Social Saturday 2016: Raising Awareness Of Social Enterprises In Blaenau Gwent

Social Saturday on 15th October 2016 is a UK-wide initiative to celebrate and raise awareness of British social enterprises – businesses that trade for a social or environmental purpose, reinvesting their profits for good. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Since its inception in 2014, Social Saturday has reached millions of people through local events, national and regional media coverage, Twitter and Facebook. This year the Welsh campaign is once again being coordinated by the Wales Co-operative Centre, through its ERDF and Welsh Government funded Social Business Wales project. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

One of the key aims of Social Saturday is to boost the number of people buying from Welsh social enterprises. The campaign website will showcase many such businesses selling a range of goods and services to the public. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

How you can help to shine a light on local social enterprises ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The social enterprise sector in Wales is redefining how business gets done, employing over 38,000 people, supporting 38,500 active volunteers and contributing an estimated £1.7billion to the national economy. We also know that when you buy from them, society profits. There are social enterprises in your borough that are transforming lives and strengthening the local community, and Social Saturday is a great opportunity to shine a light on these alternative businesses. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ways in which to get involved ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

There are a number of ways in which you can support the campaign. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• Recommend social enterprises in your area which we can feature in the campaign – they need to be offering a service to the public, and open on Social Saturday!
• Have a Social Saturday takeover on your website and social media accounts, with digital banners and twibbons
• Organise visits to local social enterprises for Councillors and Council Officers with an interest in regeneration, procurement or partnerships
• Raise awareness of the Social Saturday through your Council’s communications channels
• Organise a market/event bringing together consumer facing social enterprises in your area to sell to the public

Whatever you decide to do, don’t forget to tell us about it so we can feature it in our media briefings and on the campaign website, www.socialsaturday.wales. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​