Phone Box Millionaire is guest speaker at Shropshire company’s first national conference

Stephen Fear, better known as ‘The Phone Box Millionaire’, is set to inspire a new
generation of entrepreneurs at the first national conference to be organised by Fuse, a
Shropshire based social enterprise development company.
Fear, who started his business empire from a phone box on a council estate in Bristol and is
now a multi-millionaire, will keynote the Fuse conference, alongside some of the sectors’
leading thinkers.
They will share their thoughts, insights and expertise on how social housing providers and
social enterprises can come together to address some of the challenges they and their
tenants face.
Jean Jarvis MBE, managing director of Shropshire-based FUSE, said she is delighted to be
hosting a national conference.
She said: “Social enterprise is a huge passion of mine.
“At FUSE we have done a lot of work with the Wrekin Housing Trust and I want other
housing organisations and social enterprises from across the UK to realise what a positive
difference this partnership can make to people’s lives – hence the theme, social housing and
social enterprise... a match made in heaven.
“It’s really exciting for us to host our first conference and we’re delighted to have Stephen at
the event.
“His story, as someone who started from humble beginnings and went on to become a
successful entrepreneur, is exactly the positive message of opportunity we at Fuse want to
share with those we support.”
Esther Wright, Chair of Fuse Enterprise CIC said: “Planning is well underway and it’s
shaping up to be a very interesting and informative programme.”
Other confirmed speakers at the conference include Peter Holbrook, Chief Executive Social
Enterprise UK; Sinead Butters, Chief Executive ASPIRE Housing; and Wayne Gethings
Managing Director of Wrekin Housing Trust.
The conference, on March 8 2018, will be hosted at the Northfield Village in Stafford.
“Northfield is a unique development that provides a holistic approach to accommodation,
community and care,” Esther added.
“Fuse manages the community hub at Northfield and we are really proud to be part of this
innovative partnership scheme.”
Conference organisers expect up to 80 delegates from a wide range of housing, health and
social enterprise sectors at the event.
It will include workshops on measuring social value and the use of Virtual Reality for social good - as well as the opportunity to look around and see at first hand the services and
facilities at the Northfield Village.
Full event details are available on the Fuse website www.fuseenterprise.co.uk or for more
information email [email protected].