26th November 2007

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The woman behind an innovative healthy living centre in Fermanagh has been named as Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2007, winning a University of Ulster sponsored award. 

Jane Reihill, Vice-Chair of the Irvinestown Trustee Enterprise Company and Chair of the ARC Healthy Living Centre, was presented with the prize at a recent Social Economy Network event. 

Jane shaped the development of the company and helped develop a healthy living facility in one of Northern Ireland’s most deprived areas. The centre, which was established in 2001, promotes the holistic health care needs of a rural population, addressing physical, psychological, social, educational, environmental and economic factors. 

Jane’s prize is a one-day consultancy from a University of Ulster academic on addressing a business problem.  

The University of Ulster has a key role to play in contributing to the growth and development of the social economy sector in Northern Ireland. Through the University’s Business Liaison Office, it offers support and guidance to local social enterprises. 

Director of Innovation at Ulster University, Timothy Brundle, said: “We recognise that social enterprises have a significant role to play in the regeneration of the local economy. To maximise their impact, social enterprises need to be as professional as any local business and this presents many challenges, not least that of balancing social and economic outputs. 

“We have an established track record in bringing expertise to social enterprises across Northern Ireland and I am confident that Irvinestown Trustee Enterprise Company will benefit greatly from the business support being offered.”

The University of Ulster has a distinct role to play and offers a ‘best in class’ service to social enterprises. It provides bespoke services and training for social enterprises through the School for Social Entrepreneurs, delivered via the University’s Business Institute.  

The School for Social Entrepreneurs supports the development of social entrepreneurship through high-level learning and development initiatives. The School builds organisational and sector capacity through an acclaimed portfolio of accredited University of Ulster courses.

The University also provides access to other relevant mainstream support mechanisms such as consultancy and the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP).  

The KTP Office at the University of Ulster was set up in 1991 with the support of Invest Northern Ireland and provides an access point for industrialists wishing to access the expertise and knowledge available within the University.

The focus is on helping social enterprises to provide a competitive, innovative and client-focused service, which in turn, strengthens their potential impact on the community.  

For further information, please contact:

Trina Porter
Telephone: 028 71675511
Email: Trina Porter