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Stuart Gentle Publisher at Onrec

Disability entrepreneur wins second prize in ‘Social Entrepreneur of the Year’

Disability employment entrepreneur, Jane Hatton, has been awarded runner up at the Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2014 Award

Disability employment entrepreneur, Jane Hatton, has been awarded runner up at the Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2014 Award.

The award was a chance for all students on the Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland Social Entrepreneurs Scale Up Programme to secure additional funding for their project, as well as recognition for the outstanding work they have done over the past year in ‘scaling up’ their organisations. See more at: http://www.the-sse.org/schools/26/lloyds-bank-and-bank-of-scotland-social-entrepreneurs-programme/367/2014-winner-announced#sthash.2H0TWBYG.dpuf

Jane was amongst five finalists who aimed to win with the UK-wide £10,000 Award.  All five are about to graduate from the 2013/14 cohort of the Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland Social Entrepreneurs Programme.  The winners were announced at a ceremony in London on 5th November- See more at: http://www.the-sse.org/schools/26/lloyds-bank-and-bank-of-scotland-social-entrepreneurs-programme/367/2014-winner-announced#sthash.2H0TWBYG.dpuf

Jane Hatton said “We are delighted to be recognised as an outstanding social enterprise and to have so many people vote for us proves that our work is appreciated. The prize money will go towards employing additional disabled people, working from home, to help with our own marketing activity to encourage more employers to access disabled talent”.

Launched in April 2012, the Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland Social Entrepreneurs Programme delivered in partnership with the School for Social Entrepreneurs, provides both financial support (grants from between £4,000 - £15,000) and comprehensive learning support including a business mentoring scheme.  The programme is designed to support social entrepreneurs in communities and, through them, help stimulate economic growth and regeneration across the UK.

Evenbreak was established by Jane Hatton in 2011, providing a specialist online job board run by disabled people for disabled people. Jane’s inspiration came from three sources: prior to becoming disabled herself, she worked as a diversity trainer, promoting the benefits of a diverse workforce to employers; running a training business, she also employed a number of disabled people herself and experienced first-hand the business benefits they brought with them; and then, unexpectedly, she became disabled herself with a degenerative spinal condition. Despite numerous spinal surgeries, Jane lives with constant severe pain, barely able to sit and with limited mobility. Jane runs the business lying flat with a laptop suspended above her.

Jane understands the issue from the perspectives of both employers and disabled candidates and now works with employers across the country, helping them to attract more disabled candidates, and helping disabled jobseekers find work with employers who value their skills

David Richardson, Midlands Ambassador for Lloyds Banking Group said “The Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland Social Entrepreneurs Programme sits at the heart of our helping Britain Prosper Plan. The five finalists for the Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2014 have particularly demonstrated what we mean by this, through delivering a positive impact to society and bringing tangible benefits to communities, individuals and the environment.”

Alastair Wilson, CEO of the School of Social Entrepreneurs, said: “I was blown away at the Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award shortlisting panel, the talent and passion of all the applicants was incredible. The five finalists particularly impressed with their social impact, recent growth and plans to scale up their social enterprises.”

This autumn, the second cohort – of 274 social entrepreneurs from across England and Scotland – will graduate from the Bank’s Social Entrepreneurs programme, and in November 2014 the programme will welcome a further  297 entrepreneurs enrolling for the 2014/ 15 cohort. 

To find out more about Evenbreak, please visit:  www.evenbreak.co.uk.