We are a Nottinghamshire-based social enterprise that tackles social and environmental issues and today we are celebrating Social Enterprise Day.
We are working to reconnect people with nature, food, and their community. We help people grow food in small spaces by making it accessible and affordable. Today we are raising awareness of Social Enterprises and the difference they make.
If you don’t know what a Social Enterprise is, they are businesses that work to achieve positive social and/or environmental impact. They are primarily motivated, designed, and driven by a desire to make a positive difference in the world. Like any business, Social Enterprises seek to create profit by trading in goods or services. The difference is that they reinvest or donate at least half of those profits to their social or environmental mission. Sometimes they are referred to as a Not-For-Profit or Profit For Purpose.
Social Enterprise Day takes place on Thursday 16 November 2023 and is a global event celebrating the incredible contribution that Social Enterprises make to communities and the environment across the world.
The Crop Club was based in Loughborough, Leicestershire, and started as an idea back in 2013. We first started trading in 2016 from a friend's shed as part of the National Garden Scheme. We took part in their Secret Craft Fair and sold our first growing kits over the weekend. We formed as a Community Interest Company in 2019. In 2021 we moved to Gedling, Nottinghamshire where we now run the business from our home.
Since we started The Crop Club, we have helped thousands of people try growing their own food in small spaces, created a community garden project from scratch in Loughborough, and traveled the UK for markets and to deliver workshops.
We are just one of more than 100,000 Social Enterprises in the UK, contributing an estimated £60 billion annually to the economy.
The Crop Club is a member of Social Enterprise UK, the national membership body for Social Enterprises. CEO Peter Holbrook said: “Social Enterprise Day is a celebration of the great work social enterprises up and down the country are doing to protect our environment and support communities in need. Where we spend our money can make change happen, and with social enterprises, you can be sure that your purchase will make a real difference.”
Since 2022 we have also been a member of the eBay for Change programme run in conjunction with SEUK. You can visit our shop The Crop Club CIC and have a look at what we have for sale. You can save 10% with the code SEDAYUK10 on all our products.
As part of the Social Enterprise community, we like to ‘buy social’ and support others in the sector – so we encourage you to do the same. With lots of us shopping for the festive season, why not look for presents with purpose?
If you want to see what amazing Social Enterprises you can shop with you can visit the eBay for Change website here, and don't forget the code SEDAYUK10 to save 10% in our store. You can shop by Impact via six categories: Environment & Sustainability (our category), Health & Wellbeing, Tackling Poverty, Tackling Inequality and Action in the Community and Supporting Employment.