Lord Mawson, OBE Biography
Andrew Mawson is Founder and President of the renowned Bromley by Bow Centre in east London and Co-founder and President of Community Action Network (CAN), a national charity supporting 850 social entrepreneurs across the UK. He is one of the leading social entrepreneurs in Britain and has created a family of projects, which demonstrate in practice the potential of social entrepreneurs. Andrew's career in the social sector has spanned over 25 years.
Andrew was born in Bradford, Yorkshire in November 1954 and left school at 16 to become a qualified Telecommunications Technician with the GPO. Since then, Andrew has acquired a theology degree and a Masters of Philosophy in Urban Spirituality from Manchester University and was ordained as a Minister in the Baptist Church in 1979.
Over the past 24 years he has led the development of the Bromley by Bow Centre in east London. The Centre has pioneered a whole new approach to community regeneration, which uses entrepreneurship and the creative arts as the tools to transform one of the most deprived areas of the UK. In doing this the Centre has led the development of and become a national exemplar for Healthy Living Centres and Children's Centres.
The Bromley by Bow model is now recognised internationally and Andrew has been invited to present his work at numerous international symposiums including The 18th World Conference on Health Promotion and Health Education sponsored by the World Health Organisation.
The Centre is cited in numerous White Papers and policy documents and was described by Sir Kenneth Calman, a former Chief Medical Officer as "five years ahead of its time." The integrated healthcare model has been used as an exemplar for the national LIFT programme investing in primary care.
Andrew has been a member of the Prime Minister's Delivery Unit and was a founding member of Poplar Harca, (a £300 million housing company in east London) and of Leaside Regeneration Ltd., which runs a £100 million regeneration programme in the Lower Lea Valley in east London close to the Olympic site.
Andrew received an OBE for his work in Tower Hamlets in the Millennium New Years Honours List. He was awarded a Life Peerage in 2007 by the House of Lords Appointments Commission and sits on the Crossbenches in the Upper House.
In 1996 Andrew was asked to take responsibility for the Stanton Guildhouse in the Cotswolds where he is now President. Stanton Guildhouse is a successful national training and conference facility and a sustainable social enterprise.
Today Andrew concentrates on a number of major projects as leader, motivator and adviser. In particular these are:
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St Paul's Way: a multi-million pound exemplar transformational project bringing together a new health centre, a school and 500 new homes in a disadvantaged neighbourhood of Tower Hamlets
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Water City: a visionary plan to revitalise east London and a vehicle for true Olympic legacy utilising the forgotten waterways of the area
- Silvertown Quays: the comprehensive development of the former industrial area at the Royal Docks
- One Church: 100 Uses: a newly established agency of the United Reformed Church which brings new life to church buildings no longer needed for worship
He has recently founded Andrew Mawson Partnerships, an informal network of highly experienced people, as a vehicle for this work.
The Bromley by Bow Centre: http://www.bbbc.org.uk/
Water City Group: http://www.watercity.org.uk/
The Stanton Guildhouse: http://www.stantonguildhouse.org.uk/
