We are delighted to announce that our strategic director Grace Dyke has been selected as one of sixteen representatives of a new advisory group that will support the Mayor of Greater Manchester and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) leaders to include the social enterprise agenda in the delivery of the Greater Manchester Strategy and Local Industrial Strategy.

The representatives span a range of sectors – from eCommerce to social care – and cover the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester.

Rose Marley, CEO of SharpFutures which supports young people into employment in the creative and technology sectors, is taking on the role of interim Chair for the first 12 months.

Rose said: “There are now more social enterprises than ever before active in our region, and the sector is the fastest growing in the UK. Social enterprise has the potential to transform our economy and make a long-term positive social impact on our city-region.”

The group convened its first virtual meeting in April and agreed priorities for the forthcoming year including campaigning; business and finance support; procurement with the public and business sector and market opportunities.

Grace said: “Our economy wouldn’t exist without the people who live and work in Greater Manchester – and I’d argue that no type of business understands this better than a social enterprise. I hope we can use the advisory group to show that social enterprise is a necessary way of creating an economy where everybody gets the opportunity to thrive.”

Greater Manchester social enterprises can keep up-to-date with the Advisory Group’s updates by visiting this webpage and by signing up to the Greater Manchester Social Enterprise Network email bulletin.

Social enterprise colleagues wishing to share their views and feedback can contact the group on socialenterprise@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk or using the contact details listed on the webpage.