Community Film Unit wins social enterprise award

Community Film Unit wins social enterprise award

A film unit Surrey County Council launched has been handed a national award recognising its status as a social enterprise working for the benefit of local communities.

The Community Film Unit, set up just over a year ago through the county council’s youth development service, has been awarded a Social Enterprise Mark.*

It is believed to be only the second film social enterprise in the country to get the award. The mark confirms the unit is an organisation that reinvests its profits into activities that benefit local neighbourhoods.

Films of a youth justice conference, an assembly for children and young people and the High Ashurst Outdoor Education Centre near Dorking were made with the council.

Since striking out on its own, the unit has produced a string of films for the likes of Surbiton Hockey Club and Pupil Voice and Participation England, the national organisation for school councils. It also made a film for this year’s Surrey Youth Games.

Kay Hammond, Surrey County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “It’s fantastic news that this home-grown social enterprise has been given this prestigious national recognition. I’m delighted for the people involved with the film unit and I look forward to it going from strength to strength.”

Matthew Joblin, the unit’s project co-ordinator, said: “We’re very proud to have achieved the Mark and the Community Film Unit will continue to support and raise awareness of the social enterprise revolution. We are tremendously grateful for the continued support from Surrey’s youth development service.”