Eyemouth-based social enterprise ReTweed has secured £48,000 in funding from the Robertson Trust, together with £15,000 from Unltd Foundation and £1250 from Blackhill Windfarm Community Fund.
This will support the development of ReTweed’s work beyond its 11-week training programme, to provide wider community, environmental and economic benefits.
A series of recycling and upcycling workshops will be developed to encourage local people to return to a ‘make-do-and-mend’ philosophy. These will include creative upholstery, rag-rugging, patchwork and wool crafts.
ReTweed has gone from strength to strength since it launched last year. It recently moved into a shop in the town’s High Street from its former base at the TEDDA Hut, and is now running its fifth course to train women in basic skills in craft, design and technology.
Hazel Smith, ReTweed founder, said: “Without the generosity of local people, local community groups and local businesses we wouldn’t have achieved such success. We have women reconnecting with their communities, making progress in their lives and careers and going on into other creative learning and volunteering.”
ReTweed generates some of its own income through sales of the textiles products manufactured by students and volunteers. More than 70 per cent of its textiles are recycled.
The social enterprise hosted its fourth graduation event at the headquarters of Foundation Scotland in Edinburgh. Eight women were presented with their certificates by Sue Robertson, Chair of the Women’s Fund for Scotland, bringing the grand total of ReTweed graduates to 29 in the past year. The most recent recruits will graduate soon.
Sue Robertson said: “It was an inspiration for me to give the ReTweed women their graduation certificates and I was most impressed with what the project has achieved in such a short time.”
Photo: Students, staff, volunteers and Sue Robertson at the fourth graduation event.