SEDGLEY'S Beacon Centre for the Blind was the major winner at this year’s Social Enterprise West Midlands Awards after its pioneering new venture secured a double triumph.
Beacon Opticians Plus+, which provide optical healthcare, beat off a host of challengers to take home the SE Potential and SE Prima titles, after impressing judges with the way it is competing with high street and independent opticians.
Just two months on from its official launch, the social enterprise has turned over £3,500 in sales and completed 50 eye tests in the state-of-the-art facilities within the charity's Wolverhampton Road East headquarters.
Speaking at the recent awards ceremony, Sallie Ryan, partnerships manager at Social Enterprise West Midlands, the region's leading business network and consultancy for social enterprise, said: “This is one of the biggest award ceremonies in our sector.
"It is only right that we recognise organisations, enterprises and individuals that are creating businesses that have a sustainable impact on the communities in which they operate."
Nick Comley, from Beacon Opticians Plus+ said it was "fantastic" to walk away with two of the main awards just a couple of months after starting to trade.
@BeaconCentre chuffed with SE Potential and Prima awards at SE Awards 2015 last Thursday. 😊😄 pic.twitter.com/dUYkJWH6k6
— Beacon 4 blind (@BeaconCentre) November 24, 2015
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