OurCoop has been formally presented with The King’s Award for Enterprise by the Lord-Lieutenant of Warwickshire, Tim Cox, in recognition of its work to promote opportunity and social mobility.
The organisation was announced as a recipient of The King’s Award for Enterprise earlier this year, one of the UK’s most prestigious awards for businesses, in the Promoting Opportunity category. OurCoop is one of 185 organisations across the UK to receive a King’s Award for Enterprise in 2026.
The Lord-Lieutenant of Warwickshire, Tim Cox, visited OurCoop in Leamington last month to formally present the award to Richard Bickle and Irene Kirkman, Vice Presidents of OurCoop.
Richard Bickle and Irene Kirkman, Vice Presidents of OurCoop, with Tim Cox, Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire.
The award recognises OurCoop’s work to promote social mobility and create opportunities for people facing barriers to employment through initiatives including Bright Future Co-op, The Fairer Futures Programme, and Fairer Access to Work.
In 2017, OurCoop became a founding partner of Bright Future Co-op, which supports survivors of modern slavery into employment through a network of partner organisations. Since its launch, 107 survivors have been supported, with 72 moving into permanent roles.
Building on this work, OurCoop created The Fairer Futures Programme, which launched in 2023 in partnership with social enterprise Miss Macaroon. The programme supports young people aged 19 to 29 years who face significant barriers to employment, providing tailored mentoring, counselling, work experience, leadership skills, access to further education and follow-up support. Of the 112 young people to have participated since 2023, 66 have moved into sustained employment, including 47 securing fixed term or permanent roles with OurCoop.
In 2024, OurCoop launched Fairer Access to Work in partnership with Aspire, offering work experience and mentoring to adults who have experienced homelessness or displacement. Since launching, the programme has supported 32 people into employment.
Tim Cox, Lord-Lieutenant of Warwickshire, said:
“It was a great pleasure to formally present OurCoop with The King’s Award for Enterprise in recognition of its outstanding work to promote opportunity. The programmes that have led to this award demonstrate the positive difference that organisations can make when they put opportunity, inclusion and their communities at the heart of what they do. The King’s Award is a tremendous achievement, and I would like to congratulate everyone at OurCoop who has contributed to this well-deserved recognition.”
Councillor Rob Howard, Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Economy and Rural Development, said:
“I would like to congratulate everyone at OurCoop on receiving this prestigious national recognition. It is wonderful to see its commitment to breaking down barriers to employment and creating opportunities for people being put into practice in our communities.
“At Warwickshire County Council, we share that commitment to helping people overcome barriers and access meaningful employment, including through programmes such as our supported internship programme and Fair Chance Employment Programme.
“By working alongside businesses, partners and communities, we can help create a more inclusive Warwickshire where more people have the opportunity to develop their skills, fulfil their potential and contribute to our local economy.”
Irene Kirkman, Vice President of OurCoop, said:
“It was a real privilege to welcome the Lord-Lieutenant of Warwickshire to OurCoop and to be formally presented with The King’s Award for Enterprise. It's a significant recognition of the work taking place across OurCoop to help create fairer opportunities and make a lasting difference to people’s lives.
“As a co-operative, we believe everyone should have the chance to fulfil their potential, whatever barriers they may have faced. Our work with Bright Future Co-op, Fairer Futures and Fairer Access to Work shows what can be achieved when like-minded organisations come together with a shared purpose and a commitment to supporting people from all backgrounds.
“Behind every statistic is a person whose life has been changed. I hope this recognition will help us build on what we have achieved so far and encourage others to play their part in creating a fairer society.”
The King’s Awards for Enterprise are the UK’s most prestigious business awards and recognise business excellence across five different categories: Innovation, International Trade, Promoting Opportunity, Sustainable Development, and Young Founder. Award recipients are permitted to fly the King's Awards flag at their main office and use the emblem on their marketing materials for five years.
For businesses interested in applying for an award and would like more information, email the Warwickshire Lieutenancy at lieutenancy@warwickshire.gov.uk.
To find out more about The King’s Awards for Enterprise, visit www.gov.uk/kings-awards-for-enterprise