The brightest stars of the social enterprise movement in Scotland have been recognised at a prestigious national awards ceremony.
The Social Enterprise Awards Scotland 2022
The Social Enterprise Awards recognise the unique economic and social contribution made by the sector across Scotland.
The awards, hosted by Social Enterprise Scotland, were held at the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, November 1.
Judges looked at entrants across six categories, including the coveted Social Enterprise of the Year, which was awarded to Hey Girls CIC. The social enterprise tackles period poverty.
Other winners were Coffee Saints, an Edinburgh social enterprise café, who scooped the One to Watch Award, Social Supermarket, an online platform bringing together products from more than 100,000 social enterprises in one place, which was given the Market Builder Award, and Glasgow-based language school Lingo Flamingo, which won the Health and Social Care Award.
Wood RecyclAbility won the Environmental Social Enterprise Award for its work to transform some 1,500 tonnes of waste wood into practical products each year.
Catherine Jones, from the Grassmarket Community Project was named Social Enterprise Champion of the Year for her work to tackle exclusion through mentoring, education and support.
The Volunteer Champion this year is Adam Leishman, Fareshare & the West of Scotland. Adam has acted as a mentor in supporting the most difficult-to-reach young people and volunteers throughout the pandemic. Adam also took responsibility to design and implement a new garden for everyone to enjoy and sit chatting about their shared experiences in life.
In July this year, Social Enterprise Scotland was chosen by the Scottish Government to represent social enterprises in Scotland with one clear voice.
The independent and membership-led organisation supports and promotes the rich and diverse social enterprise sector across the country, helping them to maximise their social and economic contribution to Scotland.
Chris Martin, chief executive of Social Enterprise Scotland, said:
“Our winners show the incredible contribution made by social enterprises in tackling some of the most pressing issues we face – from the environment to poverty and inequality.
“The last two years have been extremely challenging not only for trade, but also for the people and communities supported by our social enterprise community.
“The part that they play in supporting people and communities has never been more important, and I would like to pay tribute to their resilience and entrepreneurial spirit as they ensure support reached the communities that need it the most.
“I would also like to thank our sponsors for their support in making the awards possible. We are privileged to have a community like this and we are proud to celebrate with you.”
A full list of shortlisted social enterprises and winners is below.
Social Enterprise of the Year Award
(Supported by Keegan and Pennykid)
This award recognises organisations with great vision, leadership and management who have a high degree of customer satisfaction and sustainability, and help promote social enterprise beyond the sector.
Shortlist: Edinburgh Remakery, Hey Girls CIC, Just Trading Scotland, Scran Academy, The Larder
2022 Winner: Hey Girls CIC
One to Watch Award
(Supported by Bold Studio)
This award recognises organisations with a creative approach to impact problem-solving, a clear future vision and strong potential for success and growth.
Shortlist: Coffee Saints, Kindness & Co CIC, Make Do & Grow CIC
2022 Winner: Coffee Saints
Market Builder Award
(Supported by Social Enterprise Academy)
This award recognises organisations in the social, public or private sector who are champions of the social enterprise model and help build markets for social enterprises by creating opportunities to buy social.
Shortlist: Social Supermarket, SDP (Supplier Development Programme)
2022 Winner: Social Supermarket
Health and Social Care Award
(Supported by Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland)
This award recognises organisations that deliver excellent support to their users and customers around a health and social care mission, including physical and mental health as well as wellbeing.
Shortlist: Care Opinion Scotland, Lingo Flamingo, Mellow Parenting, MorphFit Gentle Movement Project, S.M.I.L.E. Counselling
2022 Winner: Lingo Flamingo
Environmental Social Enterprise Award
(Supported by Circular Communities Scotland)
This award recognises organisations that demonstrate excellence in green and environmental impact delivery, place sustainability at the heart of their mission and play a key role in the fight against climate change.
Shortlist: ApparelXchange, Move On Wood Recycling, Sustainable Thinking CIC, The Bike Station, Wood RecyclAbility
2022 Winner: Wood RecyclAbility
Social Enterprise Champion
(Supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise)
This award celebrates an individual working or volunteering in a social enterprise who goes above and beyond to make a difference, support the mission of the organisation and deliver impact.
Shortlist: Lorraine Close, Outreach Director at Edinburgh Community Yoga; June Dickson, Director at Environmental Health CIC; Catherine Jones, Social Enterprise Director at Grassmarket Community Project; Adam Leishman, Volunteer Warehouse Operative at FareShare Glasgow & the West of Scotland; Steve McNaught, Coordinator at Arkbound Foundation
2022 Winner: Catherine Jones, Grassmarket Community Project
We are delighted to announce the finalists for the 2022 Social Enterprise Awards Scotland. This year’s shortlist of 25 organisations and individuals featured across six award categories have impressed us all with their mission and the impact they deliver. We’d like to thank all the social enterprises who took the time to apply to this year’s awards.
Save the date and join us at the awards ceremony on November 1st, which will be a hybrid event with a reception at the Scottish Parliament and a digital celebration. We’re delighted to announce that Ariane Burgess, Scottish Greens MSP will be joining us on the evening.
Now, let’s meet our Social Enterprise Awards finalists!
Social Enterprise of the Year Award
Supported by Keegan and Pennykid
One to Watch Award
Supported by Bold Studio
Market Builder Award
Supported by Social Enterprise Academy
Social Supermarket
SDP (Supplier Development Programme)
Health and Social Care Award
Supported by Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland
MorphFit Gentle Movement Project
Environmental Social Enterprise Award
Supported by Circular Communities Scotland
Social Enterprise Champion Award
Supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise
Lorraine Close, Outreach Director, Edinburgh Community Yoga
June Dickson, Director at Environmental Health CIC
Catherine Jones, Social Enterprise Director at Grassmarket Community Project
Adam Leishman, Volunteer Warehouse Operative at FareShare Glasgow & the West of Scotland
Steve McNaught, Coordinator at Arkbound Foundation
Congratulations to all the finalists and a big thank you to our 2022 Sponsors. Take part in the conversation on social media and share the word with colleagues and peers using the hashtag #SocEntAwards22.
We are delighted to announce that applications have opened for this year’s Social Enterprise Awards Scotland. Celebrating the work and impact of social enterprises across the country, the awards are a fantastic opportunity to showcase the very best of the sector and highlight the active role that social enterprises play in building places, supporting communities and the positive impact they have on the environment and wellbeing.
There are six categories to apply for this year: Social Enterprise of the Year Scotland, One to Watch, Market Builder Award, Health and Social Care Award, Environmental Social Enterprise and Social Enterprise Champion. Winners will be announced at an in-person awards ceremony later this year.
We encourage you to apply for the Social Enterprise Awards Scotland 2022, the deadline for entries to be submitted is 9am on Monday July 18th and please do share the word with colleagues and peers using the hashtag #SocEntAwards22 to take part in the conversation online.
If you’d like to discuss the application process with a member of staff, please email [email protected] or call 07419213466.
An online ceremony was hosted this Tuesday 2nd November to unveil the 2021 winners across seven award categories in the Social Enterprise Awards Scotland.
Competition was tough, with excellent finalists in many categories and some hard decisions for our judges. Download our Shortlist Brochure to learn about this year’s 29 finalists here.
We would like to say a big thank you to our 2021 sponsors for their support in making the Social Enterprise Awards Scotland possible. And now, let’s meet out winners!
🏆 Social Enterprise of the Year Award | Supported by Keegan and Pennykid
This award recognises organisations with great vision, leadership and management who have a high degree of customer satisfaction and sustainability, and help promote social enterprise beyond the sector.
Shortlist: FareShare Glasgow and the West of Scotland, Furniture Plus, Locavore, The Larder West Lothian, The Furniture Project (Stranraer).
2021 Winner: Locavore
Highly Commended: The Larder West Lothian
👀 One to Watch Award | Supported by Bold Studio
This award recognises organisations with a creative approach to impact problem-solving, a clear future vision and strong potential for success and growth.
Shortlist: Greater Govanhill, Highland Tourism, Social Print and Copy, Somewhere, Turn The Tables.
2021 Winner: Greater Govanhill
💥 Prove it: Social Impact Award | Supported by BAM Nuttall
This award recognises organisations who are best in class in communicating and demonstrating their impact through measurement, reporting, and transparency.
Shortlist: Beith Community Development Trust, Care Opinion Scotland, Invisible Cities, The No.1 Befriending Agency.
2021 Winner: The No.1 Befriending Agency
🔊 Market Builder Award
This award recognises organisations in the social, public or private sector who are champions of the social enterprise model and help build markets for social enterprises by creating opportunities to buy social.
2021 Winner: Morrison Construction
🤝 Health and Social Care Award | Supported by the Social Enterprise Academy
This award recognises organisations that deliver excellent support to their users and customers around a health and social care mission, including physical and mental health as well as wellbeing.
Shortlist: Care Opinion Scotland, FEAT Trading, Lingo Flamingo, Talking Mats, The Seed Box.
2021 Winner: Talking Mats
♻️ Environmental Social Enterprise Award | Supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise
This award recognises organisations that demonstrate excellence in green and environmental impact delivery, place sustainability at the heart of their mission and play a key role in the fight against climate change.
Shortlist: Home Basics Tweeddale Company, Move On Wood Recycling, Remake Scotland, The Edinburgh Remakery.
2021 Winner: Remake Scotland | Watch the video here.
🦸♂️ Social Enterprise Champion Award |Supported by Big Issue Invest
This award celebrates an individual working or volunteering in a social enterprise who goes above and beyond to make a difference, support the mission of the organisation and deliver impact.
Shortlist: Angela Moohan from The Larder West Lothian, Ayeshah Khan from The Health and Wellness Hub, Jocky Stewart from Cyrenians, Laura Wilson from Edinburgh Community Yoga, and Sotiris Katsimpas from The Edinburgh Remakery.
2021 Winner: Jocky Stewart – Cyrenians
Chris Martin, CEO of Social Enterprise Scotland, said: “Congratulations to all our 2021 Social Enterprise in Scotland Award winners; you really exemplified the incredible contributions made by social enterprises in tackling social and environmental issues in Scotland. Trading conditions were inevitably disrupted for a lot of social enterprises, and this year we saw the resilience and the entrepreneurial spirit of the sector as many pivoted to ensure support reached the communities that needed it the most.“
Congratulations to all our 2021 winners! Take part in the conversation on social media and share the word with colleagues and peers using the hashtag #SocEntAwards21.
The Annual Awards are Back! We are delighted to host our 2021 Social Enterprise Awards Scotland this November 2nd at 3.30pm. This online event is a unique opportunity to celebrate the work of Scotland’s brilliant social enterprises. Book your free place now and please share with colleagues and peers.
While we are still not able to run our event in person at Scottish Parliament, we know there is still so much to shout about and highlight from social enterprise organisations across Scotland. We have seven awards to announce this year including: Social Enterprise of the Year, One to Watch, Prove It (social impact) Health and Social Care, Environmental, Market Builder and Social Enterprise Champion.
This online event is a great opportunity to celebrate the work of the great organisations in our sector, get inspired and network with each other. Everyone is welcome to attend, so don’t miss out! We will be joined on the day by Tom Arthur, MSP for Renfrewshire South and Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth.
Come support and hear from the 29 organisations shortlisted as well as a range of practitioners from the social enterprise sector. RSVP to the event now by booking a free ticket here. We’ll see you there!
We are delighted to unveil the shortlisted applicants for the 2021 Social Enterprise Awards Scotland. Our judges have been hard at work reviewing the applications prepared by organisations across Scotland over the last couple of weeks and today we are introducing you to our finalists.
Download our shortlist brochure here.
The shortlisted organisations across the seven award categories have all impressed us with their applications, mission and purpose, and the impact they deliver. We’d like to thank all the social enterprises who took the time to apply to this year’s awards.
Save the date to join us at the 2021 Awards on November 2nd. This is likely to be a blended event with a reception at the Scottish Parliament and a digital celebration. We will announce further details closer to the date and look forward to showcasing the incredible impact of social enterprise together at this year’s award ceremony.
We’re also delighted to announce that Lorna Slater, Co-leader of the Scottish Greens and MSP for the Lothian Region will be joining us for the 2021 Awards ceremony.
Now, let’s meet our Social Enterprise Awards finalists!
Social Enterprise of the Year Award 🌟
Supported by Keegan and Pennykid
FareShare Glasgow and the West of Scotland
Furniture Plus
Locavore
The Larder West Lothian
The Furniture Project (Stranraer)
One to Watch Award 👀
Supported by Bold Studio
Greater Govanhill
Highland Tourism
Social Print and Copy
Somewhere
Turn The Tables
Prove it: Social Impact Award 💥
Supported by BAM Nuttall
Beith Community Development Trust
Care Opinion Scotland
Invisible Cities
The No.1 Befriending Agency
Market Builder Award 🔊
Morrison Construction
Health and Social Care Award 🤝
Supported by the Social Enterprise Academy
Care Opinion Scotland
FEAT Trading
Lingo Flamingo
Talking Mats
The Seed Box
Environmental Social Enterprise Award ♻️
Supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and South of Scotland Enterprise
Home Basics Tweeddale Company
Move On Wood Recycling
Remake Scotland
The Edinburgh Remakery
Social Enterprise Champion Award 🦸♂️
Supported by Big Issue Invest
Angela Moohan – The Larder West Lothian
Ayeshah Khan – The Health and Wellness Hub
Jocky Stewart – Cyrenians
Laura Wilson – Edinburgh Community Yoga
Sotiris Katsimpas – The Edinburgh Remakery
Chris Martin, CEO of Social Enterprise Scotland, said: “I always look forward to hearing who has been shortlisted for the Social Enterprise Awards in Scotland. We have seen social enterprises step up to serve their local communities throughout the pandemic and I’m excited to hear the stories of social impact that will inevitably give our judges some difficult decisions.“
Congratulations to all the finalists and a big thank you to our 2021 Sponsors. Take part in the conversation on social media and share the word with colleagues and peers using the hashtag #SocEntAwards21.
To request a social enterprise news feature of any length for print, for further information or to arrange an interview about the awards, please contact: Jesse Audubey at [email protected]
We are entering deadline week, with just seven days now before the deadline for applications on Monday July 19th. Are you thinking of applying to the awards this year?
In today’s blog post, we are sharing insights from past winners who were recognised in our 2019 awards and encouragement from our board and staff to put your social enterprise forward. We’d love to hear from you and hear your story of impact.
“The Social Enterprise Awards Scotland is an annual event that showcases some of the amazing work social enterprises in Scotland are doing. It is a great opportunity for social enterprises to have their stories told and their work highlighted to a national and international audience. In addition to raising the profiles of social enterprises, the awards are well-known throughout the sector and being a winner or shortlisted candidate is a great achievement that can help organisations with their future promotion, apply for new contracts or funding applications. But most importantly, the awards provide a platform for the groups social enterprises are working with and provide awareness about the social issues in our communities. In a year that has been particularly challenging for many, we’ve seen social enterprises step up to help those in need and doing everything they can to support their local community. The awards will recognise the hard work of these social enterprises so if your organisation has been going above and beyond make sure you apply!”
Clarrie Murdoch, Community Host at Impact Hub Inverness and Board Member at Social Enterprise Scotland.
“CFINE recognised the prestige and profile which would come from winning the award and was integral in raising further awareness to the continued development of CFINE’s activities. The application was very smooth and the team at CFINE were delighted when they received the news we had been shortlisted. Winning the award was an extremely proud moment for everyone involved in the organisation, not just the staff and our board of directors, but it was especially rewarding for the hundreds of volunteers who work tirelessly to ensure what we do on a daily basis has a positive impact on our community. Two years on, we are still very proud and we continue to “shout” about this prestigious award!”
Fiona Rae, Deputy Chief Executive at Community Food Initiatives North East, Winner of the Social Enterprise of the Year Award in 2019.
“The Shieling Project was keen to enter the Social Enterprise Awards Scotland to try and get our name out more widely, and show the work we had done in sustainability education, and sustainable building and management of our education centre. We were very pleased to be short-listed and excited to come down to the Scottish Parliament for the awards – which was a big trip for us coming from the North of Scotland. It was a shock to win, and we were over the moon! It was such a friendly event, and an easy process to apply, we’d recommend it to everyone. The award was a big boost to our confidence, and definitely a factor in more recent successful funding bids. Plus we have the lovely award itself sitting in pride of place in our office.”
Sam Harrison, Executive Director at The Shieling Project, Winner of the Environmental Social Enterprise Award in 2019.
“As a new social enterprise, it was vital that we built our reputation and profile in the Scottish business community. We were aware that the Social Enterprise Scotland Awards are widely considered the most prestigious across the sector, meaning we were delighted to submit our nomination. The process was extremely straightforward and allowed us to showcase the progress our team had made since we opened in 2018. The award ceremony was the highlight of our year, giving us the opportunity to meet a diverse range of business and social enterprise leaders as well as local and national policy makers and ministers. It really helped elevate our status within Scotland and would highly encourage any Scottish social enterprise to apply!“
Michelle Ferguson, Director at Scotland’s Bravest Manufacturing Company, Winner of the One to Watch Social Enterprise Award in 2019.
“I was shocked and humbled to win the Social Enterprise Champion award, especially given the calibre of the other finalists. Winning this award has been a fantastic experience and I would say it has given my colleagues at Community Renewal and I increased confidence and perhaps our more radical and ambitious ideas are gaining more traction with stakeholders as a result.”
Paul McColgan, CEO and Founder of Community Renewal Trust, Winner of the Social Enterprise Champion Award in 2019.
Is it your time to shine? Don’t delay and send us your application for one or more of the seven award categories available this week. If you have any questions at all or need support with your application, you can reach out to our team by contacting Jonathon by email at [email protected] or by phone at 07 419 213 466.
After a change to our awards format in 2020, we are delighted to bring back our traditional awards programme recognising the incredible work of social enterprise organisations here in Scotland.
This year again, we are delighted to link our awards to the UK wide programme in England, Northern Ireland and Wales, offering wider opportunities for promotion and celebration of the work of Scottish social enterprises in the past year. We owe a big thank you to our 2021 sponsors for their support in making the Social Enterprise Awards Scotland possible.
While our event will not have a COVID-19 focus, as our Digital Showcase did in 2020, we know so many organisations have really demonstrated great community leadership and impact in the past year and this is something our judging panel will take into account.
We are delighted to have seven award categories open for application this year and in recognising the way people and teams have come together in difficult circumstances, we have also updated our Social Enterprise Champion category to include all staff and volunteers. This is a great opportunity to nominate and celebrate someone in your team who has gone above and beyond to really support your organisation and its mission this last year.
While it’s too early to announce arrangements for our 2021 event, as we will still need to be run in line with the regulations at the time, please save the date (November 2nd) as we hope to run a blended event, using digital and face to face event formats.
We encourage you to apply in the Social Enterprise Awards Scotland 2021, the deadline for entries to be submitted is Monday, July 19th 2021 and please do share the word with colleagues and peers using the hashtag #SocEntAwards21 to take part in the conversation online.
Social Enterprise Scotland host a Digital Showcase to highlight efforts of social enterprise sector as it faced up to Covid challenges
The success of the social enterprise sector to address challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic will be showcased at a unique and free online event next week.
The Social Enterprise Digital Showcase on November 3rd is a chance for social enterprises and supporters of the sector to come together and hear from some of the individuals who were able to bring additional support to their local communities as the country was placed under lockdown restrictions.
Aileen Campbell, Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government, is also taking part in the online event, and will be sharing her insights into how the social enterprise sector has fared over the past nine months.
The Digital Showcase will highlight the work of 19 social enterprises that received a £350 bursary from Social Enterprise Scotland to help tell their impact stories of lockdown life. Three of these enterprises also received additional support by way of a short film, which will be aired at the Digital Showcase and subsequent follow-up events.
With a geographical spread from the Northern Isles and Western Isles to the south of Scotland and across the central belt and north-east coast, the Social Enterprise Digital Showcase will highlight a range of organisations that supported their local communities during lockdown. From supplying remodelled laptops and online health support to improving food distribution and helping parents care for their children. These enterprises, and many others like them, were able to demonstrate remarkable agility and resilience during the pandemic. Many have also successfully adapted their services to continue to deliver impact and support, as leaders demonstrated bold decisions, staff stepped up, and as a community we all learned how to work in a more digital world.
As well as hearing from a range of speakers, the event will include a series of “fireside chats” that will feature question and answer sessions, while a breakout session will enable participants to meet other members and network.
Chris Martin, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise Scotland, said:
“In one week we will be hosting our Social Enterprise Digital Showcase where we will be sharing just a few of the very many inspirational stories and powerful experiences we saw as the sector rose up to the enormous and difficult challenges brought about by the Covid pandemic.
This has not been an easy time for anyone, but the work of the social enterprise sector has had such a positive and profound impact across the country that we are extremely proud to host his sector-wide snapshot and taking this unique opportunity to shine a light on 19 of those enterprises.
We opened the application process for only two weeks and the fact that we had to choose from a long list of 65 demonstrates the high number of positive stories out there. While we will be focusing on the positives, we will also be reflecting on many of the challenges that remain, and I’m delighted to be welcoming the Cabinet Secretary, Aileen Campbell to the event, and I am very grateful for her continued support for our community.
I would also like to personally thank our five sponsors: Firstport, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Keegan & Pennykid, Social Enterprise Academy and South of Scotland Enterprise.”
The 19 bursary-winning enterprises taking part in the Digital Showcase include: Edinburgh Remakery, Lanark Community Development Trust, Locavore Community Interest Company, The Furniture Project (Stranraer) Limited, Findhorn Bay Arts, The Haven in Stonehaven, Food Train, Tsukure Hub CIC, Projekt 42, Space & Broomhouse Hub, Isle Develop CIC, FareShare Glasgow and the West of Scotland, Cyrenians, The Bike Station, Community Food Initiatives North East, Point and Sandwick Trust, Thorn Athletic Community Trust, The Libertie Project, and the ALICE Theatre Project.
To book your free place at the Social Enterprise Digital Showcase, visit: https://members.
socialenterprise.scot/events/ 5f7b9121a6278f00078941d5/ description On social media platforms, we’ll be using the hashtag: #SocEntShowcase
Press Release – Wednesday 16 September 2020
This past year has been a year like no other. The impact of Covid-19 on our communities, and the rest of the world, has been unprecedented. It’s a challenge that looks set to remain and while aware this will continue to be a difficult time, we wanted to recognise the impact our sector has had during the current time.
For over ten years now Social Enterprise Scotland has held an annual gathering at the Scottish Parliament to celebrate the impact and work delivered by our sector. We were due to host our awards in November this year, however, we did not feel it was appropriate to run our annual awards in the traditional way. Instead, we want to take the time to highlight the work of our sector and thank those people and organisations that have stepped up to support their communities during such a difficult period.
We are today therefore launching our Digital Showcase 2020. The showcase will be held on Tuesday 3rd November and will provide an opportunity to offer a formal thank you for all staff and volunteers involved.
Applications for the showcase are now open and will close on Wednesday 30th September. We will then work with organisations to develop material for the showcase that they can also use to promote the work they have undertaken – small grants/bursaries will be available for this.
For more information on the awards or to submit your application please visit https://socialenterpriseawards.scot/
From mental health support, food banks and support for the homeless, production of PPE and signage to prescription services and the fast development of services for those who were shielding – many have quickly pivoted services to deal with an immediate crisis, leaders have demonstrated bold choices, staff have stepped up and we have all learnt how to operate in a more digital world.
Chris Martin, CEO at Social Enterprise Scotland notes “We really hope you can join us and encourage you to apply. We know this remains a challenging situation for many and we will continue to represent and support the sector moving forwards. We want to remain hopeful, encourage our sector and even where organisations have not been able to pivot, we can still congratulate leadership through challenging times. We want to showcase the agility, ability and active role our sector has played building on the trust and confidence strengthened during Covid. We hope this trust and commitment will be remembered in future commissioning of services and that future contracts will recognise the need for smaller, more agile organisations alongside larger contractors”.
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Download this press release here.