4 December 2009

The UK's best social enterprises are announced at the 2009 Social Enterprise Awards     

Brighter Future Workshop (BFW), a recycling company that provides training for disabled people, was named Social Enterprise of the Year and won £5,000 at the grand final of the Social Enterprise Awards 2009, held last night (December 3) at the Royal Institute of British Architects in London.

The awards aim to reward the most successful and inspiring social enterprises - businesses trading for social and environmental purposes - in the UK. 

Other winners announced on the night were Global Ethics (Best Large Social Enterprise); Bikeworks (Best New Social Enterprise); Pack-IT (Best Small Social Enterprise) and Holbrook Centre for Autism (Best Social Enterprise in a School).

BFW is based in Lancashire and recycles and repairs used mobility equipment - such as wheelchairs, scooters and rise and recline chairs - and then sells them at reduced prices to those who cannot afford new equipment. 

The business also provides training opportunities for people with disabilities who learn to repair and service equipment in the workshop. It works to provide solutions for a number of issues in their community - diverting useable motility equipment from landfill, providing cost effective solutions to the disabled community, and providing meaningful work to those who are most disadvantaged in the labour market.

Peter Cousins MBE, of BFW said "This is an incredibly exciting night for all of us, and we are really thrilled to have won. We believe in what we do and can see the difference we've made in the lives of many disabled people, both through our recycling business and our training scheme, and hopefully this award will enable us to reach even more."

The awards are run by the Social Enterprise Coalition in partnership with the Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition, the Social Economy Network in Northern Ireland and the Wales Co-operative Centre.

The outcome of the final stage of the awards was decided by an online vote - more than 5,500 people chose from the winners of national heats in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to take home the grand prizes.

Claire Dove, chair of the Social Enterprise Coalition, said at the event: "I congratulate all the winners on what has been a very exciting evening. The businesses we have honoured tonight show both the current success and the future promise of social enterprise across the UK, and are a testament to what can be accomplished when social mission and business are combined to deliver solutions to people and communities."

Angela Smith, Minister for the Third Sector said: "The winner and nominees for the Social Enterprise Awards show the diversity and quality of social enterprises in the UK, and the impact they are having. Congratulations to Brighter Future Workshop, a worthy winner, and to all the entrants to the Social Enterprise Awards. This has been a very successful year for them, and for social enterprises across the UK."

More detail on the other winning social enterprises:

Best Large Social Enterprise - Global Ethics (http://www.onedifference.org/) works internationally to generate funds for projects in developing countries, and is the organisation behind the One branded products. 100% of Global Ethics' profits are donated to these humanitarian projects via The One Foundation, the charitable division of Global Ethics. Following the success of One Water, Global Ethics have recently branched out with One Condoms to tackle the problem of Aids in developing nations.

Best Small Social Enterprise - Pack-IT (http://www.pack-it.com/), based in Cardiff, has been trading for 21 years and provides storage, distribution, and mailing services to businesses and creates training opportunities and permanent paid employment for people with learning disabilities.

Best New Social Enterprise - Bikeworks (http://www.bikeworks.org.uk/), based in London, delivers a number of cycling based programmes in East London, including employment and training opportunities for the long-term unemployed, cycling for health, all-ability cycling for disabled people, bike recycling and sales & repairs to the public.

Best Social Enterprise in a School - Holbrook Centre for Autism in Derby runs a social enterprise called Perfect Pots, selling garden pots and hanging baskets planted with flowers chosen and grown by students at the Centre.

The awards are sponsored by The Office of the Third Sector; the Department for Children, Schools and Families; the Department of Communities and Local Government; Partnerships UK; Unity Trust Bank and the Wates Family Enterprise Trust. The media partner is The Daily Telegraph. Prizes are by Hempsons and Society Media.

< Back