The SE100 Index is run by Pioneers Post and NatWest to name and celebrate the UK’s 100 most impressive social enterprises. For the third year running Cockpit is once again on the list!
We are in excellent company among some outstanding social enterprises across all parts of the economy. The Top 100 are judged on a wide range of criteria – from the growth and sustainability of their businesses to the innovation and resilience they have demonstrated and the social impact they have delivered. Read the full list here
We are especially proud of our inclusion this year given the tough environment and the challenges we have faced. During the pandemic we steered a steady course supporting individuals without losing sight of Cockpit’s sustainability, balancing short-term survival with the opportunity for long-term transformation. As a result, we retained all staff and kept 150 makers on board and in business at Cockpit over the 15 months of the pandemic.
As CEO Annie Warburton says, “If we are not putting our makers first and foremost in response to a crisis, we are not doing our job.” Supporting talent to thrive, even in the toughest of times, is what we are all about.
Our Future is in Our Hands: Cockpit Effect Report 2021, now in its 10th edition illustrates, against the background of Covid, that support has never been more vital. It looks at a year of two halves.
From October 2019 to March 2020, all the indications are that our makers were continuing to produce the impressive results that we have seen in previous years. The financial data provided showed that year on year to March 2020 revenues, profit and gross value added were all in growth.
In March 2020, that all changed as we entered the first phase of lockdown. The report details the impact of Covid on our makers and the financial and business support that Cockpit provided. It also shows that whilst Covid had a harsh impact on many makers, others proved themselves equipped to adapt to the changed circumstances.
Having weathered the storm, our Cockpit community is ready to face the coming months together. In addition to our SE100 listing, we’ve got lots to celebrate. Since April 2021 the whole team has been back delivering support, workshops, seminars and coaching to our makers and preparing for our June Summer Festival. We welcomed record numbers back to the studios when we opened to the public for the first time in 18 months, with our highest number of visitors in more than five years.
