A SMALL business based in Scotstoun recently took home an award dedicated to those contributing to economic growth, social and environmental wellbeing.

Glasgow Wood Recycling won the Sustainability Award from the Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards in Liverpool last month.

The social enterprise and charity is committed to reducing the amount of wood needlessly going to landfill by finding creative and socially inclusive ways to reuse the natural resource. 

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Since 2006, the group’s members have been collecting wood from all over Glasgow, gathering and sorting it at the South Street workshop, and then reusing it to make furniture and design bespoke pieces for home, businesses and social sector organisations.

Anything from tables in bars, to eco-gardens in schools have been produced.

Volunteer and training opportunities for local people, as a practical way of tackling unemployment and social exclusion are provided.

Peter Lavelle, Glasgow Wood Recycling’s chief executive, told the Post: “The whole team is delighted to be recognised for our social enterprise’s efforts.

“We strive daily to offer meaningful support to a wide range of people, and we don’t often lift our heads to acknowledge that we can make a difference in our own small way.”

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The awards also celebrate the work of small businesses that have accessed responsible business finance, and Glasgow Wood Recycling have previously been supported by lending from DSL Business Finance – who nominated them for the award.

Nicole Cosgrove, DSL’s investment readiness officer, said: “It has been a pleasure to be associated with the organisation since 2011 by providing loan support at various stages to assist with its development and growth.

“We have no doubt that its success will continue well into the future.”