Social Enterprise in Changing Times

Over 85 delegates attended this year’s CSEP Conference. As well as hearing from two inspirational keynote speakers of Lord Andrew Mawson and Gill Coupland, the conference also hosted the CSEP Annual Awards Ceremony ... and the winners of the 2011 awards were:

 

New Social Enterprise Sponsored by CSEP
Winners	SLSB Enterprises Ltd	£500 cash + £250 PR support from Big Story Media
Runners-up	Alston Moor Film	£250 cash

 

Carl Hodge collecting the award on behalf of SLSB Enterprises Ltd said "Everyone at SLSB was surprised and very pleased to receive the award of New Social Enterprise of the Year. Over the last two and a half years since we started we have learnt so much about operating as a business ... and we continue to learn every day. Our aim is to raise profits to support the work of Sight Advice South Lakes. it's a different way to raise money for charity, but we are exploring all avenues to help us support visually impaired people in our area."

 

Best Co-operative Sponsored by CSEP
Winners	Carlisle & District Credit Union	£500 cash + £250 PR support from Big Story Media
Runners-up	The Wool Clip	£250 cash

 

Mandy Johnston accepting the award on behalf of Carlisle & District Credit Union said "We are delighted to receive the award. It was a fabulous recognition for the board who have given their voluntary time for the benefit of local people. They have remained focused and their ultimate aim is to be sustainable, offering financial services now and in the future. We have not decided what we will use our prize money for, but it will be used wisely. We are looking forward to the support. It's great to have an expert in fields where we may bring in some growth."

 

Community Enterprise of the Year Sponsored by The Development Trust Association
Winners	Kirkgate Arts	£500 cash + £250 PR support from Big Story Media
Runners-up	The Farmers Network	£250 cash

 

Kate Hilton accepting both the awards on behalf of Kirkgate Arts said "We are absolutely delighted to have picked up two of the awards and overwelmed that the judges had been totally unanimous in their decisions, on the grounds of the exceptional contribution made by Kirkgate's volunteers." Kate praised the work of all the volunteers, saying "They do an amazing job week-in / week-out, making it not very difficult to write good things about them!"

 

Existing Social Enterprise Sponsored by CSEP
Winners	Kirkgate Arts	£500 cash + £250 PR support from Big Story Media
Runners-up	The Wool Clip	£250 cash

 

 

 

Keynote speakers at this year’s conference were Lord Andrew Mawson and Gill Coupland.

 

Lord Mawson [pictured left] is one of the leading social entrepreneurs in Britain and has created a family of projects which demonstrate in practice the potential of social enterprise. He is Founder and President of the renowned Bromley-by-Bow Centre in East London and Co-founder and President of Community Action Network (CAN), a national charity supporting 850 social entrepreneurs across the UK.

 

Andrew received an OBE for his work in Tower Hamlets in the Millennium New Years Honours List and was awarded a Life Peerage in 2007.

 

Gill Coupland [pictured right] is the Co-founder and Director of Angels Housekeeping, a social enterprise which provides housework and shopping services for elderly people, to help them stay as independent as possible. The company was born out of the need for domestic care services in Leeds following the City Council’s withdrawal from the provision of these services. The business is able to provide its services at very affordable rates to elderly people through its price weighting, which charges a slightly higher rate for services to young professionals and companies.

 

Commenting on the day, Gill said "A warm welcome, an interesting day, some inspirational people with great ideas, drive and enthusiasm and a genuine desire to do great things, and a gift of some lovely hand-made Cumbrian fudge received in the post from one of the delegates. It was also an honour to be co-presenting with Lord Mawson - esteemed company indeed!".

 

Delegates also had a choice of attending one of three workshops on 'Investment readiness and project funding', 'Public service delivery by social enterprise' or 'Co-op or company structure?'.