ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Patrick Nash

I have set up and led twelve successful social enterprises, charities and values-driven businesses. I use my commercial, coaching and fundraising expertise to develop strong, sustainable organisations that do social and environmental good.

Any community group that wants to set up a social enterprise will find this an inspiring introduction to the opportunities as well as the pitfalls
Jane Foot – researcher and author on asset based community development

In 1980, aged 22, I was part of the team that set up one of the UK’s largest vegetarian food wholesale cooperatives. I went onto lead on the development of an Eco-Village in the North of Scotland, raising the funds and managing the delivery of eco-homes, renewable energy and chemical free sewage treatment.

HISTORY

After a brief spell working for the Dalai Lama in the mid 1990s, I set up the largest workplace counselling service in the UK, Teacherline, along with number of charities and social enterprises that worked in schools to promote healthy working environments. You can read some of the press coverage on the launch of Teacherline in 1999, BBC on Teacherline and in the Guardian.

In 2005, while setting up a contact centre enterprise, I decided to locate in the Welsh valleys, an area of high unemployment, in order to create jobs and growth opportunities.

The company now employs close to 400 people who provide 24/7 support to many thousands of people facing challenging circumstances each day. From mental ill health to poverty and debt, youth empowerment to people seeking asylum, there are few challenges that the Connect Assist advisers, counsellors, debt specialists and nurses can’t provide a solution or treatment for.

This article was written in 2013 about my career leading up to Connect Assist. Other articles include The Guardian Small Business and the visit of Wales’ First Minister to Connect Assist.

Connect Assist won a Welsh Company of the Year Award in 2013 and I won the Institute of Directors Director of the Year for Corporate Responsibility in 2017.

I passed on the leadership of Connect Assist to the management in 2017 and now work as a consultant and coach to social enterprises and charities.

I hold a number of non-executive and trustee positions, including a trustee of Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, a volunteer founder of the St Davids Festival of Ideas and a trustee of the Solva Edge Festival.

Buy the Book here

Patrick Nash

Connect Assist won a Welsh Company of the Year Award in 2013 and I won the Institute of Directors Director of the Year for Corporate Responsibility in 2017.

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