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Social Enterprise Directory
Social Enterprises are businesses that trade to address social problems, improve communities, people’s quality of life or the environment. Their social mission is at the heart of everything they do and all profits are reinvested towards achieving these goals.
Ards and North Down Social Enterprise Directory
Active Youth NI
Service
Active Youth NI delivers non-sport specific physical activity to children and young people to support physical, mental and social wellbeing.
Social Benefit
Active Youth NI delivers significant social benefit by creating inclusive, accessible opportunities for children and young people to be active while developing confidence, wellbeing, and essential life skills. Through non-sport specific physical activity programmes, participants improve their physical and mental health, build social connections, and gain skills such as teamwork, leadership, and resilience that support engagement in education, community life, and future employment pathways. By removing barriers to participation — particularly for those who may feel excluded from traditional sport — Active Youth NI strengthens community connection, reduces social isolation, and provides positive early-intervention support that helps young people feel valued, included, and empowered to reach their potential.
Asylum Strength
Service
Asylum Strength is a community amateur sports club, providing multi sport provision of coaching, training and education, as a non-profit, community led, and volunteer run organisation.
Social Benefit
Asylum Weightlifting Club provides social benefit by creating an inclusive, supportive environment where people of all ages and backgrounds can improve their physical and mental wellbeing through structured and supported strength training. Asylum Weightlifting Club provides affordable access to qualified coaching, equipment, and a positive community environment that promotes inclusion, confidence, and healthy lifestyles.
Bangor Chamber of Commerce
Service
Bangor Chamber of Commerce offers support, facilitates networking, provides affordable training opportunities, and provides opportunities for our members to get involved with events and activities.
Social Benefit
The Chamber is supported by an active and hard-working Board of committee members who are all volunteers, dedicated to helping make Bangor a better place to live and do business.
Bangor Foodbank and Community Support
Service
Bangor Foodbank and Community Support provides practical support to individuals and families facing financial hardship, crisis and social isolation. Through services including emergency food provision, financial inclusion advice, baby bank support, community programmes and youth activities, the organisation meets immediate needs while helping people build longer-term stability, confidence and wellbeing within the community.
Social Benefit
Bangor Foodbank and Community Support supports people through crisis while helping them move toward longer-term stability and independence.
By providing emergency food and practical support, the organisation reduces the immediate impact of poverty and financial hardship. Through services such as financial inclusion, community programmes and youth engagement, it helps individuals build confidence, skills and resilience, improving overall wellbeing.
In addition, its work strengthens the wider community by reducing isolation, supporting vulnerable families, and fostering a sense of connection and dignity. Through collaboration with partners and volunteers, it contributes to a more inclusive, supportive and resilient local community.
Beyond the Battlefield NI
Service
Beyond the Battlefield NI aims to assist veterans of the armed forces, offering specialist counselling for PTSD. Beyond the Battlefield NI offers safe and comfortable rooms in Portavogie veterans centre funded by AFCFT for veterans at risk of, or facing homelessness.
Social Benefit
Beyond the Battlefield NI facilitates increased community and social integration. The Enhance project for homeless veterans is an intervention for veterans at risk of or find themselves homeless by addressing immediate housing needs and deep-seated trauma, helping to stabilise lives, find permanent accommodation and reduce the likelihood of social isolation and homelessness recurrence.
Big Hits Radio
Service
Online radio station providing music 24/7 on the online streaming system, in and around Newtownards and Co.Down Area and further afield. The station is manned by Ex Veterans and other people with Disabilities and People who work in UTV television services and Wardens Bros.
Social Benefit
Big Hits Radio provides a platform for people with disabilities and ex veterans for mental health issues to reach out and have a feeling of wellbeing.
Boom Studios
Service
Boom Studios is a Social Enterprise operating creative hubs in and around Bangor, providing 36 workspaces for the cultural and creative industry along with professional development, support and advocacy for the people who work in this sector. Boom Studios also provides a year round programme of creative and cultural activities for local residents and visitors to the area.
Social Benefit
Boom Studios currently works to to deliver social impact. Through the delivery of activities Boom Studios has a number of social, economic and well-being benefits that fall in line with the UNs Sustainable Development Goals. They include a greater sense of support and community, a willingness to contribute to the community through community work or volunteering, increased income, increased skills and other benefits.
https://www.boomstudios.org.uk/
Camphill Holywood
Service
Camphill Cafe includes a home bakery, Cafe/kitchen and health food shop. Together with adults with learning disabilities, Camphill Holywood produces a variety of breads, tray bakes, soups, quiches and sandwiches.
Social Benefit
Supporting adults with learning disabilities, and providing residential care and work opportunities in Camphill Holywood café.
Cloughey Heritage Group
Service
Cloughey Heritage Group's vision is to refurbish a 1840’s B1 Listed old church on sea front beach into a Community Hub for all. Cloughey Heritage Group also run a variety of social events and training classes.
Social Benefit
Providing fun and friendship to the Cross Community, with inclusion and all forms of Heritage.
Comber Farmers Market
Curious Community
Service
Curious Community NI brings people together through rhythm, movement and creative connection. Led by trained and insured facilitator Michael Ditchfield (percussionist / breathwork instructor / coach) and assisted by Rosie Mullin (movement artist / dancer / yoga teacher), Curious Community NI deliver group experiences including drumming circles, rhythm workshops, movement sessions, dance‑based wellbeing events, and playful embodied activities suitable for all ages and abilities.
Social Benefit
Curious Community NI exists to address the growing challenges of loneliness, social isolation and disconnection in modern life. Curious Community NI's mission is to rebuild community and strengthen social bonds through shared rhythmic and movement‑based experiences.
Donaghadee Heritage Company
Service
The Donaghadee Heritage Preservation Company delivers immersive heritage experiences centred on the restoration and interpretation of the historic Sir Samuel Kelly lifeboat. Its core activity is the telling the story of the 1953 Princess Victoria disaster and the lifeboat’s role in one of the most significant maritime rescue efforts in UK and Irish waters. Additional activities include conservation of the vessel, educational outreach, and community engagement through events, talks, and collaborations.
Social Benefit
The Company generates social impact by preserving an important piece of local and national maritime heritage while making it accessible to the public in an engaging and meaningful way. The Donaghadee Heritage Preservation Company supports wellbeing and social connection through shared storytelling and cultural participation, and creates volunteering and skills development opportunities in heritage and tourism.
Glenside Farm
Service
Glenside Farm provides opportunities for members of the community to access the rural environment, offering seasonal workshops, volunteer roles, hiring of the space and open days. It has a sensory garden for health and wellbeing with volunteers managing the garden. The Farm to Fabric project allows learning by taking the fleece from the sheep on the farm and creating heritage wool based crafts. The farm is open to groups during the lambing season.
Social Benefit
Glenside Farm's vision is health and wellbeing for all, through farming, nature and community. Rooted in the values of authenticity, welcome, compassion, acceptance, and generosity, Glenside Farm has built a space where everyone is valued. It provides opportunities for disadvantaged members of the community, and those at risk of social isolation/social exclusion to access the rural environment, engage in farming activities, learn new skills and participate in outdoor experiences.
Kilcooley Womens Centre
Service
Kilcooley Womens Centre is a social enterprise, operating a social supermarket, co-working space, vintage china hire, and corporate training services.
Social Benefit
Kilcooley Womens Centre redirects profits into frontline services tackling social disadvantage, ending violence against women and girls, educational underachievement and to tackle poverty.
Harmoni
Service
Harmoni provides a supported living facility for people living with disability in the Bangor area.
Social Benefit
Harmoni provides compassionate support to people who live with disability or societal disadvantage.
Holywood Family Trust / Holywood After School Club
Service
Holywood After School Club provides childcare and holiday programme sessions for primary school aged children in the Holywood area.
Social Benefit
Holywood After School Club provides quality affordable childcare provision for working parents or carers in /returning to education.
https://holywoodft.co.uk/
Holywood Old School (Preservation Trust)
Service
Holywood Old School (Preservation Trust) operates a village hall on Church Road, Holywood. This charming village hall has been restored to a high standard and is a Grade B listed building.
Social Benefit
Holywood Old School is regularly used by a range of organisations to provide a various services including, scout meetings, open learning class, family events, dancing classes, pilates, tai chi, gardening, yoga, committee meetings, conferences and trade fairs.
Ladybirds Childcare Services
Service
Ladybirds Childcare Services operates a family and childrens centre, and provides childcare services including early years, afterschools, and holiday schemes.
Social Benefit
Ladybirds Childcare Services supports vulnerable women, children and families to access wrap around support to ensure all children reach their full potential.
Loaf Pottery
Service
Loaf Pottery in Crawfordsburn is a social enterprise that combines a working pottery studio with a small café offering hot and soft drinks and freshly made traybakes. The pottery provides a range of creative experiences including pottery painting, handbuilding workshops, and structured pottery courses suitable for all skill levels. Alongside these activities, Loaf Pottery produces a distinctive range of artisan ceramics made on-site, available for purchase on site or via the online shop. The team also creates bespoke pottery commissions for businesses and organisations, with clients including Spotify, Deloitte, and others.
Social Benefit
Loaf Pottery operates as part of the NOW Group, a social enterprise supporting people with learning difficulties and autism to gain skills, confidence, and employment. The pottery provides hands-on training and supported work experience in both creative and customer-facing roles, helping participants build transferable skills in a supportive environment. It also serves as a community hub, promoting inclusion, wellbeing, and creativity through accessible pottery activities.
In addition to its pottery and café operations, Loaf Pottery runs a volunteer group and a social gardening group, offering opportunities for people to connect, contribute, and develop new skills in a relaxed and supportive setting. These initiatives help reduce isolation, encourage community participation, and enhance wellbeing. All profits are reinvested into NOW Group’s wider programmes, ensuring that every purchase and visit contributes directly to positive social impact across Northern Ireland.
Millisle Regeneration
Service
Millisle Regeneration is primarily a charity, set up to assist in the revitalisation of Millisle, following on from the 2014-2024 (and subsequent) Village Plan(s). Millisle Regeneration assists with proposed improvements to the village and the surrounding area.
Social Benefit
Millisle Regeneration's aim is to assist in the regeneration of the village, to the benefit of all residents and visitors. Millisle Regeneration also facilitate a Charity Shop in its Community Hub.
NDDO - North Down Development Organisation
Service
NDDO Limited is a Local Enterprise Agency, delivering significant social value within the local community by supporting the creation and growth of sustainable businesses. Through providing affordable workspace, business advice, training, and start‑up support, the organisation helps stimulate job creation, enhances employability, and strengthens pathways into self‑employment. By encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation, NDDO contributes to a more diverse, resilient local economy, reducing economic vulnerability and supporting long‑term community regeneration.
The organisation also promotes inclusion by offering accessible support to individuals and groups who may face barriers to enterprise, helping ensure that opportunities for business development and personal advancement are available to all.
Social Benefit
NDDO benefits the local community through job creation and employability, encouraging entrepreneurship and innovation, and by creating and encouraging a more diverse and resilient local economy.
Neurodiversity UK
Neurodiversity UK provides support to parents, carers, young people and adults with or affected by neurological conditions.
North Down Community Network
Service
North Down Community Network provides community development support, capacity building, training, and networking opportunities to strengthen the voluntary and community sector across North Down.
Social Benefit
North Down Community Network enhances community wellbeing and social inclusion by building the capacity of local organisations, supporting collaboration, and improving access to community-based services and opportunities.
North Down Craft Collective
Service
North Down Craft Collective CIC is dedicated to supporting local makers by providing craft workshops, events, and opportunities to showcase their work. Through collaboration, education, and community-driven initiatives, North Down Craft Collective aims to foster a thriving creative network in North Down and beyond.
Social Benefit
North Down Craft Collective's vision is to have an inclusive and vibrant craft community where makers of all backgrounds can connect, grow, and sustain creative businesses. Through collaboration with community groups and organisations, North Down Craft Collective aims to make craft accessible to all, fostering creativity, wellbeing, and lifelong learning for future generations.
Pony Tales NI
Service
Pony Tales NI provides horse riding lessons for ages 2+, beach rides, pony camps, and also non ridden equestrian activities.
Social Benefit
Pony Tales NI is autism and additional needs friendly.
Peninsula Stable Minds CIC
Service
Peninsula Stable Minds provides equine therapy.
Social Benefit
Peninsula Stable Minds provides opportunities to promote emotional, physical and social skills within all young people in the local community.
Portaferry Recreation Hub
Service
Portaferry Recreation Hub is a community hub used by various community groups for range of purposes, e.g.:
• Portaferry Coastal Rowing.
• Portaferry Regeneration Ltd.
• Portaferry Gala Festival.
• Portaferry Community Collective.
• Pilates and Yoga.
• Salthouse Restaurant – family and community events.
• Conferences, meetings.
In house projects include:
• Dementia Singing Group.
• Sea shanties women group selkies.
• Crafty crew widows group.
• Quilting sewing group.
• Sails & sounds Festival organisers.
• PODCAST system groups to use.
• C21 Theatre programme creative arts.
• Services Hub Universal Credit support team.
And other various community events and one off projects.
Social Benefit
Portaferry Recreation Hub provides a range of social benefits, such as:
- Reducing social isolation.
- Generating footfall for the centre and sustainability.
- Addressing needs within community.
- Building stronger community connections, addressing health inequalities and benefits mental health and physical well being.
- Skill building, new friends, social engagements social gatherings.
Portaferry Regeneration
Service
Portaferry Regeneration Ltd is a community-driven company aiming to enhance the town's desirability, economy, and heritage, making it a better place to live, work, and visit. They focus on heritage-led regeneration, restoring historic buildings, reducing dereliction, enhancing public spaces, and promoting local tourism and community events like markets.
Key initiatives of Portaferry Regeneration often include:
- Heritage Preservation: Working to restore late Georgian/Victorian buildings.
- Environmental Improvements: Implementing projects to improve paths, lighting, and parking, aimed at creating safe and accessible shared spaces.
- Economic Development: Supporting local business and tourism through events like artisan markets and developing community, art, and educational projects.
- Addressing Dereliction: Transforming vacant and neglected properties into useful community or business spaces.
- Community Projects: Engaging in town revitalisation.
Social Benefit
Portaferry Regeneration Ltd aims to improve the quality of life for those living in Portaferry and surrounding area by addressing social deprivation, rural isolation, economic decline and environmental issues.
Portaferry Sailing and Social Club
Service
Portaferry Sailing and Social Club operates a social space for members, and hosts sailing regattas (racing sailing and junior sailing).
Social Benefit
Portaferry Sailing Club brings people together and reduces social isolation.
Portico / Friends Of Portaferry Presbyterian Church
Service
Portico operates an arts and heritage venue, with over 60 arts shows per year and permanent heritage displays.
Social Benefit
Portico provides high calibre national and international arts events in a relatively socially isolated area both for those living locally and also for those who travel to the venue.
Remakery Studio Ltd
Service
Remakery Studio prevents reusable furniture from going to landfill, upcycling donated furniture and textiles to give them a new life.
Social Benefit
Remakery Studio has environmental impact, by encouraging reuse and recycling of furniture. Remakery Studio gives new life to furniture and textiles through creativity, thereby avoiding overconsumption and demonstrating artistic renovations.
Social Enterprise NI
Service
Social Enterprise NI is the representative and membership body for the social economy in Northern Ireland, managing the Work Programme on behalf of the Department for the Economy.
Social Benefit
Social Enterprise NI use any profit to support the wider social enterprise sector.
Stepping Stones NI
Service
Stepping Stones NI is a charitable organisation operating for 28 years, operating six social enterprises that serve as realistic training platforms for people with learning disabilities to gain new skills and qualifications. These include three cafes, a wedding stationery and picture framing business, and a horticulture and well-being hub. Five social enterprises are located in the Lisburn area with our Gatelodge Café located at the entrance to Ards Community Hospital.
Stepping Stones NI's employment and training service supports people who experience barriers to learning and employment, offering tailored support to people who are neurodiverse, including individuals who have autism, ADHD, dyslexia, or who experience mental health challenges and other barriers to finding work and staying in work. This service is available throughout Ards and North Down Borough.
Social Benefit
Stepping Stones NI empowers people with learning disabilities and barriers to learning and employment to thrive and life in work. We support people furthest removes from the labour market to get into work and to stay in work reducing economic inactivity. Stepping Stones NI's employer partners benefit from loyal and skilled employees adding to the diversity and inclusivity of their workplaces and social value priorities.
Open House Festival / The Court House
Service
Open House Festival runs festivals and music and art events. Open House Festival operates the Court House Bangor, an independent music and arts venue in a refurbished heritage building on Bangor seafront.
Social Benefit
Open House Festival provides social benefit through the delivery of music and arts activity, development of arts sector, regeneration, positive impact on the local economy, and promotion of civic pride.
The Walled Garden Helens Bay
Service
The Walled Garden Helens Bay offers a range of experiences centred around the garden and its heritage, including creative workshops, seasonal food and drink experiences, and guided garden and heritage tours. Visitors can also extend their stay with on-site accommodation, providing a peaceful base to fully enjoy the setting.
Social Benefit
The Walled Garden creates a welcoming space that supports mindfulness, connection, and wellbeing. The garden brings people together, fostering friendships and a strong sense of community through shared outdoor experiences, volunteering, and events, all in a unique heritage setting.
Tim The Mobile Barber
Service
Tim The Mobile Barber provides a social club for men aged 50+, and a range of physical and mental wellbeing activities.
Social Benefit
Tim The Mobile Barber encourages men who have life changing illnesses and/or social circumstances that hinder or restrict social activities to socialise and join in activities with other men.
U Hub
Service
uHub's mission is to provide an exceptional counselling service, with a multi-disciplinary approach to emotional health and well-being. uHub has something for everyone, from small children right through to adults.
uHub has an exceptional team, delivering talking therapies and group workshops, promoting emotional wellness, balance and contentment.
uHub also offer small group therapies for those with ASD.
Social Benefit
uHub supports people to gain better mental health and happiness.