TheGivingMachine, based in Bishop’s Stortford, has been recognised for its work supporting local communities around the UK. TheGivingMachine team were presented with the prestigious Social Enterprise Mark on Wednesday 27th June 2012 at Bishop’s Stortford’s local council offices.
Being awarded the Mark confirms the TheGivingMachine’s primary purpose – to enable everyone to make a difference in their local communities. As a not-for-profit, social enterprise TheGivingMachine is driven by social objectives rather than profit. It is built and run differently to most other organisations and celebrates the money it gives away rather than the money it makes.
Richard Morris, Managing Director commented ‘The timing could not be better as we have just had the biggest pay out of cash donations this month, to over 1,000 schools and charities nationwide, totalling nearly £40,000 – a record for us. We’re delighted that more than 20 of these beneficiaries are local schools and charities in the Bishops Stortford area.
“Our passion at TheGivingMachine is being in business to bring benefits to our local communities by encouraging everyone to shop online via www.thegivingmachine.co.uk to create free cash donations for their favourite schools and charities. That is why receiving the Social Enterprise Mark is a great honour for TheGivingMachine. It is an independent certification of our intent”.
East Herts YMCA who received another monthly payment of over £40 this month has raised over £1,200 to date. “It’s a great way to enable everyone to make a difference” says Robert Purcell, the Chief Executive of the charity. “The regular income we receive via TheGivingMachine supports a range of activities that we provide to our residents to enable them to belong, contribute and thrive in their local community.”
TheGivingMachine joins other social businesses that have been recognised by being awarded the Mark such as The Big Issue and the Eden Project. Increasingly people will recognise that organisations displaying the Mark are trading to benefit people and planet.
