Conwy hailed as a social enterprise hot spot
The county of Conwy has been hailed as a UK hotspot for companies run for the benefit of the community.
Conwy has become only the second county in Wales and one of just 16 across the UK to be officially recognised as a hotspot of social enterprise – a business which trades on behalf of the community generating their income by selling goods or services rather than through grants and donations.
The application for the accreditation was put together by Social Enterprise Business Solutions, the influential think tank which co-ordinates the work of 10 successful social enterprises in the county which includes North Wales Housing, Cais, Crest, TAPE, Glasdir, Golygfa Gwydyr, CVSC and Cartrefi Conwy.
To celebrate its accreditation as a Social Enterprise Place representatives from Social Enterprise UK, the national body which runs the scheme, spent two days visiting a number of Conwy based social enterprises who contributed to landing the accolade.
They visited Cais café Porters, TAPE – a social enterprise music and film company, Crest Co-operative, business and conference centre Glasdir in Llanrwst and Golygfa Gwydyr, a social enterprise which runs a woodland management enterprise providing a range of services catering for public and private woodland owners in rural Conwy and surrounding areas.
The two-day tour was rounded off with a flagship Social Enterprise Place launch event for around 100 representatives of Conwy’s social enterprises and local authorities at the Y Morfa Stadium home of Conwy FC.
Social Enterprise UK chief executive Peter Holbrook who said he had been very impressed by all the examples he had been shown in Conwy over the two days.
Mr Holbrook added:
They show the dynamism that exists at the heart this movement and our role is to enable, help and support social enterprises to be the best they can. “It’s also good to see social enterprises working with local authorities to reimagine the delivery of services at a time of increasing demand and diminishing resources. “I have been thoroughly impressed by Conwy’s application for Place status and the way it has been tireless in promoting social enterprise.”
