Social investment
In 2017, The Clothworkers’ Company donated an initial £750,000 to The Clothworkers’ Foundation, enabling us to actively research and invest in suitable opportunities for social investment. This experience led The Foundation to allocate £5 million for social investment under our current strategy.
We are an impact-first investor
We want to make investments into funds and organisations that are aligned with our mission, and where we think for-return funding can support the impact or sustainability of ventures.
In 2023 and 2024 we committed:
A total of £2.75 million towards social investments. See our full history of social investments below.
£1 million to the Recovery Loan Fund, which provides flexible loans to charities and social enterprises.
£100,000 to Tellmi, a peer-support app for young people experiencing mental health problems.
| Recipient | Amount | Terms |
| CAF Venturesome Development Fund | £150,000 | Loan (6 yr; nil interest) |
| London Play Design CIC* | £50,000 | Loan (4 yr, 5 mo; 1% interest) |
| *Through the Stepping Stones Finance Facility |
| Recipient | Amount | Terms |
| Women in Safe Houses | £250,000 | Investment (10 yr; 4-6% target IRR) |
| RefuAid | £200,000 | Loan (12 yr; nil interest) |
| Charity Bank | £1,000,000 | Investment (nil interest) |
| Recipient | Amount | Terms |
| Recovery Loan Fund | £1,000,000 | Loan (10 yr; 3-3.5% interest) |
| Recipient | Amount | Terms |
| Tellmi | £100,000 | Investment (nil interest) |
Tellmi
In 2024, we invested £100,000 in Tellmi, a start-up social enterprise that provides an online mental health service for children and young people aged 11-25. Users receive anonymous, pre-moderated support from peers in their age group – this almost immediate help prevents escalation of mental health problems, supports the development of healthy help-seeking behaviours for life, and helps young people identify their own solutions with the support of peers, overseen by adult moderators.
Tellmi has already supported more than 95,000 young people since its launch, and is set to grow through contracting with health authorities and other organisations. As well as outcomes for young people, Tellmi can play a part in reducing pressure on health services and schools.
Annual Review 2024
