PM’ s Queen’ s Award praise for Glencraft

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has written a letter to Aberdeen social enterprise Glencraft to congratulate the organisation for winning a prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise.

The PM also paid tribute to Glencraft’s former chairman Duncan Skinner who died last month at the age of 63.

In a letter to managing director Graham McWilliam sent on Downing Street-headed notepaper, Mr Johnson said: “I am writing to congratulate you and your team at Glencraft for achieving the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in the Promoting Opportunity category.

“I understand that Glencraft has previously been recognised by the royal family in the form of a royal warrant, having supplied their mattresses for four generations.

“This Queen’s Award further recognises your important work in providing opportunities to local people in Aberdeen. Glencraft richly deserves this recognition for its outstanding achievements as a business, social enterprise and charity, as well as your use of sustainable and ethicallysourced materials.

“I would also like to offer my condolences on the passing of Glencraft chairman, Duncan Skinner. The achievement of the Queen’s Award is a fitting tribute to the man who helped save your social

enterprise 11 years ago and contribute to its many successes.”

Mr McWilliam said the letter had given everyone associated with Glencraft a welcome boost.

He added: “It’s not every day you get a letter from the prime minister. We very much appreciate the recognition of our achievement and thank the

prime minister for his kind words about Duncan, whose loss has been felt by us all at Glencraft and in the wider Aberdeen community.”

Glencraft, which makes luxury bed mattresses, has offered employment and support to disadvantaged people across the northeast for 178 years. The charity faced closure in

2010 after Aberdeen City Council pulled a substantial grant due to a funding review. The campaign, led by Mr Skinner and others, to save the charity and introduce a more professional approach, secured its future.

A total of 30 of the Glencraft team of 38 come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

SUCCESS: Acting chairman Jonathan Smith and managing director Graham McWilliam.