The Sewing Rooms have designed and are manufacturing The Sew Fab Thermal Cooking Bag which reduces the amount of cooking fuel consumption by up to 70% with the potential to save hundreds of pounds per year.Read more
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.Read more
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.Read more
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 GlobalRead more
GLL Sport Foundation keeps local communities’ sporting dreams alive after pandemic hiatus and through the cost of living crisis – removing inequalities and spreading opportunityRead more
Unity Trust Bank, the socially determined and commercially focused bank, has announced two internal promotions to lead the Commercial Banking teams in the South and the Midlands.Read more
The Community Business Trade Up programme run by School for Social Entrepreneurs with partners Power to Change includes a FREE learning programme, a mentor, a network of peers and a Match Trading grant of up to £5,000Read more
Charity Bank launches Green Loan offers in response to climate crisis and in support of its updated Vision StatementRead more
Someone’s Daughter is a collection of portraits of women who have been affected by the criminal justice system as well as advocates for its reform, taken by internationally respected photographers. It is a campaign by The View Magazine, a grass roots social enterprise and creative, feminist, human rights platform.Read more
Charitable Social Enterprise GLL has reached a milestone in its digital strategy by providing the operational and business insight to support the full development and launch of a new leisure management software platform for the industry powered by solutions experts OpenPlay.Read more
Yellow Jigsaw CIC - a Greater Manchester-based social enterprise has secured investment to expand its projects that enable people aged 7 to 70 to develop news reporting and media skills.Read more
Unity Trust Bank has announced its annual results, including a record level of lending to socially responsible businesses (+20%). Its funding has directly supported the creation of 795 new jobs, created or renovated 789 bed spaces and provided housing for 1,024 people.Read more
Family Fund Business Services is the first procurement partner to provide the Sainsbury’s grocery eGift card to customers, helping them deliver essential support to people facing financial hardship.Read more
Bath Spa University has joined Social Enterprise UK as a certified social enterprise.Read more
Actor and Activist Michael Sheen is supporting a leading community finance lender, Moneyline, to raise awareness of their work to help struggling lower-income families cope with the growing cost-of-living crisis. They have also just launched their latest social impact reportRead more
Social enterprise SharpFutures and The Andy Taylor Foundation have launched ‘Foot In The Door 2022’, a talent development programme that will give young people in Greater Manchester an opportunity to develop their skills before going on a work placement with some of the North West’s most exciting creative media businessesRead more
As people emerge from Covid, social enterprise supermarket HISBE calls for shoppers to ‘Go Back To Better’ and shop small, independent, and local. Find out more about the opening of their second store, its impact and how HISBE are working to transform how supermarkets work.Read more
The popular podcast will be recording a special live episode at this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight for the Choose the World you Want Festival. Ed Gillespie, environmental entrepreneur, writer, speaker, futurist and Sir Tim Smit, co-founder of the Eden Project, will join Cafédirect’s CEO John Steel to discuss the climate injustice faced by small-scale farmers in developing nations and how Fairtrade supports their resilience to the extreme challenges it bringsRead more
Expert Impact, a charity which has matched more than 400 social entrepreneurs with notable and successful business people as mentors, is launching the world’s first social enterprise speakers agency.Read more
Oakleaf have launched their new social enterprise, Oakleaf at home. It provides an exclusive range of home accessories and gifts that also create vocational training and employment opportunities for Oakleaf clients.Read more
Talented athletes from across 65 areas of the UK are invited to apply for training support under the GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) Awards programme.Read more
Find out more about some of the participants on Allia's Climate Accelerator Programme which is supporting organisations coming up with novel and innovative solutions to the climate crisis.Read more
Volunteers from a social enterprise project which launched the UK's first older people-led news team have been put forward for the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service. The community reporters challenge ageing stereotypes by sharing stories of life over 50.Read more
The Lincoln-based Naomi Watkins Counselling Hub CIC (NWCH CIC) was announced Not Just Profit Business of The Year at a celebratory evening at the Epic Centre at The Lincolnshire Showground, which was attended by a wide range of creative, innovative and tech businesses chasing sixteen coveted honours.Read more
The OECD would like to better understand the opportunities and challenges faced by youth-led social enterprises and how current and future policies could better support them. Data gathered from the survey will be used for a forthcoming OECD report on youth-led social enterprises, exploring how they drive solutions to challenges and make positive changes within the social enterprise field.Read more
Community Shop, a multi-award-winning social enterprise, has released its latest Impact Report which showcases how it has supported thousands of individuals and families across the UK through its unique, sustainable support model.Read more
City Health Care Partnership CIC (CHCP) have announced that they are opening a new vaccination centre in Princes Quay, Hull.Read more
Smile Together CIC is celebrating and demonstrating the positive impact of another year of providing mobile dental care and support to fisherfolk and their families at harbourside locations across Cornwall and Devon.Read more
Felt Nowt, a comedy social enterprise, plans to establish a dedicated comedy club in Sunderland, working with North East Business and Innovation Centre.Read more
Somerset based Social Enterprise, Lendology CIC, have today released their Social Impact Report for 2020/21. This Report, compiled by The Financial Inclusion Centre, analyses how the work of the organisation has impacted its clients’ financial, property and household wellbeing.Read more
An online conference in November 2021, for mental health professionals and businesses to learn about recognising signs and symptoms of domestic abuse, navigating Family Courts and the Criminal Justice System, and having the initial conversations with people who have disclosed or hinted at unhealthy personal relationships.Read more
Smile Together Dental are proud to officially publish their 2020/2021 Social and Environmental Impact Report, showcasing the impact their teams have on behalf of their patients, one another and within their local communities.Read more
Social enterprises Community Dental Services and Change Please have launched a repurposed London bus supporting the dental and oral health needs of homeless people in London through the “driving for change” initiative.Read more
Allia is the first UK partner of EIT Climate-KIC to run a 6-month intensive Accelerator offering climate tech founders the opportunity to develop their start-ups and tackle the critical mission of the climate crisis. The programme team are looking to recruit start-ups that have innovative solutions demonstrating potential for scalable impact, be it in carbon removal, adaptation, an enabling technology or a relevant social or environmental enterprise.Read more
Charity Bank, the loans and savings bank for positive social change, today announced £4m in new equity investments from six new investors as well as an approved investment from its existing shareholder, Big Society Capital. By leveraging these investments with deposits, the bank will be able to make more than £32m in new loans to UK charities and social enterprises at a time when the social sector is in acute need of sustainable financing solutions.Read more
Social enterprise Semble launches ActionFunder a new “speed-dating” platform for businesses and local causes which has cross-industry backing.Read more
Award-winning social enterprise Hey Girls, established to eliminate period poverty in the UK, is set to go global after launching in Australia.Read more
Corps Security, the UK’s largest Social Enterprise security company and the oldest in the world, has been awarded the MOD’s Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Gold Award for outstanding support towards the Armed Forces community.Read more
Nine early-stage social enterprises in Wales have been successful in their pitch for blended finance social investments totalling £200k in loans and £100k in grants through the CAF Venturesome SE-Assist Fund, in partnership with Legal & General and the Wales Co-operative Centre (WCC).Read more
Old Buckenham Airfield and community interest company, NUNCATS, installed UK's first solar-powered, electric aircraft charging point in Norfolk, East Anglia, to service distant and rural communities traveling by light aircraft.Read more
Sheffield-based organisation reveals its positive economic impact investing in community and social enterprises over the last 21 years, creating and sustaining jobs and businesses.Read more
Empower - Be The Change firmly believes that it is the individuals within an organisation that make it truly successful and, with the right leadership and team training, organisations can create dynamic, proactive and empowered teams that provide the best services for the communities they serve. Find out more about their upcoming courses and take their leadership survey!Read more
Two entrepreneurs who joined forces to find a new way of addressing homelessness in the UK are turning a Victorian villa in Tameside into 13 self-contained apartments, thanks to a six-figure funding package from Unity Trust Bank.Read more
Allia's new programme is launching in Cambridge, for established impact founders bringing them together to network with like-minded people, and utilise expert advice, share challenges and explore creative solutions with their peers.Read more
Family Fund Business Services has helped deliver essential goods and services to over 500,000 people in need across the country during the Covid-19 crisis, the company has announced in its end of year figures.Read more
Applications are open for the William Sutton Prize whose theme this year is ‘A Home for All’. Applicants will need to show how their idea has the potential to deliver positive change under one of three key focus areas: innovation in tackling homelessness and addressing temporary accommodation needs, solutions for housing an ageing population and using technology and new ideas to support successful and sustainable tenancies.Read more
Clare Talbot-Jones, co-Founder and Director of a chartered insurance brokerage has won the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) flagship Public Trust in Insurance award.Read more
Lisa Stepanovic, Founder and CEO of Social Ark, wins a £10,000 Cambridge Social Innovation Prize, in recognition of pioneering new approaches to community development in East London.Read more
Pioneering social enterprise auticon has entered into a new global service arrangement with Zurich. Find out how this is helping support more autustic adults work with the company as IT consultants in this piece.Read more
Allia Future Business Centres are offering free business support programmes to help entrepreneurs get their ideas off the ground, help small businesses and start-ups to grow and scale, and ventures to create a positive impact on social and environmental innovation.Read more
Birdsong has recently won Marie Claire's 'Best Ethical Brand' Award and is releasing a new collection of ethical and sustainable fashion made by UK designers and makers.Read more
Smile Together has been making and distributing thousands of oral health care packs in Cornwall, working in partnership with local, cross-sector partners, to support people most seriously affected by the pandemic.Read more
FRC Group have signed up to a Government initiative, the Prompt Payment Code which is viewed as the gold standard for payment practices. It means that we pay 95% of small business supplier invoices within 30 days or according to agreed payment terms if less so treat them fairly. We also commit to pay 95% of all invoices (from large and small suppliers) within 60 days.Read more
Lincoln counsellors are using the power of nearly £50,000 in funding to make a real difference to the lives of people struggling to overcome serious mental illness, the trauma of sexual abuse or to escape suicidal feelings.Read more
Moneyline is launching new financial products, making affordable financial products mainstream and available to everyone.Read more
Key Fund, the North’s pioneering social investor, has announced Sam Keighley, currently a Strategic Director at Yorkshire Sport Foundation, part of Sport England's Extended Workforce Team, as its new Chair.Read more
Clean for Good, an ethical cleaning company for London, was recognised for its trailblazing leadership in advancing real Living Wage at the Living Wage Champion Awards 2021.Read more
Breadwinners is a social enterprise set up to improve wellbeing for refugees and asylum seekers and create a community where they can thrive in the UK. Their impact report shows just what can be achieved by a small social enterprise with 110 refugees and young people claiming asylum graduating through their employment and support programmes.Read more
Anne Connolly, a highly respected, women's health GP at social enterprise, Bevan Healthcare, is to receive an MBE for services to primary care women’s health in Bradford and across the UK in the 2021 Queens Birthday Honours List.Read more
The Fair Tax Foundation is pleased to announce that Fair Tax Week 2021 will run from 5th – 13th June, incorporating Tax Justice Sunday on 6th June. They'll be running a series of webinars throughout the week, so do join them in #CelebratingFair!Read more
Family Fund Business Services (FFBS) has won the Tech for Good Award in Social Enterprise Yorkshire and Humber’s (SEYH) 2021 Awards. The award recognises FFBS' success in using technology to quickly and efficiently match Local Authorities to vulnerable people most in need of food, energy and cash awards during the COVID-19 crisis.Read more
Toast Ale and Rebel Kitchen have collaborated to develop a plant-based, craft bear for World Environment Day 2021, as part of their ongoing mission to reduce food waste and promote regenerative agriculture to help restore the earth.Read more
Plymouth-based social enterprise, Iridescent Ideas, is celebrating ten years of being a local champion for social enterprise, business success and social impact.Read more
Young women and sisters, Seanna and Ciara Hamill, win Rotary Young Citizen Award, presented by BBC TV Presenter, Ellie Crisell, for setting up a social enterprise to provide essential PPE for frontline workers and support to local communities during the coronavirus pandemic.Read more
Social enterprise, From Babies with Love, has launched a new podcast, How HR Leaders Change the World, to share how HR leaders are creating positive social change.Read more
NAViGO Grimsby Garden Centre in Lincolnshire has teamed up with Too Good To Go app to reduce food waste.Read more
A much-lauded community of Manchester-based social entrepreneurs have moved from The Federation building to Holyoake House, a Grade II listed building opposite Manchester Victoria station, managed by trade body, Co-operatives UK.Read more
NAViGO in North East Lincolnshire has transformed and reopened its Grimsby Garden Centre and Potting Shed, offering eat-in and takeway food and drink, with discounts for Emergency Service, NHS, North East Lincolnshire Council and Armed Forces employees.Read more
Social enterprise, SharpFutures, is running a 12-week programme for a new generation of young, digital content creators in Yorkshire, working in partnership with Channel 4. This is a great opportunity for six young people from diverse backgrounds to gain experience and employment in digital and creative media.Read more
Bevan Healthcare is delighted to announce that Emma Perry will be joining as Managing Director from 1st August 2021. Perry brings a wealth of experience to the role having previously held the position of Executive Director of The Big Life GroupRead more
Expert Impact is offering social entrepreneurs bitesize video business lessons from leading experts, to address common challenges faced by social enterprises.Read more
Booska Paper, published by the Ubele Initiative, exposes structural racism in the third sector and explores the impacts of the pandemic on funding attitudes in the UK. It highlights the issues that need to be addressed to help us create a fairer and racially equal society where all communities can flourish.Read more
The Community Shop Group has won its third Queen's Enterprise Award in recognition of its work to innovatively reduce food waste and provide life and employment opportunities.Read more
Aspire Community Works in East London has won a Queen's Award for Enterprise, for providing local estate management services run by local people, for local people.Read more
Social enterprise brewery, Toast Ale, has won a Queen's Award for reducing food waste and environmental footprint in craft beer production.Read more
A Newcastle-upon-Tyne social enterprise that has helped hundreds of young people break the chain of re-offending has received royal approval today after it claimed two Queen’s Awards for Enterprise.Read more
During the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, Community Dental Services CIC is providing ongoing infection prevention support to care homes and children’s homes across Oxfordshire to protect their staff and residents and to help minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission.Read more
Counselling service Citizen Coaching CIC has received £125,000 from the Resonance West Midlands Social Investment Tax Relief (SITR) Fund, helping the team provide more accessible therapy for people facing mental health challenges in the Birmingham area.Read more
A crucial grant from the Government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund, which will breathe new life into social enterprise Connection Crew, which operate in the supply chain of a hard-hit events industry.Read more
To mark Stress Awareness Month, Community Dental Services CIC is proud to have recruited a team of fully trained Mental Health First Aiders, who has been providing Mental Health First Aid to its employees since January. Our trained employee Mental Health First Aid Responders are available to support colleagues on struggles with stress, anxiety, depression or to provide a listening ear for someone who needs to talk.Read more
Ebico and Octopus Energy today announce a new strategic energy partnership that will make sustainable home warmth cheaper for all.Read more
Students from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) are to help mentor prisoners establish small business ventures through a virtual self-employment support clinic. The pilot initiative is a collaboration between the University’s Faculty of Business and Justice together with RIFT Social Enterprise (RSE), an organisation that works with prisoners and former prisoners, supporting them in creating sustainable businesses.Read more
A subscription service has been launched in Denbighshire to end period poverty and prevent periods being a barrier to education. The Council, through the Welsh Government 2020/21 Period Deprivation Grant, has secured a subscription service for young people in Denbighshire where period poverty could be a barrier to their education.Read more
Social Enterprise East of England (SEEE) has launched a new Social Impact Measurement Toolbox aimed at small and medium sized Social Enterprises and voluntary groups - whatever stage they are at in recording their impact. This innovative Toolbox will enable organisations to follow a framework that gives them the evidence they need to show the impact they make in their communities and for their investors.Read more
NHS staff have donated over a £1m through Pennies from Heaven and NHS Trusts have won more Awards than ever before.Read more
Public bodies and housing associations are being urged to use their purchasing power to tackle inequality within local communities in a new guide published by the BetterForUs campaign 2020-4.Read more
Charity Bank, the loans and savings bank for positive social change, has secured £1m in new equity investments from two investors. The Samworth Foundation has become the newest shareholder of Charity Bank with an investment of £500k. In addition, existing Charity Bank shareholder, Barrow Cadbury Trust, has increased their total investment in the bank by £500k to £750k.Read more
SOCIAL ENTERPRISE DRIVE 2021 (previously City Drive) is Birmingham's very own festival of social enterprise. This year The Initiative for Social Entrepreneurs will host an online, week-long programme of events, raising awareness of the organisations who are tackling the pressing social and environmental issues of today.Read more
Consultant and Specialist in Special Care Dentistry, Dr Mick Allen, has joined Smile Together Dental CIC as Clinical Director for Quality Assurance and Patient Safety.Read more
Green-fingered pupils of Littlecoates Primary Academy received a helping hand from their gardening chums at Grimsby Garden Centre in the creation of their new mini orchard. Pupils at the school dug deep and got stuck into planting the free fruit trees and floral seeds kindly donated by the garden centre as they enjoyed outdoor activity after months of homeschooling.Read more
Congratulations to Hackney School of Food on winning the William Sutton Prize for Social Innovation - an inspiring community-based project creating nurturing environments for children to engage with food and growing.Read more
Construction contract signed for the UK’s largest community-owned solar park Oxfordshire-based social enterprise Low Carbon Hub has signed the construction contract with Low Carbon Limited for Ray Valley Solar, a 19.2 MW ground mount solar park which, once built, will be the largest community-owned solar park in the UK. Ray Valley Solar will generate approximately 19 GWh of clean electricity each year, enough to power more than 6,000 homes.Read more
The Virtual Events Experience & Break the Ice Forum joined forces to bring 120 elite event organisers to meet key online suppliers reverting 10% of the revenue to Buses 4 Homeless CIC a social enterprise supporting homeless people to reengage into society.Read more
Migrateful exceeds crowdfunder target to build cookery school for refugee and migrant chefs in the heart of LondonRead more
Pivot, the social enterprise empowering people experiencing homelessness through making and enterprise, has launched its first Impact Report. In its first year, Pivot has supported 25 individuals across 4 hostels. Delivered 750 hours of work-based training and provided 100 hours of 1-1 coaching.Read more
With many of us finding it hard to get out of bed when working from home, and half of us claiming to have made work calls from bed, Premier Inn has created the perfect solution – the Zzzoovet! in collaboration with The Sewing Rooms, a social enterprise based in Lancashire, to develop a new potential product for their home range, the Zzzoovet.Read more
Flip The Script is a new creative talent development programme for trainee script editors launched by social enterprise SharpFutures with the support of Sky Studios curated by Cameron Roach and members of the Sky Drama team.Read more
Applications are now open for people who want to use business as a way to make a positive difference to their community or the environment to gain free support and funding up to £7,000.Read more
Craft brewery Toast Ale has released the third beer of its Rise Up series, raising awareness of our broken food system and galvanising action to fix it for people and the planet. Released on National Toast Day (25 February) during Real Bread Week, Baker’s Witbier is a 5% Belgian-style spiced wheat beer with subtle notes of orange and coriander. As is Toast’s signature style, the beer was brewed with surplus fresh bread to prevent food waste and reduce the environmental footprint of the beer.Read more
As part of the enterprise imperative to look to new ways of working and meeting local need, ChangeKitchen CIC announces a new offer, THE SOCIAL SUPPER CLUB - a weekend Click+Collect mealbox service that gives customers a ‘dine at home’ experience whether it’s a treat night, date night or just a chill out night.Read more
eBay UK has today announced a three year multi-million pound training and finance support package for retail businesses within the social enterprise sector. Social Enterprise UK have partnered with eBay UK and the WFTO to to give global shop fronts to small businesses who reinvest their profits back into their communities here in the UK or abroad.Read more
Leaders and supporters from across the charity sector have put their names to an open letter to the Prime Minister urgently calling for the creation of an Emergency Support Fund so charities can meet the rising demand for their support right now and ensure they can play a key role in helping communities and causes recover once the COVID crisis starts to recede.Read more
The Green Machine, a social enterprise specialising in IT recycling, has launched the BIG Tech AMNESTY allowing organisations and individuals to donate their laptops and old tech to supply children with the equipment they need for home schooling, helping fight digital poverty.Read more
Social Enterprise Kent is a DWP Gateway organisation acting on behalf of small to medium size enterprises access the Kickstart Scheme and tackle youth unemployed with good quality wrapround employability support.Read more
WriteWell is a new mental wellbeing initiative from the Professional Writing Academy. From diaries to letters, emails to shopping lists, texts to social media, we all write every day. Writing is one of the best tools for making sense of life. We are all writers. WriteWell is about tuning into the power writing and creativity have to bring perspective and fresh insight, particularly in difficult times. It's about adding new simple but effective strategies to your wellbeing and recovery toolkit.Read more
London-based social enterprise Blue Patch has launched a new directory featuring both makers and service providers, allowing people to discover and connect with outstanding sustainable businesses. This will also help to keep money within local communities as well as cut carbon miles.Read more
Allia Future Business Centres has been awarded funding from the European Regional Development Fund to support hundreds of local businesses across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough through a range of free training, advice and support programmes.Read more
Power to Change and Co-operatives UK, supported by the Mayor of London, has launched a new funding pilot designed to boost the capital’s high streets and civic centres, by growing London’s social economy and community business sector.Read more
As a result of SEUK's Buy Social Corporate Challenge, social enterprise Tarem Services Ltd began to work with SAP (UK)'s Limited Tier 1 contractor, ISS, resulting in the opportunity to deliver Pest Control Services to SAP (UK) Limited sites in Feltham and Maidenhead. As well as making the contract carbon neutral the work has resulted in Feltham and Maidenhead foodbank receiving a donation of £570 - supporting over 160 peopleRead more
With the help of Coast & Vale Community Action, head of Yorkshire Coast Social Enterprise Place, The Ivy Cavern is an example of a social enterprise venture that is supporting the community as an independent trader who is promoting the circular economy and green agenda in addition to other activities.Read more
Applications are open for Allia's new Impact Accelerator programmes in both Cambridge and Peterborough - offering 6 months of hands-on, intensive support and coaching to take your impact business to a new level.Read more
As we begin 2021, York-based Family Fund Business Services’ half-year figures show how they have worked with customers to deliver valuable support to thousands more households struggling, during a time that has seen an unprecedented rise in need for its services due to the pandemic.Read more
Claudia Sykes, CEO of Social Enterprise Kent and All Seasons Community Care, two prominent Kent-based social enterprises, has been awarded an OBE for services to the social enterprise and health and social care sectors. Claudia is honoured among an incredible list of over 1000 people, the majority for outstanding work in their communities.Read more
Historic Coventry Trust is an energetic charity, set up acquire and restore Coventry’s historic buildings, and to find new uses for them that benefit present and future generations. We are working closely with Coventry’s institutions to restore a number of the city’s historic sites in time for City of Culture in 2021.Read more
Tarem Services Ltd, are doing their bit during this festive season by introducing ‘Claim your essentials’ for their employees. This contribution has assisted their employees with that extra bit of help to ease financial burden, especially during these challenging times.Read more
Multi Award-winning Social enterprise Hey Girls’ operation is expanding further into England, with a successful grant from the Inclusive Recovery Fund to open a My Period dispatch centre in Diss, Norfolk.Read more
The Women in Safe Homes fund, believed to be the world’s first gender-lens property fund, has been created as a solution to the lack of affordable, safe and secure homes for women who are experiencing homelessness, have been involved with the criminal justice system, are survivors of domestic abuse or have other complex needs.Read more
It’s never been more important to support independent businesses as they’ve suffered such a big hit through lockdown and local restrictions, so Allia wanted to shine a light on the great ethical businesses they know. They've done so by creating a festive guide with a difference, making it easy for you to find the perfect gift.Read more
Employers For Childcare is a Social Enterprise & Charity. We distribute 100% of the profit from our social enterprise into our charity for social good. We work for and with parents, employers and childcare providers across the UK.Read more
The Family Reunion and Parenting Project, a partnership between Manchester-based social enterprise Just Psychology and charity Rainbow Haven, is launching in the North West. The project aims to support families following serial migration and reduce the likelihood of family breakdown or social services involvement.Read more
A mission to improve the planet and the lives of people in Greater Manchester was kickstarted on 18 November 2020 with the launch of social enterprise, Trust Renewables – a renewable energy project developer and technology installer that will enable homeowners and businesses to go greener, and benefit local social and economic initiatives by reinvesting over 50 percent of its yearly profits to these causes.Read more
Craft brewery Toast Ale has launched Rise Up, a campaign to raise awareness of our broken food system, and galvanise action to fix it for people and the planet. Food production is the biggest impact humans have on the planet. It’s the biggest driver of deforestation, use of freshwater, source of greenhouse gas emissions, and cause of the mass extinction of species that we are witnessing. Yet one-third of all food is wasted - 1.3 billion tons per year. Toast’s mission is to change this.Read more
New research out on Social Enterprise Day shows that social enterprises make-up almost 3,500 businesses in Greater Manchester. That accounts for 4% of all businesses across the region and they are on the rise – with more entrepreneurs becoming socially conscious and community focused.Read more
In the run-up to Social Enterprise Futures we asked Sophi Tranchell and Dai Powell, two legendary social enterprise leaders, about the top-tips they would give their younger selves.Read more
Plymouth Social Enterprise Network (PSEN) has launched its Social Enterprise Strategy this morning – a five-year plan to boost Plymouth’s economy through the greater use and support of social enterprises, helping to create a greener and fairer post-Covid economy. The plan aims to retain and build on Plymouth’s reputation as the UK’s leading social enterprise city.Read more
Allia's latest Impact Accelerator in East London has just launched. It supports 15 exciting ventures from across a range of diverse sectors - such as fashion, Fintech, health and wellbeing, transport, and more - that all focus on addressing global or local challenges in some way.Read more
Foodbuy, a leading food procurement organisation, has extended its membership of Social Enterprise UK’s Buy Social Corporate Challenge – a ground-breaking initiative that sees high-profile businesses use their everyday spend to transform lives.Read more
A new report from the Co-operatives UK shows that community ownership models are helping to create a new generation of UK businesses that are better equipped to withstand the Covid-19 crisis. The organisation’s biggest ever study of the community shares market finds that of those businesses who have raised finance with community shares to date, a remarkable 92% are still trading.Read more
The Community Business Trade Up Programme's final round of support is open. Community business leaders in England can apply for an entrepreneurial learning programme and a grant of up to £10,000 to help pandemic proof their businesses.Read more
Smile Together Dental CIC are very proud to publish their Social Impact Report for 2019/2020, marking another year of outstanding social impact that has seen them make a real and sustainable difference to the oral health of thousands of children and adults across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.Read more
The Social Enterprise Hey Girls has launched MyPeriod.org.uk, a website designed to educate and remove stigma around periods in the workplace for employers. It hosts quiz for employers to gain period friendly score and certification, in addition to other useful resources on period friendly polices.Read more
Social and Sustainable Capital (SASC), and Pure Leapfrog have announced the sale of Leapfrog Bridge Finance (LBF), the finance arm of low carbon innovator, Pure Leapfrog. SASC has financed several UK community energy projects in recent years and this acquisition will enable it to build on its work in this important sector.Read more
HISBE, Brighton's 'rebel supermarket', have announced the opening of a new store. Focusing on local suppliers, packaging free food, values-led brands and sustainable shopping options, HISBE’s purpose is to transform the British food industry by changing the way supermarkets do business.Read more
CAN, the charitable office space provider, and Education Saves Lives, are very sad to confirm that their founder, Helen Taylor Thompson, passed away on Sunday September 6th, shortly after her 96th birthday.Read more
iSE CIC started 2020 with a clear vision to extend its reach and partnerships within the Birmingham localities it works in having evolved its mission to orientate this around its Women’s Enterprise Hub based in Sparkbrook, now transformed to become the Women’s Enterprise and Community Hub. Throughout iSE CICs 20 years, it has worked to empower individuals by engaging with social enterprise as a pathway to increase social mobility, add social value and build social business contract delivery in both local communities and the wider regional economy.Read more
A social enterprise has received a £75k grant from the new Social Enterprise Support Fund to help it address mental ill-health ‘amplified’ by the fall-out of COVID-19.Read more
High risk young people in seven Local Authorities can now access a programme that combines paid jobs, training and mentoring that will help them stay out of the criminal justice system and deliver better outcomes for them, their families and the wider community, thanks to a unique collaboration between The Skill Mill (the Social Enterprise delivering the programme), local and central government, social investors and local employers.Read more
The Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) Council has launched a new drive to uncover suppliers with a positive social impact. Social enterprises have been invited to apply to become part of a new social impact supplier directory for the sector.Read more
GTS Solutions CIC (GTS) is the only social enterprise to operate in the UK’s Private security industry reinvesting its profits to deliver on its social aims and objectives of public safety through a number of traditional and highly progressive channels.Read more
The View is a social enterprise which campaigns for the decarceration of non-violent women in the criminal justice system, and for proper funding of community interventions and mental health services.Read more
STIR to Action's inspiring New Economy Festival is moving online. Sign up and join some fantastic speakers to discuss the urgent need for fresh perspectives on the current political, social and economic crises we face.Read more
Award-winning social enterprise Community Shop, which runs Community Shop Athersley and Community Shop Goldthorpe, has received a landmark donation of £900,000 from Nestlé UK & Ireland, which will help it to support thousands of families who might otherwise go hungry during the school summer holidays.Read more
In need of safe office space which prioritises the needs of people and planet? Find out more about Impact Hub Kings Cross and its work offering space for social enterprises to be based and meet other like-minded organisationsRead more
As we explore ways to 'BUILD BACK BETTER' Manchester based social enterprise, Sharp Futures, is offering two training courses that can launch or indeed restart careers based on the creation of digital content.Read more
Four inspiring social enterprises have been named winners of the Cambridge Social Innovation Prize including a smart-phone repair service employing young ex-offenders and a Liverpool based community run bakery regenerating the high street 'brick by brick and loaf by loaf'Read more
Commercial real estate services and investment firm, CBRE Global Workplace Solutions (GWS) is the latest business to sign up to the Buy Social Corporate ChallengeRead more
J MURPHY & SONS (Murphy) today joined organisations across the UK introducing free period products into the workplace for female employees as part of the Hey Girls #PeriodDignity movement.Read more
In response to the Covid-19 crisis, the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) has created Trade Back: a new type of grant that incentivises social organisations to trade, while supporting them to recover and rebuild.Read more
Power to Change is the independent trust that supports community businesses in England. Community businesses are locally rooted, community-led, trade for community benefit and make life better for local people. The sector owns assets worth £890m and comprises 9,000 community businesses across England who employ 33,600 people. (Source: Community Business Market 2019).Read more
RainbowBiz CIC supports some of the most marginalised members of the community through the work it does in Flintshire. This work is sustained by the profits made at the Hippy Shop, which are all reinvested back into the social enterprise.Read more
PR and communications agency, Campaign Collective, has been awarded the Communications Management Standard (CMS) by the Public Relations & Communications Association (PRCA), the first social enterprise to receive the accolade.Read more
Family Fund Business Services (FFBS) is the UK’s leading business-to-business fulfilment service, with over 45 years of grant administration expertise.Read more
Smile Together are all about helping our communities across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly maintain a healthy smile. It’s not so easy during these days of Covid-19 – not only are dental practices closed for routine care but our Brighter Smiles team can’t visit primary schools, nurseries and family hubs across the county.Read more
Ethex discuss the issues we’re still facing and ideas for solutions, including how we can all take action with our money to fund some of the organisations who are taking positive action.Read more
Orbit has partnered, as part of its Better Days programme, with social enterprise Stay Nimble to establish digital support in the delivery of employment and training services to hundreds of residents.Read more
Periods don’t stop for pandemics, and neither does the fact that women and girls across the UK will inevitably be facing period poverty during the Coronavirus Pandemic.Read more
A generation that are sick of being misrepresented in the mainstream media have launched their own news site that is thriving in lockdown. The Greater Manchester-based Talking About My Generation news site launched by and for the over 50s reports on how this age group are playing active parts in combating the current Covid-19 crisis.Read more
We've been working with our members to create a forum for the social enterprise community. It is set up to help connect the sector during this time of confusion, distance and isolation and is a space to share knowledge, skills and experiences.Read more
Divine Chocolate has launched their latest report on the high rates of women’s equal benefit which will contribute towards the sustainability of their farming futures.Read more
This programme will help social enterprises, charities and community businesses get back on track and set up to go beyond this with a stronger, sustainable, resilient business model.Read more
London’s independent craft businesses might be tiny, but they pack a mighty economic punch. Makers based at Cockpit Arts make a surprisingly hefty contribution to the capital’s thriving creative industries, according to a new report.Read more
Bikeworks, a not-for-profit social enterprise based in Bethnal Green, has now donated a total of 200 bikes to London Early Years Foundation (LEYF), since their partnership began in 2018.Read more
The Great Green Wall is an African-led movement with an epic ambition to grow an 8,000km natural wonder of the world across the entire width of Africa. Social Enterprise UK member, Aduna, is part of it working with communities to create entirely new value streams connecting rural villages to global markets.Read more
A Salford social enterprise has been recognised as a leader in employing disabled people. Unlimited Potential has been awarded Disability Confident Leader status by the Department of Work and Pensions.Read more
For IWD 2020 we spoke with five women who’ve each founded ground-breaking social enterprises set up to create a more gender equal world. We’ve asked them their thoughts on what needs to change to encourage more women to enter the world of business and to share their experiences from their own journeys.Read more
Are you committed to helping people in need or improving the environment? This programme has helped almost 2,000 people like you to start up and scale social enterprises, charities, community projects and impact-led organisations.Read more
Founder of Social Enterprise UK member, From Babies with Love, has been recognised by the Prime Minister for her exceptional service supporting orphaned and abandoned children worldwide.Read more
Skem, I Love You" is the world's first social enterprise feature film! Bringing together local people in Skelmersdale, its budget will be spent on real community projects that tackle genuine issues in the town, whilst giving people the opportunity to participate in making the film. Support their Crowdfunder and make this inspiring idea a reality.Read more
Applications are open for social enterprises to apply for Impact Hub Kings Cross's, Feeding the City Accelerate Programme which will support innovative food enterprises making the food system more equal and sustainable for people and planet.Read more
Social Enterprise UK member, Future Directions, has been rated 'Outstanding' by the CQC joining the just 4% of care providers to have achieved this rating. Its values of putting people first going the extra mile show the difference being a social enterprise can have in the delivery of quality, personalised servicesRead more
The Founder of Social Enterprise UK member, Nimbus Disability has been an awarded an MBE for Accessibility in the Tourism and Entertainment Sector. Nimbus created the Access Card, an innovative way for disabled people and businesses to communicate access needs and provision through a series of symbols.Read more
Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street has urged businesses to help improve people’s lives by supporting local social enterprises at the launch of the Social Economy Taskforce report.Read more
Tooth decay is the single largest reason why children aged between five and nine are admitted to hospital. Please help social enterprise dentists, CDS fund more supervised toothbrushing for children in greatest need.Read more
Social enterprise notjust, who bought the nation the famous Gareth Southgate and David Attenbrr! Christmas jumpers raising more than £30,000 for charity, return with a brand-new limited-edition range celebrating the biggest icons of 2019. The festive knits pay homage to those who have shocked, stunned, stood-up-for and soothed us over the course of the year, with profits from each sale including a charitable donation.Read more
A partnership-focused social enterprise based in Brighton, has earnt a place in the top 5% of healthcare organisations to be rated outstanding by the Care Quality Commission.Read more
Northern Ireland-based Social Enterprise Employers For Childcare has officially launched its £2.5 million indoor adventure centre High Rise. High Rise incorporates a stunning Clip ‘n Climb arena – the biggest in Ireland - along with a soft play area, Sensory Room and Quiet Room and a number of party and corporate rooms.Read more
Llanwrtyd Wells Community Transport (LWCT), Powys, Wales, is very pleased to announce that they have just won two prestigious awards and the Landed Festival, who LWCT supports, has also won an award.Read more
Smile Together Dental CIC have proudly published their latest Impact Special Edition showcasing their #SmilesAtSea 2019 success in reaching out to the local fishing community across Cornwall and Devon harboursides.Read more
Liberation Foods, the UK’s only farmer-owned nut company, has launched a new Fairtrade line for this year’s Tesco finest* Christmas range. The product, Fairtrade Chocolate Caramelised Cashews with Cranberries, will bring extra income to farmers and their communities in countries such as Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Costa Rica.Read more
Community interest company ‘SoFab Sports’ is the first social enterprise to receive £100,000 investment from the Resonance South West Social Investment Tax Relief (SITR) Fund following its recent geographical extension into the wider South West.Read more
Cockpit Arts is throwing open the doors for its celebrated Winter Open Studios. This twice-yearly shopping event is the only time Cockpit is open to the public, making it an exclusive chance to buy direct from over 140 of the best craftspeople in London, see where it all happens and support this hub of creative talent.Read more
Young and mature learners who aspire to be leaders and change-makers now have the chance to join a unique social change degree at Leeds Beckett University: BA Innovation and Skills for Social Change.Read more
Well Grounded, London’s first social enterprise to focus on developing highly skilled talent for the Specialty Coffee industry, has opened an academy based in King’s Cross this October.Read more
Brightkidz social enterprise has published a new guide to help make the school run more active, safe and sustainable and reduce car dependency.Read more
Charity Bank 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. Taking place in London, Tunbridge Wells, Leeds, Reading, Edinburgh, Derby and Manchester, these events will provide the latest insight on the state of the social sector at a time of change and challenge. NCVO will present an update on the state of the sector and then sector specialists will engage with the audience in unpicking some of the challenges and opportunities that exist.Read more
“Inclusive Islands” is boosting Indonesia’s impact support ecosystem, uniting social enterprise experience from the island communities of Scotland to Indonesia - the world’s largest island archipelago. As part of British Council’s DICE (Developing Inclusive and Creative Economies) programme, Inclusive Islands is bringing together 20 social entrepreneurs from Medan, Jayapura, Makassar, Pontianak and Padang, who run social enterprises in creative areas including; tourism, crafts, and publishing.Read more
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) England has today launched its first ever social impact report. The report is a celebration of MHFA England, its twelve years of history, achievements over the year 2018/19 and an outline of plans for the future.Read more
Innovative plans by leading social enterprise NAViGO to further transform Grimsby Garden Centre have been submitted to council planners. The proposals include: the repurposing of shipping containers to create a unique independent retail feature entrance hub for small local businesses a new timber built green barn with wool insulation, composting toilets and rainwater harvesting. The low-carbon facility, powered by a wind turbine will provide flexible use space for activities, children’s play and events.Read more
SwitchAid, a not for profit fundraising scheme that generates funds for good causes by switching energy & telecoms for homes and businesses, has done a deal with Carphone Warehouse to benefit charities.Read more
Tech for good and social ventures addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals to be given no-cost individual packages of support to help them create greater impact.Read more
AHF (the Architectural Heritage Fund) today announces the opening of the Transforming Places Through Heritage fund, focused on reinvigorating England’s high streets and town centres as once more thriving hubs of community, through the creative reuse of local historic buildings.Read more
Smile Together Dental CIC are proud to officially publish their 2018/19 Social Impact Report – a celebration of their achievements and social impact in a year which has seen them reinvesting their profits into frontline patient services as well as their community like never before.Read more
This year, innovative young people across Scotland have been setting up businesses to tackle the social and environmental issues that matter to them. Forty schools from Central Scotland received a Social Enterprise in Education Award from Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Education & Skills, John Swinney MSP to recognise the success and sustainability of their social enterprisesRead more
Almost two thirds (64%) of UK public procurement professionals say social value has become more important over the last 12 months, Fusion21's second annual Procurement Trends Report has found.Read more
Chocolate Films have recently released the e-book 'How To Effectively Use Video For Your Business'. It is a guide to help organisations, including social enterprises, to effectively leverage video content. The book explores 5 routes to win at video marketing, with content types that are achievable for any organisation and practical takeaways.Read more
Unity Trust Bank and Charity Bank have joined forces to provide loans totalling £8.5m to enable charity Abbeyfield The Dales to purchase the award-winning Fern House, a 30-room dementia care home in Bingley in Yorkshire.Read more
The City of Coventry has been invited to submit a proposal to the Local Access Programme, a new fund created by ACCESS – The Foundation for Social Investment and Big Society Capital to take a place based approach to transforming the social economy through blended finance. Coventry is one of only 12 places invited to take part in a competitive process where 5 places will be offered a share of £33m of blended finance to develop a strong social economy.Read more
This year's Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF 2019) will take place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 23-25th October 2019. This Global Forum was first established in 2008 and has traversed the globe, visiting 6 continents (Africa, Asia, Oceania, Europe, North America and South America) and 10 Cities (Edinburgh, Melbourne, San Francisco, Johannesburg, Rio de Janeiro, Calgary, Seoul, Milan, Hong Kong and Christchurch).Read more
In 2017 WildHearts set an ambitious goal; they would transform one million lives by the end of 2020. Earlier this year, on March 26th they achieved that goal.Read more
A £1.1m loan from Unity Trust, the commercial bank with a social conscience has enabled social enterprise The Cornerstone Partnership to purchase 17 properties for the homeless in Coventry. Operated in partnership with The Salvation Army; the properties provide safe, sustainable homes integrated in the community for homeless families to begin rebuilding their lives.Read more
It is estimated that 1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder and as Mental Health Awareness Week (13 – 19 May, 2019) commences - young film-maker and mental health advocate, Tallulah Self has created ‘HOME’, a short film featuring mental health influencer and ballet dancer, Margi Barbieri.Read more
This week marks Mental Health Awareness Week (13th-19th May) and GLL, the UK’s largest leisure charitable social enterprise, is continuing its commitment to improving mental health throughout the areas it operates in, with the introduction of new staff training modules, to help improve the wellbeing of not only the customers that use its services, but the staff that provide them.Read more
GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) has marked 11 years as the UK’s largest independent athlete support programme, by announcing its largest ever annual athlete awards for 2019.Read more
A Treherbert-based social enterprise dedicated to managing local woodland sustainably has received a £90,000 funding boost from The Co-op Foundation.Read more
Patients using unscheduled urgent care services across the south and east of England are set to benefit from a new electronic prescribing service developed by social enterprise IC24 and NHS Digital.Read more
Divine chocolate are proud to announce their annual report for July 2017 and June 2018, as well as a summary of our financial accounts.Read more
Independent PR and comms agency Eulogy has launched a competition enabling social enterprises and early-stage ventures driven by social purpose to win pro bono support to help move them from start-up to scale up, whilst accelerating solutions to their cause.Read more
Founded by Liverpool icon Eleanor Rathbone in 1919, PSS are celebrating 100 years of helping people, innovation… and plenty of firsts along the way!Read more
The NUS is currently seeking organisations and businesses who want to empower students from all backgrounds to innovate and progress sustainability through meaningful work placements. Join a network of organisations working to enhance partnership working with universities whilst exploring potential to make a positive impact.Read more
Eight years into their unique partnership, pioneering social enterprise and ethical water company Belu has reached its goal to give WaterAid £1 million in a year, helping transform hundreds of thousands of lives with clean water.Read more
The annual Cockpit Effect Report was launched on the 11 March at the prestigious Clothworkers’ Hall to an invited audience of 50 enthusiastic guests. Cockpit enables talent to flourish and support entrepreneurial craft businesses.Read more
Social Enterprise UK member Future Directions won the Most Effective Approach to Leadership and Management and the Most Effective Approach to Integrated New Models of Care Categories.Read more
Children from 14 schools across Scotland will try their hand at selling a special edition of The Big Issue magazine, that some of their pupils took part in creating.Read more
Unity Trust, the commercial bank for firms and organisations that want to help create a better society, increased its profits 68% in 2018. Unity approved over £200 million of lending to firms and projects that will deliver community, economic or environmental benefits. This is a record-breaking performance for Unity which has seen its lending almost double since it became independent in 2015.Read more
Hey Girls, a social enterprise whose mission, is to tackle period poverty in the UK, announced a nationwide campaign called ‘#Pads4Dads’. Aimed at men, the campaign encourages Dads to feel more confident speaking to their daughters about periods.Read more
The 2019 Cumbria Social Enterprise Partnership Awards took place on Tuesday, 5th March at Coronation Hall in Ulverston. The theme of this year’s event was ‘Social Enterprise … The Future of Business’.Read more
Big are things expected for 2019 as Grimsby Garden Centre enlist the help of BBC Apprentice star and entrepreneur Elizabeth McKenna to work alongside the team. Elizabeth, who came fourth in the programme in 2017, offers up her wealth of business knowledge to help the garden centre continue to grow.Read more
Ahead of a nationwide campaign in March, research published today has revealed that the issue of period poverty is more substantial than previously evidenced. Until now, the statistic of 1 in 10 women and girls in the U.K. being unable to afford menstrual products has been cited, but a new survey held by Ginger Comms, the Bloody Big Brunch and Hey Girls has shown that the figure is closer to 3 in 10 women (27%).Read more
Rose Marley, CEO of social enterprise Sharp Futures will be spearheading a drive to increase opportunities for young people across Greater Manchester.Read more
Impact Loans England is available to organisations across England looking for unsecured repayable finance between £10k-£150k. The funding is available to organisations keen to do more of the good work they do – whether it’s buying equipment, hiring new talent, or progressing with business development plans.Read more
Over 500 more Cornish pupils in the west of the county will be improving their oral health in the new year thanks to the generous support of ITEC Group UK for Brighter Smiles, Cornwall’s oral health campaign.Read more
Social Investment Business launch Diverse Ambitions - a support programme and fund referral scheme for BAME charities and social enterprises in the Greater London area.Read more
Staff at Heywood based social enterprise PossAbilities, are celebrating a remarkable ‘double’, having received their second consecutive OUTSTANDING rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).Read more
Planet first is a social enterprise company that provides professional energy cost, consumption management and reduction services across the UK.Read more
To help cut down on festive waste this year and give ideas on how to give back this Christmas, SEUK member, Allia have put together their top tips for an eco-friendly and ethical holidays.Read more
Start-up social enterprise, Stay Nimble is aiiming to help people learn how to adapt more easily and quickly to changes in the labour market.Read more
Employee-owned dental social enterprise, Smile Together have published their latest impact report looking at how they are reducing health inequalities and preventing tooth decay!Read more
Jingle Wells is a Brewgooder campaign to try to fund 12 well repairs in Malawi… 1 for everyday of Christmas… to bring an additional 3,000 people clean drinking water in 2019.Read more
Thursday 15 November saw the launch of ‘Hackney Is Social’, a social enterprise manifesto for Hackney, coordinated by Hackney Co-operative Developments CIC on behalf of the Hackney Social Enterprise Place Partnership. ‘Hackney Is Social’ was officially launched by special guest Claire Dove OBE DL, Crown Representative for the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector and former chair of Social Enterprise UK at the ‘Hackney: A Social Enterprise Borough’ conference held in Hackney House.Read more
In a major achievement for CLARITY-The Soap Co., the social enterprise announces that in time for the busy Christmas period, high-end department store, John Lewis & Partners, is to sell its luxury, ethical The Soap Co. eco and bee friendly collection across various of its stores nationwide.Read more
As of 15 November, Birmingham is officially a Social Enterprise City!Read more
The Real Lettings Property Fund2 (RLPF2), managed by social impact investment company Resonance and homelessness charity St Mungo’s, has received further investments of £15m each from the London Boroughs of Lambeth and Westminster. The Fund purchases homes around the capital for people affected by homelessness, helping them move on with their lives and into independent living.Read more
Minna Moffatt-Feldman, owner of Sign How, a Manchester-based social enterprise, has WON a place on the NatWest WISE100 Award (Women in Social Enterprise) in recognition of work to improve access for deaf people. All Sign How teachers and assessors are themselves deaf, placing them in an ideal position to act as role models and help others to learn deaf awareness, British Sign Language and Communication Support Strategies across the Manchester boroughs and other parts of the UK.Read more
The Employee Engagement Awards are a platform to recognise excellence, they inspire and educate organisations to remake the way they think about and engage people to achieve their purpose. From Babies with Love is a finalist with it’s corporate service, FAMILY, offering parental leave gifts that also support orphaned and abandoned children around the world.Read more
Sheffield social enterprise Key Fund will distribute Government’s Northern Cultural Regeneration Fund. The fund will help arts and cultural organisations grow their social impact in local communities.Read more
Flexible credit provider Fair For You has provided a total of £10 million loans since it was established in 2015. Approximately £650,000 in loans has been issued in October 2018 alone, the highest amount ever issued in a single month. 32,000 loans have been granted by the company overall. Fair For You was founded by Angela Clements to combat high-cost weekly payment stores.Read more
The School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE), in partnership with Power to Change, have released positive new data from the first cohort of community businesses in England to be supported by Match Trading™ grants, a new type of grant funding. The Match Trading grants have supported community businesses to achieve a typical 92% increase in income from trading.Read more
Edinburgh businessman Chris Thewlis has become Scotland’s first social enterprise entrepreneur to make a viable exit from a company with his sale of Beer for Good CIC.Read more
SEUK member and ethical men's clothing retailer Brothers We Stand is hosting an “I Made Your Clothes” installation by ethical menswear retailer at Amnesty International headquarters in the week running up to Social Saturday (13th October).Read more
Allia are please to have self contained office space to let in their new business centre in Hackney, East London.Read more
Charity and campaigner news will get a new home with the launch of The Rooftop. The website and social channels will help charities and campaigners connect with the general public and get their positive stories heard in what is often a negative mainstream media climate.Read more
Social enterprise Smile Together have published their latest Impact Special Edition showcasing its #SmilleAtSea programme which has reached out to the Cornish fishing community with dental treatment and NHS health checks.Read more
Epic CIC introduces Strong Young Minds- a programme which provides a one to one outreach service that is led by the child or young person to help access the support they want. By giving young people a sense of control over their use of the service, Strong Young Minds creates a unique outlet for children and young people to vocalise their concerns while staying in charge of how their one to one programme is led.Read more
Green is the New Black in this innovative collaboration between Elvis & Kresse and LIVARI clothing. Alysia Reiner’s (Orange is the New Black, The Deuce) zero waste fashion label LIVARI illustrates how fashion can be a force for good. In an industry where leading fashion houses take to burning unsold stock, this latest collaboration comes as an instant breath of fresh air.Read more
Divine Chocolate, the international Fairtrade company co-owned by farmers, is delighted to introduce its first ever organic dark chocolate range. The new range is made with acclaimed high quality cocoa sourced from smallholder farmers in São Tomé aka ‘The Chocolate Island’.Read more
NHS England figures have recently revealed that children and young people with serious mental health problems are forced to travel as far as 285 miles to receive mental health support. The Youth Forum at Epic CIC have also been very vocal about needing more mental health support within the borough.Read more
Parents are being urged to register for Childcare Vouchers now before the Scheme closes to new entrants on 4 October 2018.Read more
A London based events company revealed today that it has now employed over 200 people with a history of homelessness and urges other businesses to take Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) seriously too.Read more
Hey Girls, the award-winning East Lothian based social enterprise company set up to tackle period poverty, is ‘delighted’ to be a major provider in the Scottish Government’s initiative to provide free sanitary products all pupils and students, to be announced this week.Read more
Award winning social enterprise, CLARITY-The Soap Cọ releases BECỌ - a new feel good, socially enterprising and better considered soap range putting real change in the hands of people across the UK.Read more
Big Issue Invest has today launched its Power Up programme. The lending scheme will offer investment and mentoring support to up to 15 early stage social ventures across the Midlands. Power Up, pioneered by Big Issue Invest (BII), is funded by Barclays with investment coming from Power to Change, Experian and Big Issue Invest Trust.Read more
Last month, USE IT! proudly supported the iSE facilitated CITY DRIVE week long programme of events to raise awareness, promote employment opportunities and encourage marketplace development for the amazing social enterprises across Birmingham.Read more
Staff, volunteers and service users at Bevan Healthcare CIC’s city centre practice welcomed chief inspector of general practice from the health and social care regulator, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) last week as part of his visit to the city.Read more
Social Enterprise UK member wins Better Society Award Campaign Collective has been named Consultancy of the Year at the Better Society Awards ceremony in London.Read more
A brunch experience with a difference is coming to London – one that promises to do good with every Bloody Mary poured. Taking place at The Book Club, Shoreditch on Saturday 2nd June (12noon-4pm), the Bloody Big Brunch, will serve-up the classic cocktail all day long - but there’s a catch. It can only be ‘bought’ in exchange for sanitary protection.Read more
Life Chances Funding announced by The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport will assist multi-award winning Social Enterprise The Skill Mill to support more young ex-offenders into jobs, achieve qualifications and desist from crime.Read more
The operator of the council’s sport and leisure services in Welwyn Hatfield has changed following a merger between Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) and Finesse Leisure that will enable the strengths of both organisations to be used most effectively.Read more
In the last twelve months From Babies with Love has increased the number of vulnerable children it supports from 2,060 to 4,180, more than doubling its social impact.Read more
The Micro-Placements Programme is a new initiative from City, University of London which aims to place students from low socio-economic backgrounds into short-term career-exploration projects. The purpose is to enhance students’ core employability skills and to help develop their CVs through work experience opportunities across a variety of sectors. This programme supports City’s community engagement which looks to form unique links with Business and the Professions.Read more
Charles Heymann, Louise Akers and Laura Jane Hicks have become the latest communications professionals to join social enterprise communications firm Campaign Collective.Read more
LIVES, who provide a much needed first response service to emergencies across Lincolnshire have been awarded a grant of £15,270 from CDS Action which is the charity set up by community dental social enterprise CDS-CIC to support projects in the communities where it operates.Read more
Social Enterprise UK is supporting the growing number of UK start-ups by removing the member fee for smaller social enterprises, enabling them to join the largest social enterprise network in the world.Read more
Community Business Weekend, which is organised by Power to Change, exists to shine a light on the 7,000 community businesses across the country.Read more
Causes in Wales are being encouraged to apply for the Co-op’s local community fund when applications open on 5 March.Read more
A community owned chip shop? When you say it, it seems an obvious idea! Chelmsley Wood, in north Solihull, is about to have what they believe to be the country’s first community owned chippy.Read more
Unlimited Potential is delighted to have been recognised as one of the 100 most innovative companies in Greater Manchester, in a report produced by BQ and the Business Growth Hub, part of The Growth Company.Read more
Shropshire based social enterprise Designs in Mind, is dramatically changing how people can access support for mental health issues and together we are finding ways to live life better.Read more
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Triodos Bank, a global pioneer of sustainable banking, has become the first bank in the UK to launch its own crowdfunding platform. The platform offers a range of crowdfunding opportunities enabling people to invest directly in equity or bonds issued by organisations delivering positive social and environmental impacts.Read more
Social enterprises in Scotland and across the UK will welcome the international social enterprise movement to Edinburgh for the 10th Social Enterprise World Forum this year. The Forum will take place in the Edinburgh International Convention Centre from 12th-14th 2018.Read more
The event celebrates achievements of young people in the area and the extension of the Circle Collective partnership. Since its inception, Circle Collective has helped more than 250 young local unemployed people into work and it is continuing to expand, enabling the organisation to support even more young people.Read more
From Babie's with Love's new ‘Elephant Family' collection, which launches on March 8th 2018, has been created in collaboration with journalist, blogger, twitterer, mama and partner to Olympic gold medallist Greg Rutherford, Susie J Verrill.Read more
Newly-formed Scotland’s Bravest manufacturing Company, the largest employment development specifically for Scottish veterans in decades, is pleased to announce the appointment of its inaugural director.Read more
Too often large tour companies looking to maximize their profits ignore or harm local people and the environment throughout the world.But what if you could travel knowing that you were contributing to generate a positive social and environmental impact on your destination?Read more
Liverpool City Region based, First Ark, is reporting an impressive year-end result for 2016/17; showing a 100% uplift in its social accounting results, delivering a staggering £22.5 million in social impact value in 2017.Read more
WildHearts Office, the UK’s largest B2B social enterprise, were delighted to welcome new customers Wesleyan, The Telegraph, Bibby and Towergate this year. WildHearts’ involvement with Social Enterprise UK’s ‘Buy Social Corporate Challenge’ has also seen them partner with some of the UK’s largest businesses, such as Johnson and Johnson, PWC and Zurich Insurance, helping them work towards their social spending goal of £1 billion with social enterprises by 2020.Read more
Just before Christmas, Breaking the Silence hosted their inaugural graduation ceremony for 21 ladies, all of who are survivors of domestic abuse, who completed and graduated from their 6-month ‘Building From Broken Pieces Programme’.Read more
Over 85 corporate & community volunteers, including actor David Bradley, helped plant 1,000 trees as part of a collaborative effort to create a wood in the fight against climate change.Read more
Just six weeks after relocating, a fast-growing Lincoln-based HR firm has changed its name, recruited another member of staff and expanded its services! Amica HR is the new name to watch. The former B&G HR – which moved from its old office on the Bishop Grosseteste University campus to The Think Tank in Ruston Way, Lincoln - has stepped-up a gear.Read more
CLARITY-The Soap Co. has won a PwC Social Entrepreneurs Club Award at the annual PwC's Building Public Trust Awards lunch on 30 November 2017.Read more
GLL – the UK’s largest leisure charitable social enterprise was among the winners at ukactive’s Active Training Awards – scooping Apprenticeship Provider of the Year.Read more
The Tottenham Community Press is turning one and to recognise this milestone, the social enterprise newspaper invites you to join its birthday celebrations on Thursday 30th November.Read more
A new initiative which supports young people aged between 16 and 29 who are currently not in education, employment or training into sustainable employment has been launched in Liverpool.Read more
In the run up to Halloween, ChangeKitchen CIC declared a #PumpkinAmnesty. The response was incredible and the pupkins were used to provide food for the city's homeless.Read more
GLL has won the award for best Social Enterprise at the UK Business Awards 2017, held on Wednesday, 22nd November at Wembley Stadium in London.Read more
With National Tree Planting week fast approaching, our much loved David Bradley is leaving the sets of Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and Doctor Who to come and support Graduate Planet CIC which is the UK’s first Social Enterprise recruitment agency with an environmental mission and the Forest of Hearts charity.Read more
London UK social enterprise Socialbox.biz hopes to donate 1,000 laptops to homeless people and is working to raise awareness to the public and businesses via social media.Read more
Scotland’s Bravest Manufacturing Company, the largest employment development specifically for Scottish veterans in decades, will open at veterans’ charity Erskine’s headquarters next June, it was announced today.Read more
A team from The Royal Borough of Greenwich beat almost 800 over 55-year-olds to win the 2017 Better Club Games, held at the Copper Box Arena on Friday 10th November 2017.Read more
Award-winning social enterprise From Babies with Love is pleased to announce a new partnership with the international charity Street Child. Their first joint project will support some of the 32,000 unaccompanied children impacted by devastating conflict in north east Nigeria, where From Babies with Love will fund Street Child to establish three Child Friendly Spaces.Read more
Members of Better’s Club programmes at centres across London are preparing for competition at the 12th annual Better Club Games. On Friday, 10th November, teams comprising of over 55s from across London will be descending on the Copper Box Arena at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, for an enthralling day of competition.Read more
The award-winning, organic wine producers at Forty Hall Vineyard and their partners Capel Manor College, are celebrating the launch of their 2015 Vintage London Sparkling Brut. It is the first time that this unique social enterprise in North London has had their sparkling wine widely available to the public.Read more
A new HCT Group policy paper argues that the Act needs more ‘teeth’, that commissioning authorities should account for the steps they have taken to implement the Act and that financial thresholds before contracts must apply the Act be reduced or removed.Read more
On 1st November, the London Borough of Hackney was awarded Social Enterprise Place status by Social Enterprise UK. Its CEO, Peter Holbrook, presented the award to Mayor Philip Glanville at the Social Enterprise in the City conference at Hackney House in Shoreditch [South Hackney].Read more
The Big Issue’s social investment arm, Big Issue Invest, has teamed up with Connection Crew to launch Canvas in Brixton - a co-working space with a social purpose.Read more
In September, ChangeKitchen CIC were proud to be chosen to cater for the prestigious, ‘top secret’ UK launch of Ben & Jerry’s new vegan ice cream range.Read more
Online ethical clothing retailer Brothers We Stand has opened its first UK retail outlet in Bristol’s Wapping Wharf, selling exclusively ethically-sourced men’s clothes. The flagship store is headed up by 23 year old Bristol University graduate Sam Mabley whose vision is to make ethically produced clothing accessible.Read more
Picolo launches One for One campaign which will help them donate at least 100,000 pouches to thousands of hungry under 5s through a series of grassroots events, social campaigns, in-store outreach and PR activity.Read more
HCT Group has announced that it is in final-stage talks with fellow social enterprise bus operator Manchester Community Transport (MCT), with a view to MCT joining the Group.Read more
The streets of Brighton and Hove will soon be seeing lots more yellow buses as a result of decisions taken by councillors on Brighton and Hove Council.Read more
First Ark Group has launched their Social Accounts Summary which tells the story of how the role they have played has helped people change their lives for the better.Read more
We are pleased to announce that Dr Helen Glenister has been appointed as the new Chair of Accelerate CIC Limited.Read more
HCT Group - a social enterprise that reinvests the profits it makes from transport contracts back into high social impact transport services - has released their 2017 Social Impact Report.Read more
From Babies with Love has won Gold for its Nautical Nesting Cubes toy at the Junior Design Awards, the most esteemed awards in family lifestyle.Read more
Bulk Market ® wants to bring a new way of shopping to London, where there is no surplus food to be binned and no packaging to be landfilled.Read more
The sign up window is now open for the next series of Impact for Growth training sessions, part of the Impact Management Programme.Read more
Another investment from Resonance’s Affordable Homes Rental Fund (AHRF) of £390,000 to Holsworthy Community Property Trust (HCPT) means five more affordable homes are available for local families to allow them to live in their own communities, further strengthening local networks.Read more
GLL, the UK’s leading charitable leisure social enterprise, has completed the acquisition of nine Fitness First gyms, boosting the number of sports and leisure facilities it runs to over 250.Read more
Charity Bank, the ethical bank that uses savings to make loans to charities and social enterprises, today announced that its book of drawn loans has exceeded £100 million for the first time. The bank also shared details of its five most recent loans that helped it to reach this milestone.Read more
Thurrock Lifestyle Solutions CIC celebrates their 10th birthday.Read more
Karrek Community CIC (“Karrek”) has received an investment of £50,000 from the Resonance Health & Wellbeing Challenge Fund, and impact investment fund focusing on social enterprises in the South West.Read more
Santander is renewing its innovative partnership with Crowdfunder to provide additional funding for social enterprises and community projects across the UK.Santander is renewing its innovative partnership with Crowdfunder to provide additional funding for social enterprises and community projects across the UK.Read more
The NPC-led Impact Management Programme announces the eleven organisations, based across England and delivering a number of different services, that will receive almost £500,000 in grant funding through the Impact for Growth strand.Read more
Britain’s Bravest Manufacturing Company (BBMC), a Kent social enterprise, which directly employs British veterans and people with disabilities, has secured a multi-million pound contract with Network Rail, the UK’s largest railway owner.Read more
Social impact investment company Resonance has published the first annual social impact report for the Resonance Bristol SITR Fund – the first impact investment Fund of its kind using Social Investment Tax Relief (SITR) to build a portfolio of investments into social enterprises in the region.Read more
Fiona Jones, Bridges Self-Management’s Founder and CEO, has been awarded an MBE in Her Majesty The Queen’s Birthday Honours 2017.Read more
Mydex CIC is delighted to announce that our application to the ninth iteration of the UK government’s G-Cloud Platform was successful. We are excited to share our increased, diverse portfolio for those buying services through G-Cloud.Read more
From fashion to farming, prosthetics to prisons, Cambridge Social Ventures helps entrepreneurs at all stages grow and scale up their social impact. Their programmes are designed for people who will drive their businesses forward to create real, scaleable, lasting change.Read more
New Honey Blossom Eco Foaming Hand Wash from the Social Enterprise, CLARITY, is launched into large organisations and the government to support the employment of blind, disabled and otherwise disadvantaged people.Read more
Hill Holt Wood, an environmental social enterprise based in Lincoln, has been awarded the Royal Forestry Society Award of Excellence (Gold) for the Study Programme.Read more
New research by Ethex shows that more than half of the eligible UK population is keen to make positive investments, but a lack of knowledge, understanding and confidence in what is on offer is holding them back.Read more
Organised by Employers For Childcare, the annual Awards are the perfect opportunity for businesses to showcase their commitment to helping employees achieve a balance between their work and family lives. Whether it’s through the provision of Childcare Vouchers, flexi-time or even an extra day off work the Awards recognise and reward those who go above and beyond legal requirements to provide and promote family friendly working practices.Read more
The UK is a vast and diverse market. The spending power of disabled people and their families is worth £212 billion. This includes deaf people who make up 1 in 7 of the population. InterpreterNow can help your business attract thousands of deaf customers and recruit and retain talented deaf employees.Read more
Safe water charity and social enterprise FRANK Water has ended all production of its bottled spring water in single-use plastic bottles. It is the first UK bottled water company to end single-use plastic bottle production and switch to 100% environmentally sustainable solutions.Read more
GLL – the UK’s largest leisure charitable social enterprise, was among the big winners at the 2017 Sporta Awards. GLL picked up two prizes, with its Management Academy receiving the Workplace Development Award, while gymnastics coach Karen de Sa was named the winner in the Outstanding Individual Achievement category.Read more
HCT Group, the leading transport social enterprise, has released its first social impact report for its Jersey operation, LibertyBus.Read more
Purple Moon Drama is a social enterprise that designs bespoke theatre facilitation programmes as a tool for self-development.Read more
Cafédirect plc (“Cafédirect”) has agreed, the purchase of The London Tea Company Limited (London Tea) from Finlay Beverages Limited. The acquisition of London Tea by Cafédirect adds a high quality range of 100% Fairtrade fruit, herbal and black teas, complimenting their existing portfolio of Cafédirect branded coffee, tea and hot chocolate products.Read more
More than 2,500 talented young athletes from across the UK will benefit from a £1,400,000 fund – thanks to charitable social enterprise GLL. The athletes will be supported through the ground breaking GLL Sport Foundation (GSF), the largest independent athlete support programme in the UK.Read more
Cosmopolitan magazine has launched their Home, Made campaign with an exciting new initiative in collaboration with social enterprise Dot Dot Dot. It offers young women the opportunity to live in London who would otherwise face being priced out due to high rental prices.Read more
The Chalkhill Community Trust Fund is happy to announce that the latest grant funding round is now open and will be accepting new applications from organisations, community groups and individuals. The deadline for applications to be received is 5pm, 19th May 2017.Read more
On Her Majesty the Queen’s birthday, Belu has announced that it has been presented with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Sustainable Development. This prestigious award recognises outstanding business achievement by UK organisations.Read more
OneSqin CIC is a new social enterprise, and the world's first business to donate 100% of profits to charities that get girls in need into life-changing education. Founded by luxury asset manager Neil Richmond FRSA and former superyacht captain Sinisa Jovic, OneSqin manufactures and sells premium quality, 100% natural skin cream and certified organic cotton tampons.Read more
First Steps In Social Enterprise is a 12 week training & support programme for Women from minority/migrant backgrounds with a social enterprise idea or people with a social enterprise idea that is migrant/minority led or benefits a minority/migrant community.Read more
An innovative device which will improve the quality of life of thousands of people with double vision has received £20,000 after winning a top award. Social Enterprise UK member the Beacon Centre and the University of Wolverhampton joined forces to offer the 2017 Beacon Visionary Challenge Award.Read more
On World Water Day, social enterprise Belu announce they've donated £2,200,075.46 to WaterAid transforming 146,671 lives with access to clean water and sanitation.Read more
Fair for You launches third social impact report showing how it's providing alternatives to high cost credit. The report published by the Centre for Responsible Credit (‘CfRC’) illustrates the huge social benefits which could be achieved if Government were to widen the availability of affordable, not for profit, alternatives to high cost credit.Read more
Talented chef Emily Roux has collaborated with food-waste start-up Elysia to create a delicious tartine, made entirely with high-quality surplus food, which would otherwise have become food waste.Read more
Charity Bank have launched an exciting new campaign to persuade the public to transfer their Cash ISA to an ethical provider.Read more
The Jericho Foundation is delighted to announce it has received £314,000 from the Big Lottery Fund, and a further £128,000 of matched funding from the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, to support its “Labour for Change” Project to benefit the victims of modern slavery.Read more