It’s been a great week for charities and social enterprises in the Scottish Borders, who won or were finalists in two awards ceremonies this week.
The annual Herald Society Awards showcases the work of Scotland’s voluntary and public sectors.
The winners of the 12 categories were announced at the awards event in Glasgow on 6th November, when Hazel Smith (left), founder and director of Eyemouth-based charity Re-Tweed, was named Entrepreneur of the Year.
Re-Tweed offers women a new way to think about their futures by gaining the skills and experience for creative industry and enterprise while producing original furnishings and fashions and crafts.
The following day, social enterprises and charities were again in the spotlight at the Scottish Borders Chamber of Commerce Business Excellence Awards ceremony, at Macdonald Cardrona Hotel.
The Social Enterprise of the Year Award went to Eildon Housing Group, which also jointly won the Supporting Young Workforce Award with Douglas Home & Co. Eildon Housing provides high quality affordable rented homes for tenants throughout the Scottish Borders, as well as some specialised care and sheltered housing.
Finalists in the Social Enterprise of the Year category were Streets Ahead, Peer 2 Peer Mindfulness, Food Punks and Sea the Change. This category is open to third sector organisations, including charities, social enterprises and community trusts.
Works+ in Galashiels, which works with unemployed 16 – 24 year olds to help them get into employment or learning, won the Community Impact Award. Finalists included Sea the Change and Just Cycle Ltd.
Sea the Change encourages our whole community to make small, but positive changes to raise environmental awareness through engagement and protection of our natural environment.
Just Cycle recycles and re-uses bikes that would have been thrown out. Unused bikes are recovered from a range of sources, transported to its base and then recycled.
Congratulations to everyone!
Photo: The Streets Ahead representative at the Business Excellence Awards