Funding for Argyll’s social entrepreneurs

Three Argyll projects recognised as social entrepreneurs have been awarded funding from the Scottish Government’s Social Entrepreneurs Fund.

They are:

• Bute Community Land Company: £5,000
• Soroba Training Oban:  £5,000
• The Empathy Project,Mid Argyll: £2,140.

These projects have isuccessfully secured this funding in the scheme’s first year since its launch.

The Social Entrepreneurs Fund is managed by Firstport for Social Entrepreneurs Scotland Ltd and is run as a joint awards programme with Scotland UnLtd’s Millennium Awards Trust, providing free business advice and financial support to individuals who want to start a business which will help people and communities.

Argyll’s MSP and Enterprise Minister, Jim Mather, has warmly congratulated all three, saying: ‘The value of advice at the beginning of a project and financial assistance to carry out consultations, as in the case of Peter McDonald and the successful Bute Community Land Company’s purchase of Rhubodach Forest, nurturing the enthusiasm which invigorates the community to improve their local fortunes and in turn the whole of Argyll and Bute.

‘Helen Crawford sees the success of Soroba Training,  a social enterprise training facility developing Helen’s idea to address the skills training gap for the tourism industry in Oban.

‘The money received from Millennium Awards Trust for Jenny England’s Empathy Project in Mid Argyll will support communication through understanding each others needs without judgement or blame.This is the ethos that will stand Argyll and Bute and, indeed, Scotland,  in good stead. Introducing teachers, pupils and parents to the method will benefit  the children throughout their lives’.

In a way, the Mid Argyll project echoes Mr Mather’s own modus operandi, bringing people from all sides of an issue together in a spirit of openness to share ideas and lay the foundation for progress.