Social Enterprise UK, a huge supporter of social enterprises and best known for leading a campaign against Salesforce and increasing the visibility of social enterprises among the public, made an announcement declaring Cornwall as the “first rural Social Enterprise Zone” in the UK.
Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen Cornwall, Cornwall College, the Eden Project, the Real Ideas Organisation, and the School for Social Entrepreneurs are among the organizations involved.
Since July, Social Enterprise UK has been experimenting with a “Social Enterprise Places” program to promote towns, cities, villages, and zones as hotspots of social enterprise activity.
Cornwall, famous as a tourist attraction for its landscape and warm climate, is “rich in social enterprise and innovation,” says Minister for Civil Society Nick Hurd. “So it is right that it should be home to the first rural social enterprise zone in the country. Where Cornwall leads, I hope other regions will follow as the social enterprise and investment movement grows in this country.”
“Cornwall is not just a holiday destination,” said Jon Rolls, social enterprise program manager at Cornwall College, “it’s a place to do a different kind of business and we need to celebrate the fact that we have some of the most innovative and entrepreneurial people and organizations in the UK, who want to make Cornwall a more sustainable place to live, work and play.”
Alston Moor in Cumbria has been named a Social Enterprise Town last summer. In September, Plymouth and Bristol have been declared Social Enterprise Cities.
Social Enterprise UK recognizes Social Enterprise Places as having significant social enterprise activity, at least one Social Enterprise UK member, and a commitment to grow social enterprise.