Impact Report 2007/08 Published 2009 Welcome

Contents

Meet HCT Group 04 Changing lives and communities 16 Commercial success 08 , learning and skills 20 Engaging stakeholders 14 The road ahead 4

HCT Group is an excellent example of how Welcome can benefit local communities and the economy. In times of economic hardship, such HCT Group is in the transport business. We run a commercially businesses are to be applauded successful operation, generating a healthy income from safely for providing much needed delivering more than 27,500 passenger trips every day. services to users with mobility difficulties, and for boosting But this only tells part of our story. HCT is first and foremost a local community investment social enterprise, which is why we have published this Impact and employment. Report. The following pages are designed to provide an insight into our commercial and social impact over the last few years. Chris Huhne HCT is a fantastic organisation. Liberal Democrat shadow The passion with which they Most of the facts and figures in this report relate to an 18-month Home Secretary combine their commercial work period between April 2007 and September 2008. However, some with their social mission is to be financial statements, including those relating to growth and admired. Social enterprise will profitability, cover the financial years of 2006/07 and 2007/08. Social enterprises can help us play an increasing role in our deliver better public services and economy in the coming years. As this report demonstrates, the core of our business is create local jobs at the same time. Organisations like HCT, that delivering contracts to enable marginalised sections of society It’s a model we want to support. combine strong business ethos to be mobile, pursue new opportunities and access the with great social values, will be services that we all need to live full and enriching lives. But, as Nick Hurd instrumental in this change. you will see, our innovative also enables us to Conservative shadow Minister do much, much more. for Charities, Social Enterprise Ed Miliband and Secretary of State for Energy and Dai Powell, Chief Executive, HCT Group Climate Change

0 0 Meet HCT Group Meet HCT Group Introduction What is HCT Group? HCT Group (HCT) is a business for Transport for – and invests in communities is money for poor people – the quality has to heading for many destinations, transport for workers at the Olympic it has made, as well as secured be there. HCT Group is a provider of public but with a very clear sense Park, to social service transport and through grants. transport and related training of direction. school buses.The profits from these “Helping someone have a more services still based in Hackney, commercial transport services are HCT also prides itself on its independent life, helping an elderly east London where it began but As a social enterprise, it has a ploughed back into the communities involvement with service users, person out of isolation, a parent now operating across England. strong social mission, but as chief it serves. For example, HCT who have representatives on HCT’s knowing their child is in safe hands, The organisation is a company executive Dai Powell says: “You provides transport for children and board and can air their views in giving someone the skills and limited by guarantee, as well as have to be an enterprise first, adults with physical and learning regular forums. flexibility to get a job that suits them a registered charity. because if you don’t make a profit, . It also invests in projects – these are all different destinations you can’t fulfil that social mission.” designed to give both its employees “We are on a journey and we do not and this is what it comes down to As a group of companies, HCT and those from the communities have one destination we are trying for us.” runs a series of subsidiaries. HCT is a thriving and successful in which it operates access to new to reach,” says Dai, who is also These include two charities, two business, with an annual turnover skills and opportunities. one of England’s Social Enterprise In 26 years, HCT has grown from community interest companies, topping £16.4m and more than Ambassadors and chair of the a small community transport an industrial and provident 450 employees. Some 97 per cent of HCT’s income Community Transport Association. operator in Hackney to the national society, two companies limited is generated from contracts won organisation it is today. by guarantee and one company HCT’s commercial operations through competitive tender in the “We operate in poor areas because limited by shares. range from red London bus routes open market, mostly against the that is where the greatest need is. As the pages following illustrate, for – regularly rated among the best private sector. A lot of the money it But we don’t provide poor services the thousands of passengers using These different structures form HCT services every day, this journey the unique HCT Group business has always been about a lot more model and work together to than simply getting from A to B. n operate as a social business.

This model puts HCT in a perfect • HCT provides more than position to meet the needs of the 10 million passenger journeys communities in which it operates, each year – that’s nearly as well as to satisfy the demands 30,000 every day. of external stakeholders. But run as a business, HCT is not • HCT’s annual turnover grew dependent on grants, giving it by £6.2m in the two years a sense of independence many from 2006 to 2008, other charitable organisations do an increase of 61 per cent. not enjoy.

0 0 Meet HCT Group 1997 2006 • With the support of the Bridge • Turnover: £10.2m, no. of staff: 326, 2008/Today House Estates Trust Fund, HCT no. of depots: three. • Turnover: £16.4m, no. of staff: pilots a new PlusBus service in 450, no. of depots: seven. • Plans are announced to expand Hackney, a member service aimed HCT’s London community transport • Every day, at least 50 1982 1993 at people who have difficulty in services by merging with Lambeth and learners attend the HCT • HCT founded after several local • Turnover: £202k. using existing transport services Southwark Community Transport. Learning Centre, with around community groups pool their operating along fixed routes. • HCT wins its first commercial half of them women. transport resources to apply the • Metro awards HCT the contract to contract from Homerton Hospital. community transport model used 2001 operate the AccessBus service, • Over 600 groups use HCT’s by many organisations in the UK. group transport service. • Turnover: £1.8m. a dial-a-ride, door to door bus service for people who have difficulty in using • HCT receives a grant from the 1991 • In partnership with ECT • HCT wins first red bus route conventional . London Borough of Hackney to Group, HCT wins contract to • HCT starts a community from . start community transport in the area. transport removal service. • HCT wins contracts to operate social provide construction worker services transport in the to the Olympic Park. borough of Kensington and Chelsea and Lambeth.

2003 • Turnover: £3.7m. 2007 1995 • Red London bus routes 388 and 394, under contract from • Turnover: £12.5m, no. of staff: 366, • Turnover: £276k. Transport for London, begin 2005 no. of depots: five. • HCT becomes the only NVQ operating. The 388 was a new • Turnover: £9.4m, no. of staff: • 25 new yellow school bus routes in accredited centre for passenger bus route initiated after 302, no. of depots: two. Leeds for Metro are initiated, with transport training in Hackney, a sustained campaign from • For the first time, HCT wins further expansion into . offering this service to its own local residents. contracts to operate outside paid and unpaid staff and as • Expansion of community transport London. It is contracted by part of training packages for 2004 services into the London Borough 1986 Metro, the public transport other organisations. • Turnover: £6.4m, no. of staff:198, of Haringey. • With the support of volunteers and 15 no. of depots: one. authority in West , permanent staff, HCT supports more than to run eight yellow MyBus • HCT starts operating its fourth London • HCT begins operating in the London 800 Dial-A-Ride users, 4,000 school routes in and red bus service. The W13 is Borough of Waltham Forest, users and has 750 registered drivers. around Wakefield. a Transport for London contract. delivering 500 local children with special educational needs to school • Dai Powell, HCT Chief Executive, and back each day. is appointed a Social Enterprise Ambassador by the government. • ScootAbility, a scheme offering 50 mobility scooters, available to individual residents for up to four days at a time, is launched. 0 0 Commercial success Commercial success HCT as a competitive business

In times when many businesses maintains a sharp commercial focus. “We work in a competitive market are finding things hard, HCT Chief executive Dai Powell says: and our contracts are awarded on is moving up to a higher gear. “There’s no point getting up in the price, but we can also show that we Turnover has grown more than morning and going to work at HCT if over-achieve on quality and our 60 per cent over two years – in we haven’t got a business to run.” customers’ requirements.” 2008 it hit £16.4m. And 97 per cent of HCT’s income is earned The successful expansion of HCT’s The red bus route services through contracts won in open commercial activities is testament represent the largest proportion competition with private sector to the enterprise’s innovation and of HCT’s commercial work – and market leaders. fierce business attitude. Transport for London is its biggest customer. More than 24,870 HCT is now delivering contracts Chief operations officer Jon passenger journeys are made every An Olympic victory for operating several London McColl says HCT’s experienced day on HCT’s fleet of more than 40 bus routes, as well as transport team has also played fully accessible red buses. In 2008, HCT competed for and won to London’s Olympic Park (see a central role. “HCT has a core a contract to provide transport for opposite), buses team of people who have many Red buses are an iconic symbol construction workers to the site of the around the capital and school years’ experience... We are a of London. They represent London 2012 Olympics, working in transport in West Yorkshire. success because of our staff – we the spirit of the capital. To these partnership with another London-based would be nothing without them.” HCT brings its own spirit – of transport company, ECT Group. As a proud social enterprise, HCT quality, customer service has a social mission at its heart He adds: “We have a track record and dedication to communities. The partnership, named E&HCT, and its services offer a lifeline of commercial and profit growth and, claimed victory against some of the to thousands of people in many because we have diverse income Dai says: “We wanted to make country’s biggest transport providers. communities. But contracts are streams, our risks are calculated money and run a high quality bus won on price and quality and HCT and sensible. service – we have done both. It Morag Stuart, head of procurement at shows that nothing will stop you if the Olympic Delivery Authority, says you want to do it enough.” > that E&HCT won the contract on a “level playing field” because of its price and history of providing quality services. From now until 2011 E&HCT will be transporting between 4,000 and 9,000 people every day on bendy buses, rigid buses and .

0 0 Commercial success

HCT holds a significant number authority’s in-house team, delivers Forest wanted to change the service of contracts with London local this contract through its wholly and turn it into a commercial authorities to take adults with owned subsidiary CT Plus, which opportunity for someone who could disabilities and elderly people to day is a community interest company provide more reliability and better centres. These include a contract – a new legal structure for social quality – and that’s what we did.” to provide transport for 160 adults enterprises that locks together in Kensington and Chelsea, and a strong business values with a Jaynn Taylor, contract manager at contract to take 80 adults to day social mission. Waltham Forest Borough Council, centres in the borough of Lambeth. says that HCT’s staff are always Lambeth is a client HCT knows well Now, more than 110 staff deliver 85 responsive, that annual surveys but once again, it was quality and routes every day in Waltham Forest show service users are satisfied price that secured the contract. – home-to-school, school-to-home and that relationships with staff and school-to-pool for swimming are positive. Contracts to provide transport for lessons. This service was the first children with special educational step into home-to-school transport For the parents, carers and needs are also an important part of for HCT and stood the business teachers, the fact that the same HCT’s commercial operation. The in good stead when it came to driver picks up the children is why parents, carers and teachers of tendering for school transport in the service is such a success. more than 560 children with special Leeds (see page 12). As Peter says: “It’s an almost educational needs in the borough of personal relationship. The more • HCT’s special needs Waltham Forest praise the quality “Quality is what makes it a success,” you understand the needs of the transport scored above of service they receive. HCT, which says Peter Shulver, head of HCT’s children the better the service you average in punctuality, took over the service from the local Waltham Forest service. “Waltham can provide.” n vehicle cleanliness and driver courtesy in an independent survey of pupils and schools by the London Borough of • HCT made more than Waltham Forest in 2007/08. 15 million commercial passenger journeys • According to the contract, between April 2007 and 88 per cent of HCT’s Waltham September 2008. Forest services must be on time – but HCT has always • The average age of HCT’s delivered 99 per cent on time. is less than five years old. 10 11 Commercial success

HCT expands across England

HCT’s track record of specialist transport led it to branch out of London and to West Yorkshire, where it delivers contracts for Metro, the county’s Passenger Transport Authority. Through another subsidiary, CT Plus Yorkshire, HCT runs 47 of Metro’s MyBus school transport routes in Leeds and Wakefield using iconic, American-style . This was a contract won in open competitive tender, and means HCT is responsible for transporting 32,000 children a month in this area.

“Metro’s yellow buses of MyBus are now firmly routed in the landscape • 97 per cent of HCT’s income of West Yorkshire,” says Leeds operations manager Andrew Hammond. is from contracts to provide “HCT showed it could consistently produce a high level of service public and community and price. Metro wanted value for money and we had a track record transport. of delivery.”

• HCT’s commercial services HCT also operates a door-to-door service in Leeds called AccessBus, allowed it to invest 18 per providing services for people who cannot access mainstream transport. cent of its annual profits into non-commercial community Additionally, it provides community transport with a fleet of minibuses, transport and training in following its merger with industrial and provident society Leeds 2007/08. Alternative Travel (LAT).

• HCT transports 32,000 children Andrew adds that HCT will continue to grow in West Yorkshire and a month in West Yorkshire, in could double in size in the county within three years. iconic yellow school buses. LAT will be the vehicle in which HCT will invest its profits. 12 13 Engaging stakeholders Engaging stakeholders Forging strong relationships

Single-minded in its ambition He adds that it is crucial for Then there are HCT’s internal Peter Godsall, HCT’s client services and drive, HCT nevertheless social enterprises like HCT to be stakeholders – the staff, senior manager, says: “In developing the places great value on maintaining recognised among policy makers as managers and members of the local community bus routes, we strong relationships with organisations that can deliver. board of trustees. undertook a major consultation its stakeholders. process with older and disabled The board of trustees has 11 people to find out what type of HCT’s very name sums A willingness to listen to and engage members from all walks of life transport service would best meet with a wide range of procurers, up why they’re special to this – including the charity, transport and their needs. Users overwhelmingly customers, policy makers and borough. They’re local to business sectors, along with service said they wanted to make trips partners is key. Hackney so they know their users – who scrutinise activities and spontaneously, without having to community, and they certainly hold HCT to account. book in advance, as they had to do Organisations that procure services know their transport because on most services. from HCT include Transport for Treasurer Andrew Whitehead says: they do such a variety of it. London and Metro in West Yorkshire “Being independent and non- “We got out a map of the local area as well as several local authorities. They outreach pro-actively remunerated, and including service and helped people to plot where Third sector organisations such and are readily responsive. users, has enabled the board to be they lived, where they wanted to go, as the Community Transport an important control, but has not and so developed a timetabled, hail Association and the Social Roger Blake held back good development.” and ride local community bus route Enterprise Coalition are important Principal Transportation Planner that matched their requirements. partners, and the organisation has London Borough of Hackney In addition to involving service strong relationships with a number users on the board, HCT organises “The routes were modified and of banks, investors, politicians and “We have to ensure we connect regular user forums and surveys changed within the first few months officials in central government. with the policy makers,” says Dai. to consult with both customers and of operating based on people’s “It doesn’t matter which party is its local communities. This informs feedback. This method of true HCT chief executive Dai Powell in power, we have to show them decisions on how local people can be stakeholder engagement means says: “We like to work with procurers we are businesses and should be supported to use public transport, the service really meets people’s at an early stage wherever possible, treated like businesses.” as well as identifying the best needs. Consequently, passenger to put forward our ideas on service transport solutions for the area or numbers on the service are growing delivery prior to tender.” community group. all the time.” n

14 15 Changing lives and communities Changing lives and communities Services to meet the needs of the people

When a group of young men from having disabilities or a lack of funds park in the afternoon. This would be as the “community bus” or Route Tottenham were given the chance – can’t use other transport. HCT complicated and expensive using 812. This route covers a network to train at Spurs’ football ground, can train some of a group’s own taxis and so on, so the scooter of Islington streets, runs to a they could hardly believe it. But, members to drive these minibuses, loan scheme – ScootAbility – was timetable, stopping near individual without the help of HCT, getting to or there’s the option to use one of created by the partnership,” says Neil passengers’ homes and links up the ground each week from their HCT’s drivers. Group transport is Donald, head of the transport co- with shopping centres, day centres, inner city housing estate wouldn’t a core part of HCT’s work, and is ordination unit at HCT. medical facilities and parks. have been easy. where its roots lie. Four years later, 50 mobility scooters Low floor minibuses serve the route “Transport is identified as a key HCT also gives more freedom are available to individuals for up to every 20 minutes and stops are barrier to including people in society. to people who want to travel four days at a time (see opposite). marked by Transport for London. But, using profits gained from our independently. Through the profits “The councils provide the scooters It was designed through intensive commercial operations to top up raised from its many commercial and training on how to use them and consultations with local people at the financial support provided by contracts, HCT is able to run a we operate the booking system and community centres, tea dances and our partners in a number of local number of projects for older provide storage for the vehicles,” bingo nights, who decided exactly authorities, we can help hundreds people and those with disabilities. explains Neil, adding that 70 per where the route would go. of groups engage with their cent of users regard the service as community,” explains Jude Winter, The multi-award-winning ScootAbility a lifeline. Completing the main range of HCT’s deputy chief executive. service is provided via a partnership services on offer are Capital Call between HCT, the London boroughs This is just one of the many ways and Door-to-Door. Like over 600 other groups, the of Camden and Islington and HCT forges partnerships with a young men from Tottenham now Transport for London. User forums variety of councils and voluntary Capital Call began five years ago use one of HCT’s fully-accessible, were held with communities in groups, with each of them bringing and exists in 11 London boroughs 16-seater minibuses, at a highly Camden and Islington. “People who something complementary to the pot. where the availability of taxis is low. subsidised rate. can’t access public transport told HCT has developed the software for us that ideally they’d like to pop to Another partnership, with Islington the scheme and works with taxi and A ScootAbility user gives his view Group transport is used by people the newsagents in the morning, see council and Transport for London, minicab drivers to book their services, who, for various reasons – such as a friend and then maybe go to the has seen HCT create what is known also training them to provide safe > Stanley Split, 82, has trouble walking and has been using a mobility scooter for two years, operated in a partnership which includes HCT. He says: “I’d use it every day if I could. It’s good for doing my shopping, visiting people and going to my exercise classes, which help me with my balance. My son has a car and can take me places sometimes, but he is busy as well so this helps me feel free. It’s a very good service; I don’t like to think what I’d do without it.”

16 17 Changing lives and communities • 92 per cent of the “community bus” (Route 812) passengers who responded to a survey The harm reduction bus said the service helped them live a happier, more Working with Southwark council over the past five independent life. years and, more recently, with Lambeth council, HCT helps to run a drug-user support service • 25 per cent of groups wouldn’t known as the harm reduction bus. This minibus travel to their event without offers safe disposal bins for needles, information, transport for their passengers. Each HCT’s group transport service, medical assistance, refreshments and clean registered user is given a virtual and 43 per cent would be needles to drug users. purse every year from Transport for forced endure the cost of London containing £200 to spend private rental and would It spends several hours a time at key hotspots on transport. probably travel less often. in the communities it serves, and is driven by an HCT driver with good knowledge of the local area. Door-to-Door is a service, • Over 600 organisations Nurses and outreach workers from London-based complementing London’s Dial- use HCT’s group transport charity Blenheim CDP are on board to assist clients. a-Ride, run by HCT. It provides service, including faith accessible vehicles for Hackney groups, arts groups and residents, mainly for journeys of young people’s groups. over five miles or outside Dial-a- Ride’s remit.

Through its strong and long-term relationship with Hackney council, which has been a key partner in HCT is one of the few community transport operators big enough the development of the group, as to have experience of mainstream services and how they can be well as other councils and voluntary integrated with specialised services to provide the best opportunities services, new schemes are being for the customer. developed regularly by HCT and its partner funders to the exact We’ve worked with HCT on Capital Call since 2003 and now have specifications of the service users. 8,000 members who wouldn’t be able to make their journeys to work And it’s all made possible because or the shops without this service; they wouldn’t be able to get to the HCT is a social enterprise that shares bus stop or train station to do the things some people take its profits among the community.n for granted.

Working with HCT has helped Transport for London understand that providing a service can be about offering integrated forms of transport – a combination of services to meet the customer’s needs.

Ian Seabrook, Assisted Transport Services Manager Transport for London

18 19 Employment, learning and skills Employment, learning and skills Skills for the community

HCT is committed to community She soon passed her test and care courses and women to learn development through its Learning is now enjoying life as the driver bus driving (there is a specific Centre, which provides training of a single-decker school bus in programme to help women get into to both the wider community, Islington, as well as running some the bus industry). focusing on long-term of HCT’s training sessions. unemployed people, as well as HCT works with bodies such as the HCT’s own employees. We have recently carried out Learning and Skills Council, the a customer service satisfaction London Development Agency and Pauline is one of the many people survey. The approval rating from the New Deal to run courses, and who have benefited from this. She parents and carers about our also has partnerships with the big left school at 16, had a baby at escorts had previously been 60 bus companies which take students 18 and did a series of what she per cent. After the training from for work placements. described as “unfulfilling” office jobs. HCT Group, we have achieved By 2005, she was approaching her an unprecedented 98 per cent Tutu Adebiyi, head of training at forties and had been unemployed for approval rating of good to HCT, says: “Students come to six months when a friend mentioned excellent for passenger escorts. the centre from a wide range of HCT’s bus driver training courses. backgrounds, from those who Ray Murray have disabilities or numeracy and She’d always been told she was a Training Manager literacy needs, to mothers looking good driver and so went along to the London Borough of Enfield to get back into work. And HCT • At least 50 learners attend Learning Centre in Hackney to find has recently started talking to We were aware of the excellent work HCT has done through a HCT’s Learning Centre out more. Not only does the Learning Centre prisons about providing training number of initiatives, and asked them to join the college’s ‘train to gain’ every day, nearly half of run all the courses that you need to for offenders.” delivery consortium three years ago. them women. “I started with the introduction become a bus driver, it also provides back into work course, first aid a host of other training including HCT also trains people who are HCT adopts a flexible and responsive approach to its work, delivering • Out of 115 unemployed and passenger assistant training the BTEC in health and social care already employed, particularly sessions to suit all shift patterns... and to support learners on the job. trainees, 82 per cent gained and then moved on to the PCV and assistance to help people gain those with jobs at commercial a qualification through [Passenger Carrying Vehicle] independent travel skills. bus operators and other transport Experience is something you cannot buy and we have found HCT an HCT and 37 per cent went course,” she says. “The trainers providers. HCT helps to increase invaluable partner. HCT’s people deliver what they say they will, within on to get a job following were fantastic, they were always Part of HCT’s work is to address skill levels of their staff and provides specified time frames... and have exceeded the outputs given to them their training. good about any issues I had gender imbalance in careers, so learning opportunities that lead to by the college. at home.” men are actively recruited to social accredited qualifications.n • Out of 105 employed Teresa Esan trainees, 79 per cent Director of Employability and Employer Engagement gained a qualification. City and Islington College, London 20 21 Employment, learning and skills

An insight into how some of our staff are developing Investing in our talented team Winston, 44, moved to HCT from another bus company three years ago because HCT was willing to give him the flexibility to work early shifts so he could spend time with his children after school. He was soon approached Back in the 1980s, a young man now drives a workers’ bus at to be a trainer for other drivers and completed the necessary course with with ambition and aspiration joined London’s Olympic Park. ease. HCT as a bus washer. Dai Powell is now chief executive. And that ethos, Four years ago, Sadiye, then a 41- “I train hundreds of staff on everything from PCV to GPS navigation,” he of helping people develop into year-old housewife and volunteer, says, adding that he is also an assessor for some of HCT’s courses. “I the best they can be, continues to spotted an HCT training advert really see myself as a professional now.” characterise HCT. for women who wanted to be bus drivers. She had moved from Turkey Sharon, 45, found herself out of work for ten months between 2003 and Many of the business’s present staff with her husband at the age of 24, 2004, but is now supervisor and passenger assistant for HCT’s special started as learners at the training unable to speak English. In addition to job-specific educational needs transport in Waltham Forest. centre, or as volunteers, and are training, HCT offers a range of now in supervision, managerial or Her children were grown up and she development opportunities to “I was getting so desperate living on social security,” she says. “My daughter training roles. Staff retention levels was keen to work. She found that enable staff to meet the needs was asking why we didn’t have squash and biscuits in the cupboard any are also consistently high. HCT offered a career that valued of service users, and to widen more; it broke my heart.” what she could offer and developed their skills. In the last year, HCT’s progressive approach has her skills. HCT staff have completed the After Sharon completed a number of training courses, she began working seen staff win a number of awards. following courses: for HCT in 2005. In 2007, “with lots of encouragement” Sharon applied for “I love working here and being part a supervisor’s role. “I never thought I’d be a supervisor,” she says, “but In 2008, for example, Sadiye of the Olympic Park developments. • BTEC for staff operating bus here I am.” Sonmez was joint winner of the At other companies bus drivers routes in London (147) “contribution to the London bus are called by their number. At HCT, • NVQ Level 2 Road Passenger Danny, 45, had a series of odd jobs before joining HCT. He had difficulty industry” prize at the Bus, Tram everyone knows everyone else’s Transport (70) with paperwork and his confidence was low, but after consistent and and Dial-a-Ride Awards. She name,” says Sadiye. n targeted support from HCT, he is now a qualified bus driver. • Specialist training for school bus drivers (50) “I was so shocked when I passed,” he says. “I love taking people to • Managing students with hospital, the seaside, or to bingo. I enjoy chatting to them and it feels like special behavioural needs (25) I’m doing something good.”

• IT training for bus drivers (13) Edmund, 37, is completing his chartered accountancy training at college • Working with people while working in the finance department at HCT. with dementia (12) He says: “HCT is sponsoring me through my course and my manager gives • Safeguarding adults (10) me flexibility – she understands the need for me to balance work with my • Supervisory / leadership studies. Stephen Mason, HCT’s group finance director, is my learning mentor training (3) and he reviews my work and provides reports, he’s really supportive.” 22 23 The road ahead

• In 2007/08 HCT invested The road ahead almost 18 per cent of its profits as part of its social Driving ambition (with values at its heart) mission. Its aim is to increase this to 30 per cent within the next five years.

HCT may have grown apace over way, its strength and experience In addition to looking at its own He wants to ensure that HCT will • HCT aims to grow the recent years but it has no plans will be focused on turning struggling expansion, HCT will continue to continue to be cited as as an ideal business by 25 per cent each to put the brakes on. Its aim is to organisations into successful campaign to break down barriers business model for delivering year for the next two years. grow its turnover and profit by 25 social businesses. to accessible transport. public services, showing how per cent every year for the next social enterprises can successfully two years. “The current economic climate has HCT’s strong message to local work with and compete against the made private companies with debts authorities is that through the private sector. “We’ve done it for the past ten attractive to us,” says Dai. “We can initiatives and skills it offers, such years,” says chief executive Dai turn them into successful social as training people with disabilities to For its staff, its service users, its Powell, “so there’s no reason why enterprises and reinvest the profits use mainstream transport instead of customers and for potential external it can’t continue. back into that community.” paying for specialist transport, it will investors HCT will be promoting its save them money in the long run. vision as a business looking for both “We will take calculated risks – it’s I welcome HCT’s first Impact a financial and social return. the only way to grow. We need Report. Social enterprises are As one of the UK’s leading social to grow to meet demand and to changing people’s lives and business, HCT will continue to make HCT is currently considering increase our social impact.” strengthening communities itself known among decision-makers whether to launch a share issue across the country, and it’s in local and central government, and to gain a new source of income HCT hopes to move into other areas important that they understand in the commercial sector. to fund its development. of the UK and to continue spreading and demonstrate their social the word of social enterprise to local impact. This encourages others Dai plans to continue his work “I think more and more investors authorities and central government. in the economy to think differently as a national Social Enterprise want a social return,” says Dai. and to do business differently. Ambassador, meeting with Where the economic downturn may I find it refreshing and inspiring government ministers and corporate “Investors in HCT will be investing in be making life difficult for smaller to see social enterprises like HCT chief executives and telling them a social revolution – it’s a new way transport organisations, HCT will Group able to compete with major about the work of HCT and other of doing business. It has values and be looking at opportunities for private sector companies in areas leading social enterprises. society at its heart.” n mergers and acquisitions. In this such as public transport.

Kevin Brennan Minister for the Third Sector

24 25 Contact

HCT Group Ash Grove Bus Depot Mare Street London E8 4RH

Telephone 020 7275 2400

Fax 020 7275 2450

Email [email protected]

Web www.hctgroup.org

HCT Group Limited Registered office: Ash Grove Bus Depot, Mare Street, London E8 4RH. Company registered in England and Wales, no 1747483. Registered charity no 1031318.

This publication was produced on behalf of HCT Group by Society Media www.societymedia.co.uk Photography by Steven Forrest and Michael Kyle.

Environmental information: This brochure is printed on paper containing 50 per cent post-consumer waste and from well-managed forests and other sustainable sources under the Forest Stewardship Council. All print uses environmentally friendly bio-ink.