Top Social Enterprises Honoured at SEYH Awards in Yorkshire & Humber

Hundreds of members from social enterprise businesses gathered in Leeds for the annual SEYH awards.

The SEYH Awards (Social Enterprise Yorkshire and Humber) celebrates and showcases outstanding social enterprises driving positive, sustainable change across the region.

With 9,000 social enterprises generating £4bn and 56,000 jobs across the region, the awards celebrate the innovation, resilience, and community impact of Yorkshire and Humber’s great social businesses, 48% of which are female-led.

Featuring categories like Social Entrepreneur of the Year and Environmental Award, the ceremony took place in Leeds.

SEYH is itself a social enterprise that has been running for the past 15+ years, despite limited funding, in order to champion social business in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

Ali Ward, SEYH General Manager and the SEYH Awards lead organiser, said: “I would like to thank everyone for making it a special night and for celebrating the hard work and impact of some truly brilliant people who, through their businesses, have done so much for their local communities here in the Yorkshire and Humber region.

“We take the event around the region, last year in Doncaster, this year it is in Leeds. With all the current economic challenges hitting the business sector, this year our costs have doubled and yet we were determined to keep ticket prices the same as we know costs are going up for everyone. We couldn’t have done this without all our amazing sponsors.”

Ali added: “This year, we have been working with Printworks Kitchen and Bar, part of Leeds City College, as it fits in well with our ethos in supporting trainees. We try to keep the money spent locally so it benefits the local economy and the social enterprise economy.”

The winners for SEYH Awards 2025 are:

Start Up Award – sponsored by SEYH:
Making Sparks CIC
Neurohive CIC
The PIECES Project CIC
Winner – Elders With Roots CIC

Social Entrepreneur Award – sponsored by Northside Creative
David Wilford – Bramley Baths
Mark Storey – SCCCC
Winner – Lisa Bell – Soundproofbox CIC

Social Investment Award – sponsored by Better Society Capital
Bramley Baths & Community Ltd and
Co-Operatives UK
YorSpace and
Resonance
Winners – Getting Clean CIC and Postcode Innovation Trust

Social Impact Award – sponsored by Key Fund
Create Strength Group
Ilkley Community Enterprise (Outside the Box)
Winner – Bevan Community Benefit Society

Large Social Enterprise Award – sponsored by 21 Degrees Digital
The Sleep Charity
Revive Reuse CIC
Ilkley Community Enterprise
Winner – The Green Estate CIC

Small Social Enterprise Award -sponsored by SEYH
The Nest Holmfirth CIC
Holmfirth Tech Ltd
Armley Action Team CIC
Winner – Umbrella Yoga CIC

Innovative Use of Technology Award – sponsored by ESP Project
Create Strength Group
Winner – Participate Projects

Environment Award – sponsored by Utility Aid
Riverlution
Food Works
Community Furniture Store (York) Ltd
Winner – Thread Republic CIC

Rory Mason, SEYH Award judge and Managing Director of 21 Degree Digital, added: “I would like to thank Ali for putting on a great evening. These awards are about celebrating incredible social enterprises and the people who make them work – as they are some of the nicest, most inspiring people you will ever meet because they’re not driven by profit, they’re driven by the social good and wellbeing that they provide to everybody in their community.

“What these awards highlight is just how much Yorkshire and Humber is a leading region in the UK when it comes to social enterprise. Despite all the hurdles confronting businesses during the last twelve months, 66% of regional social enterprises grew turnover in the last year, outpacing many traditional sectors. There is a real drive, passion and purpose here that is something we just had to celebrate at this year’s SEYH Awards in Leeds.”

For more information about SEYH and how your social enterprise can take part in the awards for 2026, please visit: https://seyh.org.uk/. Email [email protected] for more direct information.