Flourish Together

Investing in women as a force for social change

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CHANGEMAKER OF THE MONTH – APRIL✨

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This month we are proud to celebrate Clare Whittaker, a multi talented holistic therapist, trainer, and founder of Hearts (Health Education and Resuscitation Training Services), where she delivers first aid and mental health training to organisations and social enterprises.

Over the years, Clare has accessed various training opportunities through Flourish, and collaborated on multiple wellbeing events both internally and externally as a freelancer. As a woman of many talents, she has worked within the probation sector helping young offenders find inner peace, to coaching boxing on a women’s team, yoga and sound bath facilitation, and is a qualified first aid trainer.

In the summer Clare also ran a 7-week Mindfulness course which Flourish Together supported through hosting at the Hub in Heaton Chapel, which was an overall great success. In 2024, she secured £5000 from Build a Business to grow her first aid training business. Clare has not only evolved her organisation, but exceeded her goals by expanding her services, accessing funding from multiple sources and growing her marketing and online presence.

Over the coming year Flourish are putting on series of accessible and affordable First Aid and Mental Health accredited courses in partnership with Clare to ensure start ups for the charity and enterprise sector. Upcoming dates can be found here.

Clare is a dynamic changemaker and we are proud of what she has accomplished and will go on to achieve.

CHANGEMAKER OF THE MONTH – MARCH✨

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This month, we are proud to celebrate entrepreneur and activist, Shamime Jan, the Founding Director of Bollyfit Active, a group which aims to support local women in having a culturally appropriate environment to open up, socialise and stay active. She has also completed both the Time To Grow and We Lead For Legacy Programmes.

Shamime is a British Pakistani who was born in Pakistan and raised in the UK. And her dedication to growth and development is evident in everything she does. She started as a driving instructor and later as a Herbal life coach, a venture she started when she fell in love with its products and results.

Shamime wanted to help the women like her, improve their health and wellbeing by empowering them to train and to become Herbal life coaches, stretching over a decade. She has a long history of working with and advocating for South Asian women in the local community for twenty years through her various businesses and voluntary work.

She is the director and founder of Bollyfit Active CIC; offers a strictly women-only environment, incorporating cultural music and cultural dance to tackle obesity, isolation, and depression and improve the health and well-being of South Asian and BAME women in the local community.

She also co-chairs on BASE Community Benefit Society, and is the founder of a coaching organisation for women: “Dreams Become Reality” ensuring her impact across Manchester is felt by as many people as possible.

Here at Flourish we are proud of what Shamime has accomplished so far and are looking forward to partner on projects in 2025 – so watch this space!

Check out Bollyfit Active

IWD 2025 Takeover & Open Day at The Flourish Hub – Recap

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On Monday 3rd March 2025, we hijacked our Flourishing Monday Co-working day to create an open day showcasing our new Altrincham Hub, as well as highlighting diverse Women Changemakers from across the Flourish Network to kick off International Women’s Week celebrations.

Women of all backgrounds attended, networked, made connections, and learned more about the support that Flourish has to offer. The day started with warm drinks, networking and introduction to the Altrincham Hub, followed by a panel of Women Changemakers.

We heard from;

–Jo Cushing – Inch Arts and Oyez Arts

–Debbie Tomkies – Making Futures CIC

–Yolande Ghola – Community Upskilling CIC 

–Andrea Whyen – Consult for Solutions 

–Marianna Vasziliyiv – Sunflower Mcr and United for Ukraine 

Each of these inspiring woman talked about their organisations, their journeys, and plans for the future. They are living proof that when you have an idea, with some hard work and great support (like Flourish!), your idea can become a reality, impacting the lives of countless people. 

A delicious lunch was also provided by Mabel’s Vintage Tearoom, before attendees brainstorm ideas to shape the future of Flourish Together and our current hubs! Whilst others stayed to network, co-work, or take advantage of our 121 drop ins, the day was gently brought to an end with some relaxing mini treatments; Indian Head, Back, Neck & Shoulder, courtesy of our pop up spa therapist, Tamara Banarescu.

Overall, a successful day, enjoyed by all!

“Remember, one idea in action, is better than a thousand ideas in a book “ Tyler Dickerhoof. So, if you have an idea for an enterprise, come and talk to us!

We hope you are enjoying the rest of International Women’s Month!

Salford (and Manchester) Sup is BACK!

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The Salford Sup is back and we’ve joined forces with our Mancunian friends The Business Group and the MSEA to create a guaranteed £1,000 first prize and a runners-up prize of £350.

It’s not quite Detroit Soup but you vote for the idea which you feel deserves funding. Pitch your ideas to some of Salford and Manchester’s successful social entrepreneurs and business support providers, secure as many votes as you can and take home a pot of cash to help you get your idea started.

Who can pitch? Any social enterprise or community business; any community group; any pre-start business within Greater Manchester; any start-up business within Greater Manchester. We’d usually consider a business up to 3 years old as a ‘start-up’. Please note ‘pitching’ in this context means talking informally to other attendees – you are not required to bring a slide deck or prepare a presentation.

If you have a business, social enterprise or an idea for a community project or are simply looking to network with other small businesses and local social enterprises then this is the perfect event for you.

Join us at the Deli Lama, Islington Mill, 1 James St, Salford, M3 5HW on Thursday 27th March 6pm – 8pm. Free for Salford and Manchester residents, social enterprises and businesses. Tickets £10 for others.

Reserve your space via the Eventbrite or email events@thebusinessgroup.org.

If you’d like to pitch at the Salford Sup email events@thebusinessgroup.org with the name of your venture or complete this form: https://forms.gle/AVsJdoeyRk7bxDro6

Tickets are strictly limited so act fast and if you’re unsure please do contact us.

Hopefully see you there!

Join the MSEA Mentor-a-thon: A Unique Opportunity for Social Entrepreneurs

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Are you a social entrepreneur, changemaker, or community enterprise leader in Manchester? If so, we invite you to take part in the MSEA Mentor-a-thon, facilitated by Flourish Together and Manchester Social Economy Alliance (MSEA) Partners.

This is the first Flourish Mentor-a-thon in partnership with the MSEA and we want to highlight the power of the Manchester-focused network of strategic and infrastructural organisations. The event is open to all everyone and will benefit anyone up to making good use of a cross-sector lens on the work they are doing.

Event Details:
📅 Monday 24th March
📍 DiSH, Central Manchester
⏰ 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

What is a Mentor-a-thon?

A Mentor-a-thon is a dynamic and engaging group mentoring event designed to support individuals working in the social economy. Over the past decade, Flourish Together has successfully hosted these insightful sessions in partnership with organisations such as MSEA and Macc.

The format brings together an independent panel of 4-5 mentors from the public, private, and third sectors. These mentors sit on Sounding Boards, where they listen to and support a mentee – someone with a challenge or idea to pitch.

Why Take Part?

This event offers mentees:

  • A 45-minute impartial Sounding Board session.
  • Fresh perspectives, valuable contacts, and potential new opportunities.
  • The chance to apply for a cash award to support personal or social venture development. (Please note: Only a small number of awards will be granted through a group scoring system.)

Who Should Apply?

The Mentor-a-thon is ideal for those who:

  • Are social entrepreneurs, changemakers, or leading social/community enterprises in Manchester, either at start-up or scale-up stage.
  • Are available to attend in person on 24th March.
  • Have a challenge or idea they’re ready to pitch to a Sounding Board.
  • Are open to feedback and willing to explore alternative perspectives.

How to Apply

If you’re interested in pitching on the day, simply complete our online Challenge Form.
⏳ Deadline to express interest: Monday 10th March
📩 Successful applicants will be notified by 15th March by a member of the Flourish Team. Please save the date of 24th March to ensure you’re available.

Event Format

The day will feature at least Twelve Sounding Board sessions, each lasting approximately 45 minutes.

  • Facilitated Sounding Boards will consist of mentors from diverse sectors providing cross-sector support to help mentees refine their ideas, troubleshoot challenges, and expand their networks.
  • Though you are welcome to stay for a part of the day. We encourage you to attend for as long as your knowledge will also be a valuable addition to sounding boards as a mentor in other sessions.
  • We will also be carrying out evaluation activities such as mini-Vox pop interviews on participants experiences throughout the day.

Benefits of Participating

For Mentees:

✔ Receive constructive feedback and troubleshooting support.
✔ Gain a fresh perspective and access new knowledge.
✔ Expand your network of contacts and opportunities.
✔ Have space to reflect and be taken seriously.
✔ Potential access to seed funding.

For Mentors:

✔ Deepen your understanding of the social economy and social entrepreneurship.
✔ Use your skills, experience, and networks to create positive impact.
✔ Learn from other mentors and mentees, gaining fresh insights.
✔ Expand your professional connections within the sector.

Have Questions?

If you need further details or assistance with the Challenge Form, please contact anna@flourishtogether.org.uk.

CHANGEMAKER OF THE MONTH – FEBRUARY✨

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This month, we are proud to celebrate a dear friend of Flourish, Karen Livesey, a passionate advocate for child protection and the founder of No Whispers CIC, a social enterprise dedicated to safeguarding children and young people from child sexual and criminal exploitation and abuse across the North West. She has also completed our Time 2 Grow programme and is accessing intensive organisational support.

For over 26 years, Karen worked as an Advanced Practitioner for Lancashire County Council’s Young People’s Service, supporting countless children, young people, and families facing diverse challenges. Throughout her career, she witnessed the alarming rise of child sexual exploitation (CSE) cases and felt compelled to act.

Determined to deepen her expertise, Karen pursued extensive training in safeguarding and CSE intervention, including specialist programs with Safe and Sound – Just Whistle and PACE (Parents Against Child Exploitation), now known as Ivison and Barnardo’s. With a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience, she became a leading voice in safeguarding action, advocating for early intervention and proactive education to combat exploitation.

No Whispers CIC works tirelessly to inform, educate, and empower adults—equipping them with the skills to recognise the signs of exploitation, intervene early, and take safeguarding action.

Karen’s work has had a transformative impact across the North West, bringing crucial awareness to communities, professionals, and organisations. She is a qualified Teacher, Youth Worker, and experienced Trainer, using her extensive experience to educate frontline professionals, parents, and caregivers on how to spot the warning signs of exploitation and disrupt harmful patterns before they escalate.

Karen’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding young lives makes her a true changemaker. She embodies what it means to turn knowledge into action, passion into impact, and advocacy into transformation.

This month, we celebrate Karen’s remarkable efforts and the vital work of No Whispers CIC.

✨ Thank you, Karen, for being a force for change! ✨