News

Influential co-operatives founder Margaret Elliott OBE, yesterday addressed members of the Mutual Leaders Network, highlighting the “importance of driving competitive edge for new mutuals spinning out of the public sector.”

She described the “key to surviving and thriving as an employee owned organisation starting out, is diversifying provision, and knowing your local customers’ needs”, also reporting positive growth in Sunderland Homecare Associates’ share price rise from £2.20 to £8.80 over the past 10 years.

Margaret Elliott, pictured here at the Mutuals Network dinner with Ken Temple,  Chairman of Baxi  Partnership, is Founder and Executive Director of a group of employee-owned homecare providers across Northern England including Sunderland Home Care Associates. She addressed the dinner event to share her extensive experience of setting up successful employee owned businesses since the 1970s.

The network meeting was held in London and organised by Baxi Partnership, a key provider behind the Government’s Mutual Information Service, and official mentors alongside Margaret Elliott of the Mutuals Pathfinder Programme launched by Cabinet Office back in 2010.

Campbell McDonald, Director of Public Sector Practice at Baxi Partnership, welcomed attendees, by saying “it’s fantastic to have this opportunity to share innovation and make lasting introductions between those in the mutuals sector who are different stages in their journey to spinning out. Baxi hosts this unique network because it builds capacity, something that is central to our mission to support the growth of strong,   sustainable employee owned organisations.”

Network members include forward thinking figures from across the country representing market leading social enterprises, public sector organisations, and government commissioners. The network’s diversity reflects the increasingly mainstream appeal of employee owned organisations in the UK, with the total sector now generating £2.5bn every year.

To celebrate the achievement of those working in employee owned and mutual enterprises, Baxi Partnership is hosting the Baxendale Awards, which will take place on 14 November, on the eve of the 2012 Employee Ownership Association Annual Conference at the Birmingham Hilton Metropole Hotel. Nominations for the Baxendale awards are now open and are free to enter.

Notes:

• To find out everything you need to know about submitting your entry just visit Baxi’s dedicated Baxendale Awards 2012 webpage, or contact Robin Naudi on robin.naudi@baxipartnership.co.uk
• Public sector teams can apply for all 9 categories. The deadline for entries is 16 October.
• Margaret Elliott is one of the 6 guest judges that also include senior representatives from John Lewis, the Employee Ownership Association and the Cabinet Office.
• Baxi Partnership has dedicated legal, strategic and funding support to help teams considering spinning out from the public sector to new models of delivery. For more information, please contact Olivia Schelts on 07913 681 577 or email olivia.schelts@baxipartnership.co.uk