\u201cOur region\u2019s socially trading sector is the hidden engine of our economy, worth nearly \u00a33bn a year and employing 50,000 people. I\u2019m keen to support it and help the sector continue to grow and flourish.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I know that I don\u2019t have all the answers. I\u2019ve worked with the sector and Power to Change to design and launch Kindred. It\u2019s a radical new venture, owned and run by the sector and shaped around their needs and ambitions.\u00a0I\u2019m sure that we will see our investment repaid many times over through the contributions the social economy will continue to make. Many of these organisations represent the best of our region and its values. I\u2019m glad we\u2019re able to help them thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

[\/et_pb_testimonial][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-39px|auto|-13px|auto||” custom_padding=”41px||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

This is a new model funded and incubated by Power to Change and supported by the LCR Combined Authority who put in \u00a35.5 million with significant potential to be replicated across the country to build more inclusive economies post-Covid.<\/p>\n

One community business to benefit first from Kindred investment is Caf\u00e9 Laziz, a pioneering pop-up caf\u00e9 in St Helens, building skills and confidence for refugees and asylum seekers and with a pay-it-forward scheme where customers can add a donation of \u00a33 to pay for a meal for an asylum seeker. Thanks to Kindred, lots of opportunities have come their way and the long-term plan is to run the caf\u00e9 in a building they own with the women taking ownership of the company they started.\u00a0<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-28px|||||” custom_padding=”0px|0px|14px||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”-26px|auto||auto||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.powertochange.org.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/Cafe-Laziz-photo-1-scaled.jpg” title_text=”Cafe Laziz photo 1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”4px||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”3px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

When we first spoke with Power to Change about Kindred it wasn’t just an idea,” says Erika Rushton, creative economist<\/strong>. “It was something through which all the socially trading organisations we all worked with could come together and have collective impact. The highly skilled staff of Power to Change have pushed and pulled, coaxed and cajoled, collaborated and co-created Kindred into reality. It wouldn’t exist without them. Kindred is not just Power to Change’s legacy in Liverpool, it is a statement of their intent.\u201d<\/p>\n