The Start It and Build It awards are part of the Scottish Government’s Social Entrepreneurs Fund.

Start It awards support social entrepreneurs who are ready to get their ideas off the ground and running.

Build It awards support social entrepreneurs, who have proven their business concept and social impact, to commit to their business full time by covering living costs for a year.

Andrew Douglas, secured £25,000 through the Build It award to develop his idea Scotland All-Strong. Scotland All-Strong is a not-for-profit social enterprise working in the heart of Perth to provide and promote fitness, strength, guided relaxation and peer support for mental health benefits.

The group of social entrepreneurs also includes Gemma Hamilton, who received £5,000 through the Start It award, to get her social enterprise Glasgow Sling Library up and running.

By providing women with advice and support to use slings and carriers, Glasgow Sling Library aims to increase bread feeding rates in the East End. The social enterprise works directly with women from socio-economically deprived communities, who find baby wearing consultancy inaccessible.

Josiah Lockhart, chief executive of Firstport, said: “These latest rounds of funding have supported some exciting and innovative social entrepreneurs in their efforts to improve their local communities. Scotland All-Strong and The Glasgow Sling Library are particularly exciting due to the way that they have a real social impact on a local level, but speak to a wider national conversation around mental health and parent-child connection, respectively.”

Details of the award winners:

Build It

• Sophie L Lejeune received £25,000 to build her social enterprise Society Zero CIC based in East Dunbartonshire
• Andrew Douglas received £25,000 to help progress his social enterprise Scotland All-Strong, based in Perth and Kinross
• Gemma Hendry received £25,000 for her social enterprise Able2Adventure based in Aviemore (Highlands)
• Rebecca Blanco received £25,000 for her social enterprise Cowal and Bute Play Therapy based in Argyll and Bute
• Edward McCardy received £25,000 for his social enterprise Corylus Horticulture CIC based in Midlothian (Edinburgh)

Start It

• Gemma Hamilton received £5,000 for her social enterprise Glasgow Sling Library
• Jacqueline McKie was awarded £5,000 for her social enterprise Difference By Design
• Frank Duffy secured £5,000 for his social enterprise Code Division
• Patricia Papworth was awarded £5,000 for her Social Enterprise Stitch the Gap
• Rosemary Hunter received £5,000 for her social enterprise Weigh Ahead
• Helen Obrien was successful in securing £5,000 for her social enterprise Creative Pipeline
• Gerry Thorogood secured £5,000 for her social enterprise 12 Guitars
• Rebecca Black received £5,000 for her social enterprise Therapy Train Stirling
• Michelle Cameron received £5,000 for her social enterprise Banffshire Tourist Hub
• Gary Train received £5,000 for his social enterprise Cill Mhearnaig Early Learning and Childcare CIC.