Partners, mentors, friends and family gathered at the MK:U Innovation Hub in central Milton Keynes today to celebrate 18 social entrepreneurs graduating from Milton Keynes’ first Trading for Good programme.
Trading for Good is a five-year project, delivered by the School for Social Entrepreneurs (SSE) in partnership with The National Lottery Community Fund – the largest community funder in the UK. Thanks to National Lottery players, almost £5 million has been awarded to provide funding, education and support to more than 650 social entrepreneurs and community businesses across England.
The programme is supported by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and The Open University, MK:U – Cranfield University and Milton Keynes Community Foundation. The programme will equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to develop and grow social enterprises that are addressing the needs of local communities in Milton Keynes.
Matthew Downton of Milton Keynes Community Foundation and Fidele Mutwarasibo of The Open University spoke at the event about why growing local social entrepreneurs matters for Milton Keynes. Deputy mayor Keith McLean presented the graduation certificates.
Eight of the entrepreneurs shared what they had learned on the programme and their next steps. Sybil Zimuto, whose enterprise Call Soso connects local creatives with surplus materials from local businesses, said: “Before I started this course, I thought I knew everything I needed to know about my social enterprise. Now I understand it so much better.”
Karen Williams of MathsWings said the programme had “challenged my thinking, strengthened my confidence as a social entrepreneur and helped shape the next stage of the MathsWings journey,” adding that every session left her “with something practical to reflect on.”
Joanna Konefal of Yoga for Health also graduated from the programme. Kanika Nagpal, a trustee of Yoga for Health, said: “I’ve seen her grow so much in confidence and making the right decisions. This year’s big public event at Willen Lake was bigger than ever.”
The Match Trading grant
The programme’s Match Trading grant is what makes it distinctive: every pound an entrepreneur generates from trading, SSE matches, up to £4,000, turning learning straight into practice. Saqhib from Madad has used it to diversify revenue streams and expand Madad’s charity shops, which offer interest-free furniture financing as an alternative to high-cost payday lending. At Camphill, a community where people with learning disabilities live, learn, work and celebrate together, growing traded income has funded more varied activities and real work experience for residents. As Julia Funge of Camphill puts it: “It’s a supportive programme that really helps you think differently about income and impact.”