Enabling Ability Award
Sponsored by Media Village
THOMAS
THOMAS was founded in 1994 to provide long-term help to people trying to overcome addiction. The first service provided was a drop-in in Blackburn town centre offering hot meals to people who were misusing drugs and alcohol, or were homeless. With demand for services growing, THOMAS grew and formalised their approach to rehabilitation and recovery offering residential as well as community based rehabilitation and recovery services to help people move from substance misuse, prolific offending and homelessness, towards a new life of opportunity and hope.
Other finalists were In Di Go, Integrate (Preston & Chorley) Ltd, Willow Garden Project and Wonderful Things
Environmental Champion of the Year
Sponsored and presented by Recycling Lives
SAMS (Scrap Art Material Store)
SAMS (Scrap Art Material Store) is a not for profit community enterprise, who’s aim is to recycle clean, non-toxic surplus materials from local business, that would normally end up in a landfill site. Each day, industry throws away tonnes of waste, and every day, children and other community groups need tons of materials for play and other creative activities.
Other finalists were Emmaus North West with Furniture Matters, Urban Organic (UK) CIC, and Willow Garden Project
Excellence in Training or Mentoring
Sponsored and presented by Periscope ProductionsAdvocacy Focus
Advocacy Focus is an Independent Advocacy provider that seeks to encourage and facilitate the empowerment of individuals through the provision of high quality independent advocacy services, which is free at point of delivery. We have a wide range of expertise in providing a service to people with learning disabilities, mental health issues, people who lack capacity to instruct, carers, people with dementia and many more.
Other finalists were Best at Solutions CIC and Lancashire Equalities
Most Effective Collaboration
Sponsored and presented by Bootstrap Enterprises
The Sewing Rooms
At The Sewing Rooms, we believe everyone should be able to take advantage of the opportunities around them so that they can determine their own destiny. It is our passion to help the individuals we work with unleash their potential. We have partnerships with Panaz, Ikea and John Lewis using their fabric and unused stock in our training and manufacturing business.
Highly commended award was won by CANW
Other finalists were Castle Supported Living and Access Ability CIC, Food Redistribution Centre – run by Recycling Lives in partnership with FareShare and UR Potential & Strawberry Fields Training CIC
Small Social Enterprise of the Year
Sponsored and presented by Unity Trust BankDig In North West cic
Dig in North West CIC supports military veterans with any form of combat related injury, physical or emotional. Our staff team are veterans who have come through recovery with us, and they lead our work in gardening, carpentry, photography and stone masonry. We operate within Ashton Park’s walled garden and out in the community.
Also finalists were Preston Vocational Centre, SEED / Breathe Therapies, Strawberry Fields Training and Wonderful Things
Start-up Social Enterprise of the Year
Sponsored and presented by the Sewing Rooms
Spring into Phab is an inclusive young person led youth club, where young adults with and without disabilities come together on equal terms and participate in a wide range of fun and social activities, to reduce social isolation and enhance quality of life. The group formed when local youth provision closed due to funding and a group of six young people decided to set up their own.
Also Finalists were Podio Magazine, SHAPE Lancashire and The Dog Inn
Social Enterprise of the Year
Sponsored by HR SavvyUR Potential
UR Potential are a Community Interest Company, providing youth & adult supported volunteering opportunities, delivering community & workforce training, delivering targeted youthwork and providing evidence based research & consultancy across the North West. Creating opportunities and projects based on the needs of the communities within which we work. In the last 7 years URPotential have managed to diversify their funding income and expand their services creating 17 jobs and over 3500 volunteer opportunities for local people on The Fylde Coast and beyond.
Highly commended award won by Urban Organic (UK) CIC
Other Finalists were Age Concern Central Lancashire, Castle Supported Living, In Di Go and Reachout Darwen
Volunteer of the Year
Presented by Selnet CEO Liz Tapner MBE
Jackie Leeming n-compass
Jackie has been volunteering with n-compass since November 2014. She was initially a service user and through the support she received, she decided to become a volunteer. Initially Jackie’s confidence was low and she felt the need to learn new skills. Through her hard work and her drive to understand all aspects of our organisation she is now in a position of supporting & mentoring new volunteers that come in to our office. Through all the amazing work she has done, she has helped thousands of people that she has never met and that will never get the chance to thank her directly.
Other Finalists were Dorothy Vose (Age Concern CL) and Wonderful Things Youth Volunteer Team
Lancashire’s Social Enterprise Champion 2017
Sponsored by First ArkPeter Green Integrate (Preston & Chorley) Ltd
Peter joined Integrate at a time when we were facing the reality of the recession and an erosion of rights, services and benefits for people with disabilities. Fast forward to the present and Integrate now benefit from a coherent, unified group with a strong brand and growth across all areas. With a clear vision of what he wanted to achieve, he excels at forming new relationships and partnerships and ensured that all possible synergies between the enterprises are utilised to their maximum. He is also currently chair of the Insight Network, organics representative for Lancashire Community Recycling Network, Chair of a childcare charity and a Local Authority School Governor.
“We are keen to encourage the growth of a strong social economy in Lancashire. Working with Selnet allows the First Ark Group to recognise how we can best provide support and appropriate mechanisms to deliver growth and social impact within the sector.”
A huge thank you to our sponsors
On behalf of all our members, Selnet Directors would like to thank the following organisations for supporting the Social Enterprise in Society Awards 2017!
