Awards Finalists

Congratulations to the finalists of the 2008 Edge Upstarts Awards!

The winners will be announced at an exclusive ceremony in central London on 18th June.

Comments are still open, if you would like to lend your support to any of the finalists. The comments made will not affect the final judging decision

Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year

Daisy Ashworth

After completing her academic training in law, Daisy, 24, founded Freegal, a website providing free legal advice. Daisy recognised the value of post-graduate legal students' expertise, and by creating Freegal made it available to anyone in need of advice, regardless of income or social standing. The judges admired both her innovative idea and her ability to turn it into a successful social enterprise.

Lily Lapenna

Since leaving school Lily has dedicated her time to helping others, whether that has meant teaching in Zimbabwe, raising money for tsunami victims or setting up her own social enterprise. Her enthusiasm and hard work over her last project particularly impressed the judges. MyBnk is a banking scheme which helps young people to manage their money and to access interest-free loans for enterprising activities.

Rob Wilson

In 2005 Rob founded READ International, a charity which has, so far, provided 148,000 UK text books to schools in Tanzania. Not satisfied with this, Rob has started a new project, NO-PC, which aims to provide affordable, up-to-date information technologies to schools in the developing world. Using solar power and mobile connectivity, NO-PC will be able to provide the most remote schools with internet access. The judges were inspired by Rob’s innovative and ambitious plans.

Social Entrepreneur of the Year

Carmel McConnell

Carmel founded Magic Breakfast, a child nutrition charity which delivers free, healthy breakfast food to 38 primary schools, currently feeding 1,300 children each morning. Many of these would otherwise start their school day too hungry to learn. To part fund this, Carmel designed and now runs Magic Outcomes Ltd, a leadership development firm. The judges were troubled to learn the UK’s terrible track record on child nutrition. Carmel’s work has done much to tackle this important issue.

Eugenie Harvey

The idea behind Eugenie's company, We Are What We Do, is that small actions x lots of people = BIG change. She's communicated her message in a variety of fun, memorable ways, including the book, ‘Change the World for a Fiver’ and the Anya Hindmarch ‘I’m Not a Plastic Bag’. Eugenie’s understanding of branding and PR has allowed her to spread her message and this attracted the judges to her nomination.

Sam Conniff

Sam's impressive list of social enterprises includes: Livity, a socially responsible marketing agency; LIVE, a youth-led magazine project which engages disadvantaged young people; Dubplate, which uses multi-platform media to provide advice for ‘hard to reach’ audiences; and Music4Good, which helps underprivileged young people to access UK music industry apprenticeships. This year, he launched Livity Trust, which helps young people manage the costs of starting work, from training to childcare, clothing and travel. Judges were impressed by the broad range, and the success, of the projects Sam works with.

Shamim Hossain

Community Cleaning Service Ltd, Shamim's small community-directed social enterprise, provides BAME women in Tower Hamlets with a route towards economic independence and social inclusion. Using her in-depth, first-hand knowledge of the community, Shamim has provided a pragmatic, grass-roots solution to the high level of economic inactivity. What particularly impressed the judges was her ability to engage a very socially excluded group and to overcome the challenges this presented.

Social Enterprise of the Year

Forth Sector

Forth Sector is one of Scotland’s leading social enterprises. It works to reduce exclusion, discrimination and disadvantage faced by people with mental health problems by creating supportive employment opportunities. On top of this, Forth Sector Development shares the experience of running these social firms to assist others develop their own initiatives. The judges felt Forth Sector is an especially deserving finalist because it is not just a highly successful social enterprise in its own right – it also because it helps to develop others.

Media Ireland

Media Ireland has grown to become Northern Ireland’s leading community media organisation in less than a year, providing opportunities for local communities to participate in and manage community radio, television and internet services. It provides volunteers with professional training in all the skills necessary to produce edit and present both radio and TV programming. The judges felt that successfully establishing a sustainable social enterprise in a highly competitive commercial sector was a great achievement.

Unique Social Enterprise CIC

Based in Newark, Unique Social Enterprise carries out a number of activities that benefit young people, the community and the environment. These activities include The Unique Coffee Bar, which helps young people achieve accredited education and work experience; Unique Scrap Store, the UK’s 1st eCommerce Scrap Store, and Unique Community RePaint, which takes unwanted domestic paint, and makes it available to community groups and people on low incomes. The judges were impressed by the impact made on the community and the plans to expand to help other communities.

Social Enterprise Mentor of the Year

Andrew Latchford

Having first encouraged Jason Pegler to establish his own social enterprise, Chipmunkapublishing, five years ago, Andrew has continued to offer his support and expertise to all involved. He has inspired those with mental illness to believe in themselves, to become published authors and to run a successful publishing social enterprise. In the words of his nomination, “Andrew is the man behind the scenes that keeps the company strong, dynamic and secure. He is both the strength and soul of the company and is the kindest person that I have ever met”.

Dawn Franklyn

As skipper of the Duet, Dawn helps socially, mentally and physically disadvantaged young people to experience the challenge and adventure of life at sea on a large sailing vessel. Her crew acquire competent crew certificates, and also the opportunity, responsibility and space to develop and grow. Dawn’s distinctive mentoring style helps youngsters to become enterprising, buzzing with confidence and prepared to change themselves as well as the world around them.

Uday Thakkar

Uday offers mentoring and advice through the company he founded and manages, Red Ochre. His knowledge and enthusiasm inspire a large number of social entrepreneurs to realise their potential and to succeed. All of those who nominated him talked of his positive impact not only on their business but also their confidence and self-esteem. The judges recognised his dedication and determination to go the extra mile, and the impact he has made.

Social Enterprise Trainee of the Year

Chris Llewellyn

Chris' strength and resilience have made him a cornerstone in the success of Rafi.ki, an online learning community. In one year he has brought over 400 schools onto Rafi.ki's network, a remarkable feat for any employee. Not only has he developed quickly and to an impressive standard, he has done this in the wake of an accident which left him paralysed a few years ago. He has developed sales, management and diplomacy skills, and now mentors and trains interns, passing on what he has learnt. The judges were inspired by Chris's development and his ability to already have had such an impact on the people he works with.

Mary Dow

In one year Mary has not only improved her own skills, she has also greatly contributed to the company she works for. Chipmunkapublishing works exclusively with authors with mental health problems. Mary has learnt to publish books both online and in paperback, as well as developing strong personal skills assisting those with mental illness. She has helped Chipmunkapublishing double their output, advised over 300 authors and led over 20 volunteers. In a short length of time she has developed a broad range of skills and been able to pass these on to others, a trait that the judges admired.

Tina Dunn

During the last 18 months Tina,22, has helped turn a grass roots charity project into the UK’s biggest Social Enterprise catering for BMX, inline, skateboarding and urban sub cultural activities. She now manages the facility – which has had over 40,000 visits in the past 18 months - and its 10 staff, as well as working with volunteers. She has also developed her individual business skills by attending numerous training courses. The judges were impressed at how much Tina has achieved in such a short period.

The Edge StartUp Award

Beef Kitchen

The Beef Kitchen was established by former homeless ex-Servicemen in 2005, all of whom are residents at the Sir Oswald Stoll Foundation. The enterprise now provides 25 former homeless ex-Servicemen with training and work experience. Capitalising on its close proximity to Chelsea Football Club, Beef Kitchen has established a business selling good quality food to fans on match days. Three years after it began, the Beef Kitchen has now fed some 20,000 football fans and is now due to take this successful business model and set-up a commercially viable café by Putney Bridge.

Daisy Ashworth

After completing her academic training in law, Daisy, 24, founded Freegal, a website providing free legal advice. Daisy recognised the value of post-graduate legal students' expertise, and by creating Freegal made it available to anyone in need of advice, regardless of income or social standing. The judges admired both her innovative idea and her ability to turn it into a successful social enterprise.

Decoda

Decoda’s helps those with profound disabilities and/or challenging behaviour through music. The Music Gym is a large interactive space where participants trigger all the activities which take place – music on the bouncy castle, music that can be felt as well as heard, or shadow-dancing with the help of a large screen. The Music Gym also gives its members and their carers the opportunity to experience something together. Now in its third year, Decoda is self sustaining and plans are underway to roll the project out nationally.

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Launch Party

The 2008 Edge Upstarts Awards launch party will take place on 4th March. Join us at this evening event to celebrate the eighth year of these prestigious awards. More information

Recent Nominations

Decoda
Sam Conniff
LIVE Magazine
The Eden Project
Wasps Artists' Studios