Social Enterprises Recognised at the First National Social Enterprise Awards

• The National Social Enterprise Awards highlight the positive impact social enterprises have on our communities and raises awareness and understanding of social enterprise across Ireland
• 20 social enterprises from around the country were nominated in eight categories, with one Social Enterprise, Turn2Me, a mental health initiative that provides online counselling nationwide, announced as the Overall Winner
• A special ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ was made to Senan Cooke from County Waterford who has shown extraordinary commitment to the social enterprise sector over many decades

Minister Jerry Buttimer TD, Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, with special responsibility for Community Development and Charities, today (Wednesday, 15th October 2025), provided the welcome address at the inaugural National Social Enterprise Awards to an audience gathered from across the social enterprise sector.

The Awards are supported by the Department of Rual and Community Development and the Gaeltacht under the National Social Enterprise Policy 2024-2027, Trading for Impact, to increase awareness of and showcase the sector.

The event took place in the Priory Market and Apex Theatre complex in Tallaght, Dublin.

The awards were organised on behalf of the Department by a consortium of bodies involved in the social enterprise space who have been engaged by the Department to help deliver a number of the Policy’s actions: the Local Development Company Network (LDCN), Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland (SERI), Irish Social Enterprise Network (ISEN), and the Wheel.

Speaking about the awards Minister Buttimer said:

Speaking at the awards, the Minister stated:

Also speaking at the awards, Máirín O Cuireáin, CEO of the LDCN (Local Development Company Network)

Speaking to the nominees today, Minister Buttimer concluded:

List of Categories, Winners and Runners-up

(A brief description of each of the category winners is included in the Notes for the Editor below)

Social Enterprises

Social enterprises are businesses whose core objective is to achieve a social, societal, or environmental impact. Like other businesses, social enterprises pursue their objectives by trading in goods and services on an ongoing basis. However, surpluses generated by social enterprises are fully or primarily re-invested into achieving the core social objectives.

They frequently work to support disadvantaged groups such as the long-term unemployed, people with disabilities, travellers, etc., or to address issues such as food poverty, social housing, or environmental matters.

National Policy

Trading for Impact was launched by the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht in July 2024. It was designed to cultivate and sustain a strong and impactful social enterprise sector in Ireland that enriches the social, environmental, and economic wellbeing of our communities.

The new policy is more ambitious in scope than the first policy launched in 2019 and focuses on new areas of importance, for example climate action and the circular economy.

The policy details five key objectives:

• Building Awareness of Social Enterprise
• Growing and Sustaining Social Enterprise
• Supporting the Green Transition
• National and International Engagement
• Impact Measurement

The National Social Enterprise Awards

The holding of an annual National Social Enterprise Awards is one of the commitments made in the Trading for Impact, the National Social Enterprise Policy 2024-2027 to recognise the work that social enterprises do in our communities, share best practice, and raise awareness of the sector. These are the first Awards.

2025 National Social Enterprise Awards - Winners

Turn2Me (Social Enterprise of the Year & Health and Wellbeing / Services for Children and Older People)

Turn2Me, based in Dublin, is a high-quality, safe, anonymous, and confidential resource where people can gain support for their mental health online. They offer adult counselling and peer support services to adults and young people aged 12 plus. The online resource is a purpose-built secure platform that delivers mental health services online in Ireland.

CycleUp Textiles (Climate and the environment)

CycleUp Textiles is a social enterprise based in Athleague, County Roscommon, that focuses on the circular economy by transforming waste textiles into new products like bags and gifts. The organization, an initiative of the Roscommon Women's Network, provides training and upskilling in upcycling for marginalized women, empowering them with new skills and flexible employment opportunities. Their handmade products are made from 100% upcycled materials and sold online or in their shop

Common Knowledge (Community Facilities/Infrastructure, Arts and Heritage, and Local Development)

Common Knowledge is an Irish non-profit social enterprise in County Clare that shares skills for a more sustainable and joyful home life. Located on 50 acres near the Wild Atlantic Way, the organization offers hands-on courses in building, making, and growing, and runs community projects and a sustainable living center with accommodation. Their mission is to empower people to create affordable, sustainable, and happy homes.

Connections Arts Centre (Training, Work Integration, and Life-long Learning)

Connections Arts Centre is a social enterprise based in Rathgar, Dublin that supports the disability community through creative arts, lifestyle, and educational programs. Founded in 2020, it operates on the principles of creativity, Community and change to promote inclusion, bridge educational gaps, and provide a platform for artists with disabilities. They offer both online and in-person classes, a gift shop featuring the work of their artists, and bespoke programs for other organizations.

Duhallow Community Food Services (Retail, Hospitality, and Professional Services)

Duhallow Community Food Services (DCFS) is a social enterprise in County Cork that provides subsidized meals, catering, and bakery products to people in the Duhallow area. It offers a vital social meals service, including a subsidized "meals on wheels" program for isolated and vulnerable individuals, alongside commercial services like a restaurant, outside catering for events, and a local bakery

Anam VR (Startup)

AnamVR is a Dublin-based company that developed a mental health platform combining mobile and Virtual Reality (VR) technology to help people manage anxiety and improve wellbeing. Co-founded by a psychotherapist and game developer, it offers evidence-based tools like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) exercises, mood tracking, and immersive VR relaxation experiences, aiming to make mental health support accessible, engaging, and affordable.

Rise at the Cove (Buy social)

Rise at the Cove is a social enterprise cafe in Greystones, Ireland, that provides training and employment to people in the Tiglin Challenge Limited rehabilitation program. It is part of Tiglin, a charity that supports individuals recovering from addiction and homelessness, and all cafe proceeds fund its charitable work. The cafe's mission is to help break down the stigma surrounding addiction by creating a community space where locals and service users can interact.

Carebright CLG (Social Finance)

Carebright CLG is a social enterprise that provides home and community care services for the elderly and people with disabilities in Limerick and throughout Munster. Established in 1998, the organization is a leading provider of homecare, focusing on enabling people to live independently in their own homes for longer and offering specialized dementia and Alzheimer's care. They have also developed Ireland's first purpose-built community for people living with dementia

Senan Cooke (Lifetime Achievement Award)

Senan Cooke is a champion of social enterprise, social entrepreneur, community worker, author, historian, hurler and proud GAA man, and one of the inspirations behind the innovative Dunhill Ecopark in County Waterford. He is always willing to share his vast store of knowledge of social enterprise. His book ‘The Enterprising Community: A Bottom Up Perspective on the Capacity Within Communities Within Communities to Regenerate’ is still one of the best sources of information on social enterprise development in Ireland.

A consortium of Social Enterprise Republic of Ireland (SERI), the Irish Social Enterprise Network (ISEN), the Local Development Network (LDCN), and the Wheel have been commissioned to support the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht in implementing a number of Trading for Impact Policy actions, including delivering a National Social Enterprise Awards in 2025, delivering a National Social Enterprise Conference in 2024 and 2025, organising a series of regional stakeholder engagement events in 2025 and delivering a Pilot Transition Year Programme that raises awareness of social enterprise among second level students.