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The Social Enterprise Sector receives national recognition

Published: 30/09/2022

The social enterprise sector in Flintshire has received national recognition from Social Enterprise UK, the UK’s membership body for social enterprise.

During the Covid pandemic and associated lockdowns. a Stakeholder Group of social enterprises, including; RainbowBiz CIC, Dangerpoint, Care and Repair North East Wales, Cafgas CIC, Beyond the Boundaries CIC, Art and Soul Tribe CIC, Aura Leisure and Libraries Ltd and Clwyd Alyn Housing, supported by Flintshire County Council’s Social Enterprise Officer developed an application to become recognized for ‘Social Enterprise Places’ status.

Flintshire’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Economy, Councillor David Healey, said:

“As a local authority, we are very proud of the achievements of the social enterprise sector in Flintshire. Social enterprise has long been a priority for the Council and continues to be so. During the pandemic, we really saw the power of social enterprise and how they stepped up to support people in desperate need.”

Social enterprises are businesses which trade for a social or environmental purpose. There are more than 100,000 social enterprises in the UK, contributing £60 billion to the economy and employing around two million people.

Social enterprises demonstrate a better way to do business, one that prioritises benefit to people and planet and uses the majority of any profit to further their mission.

Social enterprises contribute to reducing economic inequality, improving social justice and to environmental sustainability.

To acknowledge this achievement, the Flintshire Social Enterprise Stakeholder Group held a celebration event on 29 September.

Speakers at the event included; Neal Cockerton, Chief Executive of the Council, Clive Hirst, founder of Social Enterprise Places, Social Enterprise UK and members of the Flintshire Social Enterprise Stakeholder Group.

Following the presentation, there was a performance by Art n Soul Tribe followed by a networking lunch, which of course was supplied by a social enterprise.

The afternoon saw the delegates have the opportunity to visit social enterprises across Flintshire, see them in action and pick the brains of the entrepreneurs behind them.

If you would like to find out more about social enterprise or are thinking of setting one up, contact Flintshire County Council’s Social Enterprise Officer, Mike Dodd on mike.dodd@flintshire.gov.uk.

^{L to R: Mike Welch CEO Aura Library and Leisure, Neal Cockerton CEO FCC,  Jane Bellis CEO Art and Soul Tribe CIC, Mike Dodd, Social Enterprise Officer FCC, Clive Hirst, Social Enterprise UK, Sue Oliver CEO RainbowBiz CIC, Jill Smith CEO Beyond the Boundaries CIC, James Hunt CEO Cafgas CIC, Julie Ann Tyler, CEO Dangerpoint and Wendy Bowden CEO Care and Repair North East Wales}