Ethos Public Relations Manchester

Celebrate UK success on Social Enterprise Day and get involved!

by Ethos public relations

With increasing numbers of social enterprise organisations throughout the UK bucking the trend and thriving in the difficult economic climate, National Social Enterprise Day on Thursday 19 November, will celebrate the success of social enterprises everywhere.

One unique loan fund which will be celebrating Social Enterprise Day and encouraging more people to get involved, is The Social Enterprise Loan Fund (TSELF) which has, to date, invested £7million in social enterprises across the UK, helping clients to generate job opportunities as well as training places and has funds available now to help even more organisations.

TSELF is a Community Development Finance Institution and a registered charity aiming to support social enterprises engaged in social regeneration projects with the provision of loan finance.

One social enterprise which has recently benefitted from TSELF funding is Children?s Activity Centre, Funky World in Hartlepool, Teesside, which is now helping to transform the lives of disadvantaged children and young people in the area.

A loan of £116,500 from TSELF enabled Funky World to purchase premises and design a new centre - the only one of its kind in the area - to provide learning and play opportunities for disadvantaged youngsters, their carers and families. Now TSELF is looking for local social enterprises that could also benefit.

Mike Baker, Chief Executive at TSELF, said: "We are committed to helping social enterprises, and are keen to assist more charities, small businesses and social enterprises that are unable to secure sufficient funding from mainstream sources.

"Social Enterprise Day is a fantastic opportunity for individual social enterprises to engage with their local communities and a way for us all to raise awareness of social enterprise.

"We provide loans to social enterprises and charities ranging from £15,000 to £250,000, so we would like to encourage any social business to get in touch if they have funding needs at present."

The Social Enterprise Movement, now made up of tens of thousands of organisations, accounts for more than one per cent of the UK's total economy and Social Enterprise Day will not only help to raise awareness of the invaluable work social enterprises are doing, but will also encourage more people to get involved and to use enterprising ideas for social and environmental change.

For more details about TSELF visit www.tself.org.uk or call 020 7680 1028.

Posted at 16^th November 2009