Last week, we held our 2nd SOUP event in partnership with Manchester Social Economy Alliance (MSEA) at Sofra MCR CIC based in the Dahlia Cafe in Burnage. This time Four incredible women pitched to their peers and two were awarded grants to support their social venture development to increase the impact within their community.
Flourish Together is a founding partner and co-administrator of the MSEA, which formed in partnership with MACC, where a group of organisations who have joined together to provide innovative support for voluntary, community and social enterprises across Manchester dedicated to building a better social economy.
Over a fragrant plate of rice, naan, a selection of chickpea and vegan curries courtesy of Nawja, the audience listened to pitches from;
Kirsty Galloway – Yellow Beacon – social enterprise offering trauma-informed mindfulness courses, workshops and one to one sessions for individuals, professionals, and organisations. Yellow Beacon Home – Yellow Beacon (@yellowbeaconcic) • Instagram photos and videos
Laura Nxumalo – Sister Therapies – A newly formed CIC dedicated to providing support for women by creating a community focusing on mental health, self-care and well-being! Sister Therapies (@sistertherapies) • Instagram photos and videos
Nawja Abdul-Hafid – Sofra MCR CIC – Owner of a vibrant community cafe that supports women from diverse backgrounds to gain new skills and empower themselves through food. Sofra (@soframcr) • Instagram photos and videos
The audience decided by casting a vote for the initiative they felt was most deserving. It was no easy decision but Natasha Kurth, the Co-founder of The Birdbox Manchester was awarded the £200 grant.
The Birdbox Mcr – A community organisation which provide Montessori inspired play sessions for toddler an Raises awareness of the need for change by addressing inequalities and ensuring inclusion for those with visual difference. The Bird Box (@thebirdboxmcr) • Instagram photos and videos
With over 400 hours of volunteering logged and a dedicated team of staff, Birdbox has made strides over the last year changing the way children and parent interact across Manchester. Natasha intends to use the grant to thank her volunteers for their support thus far. In the spirit of giving back, as runner up, Nawja from Sofra was awarded £100 to create a wellbeing day to giveback to her staff members.
Again, we’re happy to announce our 2nd SOUP event under the banner of MSEA was a success and provided a great opportunity to network with local VSCEs and social enterprises across greater Manchester. As for the women who didn’t win the grant this time round, they still made invaluable connections with those who attended.
If you missed the last SOUP event, keep an eye on our the MSEA’s Eventbrite for the next one!
