Supporting social business

As a Deputy Cabinet Member for Innovation I led on the creation of the Southwark Pioneers Fund, a £2m innovation fund for local and social businesses in Southwark.

I worked with community organisations, businesses and support organisations from across the borough to understand the challenges that local and social businesses were facing when trying to become sustainable and grow.

Together, we designed a fund tailored specifically to the communities that are underrepresented in growing businesses within Southwark, particularly black and other minority ethnic people, and women.

The Southwark Pioneers Fund is a great example of how innovative approaches to supporting local economies can work, even in the most challenging economic contexts.