The 2019 Cumbria Social Enterprise Partnership Awards took place on Tuesday, 5th March at Coronation Hall in Ulverston. The theme of this year’s event was ‘Social Enterprise … The Future of Business’.

There were four categories in this year’s awards:

• New Social Enterprise of the Year
• Community Enterprise of the Year
• Overall Social Enterprise of the Year
• Individual Social Entrepreneur of the Year

Rob Randell, Chair of the Cumbria Social Enterprise Partnership said

“Every year we are simply blown away by the amazing work that is being done by social enterprises throughout the county and it
makes choosing the winners very difficult. This year was no exception and the awards honoured some truly remarkable and
inspirational organisations and people.”

 

 

Theo accepting the award on behalf of his four legged friends!

 

The New Social Enterprise of the Year award was presented by Rachel Holliday of Time to Change to Alpacaly Ever After.  Alpacaly Ever After is a new social enterprise setup as a Community Interest Company less than 18 month ago. Since then over 7,000 people have participated in walks with their alpacas at the Lingholm Estate in Portinscale near Keswick and meet the alpacas at the Lakes Distillery. Their llamas have gone viral on social media with their video having over 5 million views on UNILAD and they are currently rated on Tripadvisor as number 1 out of 388 things to do in the Lake District.

 

 

 

Vanessa de Castro accepting the award on behalf of Gateway for Women

The New Social Enterprise Highly Commended Awardwas presented to the Gateway 4 Women centre based in the old Mitchells Dryers building in Denton Holme, Carlisle. The centre provides a safe, welcoming, women-only space for any woman to access a range of support, including domestic abuse, homelessness, drug and alcohol misuse and has supported more than 400 individual women since it opened its doors in October 2017. The centre has a Barista Coffee Bar and a fully-functioning Nail Salon, both of which are used for training purposes. In July 2018, 12 women qualified with a Level 2 Certificate in Manicure and Gel application.

 

 

Carlisle Mencap’s Chief Executive Sheila Gregory accepting the award

The Community Enterprise award was presented by Councillor Mark Wilson to Carlisle Mencap for their Independence Studio, based in Mencap’s Grace Little Centre in Kingmoor Park, Carlisle. The studio an art and animation studio is run by talented young adults with a learning disability and is the only one of its kind in the NW. The studio has created short films on a variety of important issues including sexual exploitation, hate crime, voting, healthy eating and most recently, mate crime. Their films have gained national recognition with both the Home & Cabinet Offices buying copies of their videos to distribute nationally. Their service users script-write, produce and appear in these films which are often based on incidents that have happened to them in real life.

The Community Enterprise Highly Commended award was presented to Creative Wellbeing. Creative Wellbeing works with statutory services and third sector organisations throughout Cumbria providing inclusive creative activities as a means to enhance personal and community wellbeing.

 

Keith Duck & Rachel Holliday of Time to Change

The Social Enterprise of the Year award was presented by Guy Huxtable of Wingspan Consulting to Time to Change (West Cumbria). Time to Change opened Calderwood House in October 2015 providing 11 ensuite rooms, a laundry, kitchen and a hub area used for training, dining and coffee mornings. Situated in the ormer Egremont police station, their mission it to tackle poverty and homelessness in West Cumbria and to challenge the negative stereotypes around homelessness. They have recently expanded and now have 5 self-contained affordable move on flats and have just signed a lease on a new property, which they plan to open as a women’s centre in the summer.

 

 

Matthew Tognarelli & Lisa Blackwell from People First Independent Advocacy

The Social Enterprise Highly Commended award was presented to People First Independent Advocacy. In February 2018, People First moved into an unused University of Cumbria library building on Milbourne Street, Carlisle.

They opened their Conference and Centre for Learning last year, which is unique in that not only does the centre serve as a professional conference and event hub, but also recruits and trains people with learning difficulties to run the centre through its ‘Hospitality Academy’. Working with employment specialists a range of training, skills and development opportunities for young adults with learning difficulties is being delivered in catering, hospitality, centre management and administration skills. Receiving on the job training as part of the in-house ‘Hospitality Academy’, learners will be able to achieve accredited qualifications.

 

 

Lisa Dykes Director of iCan Health & Fitness

The Social Entrepreneur award was presented by Sue Gilbertson from Cybermoor to Lisa Dykes, Director of iCan Health & Fitness CIC based in Denton Holme, Carlisle. Accepting the award Lisa said

“It was an honour to be nominated for an award, but to actually win is incredible. Since we setup our Community Interest Company less than two years ago, we have gone from strength to strength. It’s been a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but it’s all been worth it and shows what you can achieve if you’re passionate and determined about making a difference and we strive to do this every day at iCan.”

The Social Entrepreneur Highly Commended award was presented to Vanessa de Castro, Development Manager from Gateway 4 Women. Vanessa said “I am so honoured to receive the awards for Gateway 4 Women. Looking back to the start of 2018 I can’t believe where the year has gone and I am amazed at what we have achieved within the centre. This is due to having an incredible team of staff who are all so passionate about the work they do. I would also like to thank all our fabulous clients who have allowed us to be part of their lives”.

To download copies of the presentations from the day:

The audience also heard from some truly inspiration speakers including Julia Clifford and Lisa Dykes from iCan Health & Fitness Community Interest Company; Fraser Dooley from Amy’s Care Community Interest Company based in North Cumbria. Amy’s Care was inspired by and named after Fraser’s grandma Amy. They specialise in providing daycare through their social clubs for older adults and in particular for those living with dementia; Julia Walker from Lake District Mobility which was setup in 2017 as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation with the aim of breaking down the barriers that prevent people with limited mobility enjoying the great outdoors, either independently or with their friends and family. You can currently access their Tramper all terrain mobility scooters at Whinlatter Forest and soon at the Langdale Estate.

The speakers took part in a lively panel discussion with a Q&A session from the audience.

Cumbria County Council

The event was organised by Alston based Cybermoor Services on behalf of the Cumbria Social Enterprise Partnership as part of Cumbria County Council’s funded Social Enterprise Support & Network Programme.