A SOCIAL enterprise which puts communities at the heart of its work is urging people to 'shop social'.

Family Fund Business Services (FFBS), a York-based business-to-business fulfilment service, has joined the Choose Communities: Buy Social campaign to highlight its work.

Social enterprises like FFBS are businesses which trade for a social and/or environmental purpose, reinvesting the majority of their profits to support their mission. FFBS's profits are donated to parent charity Family Fund which supports families with disabled or seriously-ill children.

The company offers unrivalled value on goods and services while supporting charities, local authorities, housing providers and other commercial organisations.

Since2013, £4.7 million has been gifted to Family Fund. In 2019/20 FFBS’ partnerships helped generate over £1.17 million to support the charity.

Jill Wheeler, FFBS managing director, said: “We’re taking part in the Choose Communities: Buy Social Campaign as helping others is at the heart of everything FFBS does. Our fundamental objective is to help more; help more families raising a disabled child, and help our customers extend their funding to reach more beneficiaries in their communities, ultimately improving lives for the better.

“When an organisation partners with FFBS they are truly part of something special; a unique model that drives real social change through collaborative working.”

Peter Holbrook Chief Executive at Social Enterprise UK said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on communities but at the same time there has been a real resurgence in community spirit – people have been coming together to support each other, mutual aid groups have been set up and we have come together to celebrate the vital work carried out by key workers across the country.

"Social enterprises have been at the forefront of community responses to the crisis – shifting their business models to keep on supporting their communities and deliver vital services.

"It’s now vital that social enterprises are placed at the heart of our recovery from the pandemic so we can build back better in a way that is more equal and sustainable. We can all play our part in growing the social enterprise movement and the best way to do this is to buy social because when you do, you are choosing communities.”