Manchester Social Economy Alliance
Working for Manchester's Social Economy
Meet our Members.
Adrian Ashton
Adrian Ashton has been influencing national legislation and policy, designing university degree programmes, undertaking various researches, and working with a range of individual social economy organisations for nearly 30 years - with an aim to not only help individual groups be able to create more impact in their communities, but that the wider ecosystem they operate in is as supportive as possible. Adrian also holds the world record for the most number of consecutive annual impact reports published on the same organisation.
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Why MSEA?
I joined the MSEA in recognising that more can be done in cooperation than working alone, and hopes that his work in other sectors (private, public, and academic) will mean he can bring insights that will further enhance the planning and work of MSEA
Shared Future CiC
Jez Hall
For over 25 years Jez has worked in diverse communities, facilitating deliberative and participatory democracy processes and delivering research and policy work. A founding director of the social enterprise Shared Future CIC, and a Greater Manchester resident for over 30 years, he specialises in participatory budgeting, co-production and social enterprise. He has written many how to guides and research papers on what might be called ‘practical democracy’ which is about how people can get involved and exert democratic influence beyond elections.
Shared Future CIC is a community interest company registered in Manchester. Offering consultancy, research and facilitation services to the public sector and the social economy.
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Why MSEA?
As a long term resident of South Manchester, I have connected with many social economy groups and social enterprises across our city and the North West region. The unique aspect of the Social Economy, for me, is that it is broader than legal definitions of community based, mission led, businesses or charities. As well as both new and more established social enterprises and cooperatives it includes a wide range of self-help, social activism, or place based community and not for private profit groups. It provides an alternative vision to market based economics, though its focus on sustainable livelihoods, democratic control and social connections.
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Greater Manchester Community Led Homes
Rachel Summerscales
Rachel is the Project Officer at GMCLH and has worked in the GM community and social enterprise sector for many, many years. Rachel is also part way through building my own family home part of the Laureates Place CLH scheme, and has hands on experience of the ups and downs of community led housing. In the past Rachel has worked in social enterprises covering Health and Wellbeing along with the Arts so has experience in a variety of settings.
What is GM Community Led Homes?
We are a member-led Hub for community led housing support within Greater Manchester. Our purpose is to both accelerate the number of community led homes that are to be delivered in our city region and to support community led housing groups to remain sustainable for the long term.
Our mission is to collaboratively build and manage community led homes with and for communities throughout Greater Manchester.
We are an independent not-for-profit Community Benefit Society and are part of a national movement to help communities take action on housing. We’re your first port of call for advice, resources and useful contacts.
Why MSEA?
GMCLH are a MSEA partner as we see community led housing and community owned assets playing a key role in a fairer and stronger social economy in Manchester.