What is Social enterprise?

Like traditional businesses they aim to make a profit but it’s what they do with their profits that sets them apart – reinvesting or donating them to create positive social change. By selling goods and services in the open market, social enterprises create employment and reinvest their profits back into their business or the local community. This allows them to tackle social problems, improve people’s life chances, provide training and employment opportunities for those furthest from the market, support communities and help the environment.

Meet Our Dedicated Employee at Smerdon Day Centre

Dream media

Our dream media social enterprise focusses on animation, filming and production of short films and raising awareness of things that our employees think are important to their peers. Dream Media offers a film transfer service where VHS tapes, VHS –C, Video8, Hi8, MiniDV and other formats can be transferred on to a DVD or into MP4 format. A scanning service is also available, where printed photos are scanned into a digital format to put onto a DVD or a memory stick.

The Dream Media team are available to film and edit footage for local events and have also been making a series of short awareness films.. Visit the Dream Media Facebook page to take a look.

Garden at Smerdon Day Centre by Eleanorhealthcare Group

Gardening enterprise

With their brand new polytunnel and wide range of equipment, the gardening services enterprise are available for contracts for growing fresh produce and helping to keep greenery tidy.

Our employees work with the team to grow a wide range of fresh vegetables which are used to prepare fantastic meals in the day centre sites, and items including plants and hanging are available to purchase to raise vital funds for the centre.

Activities by Residents at Smerdon Day Centre - Eleanor Healthcare Group

Dream cards

Our dream cards enterprise utilises the creativity and imagination of our employees, by making greetings cards for every event!

All of our cards are made to a high standard, and both generic cards, and bespoke cards for your event can be produced. You may see the branded cards in your local community, or if you would like to purchase some, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Custom Photobooth by Eleanor Healthcare Group at Smerdon Day Centre

Photobooth hire

Arguably one of our most popular enterprises is our photobooth service, which is available for events hire across the country.

Operated and post-produced by our employees, we can make your wedding, christening, birthday or event a truly memorable one! Our employees are not scared to get creative, with plenty of props, outfits and green screen effects - completely customisable to your event!

Mark Gordon Our Dedicated Employee at Smerdon Day Centre

Mark Gordon the social enterprise co-ordinator

Here, Mark explains how he first started working in the sector two decades ago and why it remains a passion of his:

"I first got into working with adults with Learning Disabilities (LD) in 1988, when I was working with a steeplejack’s company, maintaining chimneys and church roofs. I damaged my knee and was unable to work for a long time, so a friend invited me to do some volunteer work with a support group in Lewisham.

I loved the work so much that I decided it was something I wanted to do full time. From there, I started working in residential homes and day centres around Lewisham and Greenwich until I applied to work at Smerdon in 1998. I initially started working in special care, supporting adults with complex needs and after three years I moved to the mainstream unit. I utilised my passion for computers by setting up a computer suite connected to the internet - we were the first day centre to do this! We soon started to look at digital photography and film making, where we made fun film clips while I developed my photo and film editing skills. We've come such a long way since then with the services we offer and the way in which we are able to offer paid work to our clients."