Local social enterprise recognised for fantastic growth

Merseyside based social enterprise Elixir Foundations has been congratulated by a member of the Cabinet Office for achieving fantastic growth over the last year and being shortlisted for a prestigious RBS SE100 “Trailblazing Newcomer” award.  Minister for Civil Society, Nick Hurd MP said “I am very impressed with the business that Elixir Foundations has set up, experiencing fantastic growth for a new business alongside a powerful social mission that [they] deliver so successfully.”
In less than a year the company has opened 3 depots in Bootle, Kirkby and Doncaster and secured long-term contracts for recycling, property maintenance and gardening.  They also recruited over 300 staff, including 200 from Merseyside and Sefton, who we all previously unemployed for at least 6 months and many faced significant barriers to employment such as drug addiction and criminal records.
Elixir Foundations was set up in 2008 by CEO Ben Donnelly, but started trading fully in September last year after Ben received guidance and support from local enterprise initiative Step Clever. Elixir is now featured on Billboards in North Liverpool as part of Stepclever’s new marketing campaign to inspire other local entrepreneurs to access support to grow their business.
Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for regeneration, Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, said: “Stepclever is committed to generating enterprise in some of the more deprived areas of the city, and it’s wonderful that Elixir - an organisation we have helped - has flourished in these difficult economic times. 
“The regeneration of North Liverpool is vital to the future prosperity of the city and by offering free business advice and support, Stepclever aims to make a long-term, positive difference by encouraging local people to turn their business dream into a reality.”
The growth is set to continue as the company has recently signed a deal with a national glass recycling company, who will soon share part of Elixir’s 60,000 square foot site in Kirkby. This will give both companies the advantage of being able to collect whole windows from their customers as well as cardboard and polythene packaging.