Claire Dove CBE

Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Crown Representative

Claire Dove CBE has been an exceptional social enterprise leader for over 40 years. During which she established and led the hugely successful Blackburne House Group for 35 years. Blackburne House provides excellent educational opportunities for women alongside its award-winning School for Social Entrepreneurship and successful social enterprises. 

For 10 years, Claire was chair of Social Enterprise UK (SEUK) and is currently an SEUK patron. In 2018, Claire was appointed as the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Crown Representative. In this role, she acts as an intermediary between the Government and the voluntary and social enterprise sectors, championing the Social Value Act and improvements in commissioning practices. 

Claire is known nationally and internationally for her work in the social enterprise sector. In the UK she has been a consistent voice within Westminster and Whitehall, ensuring that the contributions that social enterprises make are recognised. Through her work with colleagues on the Social Value Act and tirelessly working with the Cabinet Office and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, she has made significant contributions to the development of the Social Value Model.

She has been the recipient of many awards for her contributions to the sector including an MBE, OBE, as well as the Queens Lifetime achievement award for Enterprise promotion. In 2020 Claire was honoured with a CBE in the Queen’s New Year’s honours list.

 

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