Meet the Best Social Enterprise finalists in the Rutland & Stamford Mercury Business Awards 2024
In the run-up to the Rutland & Stamford Mercury Business Awards 2024, we are introducing you to the finalists in each of our categories.
The awards are being held on Friday, September 27, at Rutland Hall Hotel, sponsored by Hegarty, when finalists in 10 categories will discover who has won.
This week we’re featuring the finalists in the Best Social Enterprise category, judged by Richard Olsen. Look out for other finalists over the coming weeks.
Going head to head will be four Stamford-based organisations: Options Day Care Opportunities, Osprey Leadership Foundation Second Helpings, and Stamford and Rutland Junior Netball Club.
Options Day Care Opportunities in Stamford provides meaningful activities to enhance the lives of adults and young people with additional needs.
The firm attended the awards last year but didn’t win but director Kim Glitherow said: “To be finalists is just as good as winning and we can’t wait for this year’s event to celebrate with all the other finalists.
“Our aim is to provide a professional service that is tailored to individual needs and interests while enhancing independence skills as well as quality of life. We are a dedicated team of seven staff who are devoted to creating a community that values diversity, dignity, and the unique abilities of all our adults and young people.”
Tim Mackrill founder of The Osprey Leadership Foundation will be attending the awards ceremony with Becky Park, who leads programmes and the day-to-day work of the charity.
He said: “The Osprey Leadership Foundation is very small but we are proud to be working locally, nationally and internationally to empower young conservationists.
“We run a range of programmes, both online and in person in the UK and The Gambia, to help young people recognise that anyone can be a leader and make change in the world around them."
Second Helpings is no stranger to the Best Social Enterprise award, having won it in 2018 and again in 2021.
The group collects food which is destined for the bin and distributes it to the public on a pay-as-you-feel basis through its community fridge and Saturday cafe.
Anne Earle, of the Second Helpings operations committee, said: “We are really happy to have been nominated for this award and are excited about the awards evening - it will be like the Oscars.”
She added: “All of our services are on a pay-as-you-feel basis.
“We have well in excess of 100 active volunteers across the charity.
“We also have projects partnering with other charities in the town, which is a fairly new initiative.”
The Rutland and Stamford Junior Netball League brings together clubs from across the area.
This includes Stamford and Rutland Junior Netball Club, Shooting Stars, Bourne Netball Club, Yaxley Netball Club, Total Sports and Fenland Netball Club fielded teams.
It first started in 2018 and since then has picked up pace.
The other categories are: Best New Start-Up (sponsored by Alltech); Best Independent Retailer (sponsored by Hegarty); Business Innovation (sponsored by Stamford College); Team of the Year (sponsored by PVS Media), Businessperson of the Year (sponsored by Quibble); Environmental Champion (judged by Lincolnshire County Council); Customer Care (sponsored by Thetford Farm Estate), Small Business of the Year (sponsored by South Kesteven District Council) and Large Business of the Year (sponsored by Chattertons).
Tickets for the event are on sale now and can be bought from tinyurl.com/MercuryBusinessAwards2024
With grateful thanks to our headline sponsor Hegarty, category sponsors Alltech, Chattertons, South Kesteven District Council, Stamford College, Quibble and Thetford Farm Estate, and drinks reception sponsor and host Rutland Hall Hotel, event programme sponsor Moore Thompson and video production company PVS Media.
