Minister Congratulates Argyll Trade Fair Success
The Argyll and Bute Social Enterprise Network (ABSEN) held very successful Trade Fair and ‘Dragons’ Den’ in Dunoon 28 -30 January.
Attracting 40 delegates from all areas of Argyll and Bute, members had a busy programme to occupy themselves over the two full days of the event. Workshops, case studies and keynote speakers as well as opportunities for networking with each other and sharing good practice. Attracting keen interest was ABSEN’s version of the dragons’ den where local social enterprises competed one with another to win the verdict of the judges and £11,000 worth of prizes.
Winners included groups from Mull, Cowal, Dunoon, Arran, Oban and Ford.
The keynote speakers at the event were Mr Jim Mather, Minister for Enterprise, Energy & Tourism and Councillor Dick Walsh Leader of Argyll and Bute Council.
Jim Mather paid tribute to the work being undertaken by local social enterprise in Argyll and Bute and indicated the practical assistance from the Scottish Government over the coming years. “Social enterprises have a long rich history in Argyll and Bute and this idea of self-help and entrepreneurial character fits well with the strong sense of community in the constituency. I congratulate the Argyll and Bute Social Enterprise Network for organising this event and I want to underline the Scottish Government commitment to supporting this sector; overall, funding for the Third Sector, which includes social enterprise, will increase by just over 37% and that will be worth some £93 million over the next three years. Social enterprises have the capacity to provide local solutions to local problems and to bring dynamism to the way services are delivered locally. This significant increase in funding reflects the Scottish Government’s confidence in the sector and our commitment to it.”
Dick Walsh Leader of Argyll and Bute Council was also a keynote speaker at the event. He paid tribute to the work being undertaken by local social enterprise in Argyll and Bute and promised closer working with them over the over the coming years.
“From my travels around Argyll and Bute I am well aware of the contribution that social enterprises make to local communities. In many local areas they have made significant differences and I want to congratulate them for that. The promotion of the social enterprise movement figures large in the Council’s Corporate Plan and I want to sit down with Argyll and Bute Social Enterprise Network to examine ways we can best achieve that and promote social enterprise more extensively across Argyll and Bute. A solid foundation has been laid by the existing local social enterprise and now we must move forward, together.”
Roddy MacDonald, Head of Strategic Partnerships and Development at the Scottish Government Thirds Sector Division provided the closing presentation and under questioning from Members reaffirmed his commitment to seeing rural areas get a fair deal from the £93million fund.
There were a number of prizes up for grabs in the Dragon’s Den section of the event and after much deliberation by the judges the winners and runners up in each category were announced.
Category 1. New and Emerging Social Enterprises
1st place (£2000) - Aaron Cyr and Andy Ferguson of The Cowal Music Group - Dunoon
2nd place (£1000) – Claire Berry of The Arran Voice - Arran
Category 2. Review Time
1st Place (£2000)– James Hilder of Mull Butchers Ltd – Isle of Mull
2nd Place (£1000)– Peter Creech and Phil Hemmings of Ford Community Project Ltd.- Ford
Category 3. New Developments
1st Place (£2000) – Neil Matheson of Atlantis Leisure - Oban
2nd Place (£1000) – Mairie MacKinnon of Mull & Iona Environmentally Sensitive Solutions
Special Prize awarded by the Social enterprise Academy
(This is a course worth about £1,500 entitled ‘Starting your Social Business’ )
Awarded to David Miles Hanschell of Surplus Educational Supplies - Isle of Bute
The Event was sponsored by The Scottish Government Third Sector Division, Communities Scotland with support from Argyll and Bute Council
Attached Photograph shows, from left to right
James Hilder (Mull Butchers) and Acting Chair of ABSEN, Nicola Welsh (The Nadair Trust Oban), Chris Rogan (Recreate, Oban), Jim Mather MSP, Minister for Enterprise, Energy & Tourism, Jim McCrossan, Argyll & Bute Councils Community Learning & Regeneration Manager
Photographs of the event, dragons den and winners are available from Alison Rimell.
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