Case studies
Five case studies have been selected to illustrate the work of Enterprising Communities. They were selected both for their intrinsic interest but also because together they serve well to illustrate the diversity of forms of social enterprise.
Melmerby and Fellside Village Shop
Melmerby and Fellside Village Shop is a social enterprise that was set up in a Cumbrian village to replace the old shop which had closed due to the retirement of the owners. This case study shows the process involved in setting up a social enterprise of this kind and the unique character of the business support needed to help the villagers’ dreams become a reality.
Eden Artisans
Eden Artisans is a group of Artists and Craftspeople who have joined together to form a co-operative with the objective of displaying and selling their work. The group all live close by Kirby Stephen in the Upper Eden Valley in Cumbria, and have a collective commitment both to keeping craft skill alive, and to producing arts and craft works of the highest quality using locally sources materials wherever possible.
Lowick cluster of social enterprises
Lowick cluster is an important project because it is a project that nearly reached fruition, but failed: a local community developed a social enterprise model for maintaining a near viable village school, but the model failed to become a reality. Unfortunately the odds were stacked against them and the Local Authority proceeded with closure. Lowick shows that with enough imagination schools in rural areas are capable of building up complementary income streams and remaining viable. In other EU Member States (e.g. France) much smaller schools with rolls as low as ten are kept open because municipalities believe that a school is the centre of a village.
Growing Well
Growing Well was founded as a social enterprise in 2003 with the aim of helping people recovering from mental health problems to become ‘work ready’ in a supported workplace providing a therapeutic environment that focuses on horticulture. The company is based at Low Sizergh Farm in the South Lakes.
Watchtree Nature Reserve
Watchtree Nature Reserve is an example of community, national and regional organisations and countryside agencies working in active partnership to benefit the environment and education of future generations.