Here wins Social Enterprise of the Year 2017

Here, a progressive social enterprise based in Brighton, has scooped Social Enterprise of the Year at the UK Social Enterprise Awards, held at the Royal Horticultural Halls in London.

Here has been recognised for its innovative, person-centred healthcare services that touch the lives of millions of people across the UK. Working with partners to design healthcare and wellbeing solutions around the real needs of people, Here is transforming the focus of care from ‘what’s the matter?’ to ‘what matters to you?’ – helping individuals and their families in living the best lives they can and feeling in charge and control of their healthcare decisions.

Zoe Nicholson, Here CEO and Co-founder said:

“We are so excited to win this award, and it’s testament to the hard work of all the people who work with citizens to help them live well. It’s also a reflection of the great work of all those organisations we partner with locally.

“Our partners include citizens, GPs and local healthcare practitioners, commissioners, NHS Trusts and healthcare companies, third sector providers, social enterprises, and community groups. They’re all dedicated to doing what matters for the people we serve. This award is as much a reflection of their achievements as of Here’s.

“At Here we recognise that our national and local healthcare systems are under massive pressure. Like many organisations we have been trying to tackle this pressure through integration, the sharing of resources and skills, co-location, collaboration and better communication. And still the pressures on our systems seem to mount with ever growing intensity.

“So our strategy reflects this. We understand that we have a duty to deliver on our promises in the context of the existing services we lead and help to provide for people in our community. But we see our purpose as doing much more than this. We’re asking questions about how we know we’re making a difference to citizens, how we understand what matters to them, and how a radical redesign of existing systems might help us deliver more care.”

Proud of its social enterprise roots, Here seeks ways to support social enterprises locally, building a community of like-minded organisations that can learn from each other and build collective momentum to develop happy, healthy communities.

The national Awards, organised by Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) recognises excellence and outstanding achievements by social enterprises - businesses set up to for a social purpose that reinvest or donate the majority of their profits to meet their mission. There are now nearly 80,000 social enterprises in the UK, contributing £24 billion to the economy each year.

Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise UK said:

“The UK Social Enterprise Awards are a real testament to the dynamism and diversity of the UK social enterprise sector. This year’s winners have included a social enterprise employing IT consultants who bring together the unique talents of people living with autism, coffee carts transforming the lives of those without a home, a film company opening up the creative industries to young people and even a social enterprise dental service working in some of the UK’s most challenging neighbourhoods.

Social enterprises are continuing to prove that they’re a force to be reckoned with, they’re creating solutions to some of the biggest challenges we face and showing how business can and should be done.”

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Notes to Editors

Photos are available at:
https://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/winners-of-the-2017-social-enterprise-awards

About Here

Here’s services touch the lives of over 1 million citizens in Sussex and the South East who might need support with mental health problems, conditions relating to their bones, joints or eyes, or help with the management of long terms conditions like arthritis. Their integrated services put people at the centre of their care and remove the barriers and fragmentation that can occur in existing services. The practical solutions they offer to Primary Care helps over 5 million people nationwide by helping General Practices manage their workflow, ensuring citizen records are up to date and creating a more seamless journey for the people who use their service.

Founded in 2008, Here are owned by GPs, practice managers, nurses and their staff. Their partners include citizens, GPs and local healthcare practitioners, clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), NHS Trusts, third sector providers, social enterprises, independent sector and other healthcare companies and community groups. They transform the focus of care from ‘what’s the matter?’ to ‘what matters to you?’

For more information about Here, please contact Emma Whelan on 07905 331470.

www.hereweare.org.uk

About Here’s partners

We work with Mind, YMCA Downslink Group, Alzheimers Society, Age UK, the Carers Centre, Horder Healthcare and Possability People.

Our partners in health care provision are Turning Point, Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust, Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, The Eye Care Centre, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals, Boots UK, councils and more than 120 GP practices and pharmacies.

Brighton Women’s Centre is a formal community partner and we have informal relationships with many other groups.

About Social Enterprise UK

Together with our members we are the voice for social enterprise in the UK. We build markets, undertake research, provide information and tools, share knowledge, raise awareness and campaign to create a business environment where social enterprises thrive. Our members range from local grass-roots organisations to multi-million-pound businesses.

socialenterprise.org.uk

About Social Enterprises

Social enterprises are business which reinvest or donate over half their profits to meet a social or environmental mission. They are a key part of the UK economy contributing £24 billion and employing nearly a million people. Estimates are there are between 70,000 and 80,000 in the UK. The latest research shows they are outperforming traditional businesses when it comes to start-up rates, turnover growth and innovation. They are also ahead of the pack when it comes to workforce diversity and pay. For more information and statistics see Social Enterprise UK’s State of Social Enterprise Report – The Future of Business - https://www.socialenterprise.org.uk/the-future-of-business-state-of-social-enterprise-survey-2017