Cande in the Community: Championing Local Creativity & Development
We’re proud to launch Cande in the Community — our new social enterprise initiative designed to give back to the local area through sponsorship, education, and hands-on support.
As one of the Midlands’ fastest-growing video production companies and creative agencies, we’re passionate about showing that high-end creative production doesn’t have to be London-centric. Through Cande in the Community, we’re investing our time, resources and expertise to help nurture the next generation of talent and strengthen the communities around us.
“When I started out in video production, most of the opportunities were in London or Manchester. Now that we’ve built a thriving creative business here in Hinckley, we’re keen to put something back through sponsorship, mentoring, and creating real-world experiences for young people who want to work in this industry.”
Ben Coates, Director of Cande Group
Giving Back Through Sport, Education and Creativity
Cande in the Community already includes several strands of activity that are making a difference locally:
Grassroots Girls’ Football
We’re proud sponsors of the FC Burbage U12 Girls team, supporting the next generation of players in local sport. The partnership celebrates teamwork, confidence and inclusion, values that align closely with our own creative culture.
Nuneaton Old Edwardians Rugby Club
Our long-term relationship with Nuneaton Old Eds has grown from individual player sponsorships to a wider club partnership, now featuring pitch-side boards, digital screen content and a suite of branded social-media videos to elevate their online presence. The collaboration even saw former South Africa international Ashley Johnson visit our studio to record promotional content for the club.
North Warwickshire & South Leicestershire College (NWSLC)
As an official placement partner, we regularly host students from the college’s Film & TV programme. Having studied there himself, Ben Coates is passionate about offering industry access to local students. The partnership has been recognised by Ofsted for providing “invaluable, real-world experience” and helping to build a creative-industry pipeline outside the traditional media hubs of London and Manchester.
Leicestershire Scouts: Houghton on the Hill
Our production team has developed a two-part filmmaking challenge for local Scouts, introducing them to concept development, storyboarding and production. The second phase will see the Scouts visit Cande Studios to bring their films to life on set.
Expanding Our Impact into the Agri and Food Sectors
Alongside our community work, we also have deep expertise in the agriculture and food supply chain sectors, working with some of the UK’s biggest names in farming, sustainability and agri-tech.
Our current partnership with Meat Business Women, the global professional network for women in the meat industry, reflects a shared commitment to driving equality, representation and opportunity across the sector.
Building on this, we’ll be expanding Cande in the Community later in 2025 and into 2026 with a dedicated programme of support for the agri sector — with new plans and partnerships to be revealed soon.
A Long-Term Commitment
Cande in the Community is set to grow through 2026 and beyond, forming part of our wider ESG commitment to improve accessibility, education and social mobility — both within the Midlands and across the industries we serve.
“It’s about showing young people that there’s a future in creative production right here in the Midlands,” adds Ben.
“And it’s also about using what we do best — storytelling — to make a positive difference in the sectors and communities that matter most to us.”
