The document discusses how social enterprises could help deliver projects for Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) in the UK. It describes Wessex Community Assets, a small non-profit organization that supports various community and cooperative enterprises. It then provides examples of how the Wessex Reinvestment Trust group, of which Wessex Community Assets is a part, supports social enterprises in sectors like renewable energy, sustainable food, affordable housing, cultural activities, and workspace. The document argues that AONBs already have key resources in their staff and grant funding that could support social enterprise activities to help deliver additional projects beyond their core functions. It proposes a model where an AONB team could work alongside a dedicated AONB trust to

1. Social
Enterprises
as
a
mechanism
to
deliver
AONB
projects
Tim
Crabtree
Wessex
Community
Assets
&
Cardiff
University

2. Wessex
Community
Assets
Small
not
for
profit
organisa>on
which
supports
the
development
of
community
and
co-­‐opera>ve
enterprises:
• Renewable
energy
• Sustainable
food
• Affordable
housing
• Cultural
sector
• Workspace

3. Wessex
Reinvestment
Trust
group

4. Wessex
Reinvestment
Trust
group
Established
in
2001,
the
group
has
4
separate
structures:

5. Wessex
Reinvestment
Trust
group
Established
in
2001,
the
group
has
4
separate
structures:
• Wessex
Reinvestment
Trust,
a
registered
charity.

6. Wessex
Reinvestment
Trust
group
Established
in
2001,
the
group
has
4
separate
structures:
• Wessex
Reinvestment
Trust,
a
registered
charity.
• WRT
Core
Company
Limited,
which
provides
home
improvement
lending.

7. Wessex
Reinvestment
Trust
group
Established
in
2001,
the
group
has
4
separate
structures:
• Wessex
Reinvestment
Trust,
a
registered
charity.
• WRT
Core
Company
Limited,
which
provides
home
improvement
lending.
• Wessex
Community
Assets,
which
supports
community
asset
development.

8. Wessex
Reinvestment
Trust
group
Established
in
2001,
the
group
has
4
separate
structures:
• Wessex
Reinvestment
Trust,
a
registered
charity.
• WRT
Core
Company
Limited,
which
provides
home
improvement
lending.
• Wessex
Community
Assets,
which
supports
community
asset
development.
• Wessex
Reinvestment
Society,
has
provided
business
loans.

9. Examples
of
Wessex
Reinvestment
Trust
group
ac>vi>es
2010
-­‐
2012
Renewable
Workspace
&
Housing Food
Energy Community
Wessex
Core
Business
advice
,
e.g. Assets
Company: Business
advice
,
e.g.
The
Real
Food
Business
advice
,
e.g.
Home
Improvement
Store,
Exeter Bridport
Energy
Lending Lyme
Regis
Services
Ltd:
The
Community
Zero
carbon
food
Development
Trust
Farm,
Bristol produc>on
Housing Red
Brick
Building
Somerset,
Devon
&
North
Dorset
Food
Partnership
with
Centre,
Glastonbury
Dorset Incubator
&
SW
Protected
Community
Land
Training
Network Landscapes
Forum: Enterprise
St.
Trust
Project Social
Forestry Michael’s,
Bridport
Wessex
Community
Assets

10. What
is
social
enterprise?
Social
enterprise
can
be
thought
of
as:
• a
par>cular
type
of
organisa.on
(i.e.
a
business
with
a
primary
social
or
environmental
aim,
which
returns
any
surplus
to
the
community
which
it
serves)
or
as:
• an
ac.vity
carried
out
alongside
the
exis>ng
programmes
of
community
and
voluntary
sector
organisa>ons
(i.e.
trading
ac>vity
which
either
meets
the
primary
purpose
of
the
organisa>on
or
creates
surpluses
to
fund
services
for
the
community).

11. Common
characterisGcs
of
social
enterprise

13. Maximum
public
Maximum
benefit private
benefit
Charity Share
company

14. Maximum
public
Maximum
benefit private
benefit
The
“grey
area”
in
the
middle
of
the
spectrum
Charity Share
company

15. Maximum
public
Maximum
benefit private
benefit
The
“grey
area”
in
the
middle
of
the
spectrum
Charity Share
company
is
where
social
economy
organisaGons
operate

16. High
social
return High
financial
return
ChariGes/vol
orgs Revenue
generaGng
social
Socially
“Trad-­‐
enterprises driven
iGonal”
business business
No trading Trading Potentially Breakeven Profitable – Profit Profit
revenue revenue & sustainable: – all surplus not distributing maximising
grants 50%+ revenue distributed – socially
trading from trading driven/
revenue mutual
West
Dorset
Food
&
Land
Local
Food
Links Waitrose
Trust
Dorset
Farmers’
Markets Co-­‐op
Group
Dorset
Food
&
Health
Somerset
Local
Food
Direct Whole
Food
Trust
Markets
Somerset
Community
Food
Projects
Network Green
&
Blacks
(Cadburys)
Rachels
Dairy

17. Is
“social
enterprise”
relevant
to
• AONB’s
have
core
teams
delivering
statutory
du>es
–
conserving
and
enhancing
protected
landscapes.
• Most
AONB
teams
have
also
developed
the
capacity
to
secure
addi>onal
resources
and
deliver
projects,
e.g.
– Woodland
management
– Access
/
recrea>on
– Grassland
management

18. So
–
AONB
teams
already
have
2
key
resources
which
support
delivery
of

19. So
–
AONB
teams
already
have
2
key
resources
which
support
delivery
of
People

20. So
–
AONB
teams
already
have
2
key
resources
which
support
delivery
of
People
Grant
Finance

21. So
–
AONB
teams
already
have
2
key
resources
which
support
delivery
of
People
Local
communiGes
Grant
Finance

22. So
–
AONB
teams
already
have
2
key
resources
which
support
delivery
of
People
Local
communiGes
Grant
Finance
Ci>zens

23. So
–
AONB
teams
already
have
2
key
resources
which
support
delivery
of
People
Core
funcGons
&
Local
projects communiGes
Grant
Finance
Ci>zens

24. Some
AONB’s
have
established
(or
are
• To
secure
grant
funding
&
dona>ons
not
available
to
LA-­‐hosted
AONB
teams
• To
use
such
funds
to
deliver
addi>onal
projects
• To
receive
transferred
assets
from
public
bodies
or
bequests
• To
acquire
assets,
using
grants
and
loans
• To
engage
with
the
community
• To
undertake
“primary
purpose”
trading
ac>vity

25. Possible
way
forward
Social
enterprise
acGvity
1
AONB
Team
in
Local
Social
Local
Authority
+ AONB
Trust + enterprise
acGvity
2
Social
enterprise
acGvity
n

26. Projects
&
Services

27. Projects
&
Services
AONB
Team

28. Projects
&
Services
AONB
Team AONB
Trust

29. Local
communiGes
Projects
&
Services
AONB
Team AONB
Trust

30. Local
communiGes
Projects
&
Services
Social
enterprise
acGvity
AONB
Team AONB
Trust

31. Local
communiGes
Projects Direct
&
trading
Services
Social
enterprise
acGvity
AONB
Team AONB
Trust

32. Local
communiGes
Subsidiary
Projects Direct
&
trading
Services
Social
enterprise
acGvity
AONB
Team AONB
Trust

33. Local
communiGes
Subsidiary
Projects Direct
Lease
&
trading assets
Services
Social
enterprise
acGvity
AONB
Team AONB
Trust

34. Local
communiGes
Subsidiary
Projects Direct
Support
Lease
&
trading IPS assets
Services
Social
enterprise
acGvity
AONB
Team AONB
Trust

35. Local
communiGes
Joint
Subsidiary
venture
Projects Direct
Support
Lease
&
trading IPS assets
Services
Social
enterprise
acGvity
AONB
Team AONB
Trust

36. Example
of
trust
undertaking
project
delivery
and
primary
purpose
trading
West
Dorset
Food
and
Land
Trust
– Charity,
established
1998

37. The
local
food
sector
in
West
Dorset:
Mapping
exercise
resul>ng
in
Directory

38. The
local
food
sector
in
West
Dorset:
Mapping
exercise
resul>ng
in
Directory

39. Asset
based
development
• West
Dorset
Food
&
Land
Trust
a
member
of
the
Development
Trusts
Associa>on
(now
Locality)
• Assets
can
generate
income
–
e.g.
building
rentals
or
land
tenancies
• Decision
to
develop
managed
workspace
–
a
“Local
Food
Centre”

40. Bridport Centre for Local Food

41. ChariGes
are
restricted
in
the
range
of
trading
that
they
can
undertake
so
may
establish
subsidiaries
Local
Food
Links
– Trading
company,
established
as
subsidiary
of
West
Dorset
Food
and
Land
Trust
in
1999

42. Other
examples
of
Trusts
se[ng
up

43. The Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust

45. Eigg Electric

46. Lyme
Regis
Development
Trust
•St.
Michael’s
Business
Centre
•Wessex
secured
£100,000
grant
from
ChangeUp,
provided
£13,000
loan
and
nego>ated
£35,000
Programme
Related
Investment
from
Community
Founda>on
for
Bournemouth,
Dorset
&
Poole

47. Lyme
Regis
Development
Trust
• New
assets:
– Youth
café
with
flat
– Youth
centre
– Monmouth
house
–
flats
• Supports
project
ac>vity,
e.g.
– Fossil
Fes>val
• Developing
proposals
for
£8
million
Field
Studies
Centre
with
Natural
History
Museum

48. Trusts do not have to run
operations themselves or
through subsidiaries
• Trusts can use their assets to support
social economy activity
– At a discounted rent, where the enterprise
delivers against the Trust’s objects
– At a market rent.

49. Local Food Links Ltd
• Restructured into a Community Benefit
Society (a form of Industrial & Provident
Society), with membership open to
parents, schools, wider community
• Previously, Local Food Links only had one
member – the Trust

51. Local Food Links: ethical
sourcing
• Meat – Genesis Farmers
• Milk – Coombe Farm
• Yogurt – Yeo Valley
• Butter – Denhay Farms & Coombe Farm
• Cheese – Denhay & Coombe Farm
• Flour – Edward Gallia, Cerne Abbas
• Eggs – Vurlands Farm
• Vegetables in season – Bothen Hill Organic,
Washingpool Farm, Somerset Organic Link
• Fruit in season – Elwell Farm
• Bread – Leakers, Punch & Judy Bakery
• Food service – Essential Trading

52. Local Food Links – current status
• Two hub kitchens – one leased from West
Dorset Food & Land Trust, one from Dorset
County Council
• 25 staff
• 24 schools, 3 nurseries, 1 day centre, 8
lunch clubs
• 1200 meals per day
• Turnover: over £500,000 p.a.

53. £1 million raised from community shares

54. Fordhall
Community
Land Fordhall
Land
IniGaGve:
Farm
Ltd:
life>me
owns
land
and
Rent tenancy
public
access
facili>es

56. The Earth Trust
• Set up as the Northmoor Trust for Countryside
Conservation in 1967, with a large endowment
from Sir Martin and Audrey Wood
• Now own 1,200 acres of farmland, woodland,
nature reserves, research plantation and wetland
• Also: management of three community meadows,
Thrupp Lake at Radley,
• 30 staff, 100 regular volunteers
• 750 regular supporters
• Around 30,000 people each year take part in Trust
activities annually

58. Cultivate

62. Trusts can link with
Community Benefit Societies
which then run social
enterprises

63. Tablehurst
&
Plaw
Hatch
• Founded
in
1995
following
a
community-­‐led
campaign
that
raised
over
£150,000
to
purchase
the
stock
and
business
assets
of
Tablehurst
Farm
from
Emerson
College.
• Now
400
members
of
the
IPS,
each
paying
£100
for
their
share.
• The
land
–
800
acres
–
is
owned
by
a
Trust.
• The
Trust
leases
the
land
to
the
IPS.
• The
IPS
has
2
subsidiary
trading
businesses

64. Tablehurst & Plaw Hatch Community Farm

65. West Oxford Community
Renewables

66. IPS CHARITY

67. REAL FOOD EXETER:
Analysis of the share register on closure at 30 September 2010
Amount Subscribed Number of Totals at each
Subscribers Subscription Level
£100 157
£15,700
£200 47
£9,400
£500 36
£18,000
£1000 21
£21,000
2
£20,000 £40,000

72. The Community Farm
• In November 2010, the Community Farm
launched their community share offer inviting
members of the public to invest in a 22 acre
horticulture operation.
• By the end of March 2011, 409 people had
invested £126,000 in the Community Farm.
• This investment has enabled The Farm to take
over the established veg box scheme, organic
growing and wholesale business of the Better
Food Company.

73. £1,600,000 raised

74. Community share societies

75. Members improve competitive advantage
Members roles How these roles improve competitive advantage
Investor Lower cost of capital; greater acceptance of risk
Customer Greater loyalty; accept higher prices & dividend
Service user Demonstrates support to funders; better feedback
Activist More engagement; better feedback; better targeting
Volunteer Lower labour costs; access to specialist skills
Suppliers Greater loyalty; lower input prices
Workers Greater loyalty; lower input prices; better feedback
Directors Access to specialist skills; lower input prices

76. Community Supported
Forestry
• WCA working with SW Protected Landscapes
Forum to explore the potential for community
engagement in woodland management.
• Would involve elements of the CSA and Care
Farming approaches
• West Dorset Woodfuel Co-op to be establshed
as IPS.
• In the long term could be share issue to
purchase woodland – Tamar AONB exploring
pilot

77. Local
Food:
Different
forms
of
support
• Sector
specific
support,
e.g.
CSA’s
• Specialist
Enterprise
Support
• Advice
on
governance
/
legal
structures
Also:
• Dissemina>on
/
sharing
learning
• Social
franchising
or
licensing
• Spin
offs

78. The
Making
Local
Food
Work
programme Local
Shops
Farmers’
Markets
Home
Produced
Food
Food
Co-­‐ops
CSA’s Supply
&
DistribuGon CSA’s
ConsumpGon
Primary
Retail/Food
ProducGon Processing DistribuGon
Service
Enterprise
Support
Food
Mapping
Governance
&
Legal
Structures
Local
Food
Systems

79. In-­‐direct
investment
via
intermediary
organisaGons:
the
example
of
Making
Local
Food
Work
Plunket:
community
retail Social
SUSTAIN
Capital
Food
co-­‐ops
SUSTAIN
Food
hubs Human
Capital
Soil
Associa>on:
Reshaped Reshaped
CSA
Investment: food
opera>ons food
services
Soil
Associa>on:
Buying
groups
Physical
Grant
from
Capital
Big
Lo]ery Co-­‐ops
UK:
Governance
FARMA:
Natural
Farmers’
Markets
Capital
Country
Markets:
Country
Markets
CPRE:
Financial
Food
Webs Capital
Making
Local
Food
Work
Programme

80. Other
infrastructure
support
models
Locality
• 423
members
in
England
• Combined
income
of
£325
million
-­‐
£172
million
earned
income
• £660
million
assets
• 5,500
staff
• 20,000
volunteers

83. AONB
Team
In
Local
authority

84. AONB
Team
In
Local
authority
TRUST

85. AONB
Team
In
Local
authority
TRUST

86. Primary
Projects producGon
Processing DistribuGon Retail
&
Services
Social
enterprise
acGvity
AONB
Team
In
Local
authority
TRUST

87. Local
communiGes
Ci>zens & Consumers
Primary
Projects producGon
Processing DistribuGon Retail
&
Services
Social
enterprise
acGvity
AONB
Team
In
Local
authority
TRUST

88. Local
communiGes
Ci>zens & Consumers
Primary
Projects producGon
Processing DistribuGon Retail
&
Services
Social
enterprise
acGvity
AONB
Team
In
Local
authority
TRUST

89. Local
communiGes
Ci>zens & Consumers
Primary
Projects producGon
Processing DistribuGon Retail
&
Services
Social
enterprise
acGvity
People
AONB
Team
In
Local
authority
TRUST

90. Local
communiGes
Ci>zens & Consumers
Primary
Projects producGon
Processing DistribuGon Retail
&
Services
Social
enterprise
acGvity
People
People
AONB
Team
In
Local
authority
TRUST

91. Local
communiGes
Ci>zens & Consumers
Primary
Projects producGon
Processing DistribuGon Retail
&
Services
Social
enterprise
acGvity
People
People
AONB
Team
Land
&
natural
resources
In
Local
authority
TRUST

92. Local
communiGes
Ci>zens & Consumers
Primary
Projects producGon
Processing DistribuGon Retail
&
Services
Social
enterprise
acGvity
People
People
Buildings
&
equipment
AONB
Team
Land
&
natural
resources
In
Local
authority
TRUST

93. Local
communiGes
Ci>zens & Consumers
Primary
Projects producGon
Processing DistribuGon Retail
&
Services
Social
enterprise
acGvity
People
People
Buildings
&
equipment
AONB
Team
Land
&
natural
resources
In
Local
authority
TRUST

94. Local
communiGes
Ci>zens & Consumers
Primary
Projects producGon
Processing DistribuGon Retail
&
Services
Social
enterprise
acGvity
People
People
Buildings
&
equipment
AONB
Team
Land
&
natural
resources
In
Local
authority
TRUST
Trading
income
Grant
Finance

95. Local
Consumers
Ci>zens
communiGesInvestors
Primary
Projects producGon
Processing DistribuGon Retail
&
Services
Social
enterprise
acGvity
People
Buildings
&
equipment
Land
&
natural
resources
Grant
Finance Loan
Finance Equity
Finance

96. Some
conclusions
• Trusts
can
be
established
as
core
asset
holding
vehicle
• Can
carry
out
primary
purpose
trading
• Can
establish
trading
subsidiary
• Can
lease
assets
to
small
businesses,
coops
or
social
economy
organisa>ons
• Can
explore
joint
ventures
or
partnerships,
e.g.
with
a
Community
Benefit
Society
that
engages
the
local
community
as
investors,
consumers
and
volunteers

97. Contact:
Tim
Crabtree
>m.crabtree@wessexca.co.uk
www.wessexca.co.uk