Saturday 13th September 2014 is dedicated to promoting social enterprises in the UK. What does it mean to operate a national car club in the interest of the community?
Social enterprises are businesses that trade to tackle social problems, improve communities, people's life chances, or the environment. Co-wheels was set up as a social enterprise by a small group of like-minded individuals who felt passionately about making big changes: our focus then and now is on providing an environmentally friendly, socially just, community-based alternative to car ownership.
Because Co-wheels is a Community Interest Company, we reinvest profit into our operations to expand the service, bringing accessible and affordable car hire to communities in areas across the country, many of which have been traditionally ignored by car club operations.
Our vision is to change the way that people use cars to get about. It's a multi-faceted approach; we work to empower people to reduce car ownership, and then improve the environmental impact of the cars people do use by providing our low emission, hybrid and electric vehicles. And, as part of our commitment to inclusion and accessibility, we have put Wheelchair Accessible Vehicles on streets in Aberdeen, and are working toward installing more in other locations across the country.
Find out more about other social enterprises which are doing amazing things on the Social Saturday website, and join in on Twitter with the hashtag #socialsaturday