New Covid fund ‘a lifeline’ to social enterprise in east Antrim

Welcoming the fund which opened for applications on Monday, Mr Dickson said: “As chair of the All Party Group on Social Enterprise, I am aware of the considerable hardship that the sector has faced over the past few months as a result of restrictions and changes to demand.”

Larne-based social enterprise AEL, which is based at Pound Street, had to wait three months for funding of £25,000 from the Department for the Economy after missing out on Covid business hardship funds. Read here

Mr Dickson added: “Social enterprises provide vital services to our communities, as well as exceptional employment and training opportunities, it is therefore key that we support them through this difficult time until more normal business can resume.

“I would strongly recommend social enterprises apply to the fund as soon as they can, to help ensure they can access support at this challenging time.”

AEL, formerly known as Access Employment Limited, celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2018 when it was named as Northern Ireland Social Enterprise of the Year.

The social enterprise provides people aged 16 to 60 years who have a learning disability, Asperger’s, autism or other disadvantage with training and employment opportunities.

It is currently eyeing the hand sanitiser market and is seeking a business that would be keen to collaborate with a social enterprise.

In 2018, the company’s water bottling business, which trades under the name of Clearer Water, had a turnover of £200,000 in just two years.

The previous year, the AEL company had a turnover of £1.3m with annual savings to the public purse in benefits of £171,401.  It spent £85,000 in 19 Larne-based businesses.

Water is bottled at source in a manufacturing plant in Magheramorne outside Larne. It is stocked by the prestigious five-star Fitzwilliam Hotel in Belfast, the MHL hotel group, four retail outlets in London and the National Trust.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter.

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