Member News

Vital Counselling Service Expansion Thanks To £125,000 SITR Investment

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

Vital Counselling Service Expansion Thanks To £125,000 SITR Investment

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

Culture Recovery Grant for heavy lifters of the event industry

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

CDS supports employees’ Mental Health

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 join forces to make sustainable home warmth more affordable for all

Ebico and Octopus Energy today announce a new strategic energy partnership that will make sustainable home warmth cheaper for all.Read more

Students to help unlock prisoner potential

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

Subscription service launched to end period poverty

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

Tell your story and show your impact with SEEE’s new Toolbox

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 wins big at Pennies from Heaven 2021 Awards

NHS staff have donated over a £1m through Pennies from Heaven and NHS Trusts have won more Awards than ever before.Read more

Purchasing for public good could generate billions for disadvantaged communities

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 Secures £1million in Equity Capital Investment to Help Fund Surge in Loan Approvals

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

iSE - Social Enterprise Drive 2021

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

All smiles as Specialist Dental Consultant attracted to Cornwall

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

Gardening boost for local primary

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

Primary school food education project named winner of Clarion Housing Group’s William Sutton Prize

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

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

Buses 4 Homeless Networking & Charity Online Event

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 London

Migrateful exceeds crowdfunder target to build cookery school for refugee and migrant chefs in the heart of LondonRead more

Homelessness social enterprise Pivot launches first Impact Report

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

Look Smart on Zoom Under A DUVET, With Premier Inn’s New Zzzoovet!

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

SharpFutures & Sky Studios in association with ScreenSkills launch Flip The Script

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

UK’s biggest social enterprise support programme opens 10th round of applications

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

Toast Ale and Hobbs House Bakery launch a beer to change the food system.

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

ChangeKitchen CIC: putting the ‘Social’ into new Supper Club

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 to invest in small businesses which support disadvantaged communities

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

Charities and their supporters call on government to create an Emergency Support Fund for communities and causes right now

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 Big Tech Amnesty

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 Tackling Youth Unemployment with Kickstart Placements

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

Free WriteWell Community places for Social Enterprise UK members

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

The Power of Positive Shopping

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

Free support for local businesses in Cambridge and Peterborough to help them grow

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

Boosting Community Business London: Communications Pack

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

Social Impact through corporate business collaboration

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

Transforming an old unit to a fairy grotto with a green agenda

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 open for free business support programmes to help grow your social or environmental start-up at Allia Future Business Centres

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

Family Fund Business Services helps deliver essential goods to people impacted by Coronavirus

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

Social Enterprise Leader Awarded OBE In New Year Honours List 2021

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 streets transformed as part of an ambitious £2 million project

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, doing their bit this season

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

Hey Girls and My Period secures Inclusive Recovery Funding to open second period product dispatch centre in Norfolk.

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

Resonance and Patron Capital launch world’s first gender-lens £100 million investment property fund, Women in Safe Homes, to support women experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness

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

Shop locally this Christmas with Allia's festive gift guide

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

Childcare Vouchers – add social value to your business while saving money!

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

Ground-breaking project launches to support migrant families

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

Trust Renewables launch puts people and planet before profit and Greater Manchester at the forefront of the green revolution

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

Toast Ale launches Rise Up campaign to change the food system

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 data from Greater Manchester social enterprises shows how they are building back better communities and local economies post-pandemic

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

Three tips to share with my younger self

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

Plan launched to boost Plymouth’s ethical businesses as part of Covid recovery

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

Impact Accelerator kicks off in East London

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 Commits to Buy Social Corporate Challenge for Further Three Years

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

The future of business? As high street giants fall, community shares help businesses thrive

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

£6.5million community business programme opens final round of support

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 officially publish 2019/2020 Social Impact Report

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

Period-Friendly Employer Challenge Launched for Business in Scotland

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 acquires Leapfrog Bridge Finance to expand community energy investment activity

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 Food Announce the Opening of Their Second

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

Helen Taylor Thompson, 7 August 1924 – 6 September 2020

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: a CIC in the Community

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

Social enterprise stepping up to mental health crisis

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

Innovative new programme aims to get over 224 young ex-offenders into work

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

Public Relations Profession drives call for more Social Impact Suppliers

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

Scottish first for GTS Solutions CIC with adoption of ISO 26000 standard

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

Pink Punishment

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

Experience the Playground for the New Economy Festival from wherever you are!

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

Community Shop receives £900,000 Nestlé investment to support thousands of families at risk of summer holiday hunger

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

Impact Hub King’s Cross: Collaboration and The Future of Work

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

Look to the Future with Sharp Futures

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

Social entrepreneurs win Cambridge prize for pandemic response

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

CBRE Joins the World's Biggest Commitment to Social Procurement

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

Murphy Leads the Period Dignity Movement For Their Workers At Sites Across the UK

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

Beyond emergency grant funding: Trading for a post-covid sustainable social sector

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

Free app gives thousands of third sector organisations a helping hand to track and trace Covid-19

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

Hippy Shop Set to Reopen

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

Campaign Collective is the first social enterprise to be awarded the Communications Management Standard (CMS)

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

Leading business-to-business fulfilment service gifts over £1 million to charity for disabled children

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

Brighter Smiles helping Cornish communities to maintain healthy smiles

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

Building the green conversation online

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 to deliver career support through Stay Nimble

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

Over 3,000 period products distributed directly to people’s homes during covid-19 by Hey Girls & local authority partners

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

Meet the newsroom made up of over 50s challenging the way mainstream media represents their generation

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

Social Enterprise Covid-19 Support Forum

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

The Chocolate that Champions Women: Divine Impact Report puts women first and centre

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

SSE’s biggest UK programme: the Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland Social Entrepreneurs Scale Up and Trade Up Programmes

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

The Cockpit Effect Impact Report 2020

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

Two of London’s Most Successful Social Enterprises Call for the Mayor and TfL to Keep Children Active by Introducing Bicycle Scheme Across All London’s Nurseries

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

Social enterprise partners with African Union’s Great Green Wall to Build “Billion Dollar Baobab” Value Chain

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

Salford social enterprise leads on disability confidence

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

Social Enterprises Fighting for a Gender Equal World

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

Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland Social Entrepreneurs Programme

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

PM awards outstanding social entrepreneur

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

Support the world's first social enterprise feature film!

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

Impact Hub King’s Cross Feeding the City Accelerate Programme

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

Future Directions are ‘Bucking the National Trend’ by being Outstanding!

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

Director of Nimbus Disability recognised in New Years Honours list

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 calls on businesses to boost social enterprises

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

Give a Healthy Smile Appeal

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

Christmas Jumper Day! notjust celebrate icons of 2019 with new festive collection

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

Local not-for-profit healthcare social enterprise ‘Here’ celebrates receiving rare rating of ‘outstanding’ by regulator

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

Bringing fun to new heights at High Rise

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 awards winners

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 Publish Impact Special Edition for #SmilesAtSea 2019

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

Fairtrade nuts to boost income for smallholder farmers this festive season

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

Getting Players On The Pitch And Into Employment

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

Festive Shopping at Cockpit Arts Winter Open Studios 2019

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

A World-class Social Change Degree in Leeds

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 opens new Barista Training Academy in King’s Cross to support 100s of people into work

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 Takes ST:EPS to Change the School Run

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 takes to the road with free regional events for charity professionals

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” launches in Jakarta – sharing learning between creative social enterprises in the UK & Indonesia

“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

MHFA England publishes first impact report

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

Shipping container shopping hub and green barn: Exciting plans proposed for Grimsby Garden Centre

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

North East Charities wanted for free phones offer

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

Allia announces The Future 20 – 20 exciting companies looking to change the world

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

New £15M fund for social enterprises & charities to transform high streets using historic buildings

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 publish Social Impact Report 2018/19

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

Scottish pupils receive national social enterprise award from Deputy First Minister, John Swinney MSP

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

Fusion21 research reveals social value's growing in importance amongst UK public procurement professionals

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

Learn how to effectively leverage video for your business

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 team-up to provide £8.5m loan for dementia care in Yorkshire

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

Call for Social Economy Research in Coventry

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

2019 Social Enterprise World Forum in Addis Ababa

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

WildHearts Transform Over One Million Lives

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

£1.1m Unity Trust Bank loan provides urgently needed housing for the homeless in Coventry

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

Young mental health advocate harnesses power of social media to create body image film

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

GLL increases staff training with inclusion of mental health awareness modules

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

Record award numbers brings GLL Sport Foundation athlete support to £11 million

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

Treherbert social enterprise receives £90,000 Co-op Foundation funding boost

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

Electronic Prescription Service launched in urgent care service

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 Annual Report 2017 - 2018

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

‘Elevator’ competition will enable social enterprises to scale whilst accelerating solutions to their cause

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

Exciting year ahead for Liverpool social enterprise as PSS marks Centenary

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

Take on a Placement Student this Summer

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

Belu generates £1 million in one year for WaterAid to bring clean water around the world

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

Launch of Cockpit Effect Report

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, Future Directions wins two Skills for Care Accolades

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

Enterprising Scottish pupils create special edition of The Big Issue magazine

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 Bank sees profits rise 68% in 2018 “Pursuing community and commercial value is a win-win” said CEO Margaret Willis

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 Invite Michael Sheen to be Part of The Bloody Conversation

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

A Celebration of Cumbria’s Best Social Enterprises

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

Apprentice star on board to further brighten Grimsby Garden Centre

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

Bloody Big Brunch

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 to lead on Opportunity Pass for young people

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 programme receives an additional £3.9 million

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

ITEC bringing Brighter Smiles for children in West Cornwall

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

New BAME support programme looks to build business strength and help excluded communities explore social investment

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

At the Double – Heywood social enterprise rated outstanding for a second time

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 opens its doors A brand new not for profit Social enterprise company has opened its doors

Planet first is a social enterprise company that provides professional energy cost, consumption management and reduction services across the UK.Read more

Allia's top tips for an eco-friendly and ethical Christmas

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

Record Job Vacancies highlights the growing skills gap which new tech social enterprise Stay Nimble is tackling head on

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

Smile Together publishes Social Impact Report 2018

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

Brewgooder launches Jingle Wells campaign to try to fund 12 well repairs in Malawi

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

Hackney is Social: A Social Enterprise Manifesto for Hackney

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

Major boost for social enterprise sector and ‘beauty with purpose’ as John Lewis & Partners stocks The Soap Co.’s, Eco & Bee-Friendly Collection

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

Birmingham: A Social Enterprise City

As of 15 November, Birmingham is officially a Social Enterprise City!Read more

Two London Authorities invest a further £30m into Homelessness Fund securing over 90 homes to house small families and individuals

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

Local deaf professional has won the Natwest WISE Award

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

From Babies with Love announced as finalist at the 2018 Employee Engagement Awards

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 to deliver £3m to creative projects across Northern Powerhouse

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

Fair credit provider Fair for You reaches £10 million lending high

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

New grant funding initiative proves to be a match for community businesses

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's Landmark Sale

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

"I made your clothes" installation at Amnesty UK Headquarters

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

Office Space in Allia's Future Business Centre

Allia are please to have self contained office space to let in their new business centre in Hackney, East London.Read more

News worth shouting about gets new home - Campaign Collective launches The Rooftop news site

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

Smile Together publishes Impact Special Edition

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

New Mental Health Support Programme Challenges Social Isolation

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

Alysia Reiner proves Green is the New Black in her latest collaboration with Sustainable Luxury Brand Elvis & Kresse

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 introduces new organic, high cocoa rich & dark range

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

New Mental Health Support Programme Offers a Unique Way to Challenge Social Isolation

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

Last chance to sign up to Childcare Vouchers – act now or miss out!

Parents are being urged to register for Childcare Vouchers now before the Scheme closes to new entrants on 4 October 2018.Read more

Pioneering events company has now employed over 200 ex-homeless people

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 ‘delighted’ to be major provider in Scottish sanitary product scheme

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

BECỌ - GOOD, CLEAN, FUN

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’s Power Up programme launches to support community businesses across the Midlands

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

City Drive announces Birmingham as a Social Enterprise City

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

CQC’s chief inspector of general practice visits outstanding Bradford practice helping vulnerable city patients

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

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

Bloody brilliant way to end period poverty goes on the menu in London

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

Social Enterprise The Skill Mill is set to scale-up

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

Leisure trust merger agreed

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

From Babies with Love’s social impact doubles

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

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

Trio of new members join Campaign Collective

Charles Heymann, Louise Akers and Laura Jane Hicks have become the latest communications professionals to join social enterprise communications firm Campaign Collective.Read more

Life saving charity receives funding boost through support of social enterprise

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

“Together we are much more powerful than we can ever be alone” – Social Enterprise UK announces membership relaunch

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 returns to champion the power of local people

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

Millions Available to Local Causes through Co-op Local Community Fund

Causes in Wales are being encouraged to apply for the Co-op’s local community fund when applications open on 5 March.Read more

Chelmund’s Fish and Chips - Chelmsley Wood gets its chips

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 in the Innovation 100!

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

#SmashingStigma

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

USE IT – Making the Most of Mentors

Read more

Pioneering Sustainable Bank First To Launch Crowdfunding Platform

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

Scotland to host Social Enterprise World Forum (SEWF) 2018: 12-14th September, Edinburgh

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

Lewisham Shopping Centre hosts ceremony for Circle Collective training graduates

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

Susie J. Verrill collaborates with social enterprise From Babies With Love on new collection

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

Veteran factory Scotland’s Bravest Manufacturing Company announces director

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

Sumak Travel - Bringing travellers together in the name of social enterprise

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

First Ark increases its social impact by 100% exceeding £22.5 million in one year

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 Welcomes New Customers

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

Local domestic abuse survivor inspires others to break their silence and celebrate their collective achievement at Botanical Gardens sponsored ceremony with Mayor of Birmingham and HSBC

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

Film star digs in to join effort against climate change

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

AMICA HR - Exciting New Era For HR Firm

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. wins in the Environmental Impact Category at PwC's Building Public Trust Awards, 30th November 2017

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’s commitment to apprenticeships celebrated at Active Training Awards

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

Tottenham Community Press celebrates one year in print and crowdfunds its way to sustainability

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

First Ark supports new initiative to provide support for unemployed young people

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

ChangeKitchen CIC Collect Leftover Pumpkins and Provide Vats of Soup to SIFA Homeless Centre

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’s social enterprise improving communities recognised at UK Business Awards 2017

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

David Bradley rooting for the Trees - “There's magic in them there woods”

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

City of London firms are needed to help gain momentum for the homeless support campaign

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

Plans unveiled for Scotland’s Bravest Manufacturing Company to employ Scottish veterans

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

Better Club Games 2017: Healthy competition for the active ageing

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

From Babies with Love announces new partnership with Street Child

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

Olympian Fatima Whitbread to welcome 800 over-55s at the 2017 Better Club Games in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

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

First public release of London’s organic sparkling wine

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

HCT Group calls for a significant strengthening of the Social Value Act

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

Hackney is now officially a Social Enterprise Borough

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

Big Issue Invest supports local co-working space with a social purpose

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

ChangeKitchen CIC Cater for Ben & Jerry’s Launch of Vegan Ice Cream Range

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

Brothers We Stand launches flagship store in Bristol

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

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

Manchester Community Transport in talks to join HCT Group

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 Big Lemon just got bigger!

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 launches latest Social Accounts Summary

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

Accelerate CIC appoint a new Chair

We are pleased to announce that Dr Helen Glenister has been appointed as the new Chair of Accelerate CIC Limited.Read more

HCT Group launches 2017 Social Impact Report

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 wins Gold at the Junior Design Awards

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

London's zero waste market prepares to open in Hackney

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

Impact for Growth training open

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

More Affordable Homes for Holsworthy after Second Impact Investment from Resonance

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 acquires nine Fitness First gyms to grow national leisure coverage

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’s loan book exceeds £100 million

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 turns 10!

Thurrock Lifestyle Solutions CIC celebrates their 10th birthday.Read more

Investment Helps Karrek Community ‘Connect the Dots’ in Social Care Provision

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 and Crowdfunder renew innovation partnership

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

Around £500,000 in grants awarded as part of NPC-led impact management programme

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

Kent-based social enterprise lands multi-million pound Network Rail contract

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 publishes first annual social impact report for Resonance Bristol SITR Fund

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

Queen’s Birthday Honour for Fiona Jones, Bridges Self-Management Founder and CEO

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 on G-Cloud 9 launches diverse portfolio with discovery options

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

A year of specialist support with Cambridge Social Ventures incubator: deadline to apply 30th June

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

Social Enterprise, Clarity, launches new eco-foaming hand wash

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

Royal Forestry Society awards Gold to local woodland social enterprise, Hill Holt Wood

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

Most people in the UK interested in making their savings and investments do good, but are holding back

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

Family Friendly Employer Awards 2017 Now Open!

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

InterpreterNow can help businesses attract deaf customers and recruit and retain deaf employees

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

FRANK Water goes single-use plastic free and launches #PledgeToRefill campaign

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 scoops two prizes at the 2017 Sporta Awards

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 launches first Jersey Social Impact Report

HCT Group, the leading transport social enterprise, has released its first social impact report for its Jersey operation, LibertyBus.Read more

Purple Moon Drama - helping young people into the creative sector

Purple Moon Drama is a social enterprise that designs bespoke theatre facilitation programmes as a tool for self-development.Read more

Cafédirect aquires London Tea Company from Finlay Beverages Limited

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

GLL supports record breaking number of talented athletes to achieve sporting success

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 launch Home, Made campaign in collaboration with Dot Dot Dot

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

Chalkhill Community Trust Fund announces latest funding grants open

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

Belu honoured with the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in sustainable development

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 goes live

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 for BME Women 2017

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

Visionary device scoops £20,000 award

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

Belu launches new impact report

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 launch third social impact report

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

Emily Roux collaborates with Elysia to create food-waste recipe

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

Campaign to get people to transfer their Cash ISA to an ethical provider

Charity Bank have launched an exciting new campaign to persuade the public to transfer their Cash ISA to an ethical provider.Read more

Jericho Foundation Announces Big Lottery Fund Grant for Modern Slavery Project

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