Spark winners: £640,000 won by 15 innovative social enterprises tackling homelessness

08/07/2009

From Willow eco-coffins produced in Cambridge to inspiring Catering and Hospitality under the guidance of executive London chef Simon Boyle, the 15 winning Spark social enterprises have won amounts between £89,000 and £5,000, and they showcase the best business ideas and talent currently tackling homelessness in the UK.

Housing Minister Ian Austin said:

“Providing a route into training is a major way of helping break the cycle of unemployment and homelessness, and much of the success in recent years in reducing homelessness has been down to this.

“The Spark social enterprises programme has already played a major role in reducing homelessness by giving another chance to many people who have spent time on the streets.  I’m very confident this second phase of the programme, which is supported by £2.5m Government funding (over two years), will keep on helping homeless people, and I congratulate all the successful schemes.”

The 15 winners were selected from over 140 entrants in the £1.6 million Spark challenge, which aims to champion organisations that make a profit to tackle and prevent homelessness, following in the footsteps of other well-known social enterprises such as The Big Issue and Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen.

The challenge: Since being selected in March 2009, they have each had to prepare their business case and pitch to a high profile panel of private, public and third sector leaders (see Notes to Editors). As well as allocating the prize money, the panel also set each winner a challenge. These challenges ensure the enterprises stay focused on winning new business and meeting their social aims, whilst working alongside an expert team from one of the corporate partners: BT, Places for People and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Together, the enterprise and corporate team will take a combined commercial and social approach to maximize the impact of the Spark investment and their journey will be celebrated at an event on November 25th 2009, held at the BT tower.

NEW: This year also sees a new generation of homeless entrepreneurs, as 7 individuals who have directly or recently experienced homelessness come on board to receive personal and business support and see the realization of their truly creative business ideas. SPARKLERS is a new £50,000 pilot programme that offers support for the person, their business and their business growth; and with MP3 audio tours told from the street, juices and healthy foods to revitalize the socially disadvantaged and music to spin talented buskers out into festivals, the next 6 months should see the development of some of the most exciting new businesses tackling homelessness from where it’s at.

For further information download the press release, or contact Eastside on 020 7770 6144 and speak to Angelina Purcell.