Awards

Growing up in Beeston, Leeds, Sarah was immersed in a diverse culture from an early age and began her working life as a customer service manager for BT and then for Everest, before leaving to start a catering business with her parents. Among other awards, Sarah received an honorary Master of Business Administration degree from Leeds Metropolitan University in 2012.

Sarah commented: “I got into social ventures because I believed that I could run a good business whilst also giving vulnerable people the chance to get and hand-up and not a hand out. It is a tremendous honour to be here today, to be recognised in this way, and to see that my dream resonates so loudly in this city.”

Read the full story here or view the images of the day here.

Awards recognise passion, commitment and excellence. Sarah and the organisation she founded has been fortunate enough to be recognised by a number of different organisations including…

Sarah was awarded an honorary degree for services to the city of Leeds, 2012

Create restaurant winners of the Ethical Restaurant of the Year in the Observer Food Monthly Awards, 2012

Create restaurant listed in the Good Food Guide, 2012

Create restaurant listed in the Michelin Guide, 2012

Institute of Public Policy Research – Northern Lights top 50 leaders, 2011

National Start Up Awards – Social Enterprise of the Year, 2010

Big Society Award winner chosen by Prime Minister, David Cameron, 2010

Business Start Up Award, 2010

The Department of Communities and Local Government’s Regional Champion for resolving homelessness 2009-2010 & 2010-2011

Forward Ladies’ Business Woman of the Year, 2010

Not for Profit Business Woman of the year, 2010

Third Sector Excellence in Trading Award, 2010

BCSC Purple Apple for Marketing, 2010

Yorkshire Forward’s Creating Better Futures Award, 2010

The RBS SE100 Winner of the National Trailblazing Social Enterprise in the UK, 2010

The Lord Mayor of Leeds Charity of the Year 2009-2010

Social Enterprise Yorkshire & The Humber’s Start Up Of The Year Award, 2009

Yorkshire Bank’s Community Regeneration Award, 2009

Winner of the Biz award for ‘Enterprise in the Community’, 2008

Yorkshire Forward’s Creating Better Futures Award, 2008

Bradford Chamber of Commerce’s Enterprise In The Community Award, 2008

Holder of the Social Enterprise Mark

Holder of the Social Firms Mark