Annual social impact report celebrates The Circle’s performance

The chief executive of Dundee-based “more than profit” organisation The Circle has hailed its performance in its third annual social impact report.

Kirsty Thomson highlighted the support and advice offered to entrepreneurs, businesses and charities against the challenging backdrop of Covid-19 restrictions.

With large premises in the city’s Staffa Place, The Circle also acts as landlord to a number of organisations.

The Circle has worked with 44 businesses and charities in the past 12 months and secured £230,000 in grant funding to support community benefit projects.

The organisation has also delivered more than 50 hours of free consultancy for earlystage entrepreneurs and assisted 45 social entrepreneurs.

Ms Thomson said: “This report celebrates some of our successes and the way we have been supporting the c o m m u n i t y, both in Dundee and on the wider spectrum in terms of social enterprise across Scotland.”

Part o f the organisation’s work is The Circle Academy – a 12-week programme focused on developing skills and knowledge in entrepreneurs across key areas, including business model, finance, legal issues and sustainability through multiple income streams.

Twenty-five candidates have gone through the process since it began, with the current cohort accessing the programme through a digital platform.

Ms Thomson said: “Over the past seven to eight months through the pandemic, the third sector, charity and social enterprises have been facing challenges with funding cuts, so we’ve secured an excess of £250,000 for those organisations.”

The Circle has also continued to support young people across the city by distributing 300 “superstar activity packs” containing items such as s t a t i o n e r y, colouring books and comics.

The organisation said a number of people were still keen to use the office for a number of tasks, especially where the home environment can make using Zoom calls and other digital platforms more difficult.

Ms Thomson said: “It’s really about making sure that our tenants and the community we are working in with the Academy and our client base, is getting access to the support they require.

Looking to the future, Ms Thomson said the funding picture for charities and social enterprises had changed dramatically due to coronavirus and T he Circle would continue to support them including providing digital training and a shor t package delivered online that helps entrepreneurs pivot their business and access funding opportunities.

The Circle chief executive Kirsty Thomson.