Nationwide social enterprise showcase launched at Dagenham skatepark
The launch of Social Saturday - Credit: Archant
A nationwide celebration of social enterprises was launched in Dagenham by a skateboarding minister on Thursday.
Minister Rob Wilson with skateboarder Husayn Smart - Credit: Archant
Social Saturday, part of Social Enterprise UK’s Buy Social campaign, aims to raise the profile of the thousands of social enterprises across the UK.
Attended by the Minister for Civil Society, Rob Wilson MP, the launch at Barking Sporthouse’s Better Extreme skate park signalled the kicked-off of a series of events held by companies throughout the UK in the run up to Social Saturday itself, October 10.
“Social Saturday is a great opportunity for people across the country to buy social and explore the breadth of this vibrant and growing sector,” he said.
“We want to help social enterprises thrive, which is why we are making it easier for people to invest in the social enterprises they support the most, helping us to build a truly compassionate society.”
Skateboarders at Sporthouse - Credit: Archant
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There are currently around 70,000 social enterprises across the country who are tackling social and environmental issues, reinvesting or donating their profits to meet their social mission.
The Buy Social campaign raises awareness amongst consumers, and the public and private sectors to try and get people buying from social enterprises, harnessing their purchasing power to deliver substantial social impact.
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And alongside the serious nature of the day, the morning also involved a series of skateboarding and BMX demos, before Mr Wilson and Peter Holbrook chief executive of Social Enterprise UK were given a crash-course.
“In nearly every town and city in the UK, chances are there is a social enterprise doing fantastic work for the community,” he said.
“Social Saturday is about shining a spotlight on them.”
Visit socialenterprise.org.uk for more.
