Two social enterprises receive €30k from Development Fund
By Taylor Gleeson
Two local Dublin social enterprises have been chosen to receive grants worth up to €30,000 from Social Enterprise Development Fund 2019.
ReCreate Ireland in Walkinstown and Walkinstown Green Social Enterprises Limited (WGSEL) were two of the six enterprises chosen to receive these cash grants.
Deirdre Mortell (Social Innovation Fund Ireland), Conn Cleary (IPB Insurance), Clodagh O’Reilly (ReCreate Ireland) and John Evoy (Social Enterprise Fund Manager); (inset) Conn Cleary (IPB Insurance), Mary McSweeney (Dublin City Council), Austin O’Sullivan (Walkinstown Green Social Enterprises Limited) and Deirdre Mortell (Social Innovation Fund Ireland)
ReCreate Ireland focuses on the lack of appreciation and awareness of creativity and the benefits it brings, and highlights how actions have impacts on the environment.
WGESL supports adults that are intellectually disabled, autistic, or have other barriers to employment. WGSEL helps these adults transition into the working world by taking steps into further education, training and paid employment.
Chief Executive of Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown County Council Philomena Poole announced the Leinster-based winners of the €1.6 million Social Enterprise Development Fund at a lunch event in Dun Laoghaire.
The fund was created by Social Innovation Fund Ireland in partnership with Local Authorities Ireland, and is supported by IPB Insurance and the Department of Rural and Community Development from the Dormant Accounts Fund.
Poole said: “Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown is progressing its Local Economic and Community Plan 2016-2021 and is working with national and local partners to build an environment that makes it easier for people to start enterprises to address social issues and have a positive, measurable, social impact on the people working and living in their communities.
“The Fund and their awards present a great opportunity for social enterprises to achieve these goals.”
Deirdre Mortell, Chief Executive Officer of Social Innovation Fund Ireland said: “Today’s Awardees are a fantastic example of the type of social enterprises that are making a real difference for communities across Ireland, every day. We believe that social enterprises offer high-quality jobs that meet local community needs and are a big part of the future of vibrant Irish communities.
“With the support of the Social Enterprise Development Fund, we feel we can help each of these projects reach more communities in need of their support and we can also help them grow. The SED Fund was created to find and support social enterprises from across Ireland that are giving back and, with today’s awardees, we think we’ve done just that.”
The two enterprises were chosen along with 14 other groups, out of over 200 applicants from all over the country. The enterprises will receive cash grants along with a place on Ireland’s prestigious Accelerator Programme for social enterprises. The programme is run in partnership with Local Authorities Ireland and offers support for social enterprises.
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