Member Article

Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award finalists announced

Five entrepreneurs from across the UK have been named on the shortlist for the Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Each of the five finalists are in with a chance of winning the £10,000 grand prize award, they are:

• Shaun Fox – Legacy School Sport CIC delivers PE, Sport and Health programmes in school and community settings. PE curriculum support is provided in primary schools plus out of school hours clubs, holiday camps and Bikeability training to keep young people healthy and active
• Jane Hatton – Evenbreak: a specialist online job board run by disabled people for disabled people. Evenbreak helps inclusive employers attract more disabled candidates; helps disabled jobseekers find work and promotes the benefits of employing disabled people
• Becky John – Who Made Your Pants?: a social business based in Southampton, creating jobs for women who are refugees. It takes perfect fabrics left over from the lingerie industry and turns them into gorgeous new pants for women
• Andy Ross – New Caledonian Woodlands: a social & environmental enterprise which benefits both people and the planet. Engages over 1,200 individuals per year on eight projects, focus on tackling mental ill-health and employability (people) and encouraging greener lifestyles (planet)
• Siân Workman – Building Lives CIC: social landlords donate community spaces to Building Lives in the heart of deprived communities. These are then transformed into Construction Training Academies which train hundreds of local people a year, preparing them for the construction industry

This year, in addition to the grand prize award of £10,000, prizes of £6,000 and £4,000 will be awarded to the runner-ups, as voted for by the public.

Voting in the award is now open at: www.the-sse.org/SEYA, and closes on 31 October.

The winner of the Award will be announced on the evening the 5th of November at a ceremony in London.

The award is sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group and co-ordinated by the School for Social Entrepreneurs.

Alastair Wilson, CEO of the School of Social Entrepreneurs, said: “I was blown away at the Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award shortlisting panel, the talent and passion of all the applicants is incredible. The five finalists particularly impressed with their social impact, recent growth and plans to scale up their social enterprises.”

“Selecting the winner of the £10,000 is a hard task and I’m secretly pleased that staff can’t vote, because the decision is too tough to call! Good luck to all the finalists, I look forward to seeing who the public choose as their winner and the impact that £10,000 will make to one of these brilliant social enterprises.”

Graham Lindsay, Group Director, Responsible Business & Community Affairs at Lloyds Banking Group said “The Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland Social Entrepreneurs Programme sits at the heart of our helping Britain Prosper Plan. The five finalists for the Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2014 have particularly demonstrated what we mean by this, through delivering a positive impact to society and bringing tangible benefits to communities, individuals and the environment.”

“We wish Shaun, Jane, Becky, Andy and Sian luck during the campaign and encourage the public to show their support by voting.”

To vote for one of the five Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award finalists, visit: www.the-sse.org/SEYA

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Cara J. Stewart .