CEW

There is a thriving community enterprise culture in both urban and rural Wales. 

The reasons for growth in Community Businesses and Social Firms are job losses, lack of services, unemployment, and the market opportunities, but the models they follow are diverse.

Today there are 500+ Community Businesses/Social Firms in Wales pumping £35m  into the Welsh Economy every year.

The range of businesses are enormous: cafés, laundries, crèche/nursery facilities, activity and adventure holidays, bookshops, training providers, art and craft shops, galleries and garden centres to name but a few.  

Many of the changes in Wales have come about as a result of the hard work by Community Enterprise Wales on behalf of its members. CEW has lobbied hard to get Community Enterprise into the mainstream, where it is now recognised as an important component in economic development planning at local, regional and national level.

The establishment of the National Assembly in 1999, along with the new range of funds and funders has improved the situation since CEW was established nearly 10 years ago. The introduction of the Community Fund (formerly National Lottery), the New Opportunities Fund, the Coalfield Regeneration Trust and others is a good start, but there is still a long way to go.

Objectives of CEW

Our main objectives are :-

Gaining continued recognition for the success of community enterprise in Wales.

Publicising an awareness of community enterprise development objectives and practice.

Re-inforcing the roles identified by Community Enterprise Wales for its work in the fields of networking, community enterprise development and support.

Attracting resources for community enterprise development to reach its potential.

Influencing policies and legislation which affect the community enterprise movement.

Securing Community Enterprise Wales's future.