The Editor's Post: Why we all need a 'festival of hope'

Julie Pybus 28th November 2025

Events like this week's UK Social Enterprise Awards are an all too infrequent bright spot in many people’s calendars: it gives people a chance to reflect upon the positive things that they have achieved despite a challenging economic and political context. This week's view from the Pioneers Post newsroom.

We were disappointed that we couldn’t get to this year’s UK Social Enterprise Awards celebration on Wednesday evening (thank you for the invitation, Social Enterprise UK!). Our sources tell us that the hundreds of guests created a bright, celebratory atmosphere with comedy, music and lots of connections rekindled.

This year, the evening was branded a ‘Festival of Hope’. It took place at London’s iconic Southbank Centre which was built after the Second World War to host the Festival of Britain. This aimed to help the country look forward to a brighter future after the tough years of conflict. SEUK explains that “at a time of economic uncertainty, rising populism and division, we have taken over this beloved venue to create a festival celebrating businesses which are creating hope for people and communities across these isles”.

Ever since I was involved in the first ever national awards for UK charities some 25 years ago, I’ve known that events like this are an all too infrequent bright spot in many people’s calendars. It gives people a chance to reflect upon the positive things that they have achieved, to connect with others working in similar roles and – if they win – to have a very well deserved celebration. The odd celebrity guest helps to sprinkle a bit of stardust too. I vividly remember delightedly bumping into the magnificent actress Pam St Clement who played Pat Butcher in the beloved British soap opera EastEnders in the toilets one year. You can find out all about this year’s Social Enterprise Awards winners in our story, and do check out SEUK’s socials to see all those smiling faces. Keep an eye out too for our own SE100 Social Business Awards which will be launching very soon.

At the same time as the celebrations were taking place, conversations at the awards ceremony inevitably reflected the challenging times that many UK social entrepreneurs are facing. Last year’s government Budget hit many of them hard with an increase in employers’ national insurance contributions, and this week’s Budget brought few measures to feel positive about, as my colleague Laura highlighted in yesterday’s Impact Finance Bulletin. As SEUK highlights with its Festival of Hope theme, social entrepreneurs – both within the UK and beyond – are operating in a tense economic and political atmosphere.

And this is what the former minister Nick Hurd, who was instrumental in fostering the social enterprise and social investment movement in the UK, tackles in his piece for us this week. He contends that Europe and the UK can counter the icy wind blowing across the Atlantic from the Trump-led US. He’s got some compelling messages to back up his argument. Dive in for another dose of hope this week.