As a small registered social landlord serving the Belgrave community in Leicester, Cossington Housing Co-op (CHC) has greatly benefited from the invaluable support of the Leicester Social Enterprise Network (LSEN).

Over the years, LSEN has played a pivotal role in helping us develop and grow our housing portfolio. Early in our collaboration, LSEN—under the guidance of Dave Brazier—facilitated key meetings with Leicester City Council (LCC), including discussions with the Lord Mayor, the Lead Housing Councillor, and the Director of Housing. These opportunities allowed CHC to align with LCC’s housing strategy and explore crucial areas such as funding, planning, and community asset transfers.

Beyond strategic advocacy, LSEN provides a strong and diverse networking platform where small and medium-sized organisations can access advice, guidance, and peer support. The regular networking meetings have been instrumental in helping organisations like ours navigate an increasingly challenging financial and regulatory landscape.

LSEN is a vital enabler for community-led organisations, ensuring that groups like CHC can continue to operate and serve local housing needs. We strongly encourage other community-focused initiatives to engage with LSEN and take advantage of the support they offer.

The LSEN EXSEL initiative is a vital resource for our community. It has provided essential support to our organisation by fostering connections with other Social Enterprises not only in Leicester but from around the country. Additionally, LSEN EXSEL has created an open forum for Social Enterprises to exchange ideas, amplify the voices of grassroots organisations, promote collaborative action, and strengthen relationships with key stakeholders in the City.

Due to the invaluable support offered by EXSEL, we have actively encouraged other Social Enterprises to join and benefit from the guidance and networking opportunities available.

We believe the LSEN EXSEL is a valuable and necessary service in Leicester. We hope it will continue to operate and develop into a centralised hub that Social Enterprises can rely on for comprehensive support, advice, and guidance.

It was my first time attending such an event so meeting like-minded people (Networking) was valuable. For example, meeting people like Del from Just Wood was helpful in terms of us working together in the future.

As the Director of Taoreta Ltd, I have had the pleasure of engaging with ExSEL and its initiatives over the past 12 months. The support and resources provided by this program have been truly invaluable in helping our company grow and thrive within the social enterprise landscape in Leicester.

From the moment I attended my first event, I was impressed by the professionalism and dedication of the ExSEL team. The workshops have been incredibly insightful, offering practical guidance and strategies tailored to the unique challenges faced by social enterprises. I found myself consistently gaining new knowledge and perspectives that directly benefited my business operations.

I highly recommend ExSEL to anyone looking to expand their social enterprise or make a meaningful impact in their community. Their dedication, expertise, and passion for supporting local businesses are unmatched. I am deeply grateful for the positive impact they have had on Taoreta Ltd and look forward to continuing this rewarding relationship.

Leicester Social Economy Consortium hosts fantastic networking events throughout the year. EXSEL events, organised by Dave Brazier and Vicki Stephenson, provide a warm, welcoming space for connection, collaboration, and growth. Attendees have the opportunity to build relationships, share ideas, and explore new opportunities. Dave and Vicki’s passion for bringing people together and supporting the growth of community-driven organisations shines through in every event.

Celebrate Our Similarities – COS has been involved with the LSEN/ EXSEL events for the past year and found useful insights and information giving us confidence in what we aim to achieve and how to consider the potential pitfalls / funder requirements etc.

COS is now ready to move to the next level and hope this programme continues to enable us to achieve our ambitions to benefit the communities of Leicester and civic priorities of Tourism and Inward Investment.

Attending the LSEN EXSEL events over the past year has been incredibly rewarding. Connecting with such a passionate and dedicated group of individuals who are all working towards improving the lives of people in Leicestershire has been truly inspiring.

The events have been incredibly valuable in providing a platform for sharing best practice, collaborating on new ideas, and ultimately, making a positive difference within our communities. The guidance and support offered throughout the social enterprise journey has been invaluable, providing the confidence and tools needed to make a real impact.

During your talk at the recent LSEN meeting, you discussed the importance of a healthy and nurturing environment for a business to give it every chance to succeed and thrive. You used an interesting coral reef analogy which caught my attention.

This is exactly what LSEC, through the ExSEL project, is doing for both; The Olive Trust service delivery team and myself. LSEC is doing this by providing rent-free office space and guidance. Since October last year, I have been able to incorporate 2 new businesses, and, more importantly, Since December 2023, The Olive Trust has delivered over 600 hours of mental help support to more than 120 people who would otherwise be on an NHS waiting list. Please see (https://www.theolivetrust.org for more information).

LSEC is filling a huge gap as the team takes the time to understand the key constraints, and, in turn, curates a bespoke coral reef; to use your analogy. For example, The Olive Trust has yet to raise any income through grants despite their waiting list growing daily. This means that money is tight. So LSEC stepped in and is providing 2 large rooms (therapy space), at no cost, so it’s one less constraint for The Olive Trust to contend with.

I wonder whether you would be available to visit us on Upper Brown Street, where I share an office space with Dave Brazier (LSEC). You could meet The Olive Trust’s key delivery team and learn more about what we are trying to achieve especially around job creation and growing the economy.