History

The Mayfield Community Self-Employed Natural Collective Exercise (McSence) was formed in 1988 as a response by the community of Mayfield to the devastating effect of pit and factory closures in the area. A group of determined individuals from the community began by collecting donations of £5 per week from local traders with a view to using the money to start a community business which would create employment for local people. Further fund raising by charitable events and sponsorship lead to the establishment of the first business, McSence Heatwise Ltd, which started by undertaking draughtproofing and insulation work under the national Government Home Energy Efficiency Scheme.

From this base the group has grown to include five companies engaged in a wide range of ventures including central heating installation, maintenance and repair services, cleaning, conference facilities, contact centre services, managed workspace and training. The Group now boasts approximately 200 employees and a turnover in excess of £8m. All profits accrued by the operating companies are reinvested in new business ventures or returned to the charitable holding company McSence Ltd and distributed back to the community in the form of community grants. Many groups in the community have received support in this way including all the local schools and many individuals and families.

McSence continues to be a business run by the community, for the community. The Board of Directors form a cross section of the entire community and work on a voluntary basis without remuneration. Since the creation of the business no fees or expenses have ever been claimed by any of the Directors. It is the only community business known to have been started purely by private funding and has become highly regarded by both the public and private sector to the extent that it is often consulted on issues relating to the benefit of the community by statutory and voluntary bodies alike.

This success has been recognised by a number of awards most recently including the Enterprising Solutions Award in 2007, the New Statesman Award for Social Enterprise of the Year and the Queen's Golden Jubilee Award for Services to the Community.

McSence has a fundamental belief in the empowerment of under privileged communities to help themselves to regenerate by encouraging partnerships between all aspects of those communities through self-help and increased public awareness. It is sustained by the philosophy that community business is two words, the business must come first because without a thriving sustainable company the community cannot benefit.

Education, re-training and job creation remain at the top of the companies agenda and they continue to seek opportunities by providing innovative support structures which allow community enterprise to flourish.

Mission Statement

 "To strive to establish ongoing and profitable business

 ventures which will create sustainable long term employment

 and contribute to the regeneration of the communities

 of Mayfield and Easthouses"