The Create Foundation last night scooped a national prize as the ‘Trailblazing Newcomer’ at the SE 100 Awards in London. The RBS SE100 – similar to the FTSE100 - is an essential new tool that charts the growth and impact of organisations that deliver social, economic or environmental change.
The Create Foundation is a social enterprise based in Leeds which runs a catering company, four cafés, a warehouse distribution operation and a retro and ‘pre-loved’ clothing boutique.
Established in 2007 this community interest company was set up in response to the growing number of homeless people across Leeds. CEO, Sarah Dunwell says: “We set up Create in order to provide offer skills training, work experience and real employment opportunities for people who have been homeless, marginalised or vulnerable.”
“Create exists to support vulnerable and chaotic adults back to work,” she adds. In doing so it builds community cohesion, reduces crime, nurtures entrepreneurial spirit and ensures the sustenance of the local and social economy.
Create Food was the company’s first enterprise and is staffed by people from vulnerable backgrounds. Soon after, Café Create was established, offering employees ‘front of house’ training in a busy retail environment and there are 3 cafes in Leeds and one in Bradford. Following these successes, Found by Create, a boutique style charity shop selling vintage and pre-loved clothes was opened in October 2009 in the St John’s Centre in central Leeds which recently won a highly coveted Purple Apple marketing award, one of only three given nationwide, likened to ‘Oscar of the shopping centres.’
Create also operates as an independent FareShare franchise, redistributing surplus food to disadvantaged communities in the West Yorkshire area. All the profits from Found by Create go towards supporting the FareShare charity.
Since September 2007 Create has trained 32 people in food hygiene, 18 in literacy and numeracy and 12 in money skills. The social enterprise has created 44 full-time, permanent jobs for people who were vulnerable or at risk and works with 70 volunteers who are making the transition into full-time employment. Create supplies an average of 50 meals each day to each of its FareShare members, feeding more than 1,200 vulnerable people per week – and preventing around 20 tonnes of food each month from going to landfill.
It is a combination of rapid but sustainable growth, effective social impact measurement and far reaching ambition that makes this social enterprise truly worthy to be seen as a trailblazing champion.
By 2012 the company intends to provide 50 full-time jobs across its businesses and develop 20 new business centres in other areas of the country, each employing at least 10 people.
Create will continue to blaze a trail when it opens an innovative, pre-employment training academy, Create Potential in Leeds on June 14th 2010, securing a further 60 people each year into external employment. The Create Potential Academy enjoys the support of Morrisons plc as anchor retail client who have committed to take on graduating students ready for work at their new store opening in Leeds, recruiting in the Autumn as well as campaign for other national retailers to support this initiative as it develops nationwide.
“We believe in social enterprise as a radical tool that not only benefits so many, but also changes perceptions of society at large,” says Norman Pickavance, Chair of Create Foundation and HR Director at Morrisons.
Sarah, says “Create’s growing success is due to the fact that the people who work for the company believe in what they are doing , many having experienced being homeless themselves.
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