The Wayward Adventurers Guild is a Norwich-based social enterprise that creates immersive, story-driven experiences to support the wellbeing and confidence of introverted and neurodivergent individuals.
Founded by Jasmine and her partner Ben, the Guild designs creative tools, resources, and interactive events that help people connect, build confidence, and explore their imaginations through roleplaying and storytelling. Jasmine and Ben had already built a strong foundation as sole traders, creating engaging resources and growing a dedicated community around their work.
However, they had maxed out the grant funding available to them as individuals, were struggling to scale up their wholesale offer, and faced challenges in being taken seriously by potential stockists. Additionally, balancing part-time jobs alongside their growing business led to limited capacity and a risk of burnout.
Their journey toward a social enterprise model was sparked when Jasmine came across a magazine produced by The Shoebox Community, which showcased how businesses could reinvest profits to enhance their social impact. This sparked an idea: could a social enterprise structure help them achieve sustainability while staying true to their mission?
“It held strong possibility for us, but I was scared to do it!” Jasmine recalls.
In 2024, Jasmine signed up for FUSE Network’s Social Enterprise Start Up Programme after seeing the sessions promoted in FUSE’s newsletter. The programme provided a structured approach to transitioning into a social enterprise, covering essential topics such as:
- Exploring Social Entrepreneurship – understanding what it means to be a social enterprise.
- Start-Up Workshops – covering business planning, legal registration, building a board, managing finances, and securing grants.
- Bid Writing Workshops – offering guidance on finding funding opportunities and crafting successful applications.
“The workshops broke down the legal stuff and made it easy to understand. Jacqui [workshop facilitator] brought her experience of founding her own social enterprise, which was so valuable. The sessions provided accountability, a supportive team that genuinely cared, and practical templates for our company articles and policies.”
– Jasmine O’Hare, The Wayward Adventurers Guild
In addition to training and mentorship, FUSE Network also provided The Wayward Adventurers Guild with a £500 Social Enterprise Start Up Grant. Jasmine used this funding to purchase a new phone, which allowed them to establish good governance and GDPR systems. The upgraded technology also improved their marketing efforts, enabling them to create higher-quality videos and product photographs to better showcase their work.
Thanks to their hard work and some support from FUSE Network along the way, The Wayward Adventurers Guild successfully registered as a social enterprise and now has a clear framework for governance, financial management and a board of directors. They are connected with an accountant who understands social enterprises and can support them in managing grant funding effectively. The Wayward Adventurers Guild is a valued member of FUSE Network and has a listing on FUSE’s Social Enterprise Directory promoting their products and services.
Their transition has already begun to bear fruit:
- Launch event – They held a fabulous launch event at Carrow House celebrating their new social enterprise status.
- Funding applications – The Guild has applied for their first grants as a social enterprise, hoping to fund Jasmine being employed by the company three days a week, creating both a new job and stability for the organisation.
- New partnerships – Through contacts made at their launch event and networking opportunities the Guild is developing new projects with local social enterprise partners.
- A new home – They are moving into Carrow House, operated by Norwich Unity Hub, providing a dedicated space for their growing activities and resources.
- Expanding their impact – The Guild is seeking funding to launch a year-long programme featuring world-building events for adults and will continue their partnership with Norfolk Libraries for the Summer Reading Challenge.
- Growing commercially – They are relaunching their online shop, preparing for their largest-ever event at Games Expo at the NEC in Birmingham, and investing in their wholesale offer.
The Wayward Adventurers Guild is now positioned to grow its impact, reach more people, and build a sustainable social enterprise. By balancing creative, community-driven initiatives with a strong business model, they are proving that it is possible to do good while building a thriving organisation.
Find out more at www.waywardadventurers.co.uk and get in touch if you’d like to discuss stocking their wonderful products or collaborating on a project at thewaywardadventurers@gmail.com.
FUSE Network’s Social Enterprise Start Up Programme
FUSE is so pleased to have been able to support The Wayward Adventurers Guild to register and grow their amazing work through our varied programme of workshops and events. If you’re interested in how FUSE could support you to start your own social enterprise, please email hello@fusenetwork.org.uk.
If you’re a FUSE Network Member and would like to see a spotlight on your social enterprise or you’d like to find out more about our support offer, simply email hello@fusenetwork.org.uk! Not a member yet, sign up now!