New Appointment set to Spearhead Social Enterprise in Leeds 9/03/2008

St George’s Crypt CREATE, the brand new social enterprise set up by Leeds based homeless charity St George’s Crypt, has appointed Sarah Dunwell as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Working closely with the Crypt, the brand new social enterprise, St George’s Crypt CREATE will provide the Crypt’s clients with the training and work experience they need to move from dependency to independence.

From the outset, CREATE will operate an outside catering company offering high quality sandwich platters, buffets and canapés to corporate and private customers throughout Leeds. As CREATE grows and gains momentum, the business is set to venture into the retail, café, housing and training markets ensuring that the Crypt’s clients can retrain, learn new skills and gain work experience in a number of sectors as they aim to re-enter the workplace.

Sarah has a wealth of experience in both the retail and catering industry. In 2001 Sarah left her role as Management Team Leader for ASDA stores ltd to pursue a career in the catering industry, setting up a bakehouse and chain of sandwich shops across Leeds. This venture also saw Sarah expand into the outside catering market in the Leeds area and boosting her staff head count to over 20. Sarah has been a member of the Crypt’s team of volunteers for a number of years now and her experience of working with the homeless will stand her in good stead as she launches this new enterprise.

Sarah sees her latest career change as her biggest challenge yet: “I am very excited by the task ahead. CREATE doesn’t want to just be a catering company, we want to be recognised as one of the leading catering companies in Leeds, as well as becoming one of the country’s most exciting social enterprise ventures�.

Sarah adds: “When the people and companies of Leeds book our catering they can be sure that they are getting a top quality, competitively priced service, but at the same time our volunteers and employees will benefit from work experience, training and employment support.
St George’s Crypt itself will be the beneficiary of much of CREATE’s profits and using Create to provide your catering means you’ll be taking the chance to change peoples lives.�

Gary Stott, CEO at St George’s Crypt and one of the directors of CREATE is equally excited by the new appointment: “Sarah’s knowledge and experience of the retail, catering and voluntary sectors is essential to the success of CREATE. Under her leadership I am confident that CREATE will grow to be a valuable and highly profitable social enterprise�.

ENDS

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