Enterprises prove a little goes a long way
Helensburgh Art Hub is one of nine social entrepreneurs from across Scotland to secure a share of £225,000 from social enterprise start-up agency Firstport.
The social enterprise, founded by Karlyn Marshal (pictured), tackles social isolation through creative workshops. It received Firstport’s Build It award which support up and coming social entrepreneurs by covering salary costs to help grow their organisation.
Marshall founded Helensburgh Art Hub to tackle social isolation, poor mental health, and barriers to creative professions in her local area.
Inspired by personal experience having found respite and comfort in creative activities, she wanted to provide an accessible space for her community to come together and get creative.
Helensburgh Art hub has already helped over 2,000 individuals and now, with an online workshop schedule as well as an online retail shop, it is looking to expand and grow in 2021.
Marshall said: “The Build It award provides me the breathing space to focus on my management role at Helensburgh Art Hub. The expansion of our online art supplies shop enables us to adapt and grow our online business to complement our in-store experience. Our aim for 2021 is to begin employing a small team of staff to help us grow our business and bring more creative benefits to our community.”
Josiah Lockhart, chief executive of Firstport added: “Congratulations to the nine social entrepreneurs who secured funding in such a competitive round of funding. This round of awards has yet again shown how resilient and adaptive social entrepreneurs can be. Helensburgh Art Hub has gone through an impressive modification to continue to deliver their social impact in times of uncertainty and remote learning.”
The full list of awards are:
Argyll & Bute
- Karlyn Marshal received £25,000 for their social enterprise Helensburgh Art Hub
East Dunbartonshire
- Patricia Papworth received £25,000 for their social enterprise Stitch the Gap CIC
City of Edinburgh
- Karen Anderson received £25,000 for their social enterprise SHE Scotland CIC
Glasgow City
- Sumayya Usmani received £25,000 for their social enterprise Kaleyard CIC
North Ayrshire
- Genna Masterton received £25,000 for their social enterprise The Gifted Kind CIC
North Lanarkshire
- Sharon Craighead received £25,000 for their social enterprise Chattersense CIC
Renfrewshire
- Yohana Jones received £25,000 for their social enterprise Jones&Us CIC
Stirling
- Rebecca Black received £25,000 for their social enterprise Therapy Train Stirling
- Rosemary Hunter received £25,000 for their social enterprise Weigh Ahead
