The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Foundation has announced that British Land has won this year's ICSC European Community Support Award for The Source at its Meadowhall Shopping Centre in Sheffield, United Kingdom. The Source provides training and support to local businesses, employers and the local community, particularly the long term unemployed.
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FLTR: Frank Poestges, ICSC, Diane Longe, Meadowhall, Ann Cadman, Meadowhall, Valerie Cammiso, Executive Director ICSC Foundation, Marcus Wild, Chair of the ICSC European Board of Trustees.
This ICSC Foundation Award was established to encourage and recognize outstanding community support by a shopping center, shopping center development or management company in Europe and is worth 5000 to the winning charity or organization.
Meadowhall is one of the UK's most successful shopping centers. Located in the north of the country, it attracts millions of visitors every year.
Developer British Land, which owns Meadowhall, set up The Source with Sheffield City Council to encourage regeneration in the City, considering that such an investment would help both local people and Meadowhall retailers, whilst protecting British Land's long-term investment in the area. Set up as a charity in partnership with Sheffield City Council, The Source received setup funding from British Land, the City Council and UK Government.
The Source opened in 2003 and is now a successful training center as well as offering high quality business and conferencing facilities. This year alone the charity says that it has raised almost £1 million to provide training for local people and businesses.
Over the last six years The Source has delivered training to over 2000 people and supported more than 250 businesses across the region. Its 'socially inclusive' approach has encouraged over 350,000 visits by people using the facilities and attending training courses. In 2008, the scale of The Source grew dramatically and it was named as one of the top 20 small companies to work for in the UK by The Sunday Times newspaper.
Ann Cadman, who transferred from Meadowhall Shopping Centre to take on the role of Director of The Source when it opened in 2003, said: "There has never been a more important time to train our work force, regardless of their age. Whilst conditions are tough we need to ensure our region maintains its quality skills and is prepared for new opportunities when the economic upturn starts."
Eileen Connolly, Director of leading real estate consultancy DTZ, and a member of the judging panel for the ICSC Foundation Award, said: ICSC is seeking to recognize excellence in our industry and to reward those that move the business forward. Meadowhall and The Source are genuine examples of best practice and innovation by a retail destination. As a global industry we have a real opportunity to make a difference in the communities we serve and the Foundation is very pleased to be able to promote that goal through the enthusiasm and hard work of the many corporat
