andrew O'Brien - Director of External Affairs at Social Enterprise UK Given all the uncertainty in Westminster these days, social enterprises would be forgiven for missing the Procurement Bill which is currently making its way through the House of Lords. The Procurement Bill seeks to create a new legal framework for procurement in the UK following our exit from the European Union. The Bill is long and complex, but at its core is the idea of creating greater flexibility for the UK in how it spends public money. Welcome changes For social enterprises, the Bill has several important changes. Firstly, the procurement system is going to move away from “Most Economically Advantageous Tender” to “Most Advantageous Tender”. At a basic level, this means that procurement decisions can be based on more than just price. This is a positive move in the right direction. Ultimately, the goal of any public sector procurement is to make society and our planet better. Price is a factor, but not the only factor. The shift away from narrow consideration on price towards a broader range of factors is a vindication for the years of campaigning by the social enterprise sector and other organisations which have pointed out the flaws in the previous system. There is also a requirement for public sector organisations to consider breaking out contracts into lots. We hear regularly from smaller social enterprises that they struggle to bid for contracts because they are too big. One of the lessons learnt from the collapse of Carillion was the need to spread risk more evenly throughout the system rather than contracts being dominated by one or two large providers. Cuts to procurement teams mean that this provision may still struggle to be used but encouraging breaking up contracts into smaller chunks should help increase the diversity of suppliers, including social enterprises. The Bill will also make market engagement before a contract is put out to tender easier by clarifying that this engagement is legal and specifying the process. Again, this is a welcome move as most social enterprises want to work in partnership, and we know that the best services are designed in collaboration with experts and service users. Where is social value? The biggest area of concern in this Bill is the absence of any reference to social value. Despite central government creating its own Social Value Model and championing social value across the public sector over the past few years, there are no references to social value in the Bill itself. Ministers have said that the duty to “maximise public benefit” covers social value and the National Procurement Policy Statement (guidance which lays out the government’s approach to procurement) does include references to social value, but this is far from ideal. Public benefit itself is not a term used regularly in procurement, it is something from charity law. Social value, by contrast, is clearly defined in law and is far better understood by public bodies given the ten years that have elapsed since the Social Value Act was passed by Parliament. Importantly, we need to give certainty and clarity to public sector bodies about what it is expected of them. A hokey-cokey where social value is in one minute and then out the next is not conducive to long term planning and engagement. Our Social Value 2032 programme, in partnership with Jacobs, PwC, Siemens, Shaw Trust and Suez recycling and recovery UK has found that there are huge opportunities to maximise the impact of public spending through social value. There is a £56bn “social value gap” that we need to close and this Bill will not help to address this. We have been working with members of the House of Lords from across all parties to table amendments to put social value into the Bill and these have received widespread support. Unfortunately, Minister’s are not budging. We will keep campaigning to set this right and hopefully fresh leadership will provide a renewed focus on how we maximise public money through greater use of social value. Next steps Social value is not the only area that we are working on, and we have worked with peers to put down amendments to encourage “open book accounting”, so that there is greater transparency on profits and surpluses in public sector contracting, as well as putting a duty on public bodies to consider the impact of their decisions on the social enterprise sector and SMEs so that we have a range of suppliers in the future. We will keep pushing for a procurement system which maximises social, economic and environmental impact and enables social enterprises to win contracts given the excellent track record of our sector. The Bill will be coming back to the House of Lords in September after the summer recess for further discussion of amendments and SEUK will keep working with peers to improve the Bill. Once it has passed through the House of Lords it will turn to the House of Commons and we can expect the Bill to be passed into law some time in early 2023. We’ll keep social enterprises updated about the passage of the Bill as it makes it way through Parliament.   If you have any question or would like to find out more about the Bill, feel free to email me at andrew.obrien@socialenterprise.org.uk.

We are proud to partner with Social Enterprise UK on the Social Value 2032 programme, which we joined to raise awareness of the benefits social value can create and ultimately to encourage wider adoption of social value in procurement by both central and local government. Social value is an approach that considers the holistic impact of a product or service, looking not only at value for money but also at social and environmental benefits and consequences. We believe that wider adoption of social value can unlock billions of pounds’ worth of value for individuals and communities, and help to support an evolution of our economy that considers both people and planet. In Social Value 2032: Creating a Social Value Economy, we set out, along with fellow partners PwC, Siemens and Shaw Trust, a collective vision for social value over the coming decade. We include a case study about our work with Greater Manchester Combined Authority to develop a reuse hub for the city. The purpose of this was to bring reuse to Greater Manchester on a scale not seen before, through a hub for upcyling, repair and distribution that feeds a network of shops for pre-loved items. Together these provide work opportunities and prevent hundreds of thousands of items from being thrown away, conserving resources and cutting carbon emissions – all the while helping people in Manchester with the cost of living crisis and enabling them to access items that don’t cost the earth. This is the kind of exciting development that can happen through partnership between local authorities and service providers with a shared ambition for social value. Local and national government, as key investors in public services, have an important role to play in unlocking the benefits of social value. In the environmental services sector, we have seen a trend towards social value in procurement, with increased importance placed on outcomes for society and the environment in the competitive tender process by forward-looking authorities. Social and environmental issues typically used to account for around 2% of the weighting for supplier decisions. Now, in a growing number of Invitations To Tender, we see that figure at 10 or 15%. This puts an onus on all of us to respond to our customers’ changing needs to meet the growing public appetite for social value in the services they use. But this is only one way of thinking about social value. Social value is much more than a public sector issue, and should run far deeper within businesses than simply adapting to keep up with demand. At SUEZ, our adoption of a ‘triple bottom line’ approach – where we strive to consider and balance people, planet and profit throughout our business – has driven improvements that go beyond whether we can meet the brief for a given project. Our journey towards social value began about 13 years ago. At the time, the environmental services industry was dominated by landfill, with far less emphasis on reuse and recycling than today. We recognised this and were determined to take a leading role in addressing the wider impacts of the services we provide. Partly this stemmed from the personal convictions of our leadership team, who were committed to looking for ways to improve our business practices. Early forays into social value took a project-based approach, which revealed the potential impact we could have, but flagged to us the need to be more joined up and think about how we could make changes across the business. Our CEO, John Scanlon, took up his post in November 2019 and, having worked across many parts of the business, had seen first-hand how we could optimise the benefits arising from our work delivering essential services to local communities the length and breadth of the country, whilst remaining a profitable enterprise. He led efforts to develop a more strategic approach, putting together a team including leads for environment and sustainable development, and sustainability and social value. The resulting strategy, which is best summarised as our ‘triple bottom line’, is now embedded in all parts of the business and continues to evolve how we operate. The approach, while governed from the top of the organisation, is owned by everyone in the business. We have built social value into all our work. Our bonus structure requires senior colleagues to deliver on social and environmental success measures, and staff are closely involved with implementing the strategy in the most appropriate ways for their part of the business by developing local initiatives. We operate across about 280 sites and each of these has a sustainability champion, who is tasked with thinking about how we can make operational changes at ground level to benefit the environment and our local communities. This is guided by our ten Sustainability Principles, developed using staff feedback on where they see the greatest opportunities to make a difference at a local level.  Examples include one site where our staff repurposed a wind turbine to generate energy for the site, removed single use plastic cups and helped a local school with their biodiversity projects. We’ve found that these small changes add up to a big overall impact – for our environmental and social impact, and our bottom line. Social value is increasingly an area of interest for new recruits joining the business. We are much more frequently asked by candidates about what we are doing in this area. We recognise the importance to employee engagement of helping our people to live up to their personal values through the work they do. Our social value story points to a virtuous cycle. In building our strategy to maximise the social and environmental benefits of our work, we are helping to meet the demands of our employees and customers. This in turn makes us a better partner and strengthens our business. For more information about the Social Value 2032 programme click here. Social Value 2032 partners:

Loneliness, living alone and poor social connections are as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Half a million older people go at least five or six days a week without seeing or speaking to anyone and since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, these problems have increased drastically. In society we are also faced with the ongoing cost of living rises, and younger people are being priced out of towns and villages when looking for an affordable place to live. In 2021 house prices rose again with the average house price in September 2021 at a record high of £270,000; £28,000 (11.8%) higher than September 2020, making it even harder for young people to save towards purchasing their first home. At Homeshare UK we are working with our network of providers to tackle these two key issues by bringing together people with spare rooms with people who are happy to chat and lend a hand around the house in return for accommodation. Together, householders and homesharers share home life, time, skills and experience. Typically, an older householder with a room to spare will be carefully matched with a younger person who will provide around 10 hours of support in exchange for affordable and sociable accommodation. Daily living tasks are part of this support, such as cooking, cleaning, shopping and providing companionship. “Due to the ongoing housing crisis in many locations across the UK, the majority of our homesharers are now aged between 26-35 (67%), including young professionals, university students as well as public sector workers, all of who need affordable accommodation and a place to call home.” – Deborah Fox, Head of Homeshare UK “Perfect catch, perfect match!” Each and every Homeshare match is very different from the next. For many people, it is their concerns about becoming isolated or lonely that lead them to Homeshare. For others, still socially connected and very much valuing their own space, it is the reassurance of having someone else around that is key to them welcoming someone new into their home. In Valerie’s case it is the latter; she is 84, friendly, sociable and values her independence and time alone. At the same time, she recognises that the presence of someone else in the house, particularly at night, is most reassuring, not just to herself but to her brother Bill, who lives a couple of hours drive away. Tomi, 24, a Film Studies Masters student from Slovenia, has been welcomed into Valerie’s home and is described by her as “the perfect catch!” Valerie says, “Tomi is such a lovely person to have around. I really enjoy our conversations. I actually see Homeshare as a way of keeping in touch with today’s fast-moving modern world too.” Reflecting on his Homeshare experience, Tomi describes Homeshare as being a way to learn as well as teach, to help and be helped; in short, an enriching reciprocity. “To be honest”, he says, “it’s like a dream come true. Living in a lovely home with a lovely person and within my limited budget. Being of help to someone is also a really important part of it for me”. Tomi and Valerie – Photo Courtesy of Homeshare Oxfordshire Bill, Valerie’s brother, continues to visit on a regular basis, but with a Homeshare arrangement in place he knows Tomi is there and is more than happy to help with the small things that inevitably crop up. “I don’t need to worry if I can’t get hold of Valerie on the phone. A quick call to Tomi puts my mind at rest”, Bill says. “Homeshare, to me, is reassurance”.   The expansion of Homeshare UK Homeshare UK is part of Shared Lives Plus – the UK membership charity for more than 6,000 Shared Lives carers, 150 Shared Lives programmes, and a growing network of over 20 Homeshare providers. Our vision is for a kinder, stronger society built around people sharing their lives, skills, and homes. We are currently driving forward an ambitious five-year growth strategy that will bring Homeshare to key towns and cities across the UK. “Gabby has been living with me for over a year and Homesharing is working really well. She is a super cook and great company. I enjoy our chats together over a meal in the evenings and she’s very helpful with things I can’t manage around the house.”– Margaret Householder, Novus Homeshare Your next business could change lives Working with socially-minded individuals, community and voluntary organisations as well as existing social care providers we are aiming to establish 40 new Homeshare franchise opportunities in locations currently not serviced. “To reflect our passion for growth, the cost of our social franchise is among the very lowest in the franchise sector. Our franchisees will be provided with the support, training, and resources to set up and operate a successful Homeshare social business.” – John Wilberforce, Homeshare UK Social Franchise Manager For more information on Homeshare UK and our franchising opportunities, visit  https://homeshareuk.org/

July the 1st 2022 saw Leading Lives mark its 10-year anniversary as an employee-owned social enterprise, with a combined birthday celebration and awards event in Bury St Edmunds.  It also acknowledged the contribution of Tony Carr, who retires as Managing Director after 41 years in the Suffolk care sector. Leading Lives has grown significantly since it was established as an employee-owned social enterprise in 2012 and is now an award-winning social enterprise that delivers innovative high-quality care services to over a thousand people, with an annual turnover that has increased to £10.7m. Social care provision includes 24 hr supported housing, overnight stays to give family carers a break, bespoke 1-1 care in the community and in people’s homes across Suffolk.  Their community hubs provide a range of skills development and leisure activities as part of a county wide daytime, evening, and weekend offer. They have an expanding offer bespoke to young people with learning disabilities and autistic people 13-25yrs that is grant funded by Activities Unlimited. They have embraced new ways of working and used technology to support people during the pandemic through their Digital Lifeline Project, which won Innovative Practice at the 2021 Suffolk Care Awards. Leading Lives put much of their success down to their business model of employee ownership and not for profit. The board of directors is made up entirely of employee elected directors, voted for by their colleagues.  Leading Lives invests heavily in the wellbeing of employees and involves them in the running of the business, employees feel valued and that their ideas and opinions matter.  All profits go back into the organisation and to the local community. This year Leading Lives gave away £25k to local charities and third sector organisations in Suffolk.  Strong on values and always putting the person at the heart of what they do, Leading Lives is well respected nationally and locally within the care sector winning numerous awards including Health & Social Care Enterprise of the year 2015 at the SEUK national awards (and finalists in 2021), winners at the Suffolk Care awards in 2021 and named in the top 50 Employee-Owned businesses in the UK.    Tony says “I have thoroughly enjoyed working in these services over the years with so many fantastic people. I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to help create Leading Lives and am extremely proud of where it is today and how well positioned it is for achieving even more in the future.” - Tony Carr. Lucy Humphrey formerly Director of Operations at Leading Lives and non-executive director at Care Development East has been appointed as new Managing Director to succeed Tony.  Lucy said “This is an exciting time for Leading Lives and despite the challenges in social care we have a wonderfully loyal and committed workforce. I am positive we will work together to make the leading lives difference over the next ten years.” - Lucy Humphrey. leadinglives.org.uk

For so many of us, the pandemic was a chance to revisit our passions, ambitions and dreams for the future.  For me, it was also a chance to try starting my own enterprise – a social impact venture in the education sector.  Here are three things all early-stage social entrepreneurs should know. Uncertainty actually brings opportunity As entrepreneurs (and as humans!), we’re often not a fan of uncertainty.  We want to be sure about things, with our next steps planned out and a set of predictable consequences.  Life, of course, is never this simple – but the last year or so has delivered much more uncertainty than normal.  So, how should we respond?  How can we plan for all the possible eventualities of a pandemic year? The invitation for all entrepreneurs – and especially those starting new ventures during this time – is to see pandemic challenges as bringing new opportunities.  Every major industry has been impacted by the events of 2020-2021, and it’s clear that some are more willing to capitalise on this change than others.  As social impact entrepreneurs, we’re uniquely placed to listen carefully to the market, and respond with a solution that is timely, relevant and important.  We can ask ourselves: what’s the real need that I’m trying to address with my business solution?  How has this need been impacted by the pandemic?  And then, armed with the answer to those questions, we can craft a creative, relevant solution. The next normal awaits It’s clear that the theme of uncertainty will continue to be prominent as we move into the ‘next normal’, but there will also be a lot of other important themes coming into view.  For example, themes of innovation, or disruption, or creative rebuilding.  We’ve been given a unique opportunity to play a part in constructing the post-pandemic world, and it’s up to us – collectively – to decide what comes next. As entrepreneurs, we’re perfectly placed to think creatively about the systems, markets and industries we’re working within.  What will the ‘next normal’ look like for your particular sector?  How will behaviours and preferences change?  How can we shape our actions to create a world we actually want to live in? And on a personal level, as individual entrepreneurs, we’re given a chance to redefine our own working lives.  Many of us will have experienced remote work, and decided not to return to the office.  Perhaps you’re part of the ‘great resignation’ – the movement away from the work you previously did, and towards something different; more exciting.  Either way, we have the option to see ourselves as creators of our own working lives.  How do we want our days to be structured?  When are we most productive, and how can we support this with our schedules?  What do we most enjoy doing, and how can we do more of it?  These are questions about the ‘next normal’ that every entrepreneur has the ability to determine for themselves. It can be a lonely journey, but it doesn’t have to be One of the biggest things that struck me, shortly after leaving my corporate job, was the isolation of being a solo founder.  Without a network of colleagues, supervisors and mentors, entrepreneurs can end up feeling alone.  It can be difficult to explain your exact feelings about your business, or the challenges faced in a start-up, to someone who doesn’t have any knowledge of what you’re talking about. But it doesn’t have to be that way.  The shift to digital work has opened up endless opportunities for networking, connection and interaction.  Joining networks (like Social Enterprise UK) can be a huge support as you begin the process of building something new – use them to your advantage! And finally, as you go about your entrepreneurial journey – noticing the opportunities amongst the uncertainty, finding your feet in the ‘next normal’, and building up those connections around you – remember that you might just be part of a new wave of entrepreneurs who are stepping up during this time, to rebuild the world in a better way. AUTHOR BIO Eloise Skinner is a social impact entrepreneur, author and teacher.  She is the founder of The Purpose Workshop, a social impact consultancy, and One Typical Day, an ed-tech start-up.  Eloise’s book, The Purpose Handbook, was published in 2021.  You can find out more about Eloise on her website, or on LinkedIn. The Purpose Workshop The Purpose Workshop is a social impact consultancy, helping individuals and businesses navigate a sense of purpose, mission and values. We believe that purpose-focused work should be available to everyone, regardless of background or experience. As a business, our social mission is to channel profits into creating educational resources, shared with our network of schools free of charge. thepurposeworkshop.uk

The area around Anfield has a proud sense of community and at its heart was Mitchells Bakery, selling pies to locals and to football fans on match-days. However a lack of investment in Liverpool coupled with what has been described as the controlled decline of the city resulted in people moving out of the area, rising unemployment and boarded up housing. Mitchell’s Bakery was forced to close. In 2002 the area was identified as a ‘market-failure’ with properties designated to be demolished and rebuilt under the Housing Market Renewal Initiative. When this scheme was pulled in 2010, the area was effectively abandoned. Taking regeneration into their own hands What followed was an ambitious attempt by members of the local community to save the bakery and take ownership of the local area to steer development to benefit residents. It all started with an arts project, 2 up 2 down, which worked with local people to rent out the bakery space and use it as a site for public discussion on planning the future of the area. It was decided by residents that the bakery should be re-opened as a community led business and in June 2012 Homebaked Bakery Co-operative was formed. The following year a community land trust (CLT) was formed to take on responsibility for the development of the bakery building and future community assets. A bakery at the heart of the community In October 2013, Homebaked Bakery was opened as a social enterprise dedicated to feed, employ and train the local community with an absolute commitment to improve the local area. The bakery’s strapline is ‘more than a pie’ with the shop employing local people, running training courses and using the space as a community hub. What started as a small business has now grown into a thriving social enterprise turning over £500,000, employing 16 people and supporting many more through its training programmes. Pre-COVID-19, 90% of the business’s income came directly through trading. Football income from matchdays is used to subsidies affordable prices and the business’s pies have attracted national fame and recognition Despite taking a hit during the pandemic the bakery continued to be a constant source of support for the Anfield community– providing freshly baked loaves and rolls to local foodbanks and organising the delivery of free school meals. The bakery is emerging out of the pandemic with ambitious plans for the future, looking to increase pie production beyond 3,000 a week, build up stronger links with both Liverpool FC and Everton and to continue to find more ways to feed, employ and support the local community.

Social Enterprise UK member Fair for You has been nominated for a prestigious Global Good Award alongside the supermarket Iceland for tackling food poverty in the UK.  The affordable credit provider and the retailer are piloting a scheme offering micro-loans of between £25 and £75 so that families can smooth out their income in the school holidays, or when hit by unexpected bills or hardship, to ensure they can continue to put food on the table.  Early data from the pilot already shows 65% of customers reducing their food bank usage, 80% having improved mental health, among other positive outcomes.  The scheme means Fair for You is one of six finalists in the Community Partnerships category of the Global Good Awards, with other nominees including projects in Argentina, India, Pakistan, Rwanda, Turkey. The winners are announced in a ‘hybrid’ (virtual and in-person) ceremony on 13 October.  Simon Dukes, CEO of Fair for You, said: “We’re very proud that, by working with Iceland, we can help families put food on plates without having to resort to food banks – an option which is not always available to all who might need it.  “We’re proud of the impact we’re having and this global recognition. We’re also very grateful to Iceland and those investors who have made the scheme a success so far, and hope to continue its rollout.”  Following an initial trial in two locations – Huddersfield (Yorkshire) and Rhyl (North Wales), the Food Club has recently been rolled out to Liverpool, Chester, Wirral, Newport (South Wales), and parts of Manchester, Scotland and London to further test the scheme.  One unemployed single mother in Yorkshire told Fair for You she would barely eat for the last week of the month without Food Club. Another in Wales, who works as a teaching assistant, commented: “I do have an alright monthly income, but it’s not much after the rent and the car comes out. The Food Club has been really good, you’ve got that option of filling up for the holidays, it’s good peace of mind knowing that it’s there.”  Under the terms of the Food Club, a £75 loan paid back over eight weeks will accrue interest of £2.89. For a £25 loan, it is just 40p. Loans are loaded onto a pre-paid shopping card for use in Iceland and The Food Warehouse stores only. By borrowing through the Food Club, customers are able to improve their credit rating and potentially then access other financial products which many of us take for granted, such as mobile phone contracts.  Fair for You was founded in 2015 and has since lent to more than 50,000 customers, enabling  those excluded from mainstream credit to take control of their finances and purchase what they need to create a comfortable home and a healthy family – and avoid falling victim to predatory, high-cost lenders. Owned by the Fair Credit Charity and backed by leading charities and foundations, Fair for You is focused on supporting rather than profiting from low-income households and has a 4.9 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, as well as a string of industry award wins.  fairforyou.co.uk

Community reporters from the UK’s first older people’s led newsroom have been awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.  The team of volunteers which run the Greater Manchester-based news platform Talking About My Generation create news stories, videos and podcasts every month covering news, views and nostalgia – all while challenging ageist stereotypes.  Bob Alston, volunteer Tameside reporter and magazine designer and editor, said: “I am over the moon that we have received this award. I have been on the team since the start of the project and have loved watching it grow with all of our hard work and dedication. We are all so proud of being the first UK’s older people’s led news team.  “We have all learnt something new or have refreshed an old skill or interest whilst volunteering and have all made great friends in the process. I can’t wait to see how big our community can get and continue to change the record on growing older in Greater Manchester and share stories that challenge ageing stereotypes.  “And it is made even more special to receive this award in the Queen’s Jubilee year.”  Stories the community reporters cover range from national issues like fuel poverty and effects of the pandemic on mental health, to looking back at childhood memories, podcasts with actors and authors, sports reports, video vox pops at conferences and Pride events and reviews of vegan restaurants or gigs.   The Talking About My Generation volunteers are one of 244 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year – the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK and is equivalent to an MBE.  They will receive an award crystal and two members of the news team will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2023.  Kirsty Day, Media Director of social enterprise Yellow Jigsaw, which manages the Talking About My Generation project, said: “I am so chuffed at this announcement. It is well deserved. This team of volunteers first got together in 2019 and have gone from strength to strength – with their dedication to reporting never waning through the pandemic.   “Some joined the team having never listened to a podcast, been in front of a camera, written a news report or had the confidence to speak at a conference and now they have all the skills of any regional news team, and thrive in this environment, so much so they are now training up new volunteer community reporters so they continue to grow and give a voice to older people across Greater Manchester – showing they are valuable not vulnerable.”  The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service aims to recognise outstanding work by local volunteer groups to benefit their communities. It was created in 2002 to celebrate The Queen’s Golden Jubilee.  Recipients are announced each year on 2nd June, the anniversary of The Queen’s Coronation.  Learn more about the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service here and visit the Talking About My Generation news site here. 

GLL Sport Foundation keeps local communities’ sporting dreams alive after pandemic hiatus and through the cost of living crisis – removing inequalities and spreading opportunity 1,452 talented young athletes from England, Wales and Northern Ireland will benefit from a cumulative £700,000 worth of free memberships for sports venues and leisure centres, cash bursaries and other athlete services – thanks to leisure charitable social enterprise, GLL GLL manages 260 sports venues, leisure centres, gyms and pools under the ‘Better’ branding partnership with nearly 50 local authorities and sports bodies.  Athletes will be supported through the GLL Sport Foundation, the largest independent athlete support programme in the UK, which in 2022 marks its 14th year of supporting both emerging and established national sporting talent. With a staggering 87% of award recipients receiving no other sport funding and 56% of recipients being aged under 21, the GLL Sport Foundation has highlighted a vital funding gap for young talented athletes and the need to tackle inequalities in sport; a significant number of award recipients have confirmed that this funding is essential to their journey and some could not continue without it. These include those currently competing and National and International levels following a difficult period during the pandemic when competitions were curtailed, individual athlete’s training programmes halted and earnings reduced. The free training memberships can be activated across 260 GLL and a number of partner-operated sporting venues.  In addition, chosen athletes will share £111,000 of cash value awards as well as access to physiotherapy and introductory access to athlete services offered by the Foundation partner “Switch the Play”. Fabio Zamparelli, 18, from Cornwall is UK’s No. 1 Under 20 Para-athletic Shot Put Thrower and Discus Thrower in the F20 class – who lives by his motto “Find your passion. Find your purpose. Set your goals. Work hard”. He said on receiving his award: “I am immensely grateful to receive the GSF award. This support means that I can concentrate on training, improve my strength and conditioning, without worrying about where to train. Therefore, I can focus on my long term goals. “Thank you for believing in me and recognising my efforts so far. I am targeting future Paralympic Games and to be world champion and I am delighted that you will be on this journey with me. Thank you!” Peter Bundey, GSF Chair, paid tribute to the athletes, programme stakeholders and also highlighted the impact the Foundation is making to reduce inequalities across a wide range of sports. He said: “These last 2 years since the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic have had an unprecedented impact across sport especially with younger emerging talent. “For young talented athletes, restrictions of their training, travel and competitions appear to have impacted significantly. “But these awards offer a welcome boost for athletes to continue the richly diverse sports they love and excel in – allowing us to reach deep into communities across the UK to remove barriers to participation. “Since the Foundation began, we have now given nearly 20,000 athlete awards, totalling nearly £13million of support. I would like to give heartfelt thank all our sponsors, partners and supporters, who remain the lifeblood of this fantastic GLL initiative. I would also like to thank SportsAid for their continued partnership and the athletes who have continued to support us over the last two years and look forward to being with you for years to come”. GSF Patron and former Olympic Champion Sally Gunnell explained the impact of GSF support on the next generation of athletes and the communities they live in. She said: “Sport is such an important part of all our lives and has the power to inspire young people to excel and harness their talent towards their future. From my own experience starting out as a young athlete and progressing through my sport, I understand how important the recognition and support from organisations like the GLL Sport Foundation can be to a young athlete. It can make the difference in achieving sporting ambitions. “This is ever-more important today as we recover from a difficult and challenging year, where dreams have been put on hold and sport had to stop. Athletes can now refocus and start competition and working towards those goals with the support of the GLL Sport Foundation. “This support can positively impact communities by promoting the opportunity that sport can bring and promoting the benefits it brings in well-being from someone within that community.” While GSF focuses mainly on supporting young and upcoming grassroots athletes in the local community, many have gone on to Olympics and Paralympics success.  Award holders past and present have amassed an impressive 77 medals between them – including Tom Daley, Ellie Simmonds, Susie Rogers, Michael McKillop, Dina Asher-Smith and Charlotte Worthington. The athlete awards cover Olympic, Paralympic, Deaflympic, Special Olympic and Commonwealth sporting disciplines. gll.org gllsportfoundation.org better.org.uk

If you were asked to picture our health system you’d probably think of hospitals, GP practices, ambulances and care homes. What you probably wouldn’t think about are gyms, childcare, woodland adventures and supermarkets. In Salford, Greater Manchester, one social enterprise is radically changing how a community can address health inequalities through redefining what is possible when it comes to the delivery of care. It is doing this through genuinely placing communities at the heart of their work, thinking outside the box, setting up businesses to create a sustainable source of income and genuine employee ownership. Getting closer to the issues Social adVentures was set up in 2011, part of a wave of organisations which ‘spun-out’ of the public sector following the Government’s Right to Request programme which encouraged the creation of public sector mutuals. Founder Scott Darraugh and the rest of the team believed that moving out of formal NHS structure would allow them to be more innovative and closer to the issues faced by the people they are set up to support. Since taking these first steps they’ve not looked back. Social adVentures is a social enterprise embedded in the local community being co-owned by staff and local people. This has allowed for the co-design and co-production of services, allowing service users to have a voice in decision making and giving staff more autonomy to make decisions and come up with their own solutions. Its core mission is to enable people to live healthy lives and it started off as part of NHS Salford in the public health unit running community programmes including learning disabilities and mental health services. Since setting up as an independent social enterprise they’ve expanded on this to win a series of contracts including a partnership delivering social prescribing services in Salford. This involves working closely with partners in the public sector and the VCSE community to sign-post individuals to the most relevant services with an emphasis on preventative care. Funding services through setting up social enterprises “anybody that comes through that front door of this place is made welcome, dealt with in a sympathetic manner, made to feel human again” – Garden Needs participant Alongside public health and social care contracts Social adVentures runs a series of social enterprises, the surpluses from which not only fund services but which are themselves a vital part of increasing community health and wellbeing. These include day nurseries, a community garden, a community gym, forest school training and a social supermarket based at the organisation’s HQ, the Angel Centre – a complex which runs a series of programmes, classes and events from work placements, counselling and coaching to services around quitting smoking and drinking. Every individual business is dedicated to making a difference to help enable people to live healthy lives. An example is Garden Needs, a mental health contract delivered by Social adVentures from their community garden which provides around 2028 hours of support to adults with mental health conditions every year – bringing people together, building confidence and helping people manage their own mental health. The delivery of early years care fits into the social enterprises’ ethos of looking at the causes of ill health and coming up with solutions to deal with them. Joining the dots between the prohibitive costs of childcare, unemployment and mental health – the nurseries offer free childcare for those who need it and also provide opportunities for work though Social adVentures apprenticeship programme. Currently the social enterprise runs four childcare settings under the brand Kids adVentures. They also run forest schools, allowing children to build a connection with nature and improve their physical and mental wellbeing. Transforming a café into a supermarket “It has been fantastic to be given the opportunity to grow the Food Collective from scratch and to implement my own ideas. There’s no barrier to making changes that you think will work in your area of the business and that means you feel trusted and valued - Dale Finney Retail Assistant at the Food Collective A major part of their work tackling health inequalities revolves around the addressing food poverty and during the pandemic the Social adVentures team created a food club with the support of food poverty charity, Fareshare, working with their school to provide food parcels to vulnerable people in their community and those who were shielding. Prior to the pandemic, one of Social adVentures most popular ventures was a community café run out of the Angel Centre but this had to close when the country went into lockdown. Staff decided that this space could be transformed into a social supermarket to act as a permanent hub to provide affordable, fresh food for the local community and to support the food club. Social adVentures shows how a social enterprises embedded in its community can work across sectors to link up care and join up the dots when it comes to recognising and dealing with cause of ill health. What’s more they are showing how the freedom that comes with being an independent social enterprise can allow both staff and members of the community to come up with genuinely innovative ideas, such as turning a café into a supermarket. Through setting up social enterprises under the Social adVentures umbrella such as the nurseries, community garden and a gym, they have created a degree of financial stability rare in the public sector. Remarkably nearly half of all the money coming into the business is through trading income. socialadventures.org.uk

May 18 2022 A new report by Social Value 2032 and authored by Professor Chris White – former Member of Parliament and author of the Social Value Act – has found that smarter public sector procurement could unleash an extra £56bn per year in social value which could be used to level up the country, tackle Net Zero and strengthen communities. Social Value 2032 is a new partnership and programme of work delivered by PwC, Shaw Trust, Siemens, Suez recycling and recovery UK and overseen by Social Enterprise UK (SEUK). Ten years after the passage of the Social Value Act, which places an obligation on public bodies to consider the wider economic, social and environmental impact of the services they commission and procure, this partnership has launched a new report: Social Value 2032: Creating a Social Value Economy. The report outlines a new vision for social value, a way of using procurement to create added social, economic and environmental impact through spending by public bodies and private companies. Social Enterprise UK has analysed the past decade of public spending and found that the UK public sector is only realising a fraction of the benefits that could be generated through greater embedding of social value. The analysis found that between 2010 and 2020 an estimated £36bn could have been generated through social value in public sector procurement. An estimated £762bn could have been generated if social value had been implemented universally across the public sector from day one of the Social Value Act.   Using this figure SEUK estimates that there is £56bn of social value that could be unlocked by the public sector annually – equivalent to double the UK Government’s current commitment to Net Zero. As the Government looks to level up the country, this new report identifies a major ‘quick win’ to use existing public sector spending to reduce inequalities and transition to a green economy. Alongside this, the report calls on the UK’s largest businesses to adopt a social value approach to working with the public sector. The report, published at the Social Value Leaders’ Summit in Birmingham on 18 May, outlines a new vision for procurement focused on: Systems-change: using procurement to create better and more sustainable businesses and markets in the UK.Transformative public services: focused on long-term prevention and innovation.Environmental sustainability: considering not just the social impact of how we spend money but also the environmental impact. Realising this vision for the UK will: Deliver levelling up faster through smarter use of public and private investment.Make British business stronger through promoting long term investment and sustainability.Create stronger communities through greater partnership between places, businesses and government.Help the UK take advantage of the growing market for environmentally sustainable products.Make the UK the world leader in measuring social and environmental impact generating billions in service exports. Download the full report Download the report summary