NatWest SE100 Impact Pioneers: finalists revealed for 2026

An enterprise redistributing wasted food to schools and families, a community interest company that provides trauma-informed training to public and civil society organisations throughout the UK, an inclusive hospitality business accelerating race equity within the food and drink sector, and a charitable enterprise that helps people with visual impairments to travel safely and inexpensively – all are named as finalists in this year's NatWest SE100 Impact Pioneer Awards.

Rethink Food, Rock Pool Life, Be Inclusive Hospitality and Travel Hands are just four of more than 40 organisations and their leaders to have been selected as finalists in the NatWest SE100 Impact Pioneer Awards – created by Pioneers Post and delivered in partnership with Social & Community Capital, the independent social investment charity funded by NatWest bank.

This year’s SE100 finalists... show what purpose-driven organisations can achieve with bold ideas and a deep commitment to the communities they serve.

Over coming weeks we will also announce our SE100 Index – the top 100 social enterprises in the UK, judged by their performance and impact over the past year – as well as a new Pioneers100 List recognising pioneering impact leaders. The winners in each category will be announced at the awards event held in Manchester on 13 May. 

Vicki Papworth (pictured, right), CEO of NatWest S&CC, said: “This year’s SE100 finalists represent the very best of social enterprise across the UK. They show what purpose-driven organisations can achieve with bold ideas and a deep commitment to the communities they serve. Congratulations to everyone shortlisted – we're excited to celebrate your achievements and reveal the winners in Manchester.”

A story about food poverty

Rethink Food (pictured above) says it exists “because too many young people are growing up without reliable access to nutritious food or the knowledge and confidence to make healthy choices. This drives poor health, low attainment and entrenched inequality. At the same time, vast amounts of good food are wasted every day.”

The Leeds-based enterprise works with schools, communities and businesses to change this. “We redistribute rescued food into schools and communities, support families through dignified access initiatives such as the National School Pantry Network, and deliver engaging, curriculum-aligned education programmes that build food literacy, health awareness and environmental responsibility,” it explains. “Our work supports children, families and educators in areas of high deprivation, while helping businesses play a meaningful role in tackling social and environmental challenges.

“We generate income through a blended model: corporate partnerships and sponsorships, office box subscriptions, funded school programmes, events and donations. This model allows us to grow sustainably while ensuring every pound delivers measurable social and environmental impact. Our mission is simple and urgent: healthy people, healthy planet.”

A finalist in this year's Pioneering Storyteller category, Rethink Food says that storytelling has been central to the success of its National School Pantry Network, which it launched last year to provide “a scalable, dignified model for tackling food insecurity within schools”.

The strength and clarity of this storytelling has also driven national recognition and policy influence

As founder Nathan Atkinson explains in his SE100 application: “Rather than leading with statistics alone, Rethink Food has focused on telling honest, human stories that reflect the realities of food insecurity, health inequality and school life – without stigma or sensationalism. Our approach centres dignity, lived experience and practical solutions. Through blogs, micro-blogs, podcasts and social content, we have amplified the voices of school leaders, families, partners and our own team. These stories have helped shift the narrative from crisis response to prevention, empowerment and long-term change... The strength and clarity of this storytelling has also driven national recognition and policy influence. In the past year, the UK Government launched Our Children, Our Future - Tackling Child Poverty, its new Child Poverty Strategy in December 2025, which highlighted the National School Pantry Network as a case study of impactful, community-led innovation. The inclusion of NSPN recognised the power of school-based, preventative approaches that combine access to food with dignity, local leadership and long-term outcomes for children and families.”

Trauma-informed training for frontline professionals

Rock Pool Life CIC, based in Brixham, Devon, in the south west of England, is a finalist in our new Public Sector Pioneer award category, which seeks to showcase innovative solutions in public sector services, and is supported by Buzzacott accountants and social enterprise leadership network E3M. 

The organisation says trauma related to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) is widespread: it says around 15% of adults have experienced four or more ACEs, which are then strongly linked to poorer physical and mental health, substance misuse and violence, reducing the life chances of individuals and their families and increasing demand on public services. Since creating the UK’s first trauma-informed Recovery Toolkit in 2005, Rock Pool founder Sue Penna (pictured above) has developed tools and approaches to support professionals working with those whose lives have been most affected, including survivors of domestic abuse, families with multiple disadvantage, and people experiencing mental ill-health, as well as frontline staff exposed to high stress and vicarious trauma.

In the past twelve months we have trained 1,100 front line staff and 1,642 have attended our webinar programme

“Impact is delivered through training frontline staff in use of our recovery toolkits, introducing trauma informed approaches across the workforce and supporting wider system change,” the organisation says in its SE100 application. “In the past twelve months we have trained 1,100 front line staff and 1,642 have attended our webinar programme. University-led evaluations have shown significant impact with improvements in practitioner knowledge, confidence and practice, resulting in significantly better outcomes for clients and increased job satisfaction. All income is generated from fees for services and profits reinvested in the company.”

Addressing race inequity in hospitality

London-based Be Inclusive Hospitality (pictured above) is a finalist in the Diversity Pioneer category, which recognises enterprises leading by example and inspiring others to embed equality, diversity and inclusion into their work. Founded in 2020, the enterprise supports ethnically diverse hospitality professionals and founders to access skills development, build social capital and community while partnering with organisations committed to building inclusive cultures.

“We exist to address persistent racial inequities in hospitality, including pay disparities, underrepresentation at senior levels, limited access to funding and unequal career progression,” the organisation writes in its SE100 application. “Our work combines research, education and community-driven initiatives to drive systemic change. We deliver funded mentorship programmes... leadership workshops, inclusion training, industry research (including five reports to-date), and national events including conferences and awards that spotlight ethnically diverse talent and businesses. We also convene a growing community of hospitality professionals across the UK.”

We exist to address persistent racial inequities in hospitality, including pay disparities, underrepresentation at senior levels, limited access to funding and unequal career progression

BIH generates revenue through corporate partnerships, sponsorship, commissioned training, event income and grant funding. “This blended model enables us to reinvest into funded programmes and subsidised development opportunities for our community, creating both commercial sustainability and measurable social impact across the sector,” it explains.

A helping hand for visually impaired travellers

London-based Travel Hands (pictured above) – named in our Pioneering Newcomer shortlist, for start-up enterprises trading for up to five years – supports visualy impaired people (VIPs) by pairing them with sighted, verified volunteers so they can make safe and confident outdoor journeys. “Operating through a hybrid model of call centre and mobile/web apps, the service allows VIPs or their next of kin to book, track and pay for journeys easily,” explains founder Ishan Jha. “Our customer service dashboard enables real-time journey monitoring, matching, and communication for improved safety. Volunteers, vetted through enhanced DBS checks and trained via in-app modules, provide flexible support and receive reward incentives for their contributions, making every journey safer, more inclusive, and accessible.”

It was Jha's own experience facing the possible loss of his own vision that set him on the journey towards creating the enterprise, when he was diagnosed with the progressive eye condition keratoconus, where the cornea thins out and bulges causing blurred vision. During his time as a student, he volunteered with a charity supporting blind and partially sighted people, which he describes on the organisation's website as “a formative experience that planted a seed of purpose”.

What if getting around could be safer, simpler and more human for visually imparied people?

One evening, he accompanied some blind friends to a social gathering and, as they laughed, navigated busy streets and shared stories together, one of them joked, “You’d make a great Uber driver for blind people!”
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That light-hearted comment sparked a serious idea – what if getting around could be safer, simpler and more human for visually imparied people? What if volunteers from the community could step in – just like he had – to offer companionship and guidance?

Thus the idea for Travel Hands was born. Having registered as a charitable incorporated organisation in January 2023, the enterprise has developed a steady and growing income, and has supported more than 350 clients with the help of more than 90 vetted volunteers. Now, Ishan reports that, with more than 1,500 journeys conducted in London, the service has been proven to save 30 minutes for every journey undertaken and £40 on travel costs per month as compared to pre-pandemic statistics for an active VIP in London.

NatWest SE100 Awards Finalists

The full list of SE100 Awards finalists is set out in the categories below:

	PUBLIC SECTOR PIONEER Recognising social enterprises or enterprising charities working with ‘bold commissioners’ to deliver innovative solutions and next level social impact in public services.
	FINALISTS ◆ Forward Carers ◆ GLL  ◆ Rockpool Life ◆ Turning Point ◆ Wellbeing Enterprises

	IMPACT STORYTELLER To recognise organisations using storytelling and communications most effectively to support their mission.
	FINALISTS ◆ Belu Water ◆ Medics for Rare Disease ◆ Noise Solution ◆ Rethink Food ◆ True Cadence

	SOCIAL BUSINESS PIONEER For established social ventures (trading for at least five years) that have experienced positive financial growth and delivered strong social impact over the past year.
	FINALISTS ◆ Family Psychology Mutual ◆ Forward Carers ◆ Grassmarket ◆ Micro Rainbow ◆ Noise Solution

	PIONEERING NEWCOMER For a social business start-up (up to five years trading) with a clear mission and entrepreneurial flair who can demonstrate growth and impact.
	FINALISTS ◆ Amplify Goods ◆ Cream Dream ◆ Rise Jiu-Jitsu ◆ Travel Hands

	CLIMATE PIONEER For pioneering organisations leading by example and inspiring others to work against climate change.
	FINALISTS ◆ Belu Water ◆ Finance Earth ◆ Groundwork North Wales ◆ Just One Tree ◆ Radio City Association ◆ Skill Mill ◆ South Manchester Credit Union ◆ Wellbeing Enterprises

	SOCIAL INVESTMENT PIONEER For groundbreaking or innovative deals or funds in social / impact investment.
	FINALISTS ◆ Castell ◆ Ford Family Foundation ◆ Micro Rainbow ◆ Oasis ◆ Prime Advocates ◆ Royal British Veterans Enterprise ◆ Skill Mill

	DIVERSITY PIONEER For social enterprises leading by example and inspiring others to embed equality, diversity and inclusion.
	FINALISTS ◆ Be Inclusive Hospitality ◆ Beyond a Song ◆ Forward Carers ◆ Hatch ◆ Migrateful ◆ Six Degrees ◆ Uncommon Minds

	PIONEERING LEADER For social enterprise bosses demonstrating excellent leadership, effectiveness and inspiration in taking the team on a mission-driven journey to success.
	FINALISTS ◆ Karen Balmer, Groundwork North Wales ◆ Julie Bass, Turning Point ◆ Simon Glenister, Noise Solution ◆ Tom Jefford, Family Psychology Mutual ◆ Mark Swift, Wellbeing Enterprises ◆ Helene Van Der Ploeg, Grassmarket ◆ Georgina Wilson, BUD Leaders

	PIONEERING WOMAN (WISE) For leading women in social business and impact investing who are not only impressive leaders themselves, but who are also championing and/or mentoring women either in their team or elsewhere in the impact sector.
	FINALISTS ◆ Elaine Brown, Edinburgh Remakery ◆ Lucy Byrne, dot-art Services ◆ Keely Dalfen, The Brick ◆ Lisa Farmer, Royal British Veterans Enterprise ◆ Chantell Marler, Forward Carers ◆ Susan McGhee, Flexible Childcare Services Scotland ◆ Bilkis Miah, You Be You ◆ Rachita Saraogi and Rebecca Thomson, Sisterhood

	PIONEER OF THE FUTURE For newer founders or leaders whose trajectory marks them out as the impact leading stars of the future. They are already proving themselves as highly effective leaders, inspiring their teams and stakeholders, and creating both revenue and impact in their organisation.
	FINALISTS ◆ Nicky Aston, Growing Me ◆ Amanda Bronkhorst, Just One Tree ◆ Tiwa King, Beyond a Song ◆ Tetyana Leleka, Indigobee ◆ Annabel Thomas MacGregor, Raised In ◆ Maria Sergeeva, Health Data Avatar ◆ Hong Zhou, Mile Rainbow

You can read more about the NatWest SE100 – including previous winners – in our SE100 Collection.

The NatWest SE100 Impact Pioneer Awards, including the SE100 Index and Pioneers100 List, are part of an annual programme created and delivered by Pioneers Post in partnership with NatWest Social & Community Capital - and supported by Buzzacott, E3M, Hogan Lovells and Good Finance. The programme aims to list, celebrate and learn from the UK’s 100 most impressive social enterprises, and the top 100 pioneering leaders, every year.