Eight Kintyre companies celebrated at Holyrood
EIGHT Campbeltown social enterprises have had their achievements recognised in the Scottish Parliament.
The businesses were honoured alongside others from Dunoon and Rothesay, at a Scottish parliamentary reception on March 7, hosted by MSP Michael Russell.
The event also marked the conclusion of the three-year Vital Spark programme, delivered by social enterprise development agency Firstport in partnership with local support organisation InspirAlba, and saw the launch of a new publication, Stimulating Social Enterprise in Argyll and Bute.
Josiah Lockhart, Firstport chief executive, said: ‘We now have 18 active early stage enterprises, 12 of these are actively trading and six have taken on prem-
ises. Twelve new employment and volunteering opportunities have been created, and more than £125,000 of grant funding has been secured.’
Ailsa Clark, InspirAlba development manager, said: ‘Social enterprise plays an integral part in the fabric of our rural communities not just economically, but also socially, in terms of the essential services they provide and the significant social benefits delivered.
‘Vital Spark has enabled us to raise the profile of social enterprise and stimulate new activity. We aim to continue to encourage social enterprise solutions and have secured five years of further funding support locally from UnLtd.’
Argyll and Bute MSP Michael Russell, who hosted the event, said: ‘Social enterprise has a
vital role to play in rural communities like Argyll and Bute. With strong local knowledge and skills, it can fill gaps in service pro-
vision that are inevitable at times of financial and social pressure and create employment and volunteering opportunities.
‘I am grateful for the work done by Vital Spark to raise the profile of the social enterprise approach as a way of doing business.
‘It has helped both the participants and the wider community to understand what social enterprise means as well as illustrate the positive impact it can have.’
The Vital Spark social enterprises in Campbeltown are: Wee Toon Environmental Solutions, Clean Team, Homesong, Keeping It Local Campbeltown, KytKat, Kintyre Cultural Connections, 3B Design Studio, and Fancy Drawers.
More information on Firstport and Vital Spark is available at www.firstport.org.