Labour MP for Leeds Central Hilary Benn, award winner Chris Tremlett, award-winner representative Kirsty Hughes from LILAC, Simon Brereton, programme manager of Sharing the Success and Shahed Molvi of UnLtd

FOUR successful social entrepreneurs from Leeds have been honoured at a special ceremony.

The awards form part of a three-year programme from UnLtd, a support provider  to social entrepreneurs partnered by the Leeds LEGI Sharing the Success programme, which aims to develop social entrepreneurship across the most economically disadvantaged areas of Leeds.

UnLtd is a nationwide charity which provides financial and non-financial support to individuals setting up their own ventures that aim to have a positive social impact.

The winners, chosen from more than 70 social entrepreneurs in the city, were presented with their awards by Hilary Benn, Labour MP for Leeds Central.

Paul Chatterton was presented with the Best Emerging Social Enterprise Award, who used his £3,900 of funding from UnLtd to set up LILAC, a co-operative housing society which is in the process of purchasing land in West Leeds from Leeds City Council to build 20 super-insulated, permanently affordable eco-homes from natural building materials.

Iteshiah Nelson, who set-up Sports and Beauty for You won the Best Learning and Development Achievement Award. She received support and funding from UnLtd in 2008 to set up her fitness practice and is now a resident therapist and children’s fitness consultant at the Hamara Centre in Beeston.

Mani Ray, who runs Invizible Circle Education won Best Social Impact Award for his company, which offers a variety of programmes and workshops which aim to empower young people and the wider community to make positive changes in their lives. One project, Streetlife, is a preventative weapons and gangs programme which has worked with more than 1,000 young people across Leeds, raising awareness about the consequences of being involved in weapons and gang activity.

The fourth award for Best Social Entrepreneur went to Chris Tremlett from TREE, a not-for-profit organisation that designs and installs all types of renewable energy systems and energy saving technology in order to reduce carbon emissions and energy bills.

Shahed Molvi, head of region for UnLtd, said: “It’s an honour to be able to recognise the achievements of these award winners, who act as shining examples of the entrepreneurial spirit which is thriving in Leeds. We are extremely proud of the results achieved across the city, working in partnership with Sharing the Success. We have supported a diverse range of social ventures and community initiatives and invested over £260,000 funding in the Leeds LEGI area. We look forward to a continued partnership which will allow us to support even more enterprising individuals across the region.”

During 2010, UnLtd and Sharing the Success plan to build on the skills and services it offers with targets to provide support to a minimum of 35 social entrepreneurs between April 2010 and March 2011.

It is also looking to recruit at least 25 Leeds and regionally-based mentors and volunteers to provide ongoing mentoring, advisory and coaching support over the next year.

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