Derby Celebrates Its First Ever Derby Impact Awards

Showcasing the City’s Growing Social Enterprise Movement

More than 170 people came together at Derby’s Museum and Art Gallery on The Wardwick on Thursday 20 November to celebrate the inaugural Derby Impact Awards—a new event recognising the city’s most inspiring social ventures, purpose-driven entrepreneurs and mission-led businesses.

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Hosted by Social Ventures Partnership as part of the Derby Social Ventures Programme, the awards highlight Derby’s expanding social enterprise movement and the organisations driving positive economic and social change across the city.

 

Celebrating the 2025 Winners

The first ever Derby Impact Awards honoured outstanding impact across eight categories:

• Upbeat Clean – Social Venture of the Year

• Michael Gladwell – Social Entrepreneur of the Year

• Rebuild East Midlands – Enterprising Charity of the Year

• The Manasi Foundation – New Start Social Venture of the Year

• Circulayo – Impact Business of the Year

• Nadia Jane Performing Arts – Impact Business in Place Award

• Electric Daisy – Creative & Cultural Impact Venture of the Year

• Katapult – B-Corp of the Year

• Student Impact Idea Award Winners - Amarali Shateri, Donald Mass, Vineta Plotskija, Jared Hall

 

Leaders Unite Behind Derby’s Social Enterprise Future

Guest speakers and award presenters included civic, cultural and business leaders:

HM Vice Lord-Lieutenant Andrew Cochrane DL; The High Sheriff of Derbyshire Sir Richard Fitzherbert; Derby North MP Catherine Atkinson; Marketing Derby MD Dr John Forkin DL MBE; Cosy Direct CEO Peter Ellse DL; Disability Direct Group CEO Louise Moss; and Culture Derby Chief Executive Alix Manning-Jones.

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Catherine Atkinson MP backed Social Ventures Partnership’s call for a new Derby Social Enterprise Compact, aimed at directing more public sector spending towards local impact businesses. She added:

“In Derby, we lift each other up.”

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Other leaders echoed the importance of Derby’s impact economy:

• Dr John Forkin MBE DL, Marketing Derby CEO:

  “Impact businesses and social ventures are now at the heart of the story we tell about Derby.”

• Louise Moss, CEO of Disability Direct Group:

  “The integrity of social enterprise creates trust with customers and builds loyalty.”

• Nadine Peatfield, Leader of Derby City Council:

  “The City Council wants to grow and develop the social enterprise sector because it represents the very best of our city—creativity, ambition and a desire to do things differently.”

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Building an Impact-Driven Derby

Keith Jeffrey, Social Ventures Partnership, reflected on the growing momentum:

“Our unique approach to building an impact-driven economy through coaching is working. We hope stakeholders across the city will come together to help us deliver this work.”

 

Headline sponsor Martin Austin, Director of Nimbus Disability, added:

“Derby has such a history of innovation and reinvestment in its community. Supporting the Impact Awards aligns perfectly with our mission. Helping recognise others making a difference is a fabulous opportunity.”

 

Looking Ahead

The success of the first Derby Impact Awards marks a major milestone for the city’s social enterprise ecosystem. The event will return in 2026, continuing to celebrate the people and organisations making Derby a fairer, more inclusive, and more resilient place.

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