Kate Welch OBE

Kate Welch OBE is founder and Chief Executive of the Acumen group of social enterprises which works across the north of England in disadvantaged communities developing an enterprising culture in which jobs and new social businesses are created and individuals are energised, engaged and supported into economic activity. 

Kate founded Acumen in 2003 having previously worked for JobCentre Plus, County Durham Training & Enterprise Council and Lambton Park Garden Centre.

Acumen won the Enterprising North East England title for their work in Easington in 2006. The following year, Kate was chosen as a BT Essence of the Entrepreneur winner and the North East Woman Social Entrepreneur of the Year. In 2008 she was awarded an OBE for services to Social Enterprise in the North East and was the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Social award winner for the North. She was chosen as one of the 100 most entrepreneurial women in the UK in 2009 and was a finalist in the Women in Ethical Business Awards in the same year.

Kate has an MA from the Department of Social Policy at the University of York.  She chairs the Mature and Working Lives Regional Advisory Group for the Public Health Board. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce. She supports a number of small social enterprises and social entrepreneurs as a Director or mentor and is active in the Methodist Church and Girlguiding UK.

Email Kate at onesecretariat@onenortheast.co.uk