Funding boost for 10 groups across Sheffield

Representatives from the winning groups.

The social enterprises were each awarded £5000 from a central funding pot of £50, 000 through a partnership between Sheffield Social Enterprise Network and funding organisation UnLtd.

After an application process, the winning organisations were invited to present their ideas for their projects at the SSEN Christmas party at the Sentinel Brewery, Shoreham Street in the city centre on Wednesday, December 14.

The 10 organisations were:- Dancing for Health, Digitalk Sheffield, Avenues to Zero, NCWA Community Wrestling Alliance, The Suit Works, Media Training & Development Programme, Student Teaching, The Storybook Cafe, Our Cultures and Events & Festivals Service Package.

Along with the money, the winners will receive business support over the next 12 months to help further develop their community schemes.

Representatives also got the chance to speak with each other about their different schemes and to representatives of the media, MPs, councillors and business leaders.

Jon Johnson, partnerships officer for SSEN, congratulated all of the winners.

He added: “They are representative of the wide range of enterprises which are the rising stars of the local economy, meeting needs with innovative and inspired solutions.

“The network, set up to support, represent and advance the cause of social enterprise in Sheffield, has been working hard to secure money to help local ventures.

“This national pilot of place-based support is just what was needed, and it recognises the health of the sector in Sheffield that we have been chosen to run the pilot.”

He added: “We had a great range of different projects who received the money and we hope they will be able to use it to further develop their vital projects in the community.”

The money was awarded as part of a programme called The Sheffield Social Impact Accelerator, which is described as providing “a series of activities and a seed grant for a selected cohort of social entrepreneurs working in Sheffield.”

Jon and six other volunteers run the SSEN alongside their day jobs.