Social enterprise conference being held in Athlone tomorrow

The first in-person social enterprise conference to be held in the Midlands takes place in Athlone's Dean Crowe Theatre tomorrow (Thursday, September 29) from 9am to 4.30pm.

Social enterprises are described as businesses that aim to reinvest or donate their profits in order to make a positive social, societal, or environmental impact.

The conference in Athlone is being organised by the new Social Enterprise Exchenge project, which is a Just Transitition-supported initiative directed by Clodagh Barry and managed by former TD and Senator Gabrielle McFadden.

The Social Enterprise Exchange project said tomorrow's event would "provide experts, networking opportunities and showcase opportunities, as well as the opportunity to connect, learn, network and meet with social entrepreneurs."

The conference, which has a theme of 'Creating Shared Value', is seen as an opportunity for social enterprises and stakeholders to meet and collaborate with each other in order to help create a regional social enterprise economy.

Athlone-based SME, The Cluster Centre, will be leading the conference in partnership with Roscommon Integrated Development Company, Galway County Council, Laois County Council and with the support of the Midland local enterprise office networks.

Keynote speakers at the event will be Gareth Hart, Director of Plymouth Social Enterprise Network and Duncan Thorpe, Policy and Communications Manager at Social Enterprise Scotland.

The conference will be chaired by Chris Gordon, CEO, Irish Social Enterprise Network who said: "Social enterprises are businesses for good. They provide our local economies with employment and opportunities and are at the heart of the communities in many towns and villages across the Midlands.

"I am delighted to be asked to chair the Social Enterprise Exchange conference highlighting some of the great work in the region."

Registration for the conference is online at: https://bit.ly/SEEConference2022