Salford set to be hub of social enterprise

SALFORD is to be designated a Social Enterprise City at an event next month at MediaCity.

The UK-wide scheme recognises towns, cities, villages and other geographical zones keen to declare their status as hotspots of social enterprise activity.

Salford will become the only certified Social Enterprise City in the North West of England.

The programme supports local enterprise and encourages trade with social enterprises in specific areas aiming to promote, raise awareness, and build the markets for social enterprise.
 
A social enterprise is a business with primarily social and/or environmental objectives, whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or community rather than being paid to shareholders and owners.

Salford has a strong record of social enterprise activity and there are a range of sizeable social enterprises, tackling a range of social issues alongside an increasingly diverse range of smaller enterprises, both more established and an increasing number of start-ups.
 
Organisations like Big Life Group, Helping Hands, The Lowry, SMaRT Garage Services, Start in Salford, Unlimited Potential, Salford Health Matters, Six Degrees, Social adVentures, People’s Voice Media, Positive Moves, Cowherd’s, Real Vending and Visit from the Stork all work throughout the City of Salford and beyond.

The launch event takes place on May 20 from 4pm to 7pm at the University of Salford’s MediaCity campus where there will be hundreds of guests, dozens of social enterprises displaying their goods and services and the event will include a video appearance from Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus.

Peter Holbrook, chief executive of the campaigning body Social Enterprise UK, said: ‘It’s fantastic that Salford is to be recognised as a Social Enterprise Place – a beacon of social enterprise activity.
 
Sally Forde, representative of Salford’s social enterprise places stakeholder group said: ‘We are all delighted that Salford will be awarded Social Enterprise City status.

“This is a welcome boost to residents and businesses across the city and we hope will not only help raise awareness of social enterprise but will encourage residents and local businesses to engage much more with social enterprises and the valuable work they carry out in our communities.”