Out of the fast lane
Ex-racing car driver Trudy Thompson FRSA reveals why she decided
to leave motorsports behind in order to set up a social enterprise that helps people
to lead more sustainable lives
You began your career as an internationally successful sports car driver, so what inspired you to start a new career in the field of sustainability?
Having reached the top of my game in motorsports, I realised that what I’d been striving for wasn’t actually what I wanted: I’d become a living example of the gap between wealth and happiness. So, I spent a year learning about eco-building techniques for a low-carbon economy and soon found myself picking up jobs, from renovating houses to managing new builds. Most people – consumers and professionals – aren’t aware that eco-building can help them save or make money, so I decided to create a hub for experts who could share their knowledge. That’s how the Bricks and Bread Sustainable Living Centre in Aldershot, Hampshire, was born.
Do you think there’s a genuine appetite among the public and businesses to live and operate more sustainably?
Yes, definitely. But if you don’t know how to go about it, it can be very expensive, which is why we’re trying to give people access to high-quality, cost-effective services. We run a loyalty card scheme for local people, offering discounts on products and services that we have recognised as environmentally sound, and we work with suppliers to help them improve their sustainability credentials. By linking up people and businesses, we’re effectively creating a sustainable local supply chain.
How have you made the centre a commercially viable enterprise?
We’ve always been adamant that we wouldn’t rely on bank loans, grants or public-sector funding to run the business, as it’s simply too risky in the current climate. Instead, our
start-up funds came from local people who wanted to invest in the future of their community.
Since then, we’ve worked hard to make the business pay for itself: not only does our construction-waste reuse area enable us to operate as a zero-waste, zero-carbon business, it also helps us to generate an income from selling recycled products to local suppliers. In addition, we charge suppliers for advice on sustainable techniques and materials: it’s worth their while because we’ll subsequently promote them via our Sustainable Business Network. We plough all the income we receive (excluding the salaries we pay our interns) into providing services for the local community, from free training and advice sessions on sustainable living to work experience for young people from nearby schools.
How and why are you working to promote entrepreneurship?
In the current financial climate, with many people struggling to find jobs, there are real opportunities for entrepreneurs, particularly in the green industries. The trouble is, entrepreneurship isn’t something you can easily teach if you haven’t had experience of it yourself. Many of the young people who come to us for training or apprenticeships feel as if they’ve been caught in a system that hasn’t allowed them to think for themselves, so we try to encourage them to be less risk-averse and more open to new opportunities.
What is your long-term vision for Bricks and Bread?
The Aldershot centre is already thriving: 2,598 businesses have joined our Sustainable Business Network, attracting more than £17m worth of sales and investment funds, and 8,670 local people have joined the loyalty card scheme, saving more than £16m in their sustainability projects. The next step is to expand the business beyond Hampshire. We’ve already created a fair franchise and lease agreement that will enable 19 franchisees to set up their own version of Bricks and Bread over the next 12 months, and we’ll be using the original centre as a training venue for the franchisees. Eventually, I’d like to see the model replicated worldwide.
Networking is obviously central to your business model. How useful has it been to collaborate with other RSA Fellows?
I’ve been helping to run the FRSA network in Surrey, and the support and feedback I’ve received from Fellows has been incredibly helpful, especially because so many of them have experience of running social enterprises or working in civic society. I’m hoping to collaborate with Fellows in three key areas: firstly, they can support our skills and training programme; secondly, they can help with our work experience scheme; and thirdly, they can help us to grow our waste reuse division. In return, our centre offers the space and facilities for emerging social businesses to run their own events, so we may be able to offer support to other social entrepreneurs within the Fellowship.
What advice would you offer to a budding social entrepreneur?
Don’t rely on grants to succeed. Start by thinking constructively about your plan for the business and you’re bound to find innovative ways of financing it.
to leave motorsports behind in order to set up a social enterprise that helps people
to lead more sustainable lives
You began your career as an internationally successful sports car driver, so what inspired you to start a new career in the field of sustainability?
Having reached the top of my game in motorsports, I realised that what I’d been striving for wasn’t actually what I wanted: I’d become a living example of the gap between wealth and happiness. So, I spent a year learning about eco-building techniques for a low-carbon economy and soon found myself picking up jobs, from renovating houses to managing new builds. Most people – consumers and professionals – aren’t aware that eco-building can help them save or make money, so I decided to create a hub for experts who could share their knowledge. That’s how the Bricks and Bread Sustainable Living Centre in Aldershot, Hampshire, was born.
Do you think there’s a genuine appetite among the public and businesses to live and operate more sustainably?
Yes, definitely. But if you don’t know how to go about it, it can be very expensive, which is why we’re trying to give people access to high-quality, cost-effective services. We run a loyalty card scheme for local people, offering discounts on products and services that we have recognised as environmentally sound, and we work with suppliers to help them improve their sustainability credentials. By linking up people and businesses, we’re effectively creating a sustainable local supply chain.
How have you made the centre a commercially viable enterprise?
We’ve always been adamant that we wouldn’t rely on bank loans, grants or public-sector funding to run the business, as it’s simply too risky in the current climate. Instead, our
start-up funds came from local people who wanted to invest in the future of their community.
Since then, we’ve worked hard to make the business pay for itself: not only does our construction-waste reuse area enable us to operate as a zero-waste, zero-carbon business, it also helps us to generate an income from selling recycled products to local suppliers. In addition, we charge suppliers for advice on sustainable techniques and materials: it’s worth their while because we’ll subsequently promote them via our Sustainable Business Network. We plough all the income we receive (excluding the salaries we pay our interns) into providing services for the local community, from free training and advice sessions on sustainable living to work experience for young people from nearby schools.
How and why are you working to promote entrepreneurship?
In the current financial climate, with many people struggling to find jobs, there are real opportunities for entrepreneurs, particularly in the green industries. The trouble is, entrepreneurship isn’t something you can easily teach if you haven’t had experience of it yourself. Many of the young people who come to us for training or apprenticeships feel as if they’ve been caught in a system that hasn’t allowed them to think for themselves, so we try to encourage them to be less risk-averse and more open to new opportunities.
What is your long-term vision for Bricks and Bread?
The Aldershot centre is already thriving: 2,598 businesses have joined our Sustainable Business Network, attracting more than £17m worth of sales and investment funds, and 8,670 local people have joined the loyalty card scheme, saving more than £16m in their sustainability projects. The next step is to expand the business beyond Hampshire. We’ve already created a fair franchise and lease agreement that will enable 19 franchisees to set up their own version of Bricks and Bread over the next 12 months, and we’ll be using the original centre as a training venue for the franchisees. Eventually, I’d like to see the model replicated worldwide.
Networking is obviously central to your business model. How useful has it been to collaborate with other RSA Fellows?
I’ve been helping to run the FRSA network in Surrey, and the support and feedback I’ve received from Fellows has been incredibly helpful, especially because so many of them have experience of running social enterprises or working in civic society. I’m hoping to collaborate with Fellows in three key areas: firstly, they can support our skills and training programme; secondly, they can help with our work experience scheme; and thirdly, they can help us to grow our waste reuse division. In return, our centre offers the space and facilities for emerging social businesses to run their own events, so we may be able to offer support to other social entrepreneurs within the Fellowship.
What advice would you offer to a budding social entrepreneur?
Don’t rely on grants to succeed. Start by thinking constructively about your plan for the business and you’re bound to find innovative ways of financing it.
| Get involved If you can support the Bricks and Bread Sustainable Living Centre, or would like to use any of its facilities, contact Trudy Thompson at trudy@bricksandbread.com or visit www.bricksandbread.com |
| Spotlight on social entrepreneurs The RSA’s Social Entrepreneurs Network held its ‘Social Enterprise Spotlight’ event in November, showcasing eight social enterprises (including Trudy Thompson’s Bricks and Bread Sustainable Living Centre) in different phases of development. Over the next year, the Network will be following the progress of the eight firms, focusing on how each has managed to turn a great idea into a commercially viable project, overcome challenges and measure social impact. To follow their story, and to offer your support and advice, visit the Spotlight blog at www.socialenterprisespotlight.com |
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