Partnership between CAIS Social Enterprises and St Giles Trust Cymru shortlisted for National Award

Following a successful evening at the Social Business Wales Awards back in September, with CAIS Social Enterprise (The Social Enterprise arm of Adferiad Recovery) and St Giles Trust Cymru jointly receiving the Community-Based Social Enterprise Award, we have been shortlisted as a finalist for the UK Social Enterprise Awards!

These prestigious national awards, run by Social Enterprise UK, recognise sector-leading excellence and innovation across 15 diverse categories, and CAIS Social Enterprises and St Giles Trust Cymru’s partnership work is up for Community-Based Social Enterprise of the Year.

With Social Enterprises employing 2.3 million people in the UK, across 131,000 businesses, we are delighted to be recognised as one of the best, and proud to be part of this pioneering business movement, operating a not-for-profit model that reinvests proceeds into vital community services provided by Adferiad.

We are thrilled to be recognised on a national stage for our projects based at Station Court, Colwyn Bay, including our successful outside catering service, room hire, and of course, our flagship social supermarket ‘Y Pantri,’ run in partnership with St Giles Trust Cymru. This pioneering initiative is a food hub with a difference, supporting individuals in the Colwyn Bay area who are struggling to with the cost of living to access high-quality products for a very low subscription fee. These award-winning projects operate alongside a range of other successful initiatives that CAIS Social Enterprises run across North Wales, including Porter’s Coffee Shops in Colwyn Bay and Llandudno Junction; Troop Café which also offers support to local veterans; business consultancy services, and our newly launched online counselling service ‘A Problem Shared.’

Representatives from CAIS Social Enterprise will be attending a VIP ceremony alongside colleagues from St Giles Trust Cymru at London’s iconic Roundhouse on Wednesday the 4^th of December to find out if we have won this highly sought-after award.

Commenting on being a UK Social Enterprise Awards finalist, Adferiad’s Chief Executive, Alun Thomas, said:

“We are delighted to be finalists in the UK Social Enterprise Awards having won the Welsh Community-Based Social Enterprise award with our partners St Giles Trust Cymru. The need for such social enterprise is even more crucial at this point in time, with many people struggling to make ends meet. CAIS Social Enterprises allows us to develop a range of socially effective and ethical business ventures alongside our specific charitable aims. We know how effective these activities are in supporting employment, embracing the local communities, and in providing hope and opportunity for both customers and people returning to the workplace. Our latest endeavours take us into the delivery of therapeutic counselling nationwide, and a supportive consultancy offer to businesses and charities across a wide range of vital matters such as diversity and inclusion, business, HR, and finance. We are very much looking forward to the Social Enterprise Awards on the 4th December. And look forward to hearing about all the great work done by the other finalists.”

Peter Holbrook, CBE, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK commented:

“Our Awards are the ultimate showcase of social enterprise impact and excellence – so those who made the shortlist represent the future of business, and a beacon of hope in turbulent times. Despite economic challenges, these trailblazers are not only making profit but using it for the good of people and planet. Businesses big and small have a vital role to play in solving the problems we face as a society, and the social enterprises celebrated at our Awards give us all inspiration and motivation to do business better.”

Find out more about CAIS Social Enterprise at www.adferiad.org/cse and find out more about the UK Social Enterprise Awards at www.socialenterprise.org.uk