GOOD DEALS 09: Minister announces support for community share issue enterprises

Five more social enterprises embarking upon community share issues will receive support from the government as part of an ongoing research project.

The Communities and Local Government department is conducting the Social Enterprise Action Research programme, which is funded by the Office of the Third Sector and run by the Development Trusts Association and Co-operatives UK. A Community Shares project forms part of this programme.

The Community Shares project has already started supporting five social enterprises and yesterday third sector minister Angela Smith announced the final five to join.

Speaking at Good Deals 09, Smith said: 'The government's Social Enterprise Action Research programme is enabling government departments to explore ways in which social enterprise can help to solve contemporary policy challenges. There is a real appetite for this kind of business model, especially in the current economic climate.'

The five new enterprises include two community-owned hydro-electric projects, one in Tutbury and one in Sheffield; an Oxford-based community cycle training enterprise; a community shop and centre in Hurst Green; and a project aiming to build a better neighbourhood providing housing, educational and leisure facilities in Brixton Green.

The ten social enterprises supported by the Community Shares project are:

• Cybermoor, Alston, Cumbria

• Hastings Pier & White Rock Trust

• FC United of Manchester

• Slaithwaite Cooperative Ltd Green Valley Grocery

• Ashington Community Development Trust

• Oxford Cycle Workshop Training

• Hurst Green Community Shop and Centre

• Tutbury Hydro-Electric Project

• Sheffield Renewables Ltd

• Brixton Green