Eight social businesses from across South Wales are in the running for honours at this year’s Social Business Wales Awards.

The annual Social Business Wales Awards celebrate social enterprises making a difference locally, nationally and globally in industries including housing regeneration, wellbeing, the transition to a net-zero economy, and employability skills training.

The awards will be handed out in October at Venue Cymru in Llandudno. Categories include diversity, inclusion, equity and justice; innovation of the year and Social Enterprise of the Year.

They are sponsored by The Co-op, CAIS Social Enterprises and Co-operative and Community Finance.

Among those in the running for an award include Run4Wales, the Community Impact Initiative CIC, Beacons Cymru Music Industry Development CIC, Heol Chwarae Rol Ltd TA Role Play Lane and Down to Zero Ltd.

Funded by Welsh Government, Social Business Wales delivers advice and support to new and existing social enterprises through a consortium of providers including Cwmpas, Development Trusts Association Wales, Social Firms Wales, UnLtd and the WCVA, helping businesses to thrive in a challenging economy. 

Glenn Bowen, director of Enterprise at Social Business Wales, said: “It was a real struggle to choose a shortlist of three organisation for each award category this year. We had lots of very strong entries, which is a real indicator of the impact social businesses are having across Wales.”