Meet Karen Davies, the changemaker who helps small businesses in disadvantaged communities that the banks refuse to help
About this event
How do we get government, banks and wider society to do more to support people in disadvantaged communities who want to help themselves by starting or growing their own business, yet will often get refused finance or be held back by bureaucratic rules?
That’s the challenge facing inspiring changemaker Karen Davies, who started a pioneering charity, Purple Shoots to provide microfinance and support for over 700 Welsh businesses.
Karen Davies, Chief Executive of Purple Shoots is a former City of London financier. She has spent the last eight years through Purple Shoots tackling poverty and unemployment in Wales by encouraging entrepreneurship, changing the lives of some of the most disadvantaged in society.
Using ‘Microfinancing’ and ‘Self-reliant groups’, Karen will explain how Purple Shoots has provided the opportunities for people to make positive change for themselves while also giving back to society at large.
More than 750 jobs have been created through Purple Shoots lending with an impact of £16 million on the Welsh economy from £1.68 million loan investments.
Karen will be sharing an exclusive insight into what motivates her to commit herself to such life changing work, the influence of her Christian values, and just how others can seek active community engagement to contribute to a positive impact on society.
Karen, a graduate of Oxford University, has more than 30 years’ experience in the financial sector, lending institutes and small business. She lives in the Vale of Glamorgan and has two grown-up children and two grandchildren.
Tummler is a Yiddish word for people who are hired to get a party going, which is how Grow Social Capital regards community changemaking. Tummler School is sponsored by leading Welsh organisations working to support positive social change, including Banc Cambria, doopoll, IndyCube and Working Word.