NNSE Showcase & AGM 2026 – Connect, Collaborate, Create Impact

Connect, collaborate and celebrate social enterprise across North Northants, with inspiring speakers, networking, showcase and NNSE AGM. NNSE Showcase & AGM 2026 – Connect, Collaborate, Create Impact Friday 20 November 2026 | 10.00am–3.00pm Kettering Arts Centre at St Andrews Church, Kettering Join us for the NNSE Showcase & AGM 2026, bringing together social enterprises, charities, CICs, community organisations, businesses, commissioners and partners from across North Northamptonshire and beyond. This is our opportunity to celebrate what is already happening across our local social enterprise sector, make new connections and, importantly, look at how we can create more opportunities for social enterprises to grow, collaborate and do business. Starting with NNSE We'll begin the day with the NNSE Annual General Meeting and a look back at our year. We'll share what NNSE and our network have achieved, what's been happening across the sector and where we're heading next. The formal AGM will be kept short, but we want everyone attending the Showcase – not just our members – to understand more about NNSE, why the network exists and what we're working to achieve for social enterprise in North Northamptonshire. Keynote Speaker – Rebecca (Bec) Smith We're delighted to welcome Rebecca Smith, Chief Executive of Social Enterprise Kent (SEK), as our keynote speaker. Bec has more than 20 years' experience in strategic leadership across the voluntary, charity and social enterprise sector and brings a wealth of experience in developing partnerships and creating opportunities for communities and social enterprises. We'll hear about SEK's journey and some of the work they have developed with businesses and partners, including their relationship with Sodexo – a great example of how social value commitments can be turned into practical opportunities and investment within local communities. Most importantly, we'll explore what North Northamptonshire can learn from that experience and what could work here. Panel Q&A – Social Value: From Good Intentions to Local Impact Bec will also join our panel for a wider conversation about social enterprise, social value and doing business differently. We'll bring together different perspectives from social enterprise, business and the public sector to explore some of the questions that matter locally. How do we get more organisations buying and commissioning locally? What stops smaller social enterprises and VCSE organisations accessing opportunities? What does good social value look like in practice? And what could businesses, commissioners and our sector do differently? There will be plenty of opportunity for the audience to ask questions and join the conversation too. More than speakers We don't want you sitting listening all day! There will be interactive networking, facilitated introductions, activities, exhibition stands and plenty of time for conversations. You'll have opportunities to: • Meet social enterprises and community organisations working across North Northamptonshire • Find out about products, services and expertise available locally • Meet businesses, commissioners and public sector partners • Make useful new connections and explore potential collaborations • Share ideas, experiences and good practice • Find out more about Buy Social North Northants • Hear what's happening across the sector and what opportunities may be coming • Find out how you can become more involved with NNSE Lunch, networking and exhibition Lunch and refreshments are included with all tickets. We'll have up to 25 exhibition stands, giving our member organisations and Strategic Friends the opportunity to showcase what they do, promote their products and services and make new connections. Exhibition spaces are limited and must be booked in advance. Bringing it back to NNSE – What Happens Next? We don't want the connections and conversations from the day to disappear when everyone goes home. We'll finish by bringing the day back to NNSE and North Northamptonshire. What have we heard? What opportunities have emerged? Who needs connecting? And what can we do together next? Whether that's joining NNSE, becoming a Friend, using Buy Social North Northants, commissioning from a local social enterprise, collaborating with another organisation or bringing an opportunity to the network, we'll finish with some practical ways to stay involved. Connect. Collaborate. Create Impact. Buy Social. Buy Local. Tickets FREE – North Northamptonshire VCSE & Social Enterprises For social enterprises, CICs, charities and other VCSE organisations based in North Northamptonshire. FREE – Friends of NNSE For current Friends of NNSE, wherever you are based. £15 – VCSE & Social Enterprises Outside North Northamptonshire For social enterprises, CICs, charities and other VCSE organisations based outside North Northamptonshire. £45 – Businesses & Other Organisations For businesses and other organisations that are not part of the VCSE/social enterprise sector. All tickets include lunch and refreshments. Places are limited to 100 attendees, so please book early. You don't need to be an NNSE member to attend.