Social Enterprise Awards 2014

One event in the year that all social entrepreneurs' look forward to is the 'Social Enterprise Awards' organised by UK's social enterprise governing body Social Enterprise UK. The event was held yesterday in London with lots of budding organisations in the social sector in attendance. The awards was judged by leaders across the sector including Founder of social enterprise GiveMeTap, Melanie Mills, Chief Executive, Social Enterprise West Midlands, Andrew Croft, Chief Executive of CAN and Edwin Brownin-Mensa. Sue Perkins hosted the event at London Symphony Orchestra St Luke's and, presenter winner's with their awards.

Social Enterprise Winners 2014

Belu - Consumer Facing Social Enterprise
Belu is the UK’s most ethical bottled water and donates 100% of its profits to WaterAid. 
Read more here> www.belu.org

City of London Corporation (CoL) - Buy Social Market Builder
The City of London Corporation (CoL) has contributed significantly to building the market for buying social both through influencing the City’s business community and through changing its own procurement practices.
Read more here> www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

Divine Chocolate - Overall Social Enterprise of the Year
Divine is a Fair-trade chocolate company part-owned by its cocoa farmers (Kuapa coco), who get a slice of the profits to invest in their communities.
Read more here> http://www.divinechocolate.com/uk/

Ethex & PEC Renewables – Investment Deal of the Year
In just 7 weeks, Ethex and PEC Renewables rallied investors and local authorities to raise £600,000 in social investment, funding solar panel installations to tackle fuel poverty in the local area. Supported by Plymouth County Council, the deal demonstrates how a national platform, a community-owned organization and local authority can work together to help harness a movement of socially-motivated investors to create real change on the ground.
Read more here> www.ethex.org.uk & www.plymouthenergycommunity.com
 
Firstport & Icecream Architecture - Inspiring Youth Enterprise Award
Firstport supports start-up social entrepreneurs in Scotland. Icecream Architecture CIC is a team of community-led facilitators, environmental artists, designers and illustrators who aim to boost regeneration, enterprise, youth engagement and civic pride. Together, the two organisations have created Beyond the Finish Line, a unique campaign getting young people in Glasgow to regenerate local high streets using social enterprise.
Read more here> www.firstport.org.uk & www.icecreamarchitecture.com
 
Furnishing Lives (FRC Group) – Social Impact Award (Sponsored by PWC)
FRC Group started out by redistributing unwanted, good quality furniture to those in need. It is now a leading UK enterprise, running commercial businesses that give people in poverty and unemployment the opportunity to change their lives. It has been recognised for driving forward good practice in the sector, with what is believed to be the first truly integrated financial and social value report.
http://www.frcgroup.co.uk

Monwel Ltd - One to Watch (Sponsored by the British Council)
Monwel produces signs and provides real employment to people with disabilities and those furthest from the work force.
Read more here> http://www.monwel.com/

June O’Sullivan MBE, London Early Years Foundation – Social Enterprise Women’s Champion
Under June O’Sullivan’s leadership, London Early Years Foundation has become the UK’s largest social sector childcare provider, operating 26 nurseries and providing high quality childcare to 3,000 children. June is a leader in her field: influencing government Early Years policy, cited by UNICEF as an international exemplar, and driving campaigns for change in early years provision.
Read more here> www.leyf.org.uk

Kilsyth Community Market Garden t/a Kelvin Valley Honey - Environmental Social Enterprise
Kelvin Valley Honey (KVH) aims to reverse the decline in Scotland’s honey bee population while improving the lives of people who may be isolated in their communities. Its work has helped increase Scotland’s honey bee population by almost 30 million, as well as provide 100 marginalised people with an income, training and employment.
Read more here> www.kelvinvalleyhoney.org.uk

PM Training- Education, Training & Jobs Social Enterprise
PM Training is a social enterprise that provides new work opportunities to 16-18 year olds through range of training and support services. It is currently the largest provider of apprenticeships for 16-18 year olds in the country, with 75% of those who complete training securing jobs afterwards.
Read more here> www.pmtraining.org.uk

Social adVentures- Health & Social Care Social Enterprise
Social adVentures are a Salford-based wellbeing is a social enterprise helping people to lead healthier and happier lives. Through delivering public health and social care contracts and developing a number of subsidiary businesses, its turnover has grown by 300% in recent years, helping it support more than 3000 of the local community’s most vulnerable people.
Read more here> www.socialadventures.org.uk
 
 Image credit: Social Enterprise UK
Content: Eighteen Forever & Social Enterprise UK (2014)