Proper Good Programme

Social entrepreneurs need relationships, practical skills and access to suitable finance, often at different points in a venture’s development. Proper Good set out to test how tailored support and social investment could reach and strengthen social enterprises in four Greater Manchester boroughs.

George was the programme manager, convening and facilitating stakeholders across Bolton, Oldham, Stockport and Wigan and helping shape interventions that contributed to unlocking £2 million of programme support funding.

Local partners led later delivery and reported the activities and outcomes described below.

Hosted by GMCVO and funded by the Access Foundation and Better Society Capital, Proper Good offered free support, networking, training, investment readiness and routes toward social investment. Local delivery partners worked in Bolton, Oldham, Stockport and Wigan. Its first two years were framed as a test-and-learn period, with approaches adapted to local social economies.

• In Stockport, the local report records eight Flourishing Fridays attended by 89 people.
• 87% of Flourishing Friday attendees reported making connections they expected would help develop their ventures.

This is a self-reported result from one local strand of the wider programme. It measures anticipated usefulness of connections, not independently verified venture growth. It belongs to the delivery partnership and participants, rather than George individually.