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Four social entrepreneurs pioneering new approaches to mental health, wellbeing, employability training and publishing have been awarded the 2022 Cambridge Social Innovation Prize, awarded by Trinity Hall and the Cambridge Center for Social Innovation at the University of Cambridge.
The four winning entrepreneurs are changing the way we approach delivering vital support and business services to a wide range of beneficiaries
They include:
- CEO and mother Ann Bailey, who created a pioneering careers program to connect students with the businesses of the future, inspired by her experiences with her children
- Katie Buckingham, a businesswoman whose own experience of mental illness inspired her to set up a business to support the wellbeing of businesses and young people
- Tamara McFarlane, a children’s author and bookseller whose business aims to increase equality and representation in the publishing industry
- Alice Williams, who set up a bakery to help vulnerable women get training, support and access to work
What they all have in common is the desire to build social purpose into the core of their business, helping children and adults in need.
These £10,000 awards are given annually to outstanding founder-CEOs of social enterprises at scale (growth stage) to support their development as leaders.
Mentoring from experts at Cambridge Judge Business School and support from an expanding community of social innovators at Trinity Hall will help them develop the skills, resources and networks they need to create greater impact from their work.
Cambridge Social Ventures Program Director Nicole Helwig said:
“The winners of the Cambridge Social Innovation Award are visionaries and drivers of social change. They identify entrepreneurial opportunities through insights based on empathy, experience and a deep understanding of the social challenges they address.”
Introducing the 2022 winners
Ann Bailey, Form the Future CIC: https://formthefuture.org.uk/
“The need for what we do is huge and it’s not just here in the East of England where we’re based, it’s everywhere. This award, focused on my professional development, will give me the skills and support I need to take Form the Future to the next level. I am extremely happy to have been chosen as one of this year’s winners.”
Ann Bailey co-founded careers and employment company Form the Future CIC in 2015 after experiencing as a parent the disconnect between Cambridge’s dynamic economy and the careers support children receive in education.
The company’s mission is to connect young people to a world of career opportunities, inspire them to dream big and empower them to reach their full potential. They seek to remove barriers to social mobility by empowering students with skills and aspirations and by working in partnership with employers in growth sectors, helping them build a ‘talent pool’.
Since the company’s inception, CEO Anne and her team have partnered with hundreds of companies and work with over 100 schools, local authorities and other partners. By connecting schools with local employers, students learn and prepare for their future careers, while employers receive support for hiring and workforce development.
Katie Buckingham, Altruist Enterprises: https://altruistuk.com/
“I applied for the award as I want to develop my abilities as a social leader. Specifically, I want to learn more about leadership and management, company strategy, and building high-performance teams. I am delighted to have won the 2022 Cambridge Social Innovation Award and am so grateful for the opportunity. I look forward to expanding my network and connecting with the other winners.”
Katie Buckingham founded Altruist Enterprises in 2013 following her personal experience with mental illness. She has since grown Altruist into a specialist provider of in-person and online resilience and mental health training for organizations and schools nationally.
Katie aims to create a culture where mental health is understood and treated in the same way as physical health. The company provides managers, colleagues, teachers and students with the skills to support themselves and each other through the many challenges of work and home.
Katie’s team of experts has over 200 years of combined experience working in mental health and supporting organizations with bespoke wellbeing programmes. Since their inception, they have trained over 10,000 people in resilience and mental health skills. The organization reinvests a portion of profits and resources to provide subsidized or free mental health workshops to young people and parents.
Tamara McFarlane, Moon Lane: https://www.talesonmoonlane.co.uk/
“The Cambridge Social Innovation Award offers a unique opportunity to learn from mentors who are leaders in social enterprise, while becoming part of a wider network highlighting the many ways business can be used for positive and impactful social change. It couldn’t have come at a better time for both my personal leadership development and Moon Lane.”
Tamara McFarlane is a children’s author and the founder and co-owner of Moon Lane, a specialist children’s book retailer established in 2003 to increase equality of access and representation in the children’s book and publishing industry.
Tamara and her team work to tackle the lack of diversity in the UK publishing industry by bridging the gap between the UK’s diverse population and UK publishing to ensure every child sees themselves represented in the range of children’s books . Their wide-ranging initiatives include celebrating the work of authors and illustrators from underrepresented groups, providing a route to market for more diverse titles, working with community schools to promote the conversation about inclusion in children’s books, and creating opportunities for young people from a more diverse range of backgrounds to access careers in bookselling and publishing.
Moon Lane includes four brick-and-mortar bookshops, a school supplies and books advisory service, hosting annual literary festivals and a wide range of other initiatives promoting a lifelong love of reading.
Alice Williams, Luminary Bakery: https://luminarybakery.com/
“This award is a unique opportunity to invest in my development as I take Luminary forward. There are various courses that I had identified to improve my leadership skills and this award will finally make them available. There are women all over the UK who need services like Luminary, I plan to use this award to set Luminary up for successful growth and enable even more women to thrive.”
Alice Williams founded Luminary Bakery, a social enterprise providing training, work and community support for some of London’s most disadvantaged women, following her experience volunteering in the Red-Light area of Whitechapel.
CEO Alice and her team use baking as a tool to support women who have experienced gender-based violence and a host of disadvantages. Offering vocational training, comprehensive support and opportunities for paid work, Luminary empowers women to realize their potential by building careers and leaving disadvantage behind.
The company currently has two cafes and an online store selling holiday cakes and mailbox treats. With clients including Ben & Jerry’s, ASOS, Microsoft and Disney, Luminary won the Queen’s Award for Entrepreneurship in 2020. Since the start of 2014, they’ve empowered 155 women and seen them achieve remarkable things.
About the award
Now in its fourth year, the Cambridge Social Innovation Prize is the cornerstone of the ongoing collaboration between the Cambridge Center for Social Innovation at Cambridge Judge Business School and Trinity Hall, one of the university’s oldest colleges. Supported by a generous donation from University of Cambridge (Trinity Hall) alumnus Graham Ross Russell.
Together, the School and College work to promote interest in social innovation and entrepreneurship among students, fellows and alumni, encouraging them to create new businesses and pursue careers rooted in social and environmental impact.
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