Provision House Dudley: Powering the Social Economy Through Community, Enterprise and Compassion
12th December 2025
Best kept secret in Dudley: Provision House a powerhouse of compassion and local economic growth
Last week I went to Dudley to visit Dinesh Patel, Head of Employability Programmes and Social Economy Growth at Provision House, Dudley’s social economy cluster lead. There are a few words that describe my experience. The first word is humbling – following a busy few weeks of an international conference, high-level panels and discussions, I felt like I was reconnecting with what community connection really means. The second word is abundance – I felt hope. Provision House isn’t just a building, it is a repository of collective action demonstrating the best of humanity against modern day individualism.
Dinesh is a former teacher and the epitome of humility. He greeted me with warmth and a hot chocolate and then showed me around the brilliant services that Provision House offer. From the coffee shop to the charity shop, everyone smiled and extended a heart-warming hello. I was even given a slice of Victoria sponge, made by one of the very committed volunteers. I also met Kelsey, who is the face of Provision Emporium on Tik Tok, a site dedicated to the charity shop which helps to sell items. Kelsey is an influencer in the making. Give her a follow!
A rich history of cooperative formation
Provision House is an impressive Art Deco building built in 1939, which occupies a large expanse of land on Dudley High Street. It was first opened as the Cooperative Emporium by the Midlands Cooperative Society as a flagship department store. It was later sold to Blunts Shoes to become a shoe store in 1992.
Today, it is a charity aptly named Provision House, which provides space and resource for other organisations to use. Services include a food hub, a second-hand store, home starter kits, a social supermarket, education and training hub as well as rental units for local businesses.
Provision House started in 2004 from a garage to help domestic violence victims with furniture when they were relocated to now growing its multi-pathway services. Its aim is to help residents that are experiencing poverty in the Black Country. There is a 3-stage pathway for residents which includes meeting basic needs to guidance and then employability and employment support. The stages are Rehabilitation, Stabilisation and Progression. The charity arm and the new social economy hub provide that pathway for the local community.
Growing the social economy in Dudley
Provision House is the Social Economy Cluster Lead for Dudley. As part of WMCA’s cluster programme, they supported local social enterprise growth by opening the Social Enterprise Hub. This hub offers advice, networking, and training to community groups and community interest companies (CICs) across the borough. As I spoke with Dinesh, he highlighted that this is a growing part of the business, especially where traditional charities are looking at more enterprising models for financial sustainability. Networking events in partnership with the local CVS has helped bring new joiners to the social enterprise offer. The social enterprise support includes a pre-start programme to a longer, start your social enterprise 12-week programme.
For more information on the Dudley cluster, watch this video: Dudley Provision House Cluster
Diversifying income streams
An interesting and vital outcome of Provision House’s involvement in the social economy cluster work has been the diversification of its income streams through new ventures. They have successfully incubated and launched two new Community Interest Companies. Provision House Online services was incorporated in 2025, following the Aston Accelerator programme. It is a jobs site for residents. There will be a soft launch in January 2026. The second CIC, which is being developed, is a recruitment agency for the community. Find out more about the job site Provision House Jobs.
Vision for the next 5 years
Dinesh is clear that the key to success for their growing social economy work is muti-sector partnerships. He said a sad fact from the social economy mapping to today is that around 50% of those local social enterprises and charities have not survived. The need for an ecosystem of support for the local social economy is crucial. His vision is clear – he wants Provision House to provide the best support for the social economy from supporting socially enterprising business models for the local voluntary and charity sector to stimulating and growing financially sustainable social enterprises.
A call to action
It truly was a joy to visit Provision House. I felt reflective all weekend about the social economy clusters. One very affirmative thought was that these essential support organisations are crucial in helping to stimulate and grow local economy which serve people and planet.
Infrastructure support organisations serve as a powerful, vital resource. Local authorities and key stakeholders must fully recognise and commit to supporting them or this essential lifeline will be lost to chronic funding precarity.
